By Russ Tarby
Contributing Writer
If village of Liverpool residents want to ask a question or complain to the village board, they better be prepared to wait their turn.
At its Monday, July 18, meeting, the Liverpool Village Board of Trustees approved new meeting procedures which included moving the public comment period from near the top of the agenda to next-to-last.
First Street resident Francine LaValle patiently waited for nearly two hours to ask her question on July 18. She wanted to know the status of the ongoing Dunkin’ Donuts site-review process now pending before the village planning board. Villager Attorney John Langey assured her that the planning board would conduct a public hearing on the site-review for the proposed drive-thru restaurant at 105-113 Second St.
The new meeting procedures, recommended by the New York Conference of Mayors in accordance with the New York State Village Law & General Construction Law, also requires commenters to move to the front of the room and clearly state their name and address. The trustees unanimously approved the new meeting rules.
This year’s village board meetings have been attended by larger-than-usual crowds. Many attending residents commented on issues such as the proposed Meyer development, the proposal to abolish the village court and a proposed Dunkin’ Donuts drive-thru approved on March 21.
Nine agenda items preceded the public comment period on the July 18 agenda. One of those agenda items was “outstanding issues,” more than a half-dozen old business items, each of which was updated.
When LaValle finally stood to ask her question, the mayor quipped, “We wanted to keep you a captive audience.”
The lady graciously smiled, and the mayor waived the just-passed requirement for her to move to the front of the room.
Trustee Christina Fadden Fitch focused on the setting of agenda items. The rules governing the way trustees may submit agenda items, she said, could stand as a “roadblock.”
Mayor Gary White disagreed. “It’s not a roadblock,” he said. “It’s coordination.”
White has never refused to list an agenda item requested by a trustee, he said, but the rules require that agenda items be cleared with the mayor and filed with the village clerk. Fitch’s concern mirrored those she expressed earlier this year when the Village Board approved a resolution excluding trustees from access to the village attorney or village engineer unless the contact is cleared by the mayor or deputy mayor.
June police stats
Reporting on behalf of Liverpool Police Chief Don Morris, new village Trustee Matt Devendorf informed the village board at its July 18 meeting that officers issued 201 citations for violations of the state’s vehicle and traffic laws in June, after making a total of 205 traffic stops. Two arrests were made for driving while intoxicated and 11 traffic accidents were investigated that month.
Officers conducted 127 residential checks during June and responded to a total of 413 complaints and calls for service.
The LPD arrested 20 individuals last month on a total of 22 criminal charges.
Morris reported that a recent automobile break-in occurred after the vehicle owner left a smartphone electrical-charging cable visible.
“There was no phone attached at the time,” he said, “but we think criminals will target a vehicle if power cords are left in plain sight because that leads them to believe the phone is in the vehicle.”
For information about safeguarding your home, vehicles and property, call the administrative phone number of the LPD at 457-0722.
