The Cicero Town Board changed the definition of a restaurant in the town code to include establishments that allow both indoor and outdoor consumption. The board voted unanimously at its June 24 meeting — Supervisor Jessica Zambrano and Councilor Mike Becallo were absent from the meeting.
Councilor Mark Venesky explained that a restaurant owner had approached the town with a dilemma: the proprietor keeps an ice cream truck on the premises of his traditional restaurant during the summer months and had to pay for an additional permit for the truck, even though he kept it on the same property as the restaurant.
Venesky said the town was “unnecessarily penalizing” business owners in that situation by forcing them to pay for additional permits, so the code’s definition of a restaurant has been revised to read as follows: “An establishment primarily engaged in the sale of food and beverages, including alcoholic beverages, for on premise consumption.”
Resident and former supervisor Judy Boyke, who recently announced that she is running for supervisor again in the fall, objected to the revision because the issue was “specific to one person.” Venesky said the issue was applicable to the entire town. Boyke also said it is up to the Zoning Board of Appeals to make changes to the town code, but town attorney Robert Germain said while the ZBA may interpret the code, the town board has the authority to change the code through a local law.
Also on the agenda
-Rabies clinic: Town Clerk Tracy Cosilmon reported that more than 320 dogs and cats from more than 220 families received vaccinations at the June 22 rabies clinic held at the highway department.
Cosilmon said the clinic brought in $2,427, some of which must be split with the Onondaga County Health Department and the Cicero Animal Clinic. The town’s share of the revenue was $1,096.
-Police building roof: Don Snyder, a member of the ZBA and the town’s Buildings Advisory Committee, said the committee had received four quotes for repairs to the Cicero Police Department’s roof. Snyder said he hopes to keep the cost under $10,000.
He said two of the quotes only include a replacement membrane system (a flat roofing system that prevents leaks) and the other two are for replacement roofs. Snyder said he wanted the membrane roof contractors to revise their quotes to include the cost of a replacement roof so the four potential contractors are “on the same ground level.”
“The membrane system is great for keeping water out, but it’s no good for ice buildup,” Snyder said, citing ice buildup as the major concern for the police building.
Snyder said it would take about two weeks to receive the revised quotes.
During the public comment period, resident Deborah Gardner said town officials should review the audio recording of the meeting because they mentioned specific numbers in the police roof discussion.
“It seems like you gave away a lot of information if you’re going to have two people re-bid,” she said. “That is usually called ‘round robin bidding,’ and it’s highly unethical, especially in the business world.”
