By Neale Gulley
The Tonawanda News
North Tonawanda, NY — Tuesday was Student Government day, as 27 North Tonawanda High School Students shadowed officials whose respective seats they won in recent mock elections.
As usual, the day culminated in a very real council meeting, at which each student spoke on behalf of the real officials, approving the normal slate of business.
“Welcome everyone ... just bear with us because obviously we don’t do this all the time,” Senior Mike Tuzzo, mock mayor and quarterback of the school’s state championship football team told a packed gallery.
Senior Meghan Malone made the first motion on behalf of Alderwoman at Large Nancy Donovan to approve an environmental study into plans by Calgon carbon company to construct an outbuilding at the city’s wastewater plant. The city still owns and operates the plant, though a lease agreement reached this winter benefits the wastewater fund through use of a carbon furnace there.
Calgon will fund the construction of a separate 8,000 square foot carbon storage building on its own dime, as a means to serve the operation. As a result of the new lease agreement, the Pennsylvania-based company pays the city $150,000 per year to use the furnace for its own needs and is estimated to save the city another $150,000 by processing the carbon the city uses.
Also at Tuesday’s meeting, the city’s capital project for storm sewer improvements took a step forward with the council’s unanimous approval of $5,085 for a topographical study of the work area, to take place throughout part of Rumbold Avenue, Schenck Street, Ransom Street and Niagara Street. Buffalo-based firm Greenman-Pedersen Inc. was chosen to handle the work.
The council also approved an advertising agreement between Deerwood Golf Course and Citadel Broadcasting of Buffalo. The agreement, the broadcaster says, is worth $82,000 in Web displays and radio plugs estimated to reach 419,000 people on stations like 97 Rock, Classic Hits 104.1 and 103.3 The Edge. In return, the city-owned golf course will honor and redeem 250 gift certificates from the company as part of the promotional sweep, good for one round of golf including cart fees.
Also at Tuesday’s meeting:
• The council approved Lumber City Development Corporation Executive Director Jim Sullivan’s request for two public hearings before two housing grant applications are sent out. One of them seeks $432,000 through the state Division of Housing and Community Renewal for work on 19 single family units. Another pending application is for $400,000 in a citywide push for funds to help rehabilitate about 18 more units.
The hearings will be held March 29 and April 5.
The council’s action also authorizes Sullivan to submit the applications to the state.
• Use of Gratwick Riverside Park was again granted for the annual Thunder on the Niagara boat races, tentatively scheduled for Aug. 21 to Aug. 22.
• In a new twist to summer city events this year, bike rally promoter Carmen Toromino was granted use of Gratwick Park for a bike rally and concert weekend event July 9 to July 11. The event, which has been held at the Summit Park Mall in recent years, is touted as drawing thousands of bikers from many miles away, though Toromino told the council in previous meetings the crowd is usually very well behaved. More information is expected to be posted on the event’s Web site at wnyshows.com.
• Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 77 was granted permission to build a planned new monument at Veteran’s Park on the Niagara River. The monument, which will incorporate the group’s initials with letters eight feet high and 18 feet long, is planned to be constructed of stone between the existing Seabees and Marine Corps monuments.
• Two abandoned properties were sold to adjacent homeowners for $1,000 apiece. One at what used to be 31 Felton St., and another next to 95 Eggert Terrace were sold. Neither plot represents a full city lot, Clerk-Treasurer Scott Kiedrowski said, and neither has any structures present. The Eggert Terrace property is listed as 30 feet by 105 feet in size.
