SILVER CREEK - Summer projects were the main items discussed at the Silver Creek Village Board at its meeting Monday.
Trustee Amy Romanik told the board the Hanover Little League wants to construct a softball field next to the existing baseball diamond on Ward Avenue.
"They are trying to get softball back here ... They are hoping to bring it back here locally so there won't be so much traveling, just to like Forestville and other areas," she said.
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OBSERVER Photo by Nicole Gugino
The Silver Creek Village Board discussed summer projects at its meeting Monday. Pictured is Mayor Kurt Lindstrom and Trustees Amy Romanik and Nick Piccolo.
She said the field is village property, even though the league has always paid for its upkeep. Romanik said because of this, the first step would be for the village to do a survey of the area to make sure a softball field can be put there.
Highway Supervisor Ralph Crawford said the price of the survey should be under $1,000 and therefore will not require bids for the work.
Romanik added if the survey goes well, there will be some tree removal required to make the new diamond. Home plate will be near the Drake Avenue dead end with the outfields back-to-back.
"I think its a great idea personally," Trustee Thomas Harmon said.
Harmon then reported to the board on the progress of beautifying the railroad bridges over Route 5. He said he had met with former Trustee Andrew Volk and both had ideas for the project.
Village attorney Daniel Gard said he had spoken with Dunkirk City Public Works Supervisor Anthony Gugino about how Dunkirk maintains its bridges. Harmon said he would get in contact with Gugino.
Once again Hanover Street residents John and Nicole Neubauer attended the meeting to ask when the drainage project on Lafayette Street will begin.
Crawford explained the village just got the backhoe back on Thursday. He said the Public Works Department spent the rest of last week finishing projects and this week will do the same along with holiday preparations and they will start the Lafayette drainage project on Monday.
In other business:
The board was also eager for the security camera project to be completed in light of recent vandalism. Police Chief Timothy Roche said he is meeting with Petri's this week to finalize its donation to the project.
The board unanimously authorized a 5 percent increase in sewer and water rates.
Former Trustee Anna Frederickson addressed the board to ask about the salt agreement between the village and the school, where the village was to provide the school with salt for 10 years for the use of its salt barn, but charged the school the past two years. Mayor Kurt Lindstrom said he still needs to negotiate the agreement with the school.
There was a gas leak Monday from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Main Street (Route 20) which was handled by the village and the Silver Creek Fire Department. Traffic was diverted during the incident.
The village plans to apply for funding under the Safe Routes to School grant through the department of transportation.
Trustee Nick Piccolo brought a petition of 34 signatures to the board from Babcock Street residents hoping to change the times the basketball courts are open. The board took no action but said it was open for discussion.
The youth recreation program will begin Monday.
Fireworks will be held today in George Borrello Park at dusk.
The board will next meet on July 16.
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