Tonight (2017-05-15) was a meeting of the Honeoye Falls Board of Trustees.
Interesting meeting tonight, from a time usage vs agenda item point of view. The reports from departments took the bulk of the time, while the agenda items (minus the last) were relatively short. Usually it’s the other way around, relatively short reports followed by longer old and new business.
Ironically enough, the clerk’s computer started the meeting by deciding it was time to do updates. To her credit, she pulled out paper and continue on.
It was said that the governor’s consolidation gimmick has no teeth and is being ignored by multiple municipalities. Consistent with the other governmental groups I observe, there is a general sense they do what they can together. As with most things, if you want change, start with yourself. Therefore, if the governor wants to eliminate a layer of government, he should start with the layer he runs.
Tonight’s only ambulance attendee was the Chief. This is normal, as he reports to the Trustee’s every month. It is the contrast that stands out. Last week they felt threatened, so appeared in force with a group. Tonight they felt safe, so it was only the Chief.
Unfortunately, I have concluded that the ambulance service will be leaving. At least as a Village run department. Will probably still be years before that is reached, but that is my assessment. Reached that conclusion during the meeting tonight while listening to the discussion and the money side of it. The village is being prudent and deploying their money so that, should the ambulance leave their control, they still have their money. Which is the sort of thing that indicates a lack of confidence. Which, in turn, causes others to react similarly. In the end it creates a self fulfilling prophecy. As usual, I like to be wrong.
Stan (Trustee) shared encouraging words about maintenance that had been done to the softball fields at the Monroe Street Park. Good to know the work that the Village does is appreciated.
Pictures of the Waste Water Treatment Plant Ultraviolet Upgrade were shared. They do like their concrete for this project. Lots of digging holes in the ground and then filling then back in with concrete. In a controlled precise manner, of course. Had to be done to meet state mandates, at least this is partially funded by a grant. In the end, the only measure of “Is the water clean enough” comes down to “Will the plant’s manager drink the output water”. One of these days I’ll find out the answer to that one.
Young Life got approval for Chicken BBQ’s at Josh’s Landscape. Of interest to me as I used to assist them with their fundraiser. Not so much anymore, for various reasons. Either way, is amusing to see the one group a law was made to control actually follow that law. While all other groups ignore it.
Right, so those are my Observations on all the reports and regular agenda items. Just left the long discussion about everything. Or put differently: about the zoning code, in it’s entirety.
A few years back the village completed a Comprehensive Plan. Took a while, but that’s how these things go. As part of that process, a number of ‘flaws’ in the zoning code came up. That wasn’t the time to fix them, but tonight was the start of it being time.
I’m glad they are doing this, it’s long overdue and is a credit to the Trustee’s that they are following through. Apart from that, there isn’t really much to say. When the finished product comes out for public comment, I’m sure I’ll have much to say. But for now, I’m just glad they are getting the process started. I am now Cautiously Optimistic.
And those are my Observations From Audience Land for the May 15th, 2017 meeting of the Honeoye Falls Board of Trustees.
Link to agenda on Village website.
Link to agenda stored on this site, should the village lose their copy.