VILLAGE OF LIVERPOOL – At its July 10 meeting, the Liverpool Village Board of Trustees approved a new local law prohibiting the operation of trucks weighing more than five tons within the village. The law specifically targets “truck, trailers and tractor-trailer combinations.”
“It has been recognized that there is an increase of heavy truck traffic through the village,” the trustees’ resolution stated. The law, which was drafted by the former board of trustees headed by Mayor Gary White, aims to “regulate and control land use and to protect the health, safety and welfare of its residents as well as the integrity of village thoroughfares.”
The resolution cited a December 2022 truck and traffic study conducted by civil engineers Barton & Loguidice which documented existing traffic patterns and applicable laws, engineering design standards and signage.
The law includes a notable exclusion, allowing trucks of all weights to make local deliveries and pickups.
At a public hearing about the new law there was one speaker. First Street resident Joe Ostuni Jr. said he appreciated the new law’s intent and urged the trustees to back it up by enforcing heavy fines.
The current fine for such an offense is $50, but Mayor Stacy Finney predicted that amount will be increased.
“As it stands – at $50 – it’s not even a slap on the wrist,” Finney said.
The board – Finney and trustees Melissa Cassidy, Rachel Ciotti, Matt Devendorf and Mike LaFontagne – then unanimously approved the new law.
Two other measures were approved but not unanimously. In fact, the resulting votes reflected the new partisan makeup of the village board, as three Democrats voted in favor and the two remaining Republicans – Devendorf and LaMontagne – opposed it.
So Finney’s appointment of Bob Bradt as new chairman of the village planning board, replacing longtime Chairman Joe Ostuni Jr., passed by a vote of 3 to 2.
Bradt has been a planning board member since November 2020 while Ostuni began as a planner in 1995 before becoming chairman nearly 20 years ago. Ostuni also serves as chairman of the village Republican Party.
Several other mayoral appointments were unanimously approved by the trustees as part of its annual organizational meeting on July 10, including two new members of the zoning board of appeals, Amy Lago and Jeremiah Thompson. Two re-appointments to the tree committee – Chairwoman Yvette Hewitt and member Holly Granat – also received unanimous approval.
But when it came to scheduling a public hearing on Aug. 14 to consider changing the annual village election day from June to November, the two Republicans opposed it. By a vote of 3 to 2, the trustees approved next month’s public hearing.
New mayor, trustees sworn in.
Before the July 10 meeting was called to order, newly elected Liverpool Mayor Stacy Finney and new trustees Melissa Cassidy and Rachel Ciotti were sworn into office by Liverpool Justice Anthony LaValle.
Before administering the oaths, the judge reminded elected officials and residents alike that they all have a responsibility to work together for the betterment of our community.
Ten accidents in June
At the village board’s monthly meeting on July 10, Police Chief Jerry Unger reported via memo that his officers made 180 traffic stops and issued 163 citations for violations of the state’s vehicle and traffic laws in June.
Ten accidents were investigated here last month, and two motorists were issued parking tickets. Officers made 32 residential checks and 171 business checks in June while responding to a total of 480 incidents and calls for service. That number represents an average of 16 calls answered per day.
The LPD arrested 20 individuals last month on 22 criminal charges.
