VILLAGE OF MANLIUS – Church on the Island will return to Papermill Island Sundays from June 18 to Sept. 3.
On May 18, Rev. William Mudge of the Baldwinsville First United Methodist Church appeared before the Baldwinsville Village Board to seek permission to have the services on the island again this year.
Church on the Island has been going on for seven years, he said.
Mudge said the services will be led by pastors from a variety of churches around Baldwinsville. “We’d like it to be all the churches,” he said.
Set up begins at 7 a.m. and the services start at 8 a.m.
Rotary preps for Seneca River Days
Traditionally, the village board has a $1,000 usage fee for organizations that use Paper Mill Island. Ken Schmidt, of the Baldwinsville Rotary Club, went before the board May 18 looking for a waiver of that fee for Seneca River Days, which takes place June 9 and 10.
Trustee Megan O’Donnell informed Schmidt that the board would no longer waive the fee, as it is responsible for costs related to the venue, but the board would accept a 50 percent discount, which Schmidt said was acceptable to the Rotary Club.
The village will also waive the open container law during the event.
“We appreciate everything that the village does,” Schmidt said.
On June 9, from 5 to 10:30 p.m., the annual festival will feature food trucks, fireworks and three bands will play. Fireworks will begin around 9:45 p.m. and last for between 20 and 30 minutes, Schmidt said.
The following day, the family festival will take place from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Help with vandalism
Mayor Richard Clarke asked residents of Baldwinsville to please reach out to 911 if they see anyone vandalizing public property.
Superintendent of Public Works Chuck McAuliffe echoed those sentiments, stating that three weeks after the picnic tables were put out in Mercer Park, they had to be repainted because of graffiti.
“We need your eyes to help us,” Clarke said to village residents. “We can’t be everywhere.”
