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EDITORIAL
By Bob Bowdren
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Just Wondering….
This new Phelps Community Center has left me with a whole lot of questions and not too many answers.
Question: Why did the Town of Phelps opt NOT to participate in the acquisition of the old school when several years later they are buying property for a Town Court?
The comment I have heard from some is that there seems to be a personal rivalry between the Mayor and the Town Supervisor and it has also been said that this feud supercedes other factors.
Early on I thought the funding for the purchase of the school started with a $100,000 grant from the State. I am now told there was $100,000 in the kitty before the grant. I wonder where that came from. Taxpayers?
Last fall, when the Sauerkraut Festival Committee was made aware of building projects at the Fire Department they looked to the Community Center and adjacent athletic field as an alternative location for the festival. Early on, it appears that all parties felt it was a viable choice. After much discussion and effort on the part of the committee (electric, fireworks, access, etc.) a meeting was called and the Sauerkraut Committee advised that there was now a Community Center Board of Directors which would have final say on the facility usage. The Directors rejected the use for the Sauerkraut Festival on the following grounds: "The proposed electrical (underground) would require disturbing underground drain tiles on the field." I wonder why this was not brought up months sooner BEFORE additional grant money was applied for and detailed plans for the field were formulated by the festival committee.
I wonder if that decision had anything to do with the latest rumor about Bastian Brothers of Geneva moving into a portion of the building. I understand that they have been "invited" to move out of Geneva because of environmental concerns. I believe this was the reason they moved out of Rochester.
The latest that I have heard is that the Village has decided not to install sprinklers in the Library and Village Office portions of the building. I thought that this was mandated by the NYS Fire Code and not subject to change by local municipalities.
It was reported to me that the building was re-zoned at the last Village Board meeting. I wonder why.
On the whole, I believe Mr. Cheney is doing a pretty good job but, I think he needs to realize the importance of following proper procedure (when necessary) and communicating with the voters.
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