Closing of old Route 219 bridge addressed at Springville village meeting

Two local transportation issues highlighted the Jan. 9 Springville Village Board meeting as trustees debated the closing of the old Route 219 high level bridge and the need for revising a local law regarding winter parking in the municipal lot.

The Jan. 5 closing of the old Route 219 bridge due to safety concerns by the New York State Department of Transportation moved the board members to unanimously pass a resolution calling for the immediate repair and reopening of the structure. The bridge spans Cattaraugus Creek and connects one of Springville’s two commercial districts with the Southern Tier.

The NYSDOT had said it planned to close the bridge in May of this year for repairs and improvements, but last week’s sudden closure caught residents and shopkeepers off guard. The board said it fears that interrupting the traffic flow along the western edge of the village could lead to business closures and the loss of jobs.

It was also brought to the board’s attention that the wintertime parking plan for the municipal parking lot might not be legal, according to Building Inspector Michael Kaleta. A combination of public and private parking sites, along with misplaced signage, has recently resulted in the dismissal of several tickets issued by Springville Police personnel in attempts to enforce seasonal regulations.

The trustees authorized Village Attorney Audrey Seeley to look into the existing local law regarding winter parking and to report her findings back to the board. Mayor William Krebs said, “It may just be a matter of amending the existing law.”

In other village board news:

- The board members approved Superintendent of Public Works Karl Lux’s request to send two Electric Division employees to a February workshop in East Syracuse. The Municipal Electric Utilities Association’s two-day presentation will cover several topics, including storm restoration and mutual aid response.

- Village Administrator Timothy Horner will be holding departmental budget workshops beginning Jan. 30 in anticipation of a public hearing on April 2. The budget must be adopted no later than May 1.

- Horner asked the trustees to hold a public hearing on Jan. 23 in order to introduce Local Law A-2012 for the purpose of overriding New York state tax cap 3-C. The purpose of this law is to protect the village of Springville against any mistakes made while attempting to formulate a budget based on the 2 percent cap. The board approved the hearing for Jan. 23 at 7 p.m.

- Trustee Jean Moncreiff reported that the Franklin Street Control Center responded to 887 calls last year. The breakdown: Mortons Corners 77, East Concord 203, Chaffee/Sardinia 257 and Springville 350. Fire Chief Dennis Dains noted that calls for December 2011 numbered 21.

- Kaleta informed the trustees that the planning board is making progress regarding the revision of signage laws in the village. Also reported was that the distressed properties list was also nearing completion.

The next village meeting will be held on Jan. 23 at the Village Municipal Building on Franklin Street.