By Phil Blackwell
Recent water main breaks on Genesee Street in the village of Baldwinsville have caused enough concern that the Village Board of Trustees wants to directly address the issue.
When the board convenes again on July 16, the agenda includes a public hearing where input will be heard on transferring funds from the village’s water reserve fund to its general fund.
Mayor Richard Clarke said at the July 2 Village Board meeting that approximately $15,000 is needed to fix those water mains.
Since village board meetings are still taking place through an online Zoom conference until New York state allows public meetings to resume, there was a question from board trustee Meghan O’Donnell about how citizens can participate in the public hearing.
In response, village attorney Robert Baldwin said that citizens who wish to participate in the public hearing need to call the village clerk’s office and ask for the specific Zoom password so they can speak to the board.
Another important project facing the village involves Canton Woods Senior Center, which is expecting to pick up its activity during the month of July.
Bids were received on installing movable walls in the senior center, and the board unanimously approved a bid of $16,125 by B.R. Johnson LLC, an East Syracuse-based firm which specializes in installing doors and windows.
At the same time, the senior center is finally ready to start up its long-anticipated frozen lunch program, done in conjunction with the local nonprofit organization PEACE Inc.
Senior center director Ruth Troy announced that the lunch program will begin July 13 and run each Monday and Friday. Reservations are required and there is a suggested donation of $3.50.
Troy also announced that an outdoor tai chi program, utilizing all the social distancing protocols, is scheduled to get underway at Canton Woods on July 15, weather permitting.
In his report, Baldwinsville Police Chief Michael Lefancheck said that the volume of complaints from residents about people not wearing face coverings in public buildings has decreased since Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s executive order was first issued in April.
When complaints were aired, said Lefancheck, officers have dealt with them on an educational basis, preferring to make suggestions to people than provoke any confrontations, which led to that decrease in calls.
Clarke also mentioned that Baldwinsville First United Methodist Church held its first outdoor service on June 29 at Paper Mill Island, issuing a reminder to attendees that public restrooms at the facility remain closed.
Still, the consensus among the village board was that things were running well given all the upheaval and changes caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We haven’t missed too many beats,” said Clarke, adding that village departments should feel that “people appreciate what you are doing.”
