Village Board acts on mill projects
by JILL SCHMELZER Reporter

The Williamsville Village Board has moved forward with restorations, renovations and the renting of the Williamsville Water Mill.

The board purchased the building at 56 E. Spring St. and the "red" and "white" buildings at 60 and 80 E. Spring St. in 2005 for $450,000.

Since then, little has been done with the buildings because the board had to wait on a historical structures report as well as come up with a plan to either sell or lease the buildings.

Last fall, Mayer Bros. rented the space at the mill, selling cider and donuts. However, fifth-generation owner of Mayer Bros. Garrett Mayer terminated the lease after the board would not allow him to advertise via a truck that cider was being sold off Main Street. Trustee Basil Piazza asked Mayer to rent the space again this fall and he accepted.

"Last year hasn't been addressed," said Mayer, noting that he is happy to be back at the site.

Mayer signed a two-month lease with the board and will sell cider and donuts from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays through October.

"We're happy to have him back," said Mayor Mary Lowther. "We're happy to have some traffic down there (at the mill) again."

The board also received a $50,000 grant from Sen. Mary Lou Rath, R-Amherst, which will be used to restore parts of the mill.

During the board's work session Monday, it was decided that the board will go into contract with the state for repairs to the roof and foundation of the mill. The scope of work may change, but the board is entering into the contract to ensure the project is a go. Approximately $5,000 will be used to patch leaks in the roof.

Skip Cerio, who was named preferred developer of the area, has requested to be more involved in the decision-making process of the area. This past year, Cerio designed a plan for the East Spring Street area, but didn't express much interest in the mill and the adjacent buildings. He said he thought the area could be used for condominiums, but the board wasn't sure that was the direction they wanted to go.

Lowther asked the trustees what they wanted to do. Should Cerio have rights as a preferred developer? Or should he no longer hold the title?

Lowther said that during the time of the appointment, the board did not spell out any rights Cerio had as preferred developer.

"I feel at this point there is no room for him," said Trustee Brian Geary. "I'd rather keep it more simple."

He noted that the board has moved along in a consistent business manner and he didn't want anything to slow it down.

Trustee Richard Sweeney agreed with Geary, stating that they didn't have any large-scale obligations to the preferred developer. However, Sweeney thought the board should keep Cerio as a person of interest.

Geary and Piazza also measured and drew lot lines for the "red" and "white" buildings, so the board could move forward with the possible sale of 60 and 80 E. Spring Street. The lines demonstrated potential parking spaces and property barriers. The board will have the property surveyed in the future.

e-mail: JSchmelzer@beenews.com