Spindle items
JESSICA FINCH Associate Editor

+ NOT AS FUNNY AT MIDNIGHT - I could report that on Monday, the Amherst Town Board was once again unable to stick to its 11:30 p.m. deadline, but that's not news. For those who were able to stay - it was 12:30 a.m. when adjournment was agreed upon. If you left early, or were unable to attend, you missed out when things got a little wacky. Some Town Board members got a few jokes in throughout the meeting. Are some funny? OK, yes, I will admit sometimes they can pull off a joke. But it seemed as soon as members missed their deadline, they started to unwind. It began with Council Member William A. O'Loughlin Jr. when he was asked to again address 47 Burgundy Terrace, an often discussed topic, said "I'll buy the house if you stop talking about it." The item is still being reviewed.

As the minutes crept into Tuesday, Council Member Dan Ward asked for action on one of his resolutions and received a 5-2 vote. Council Member Shelly Schratz cast one of the no votes, but when she saw that Supervisor Satish Mohan had voted yes, she leaned over and asked "Are you in favor of this?" Mohan shrugged his shoulders and said, "I raised my hand." It wasn't the first time that night a board member expressed concern about an agenda item while, or after, the vote was being taken.

Near the end of the meeting, during the communications portion of the agenda, and after many lengthy discussions and repetitive questions, Council Member

Bill Kindel, in what I took as joking, asked the million-dollar question about an agenda item: "Do we have a committee to study that?" It seems to be a favorite pastime of board members to send every item to a town committee, and some members are constantly trying to form new ones.

I figured as long as we were spending five and a half hours together in a room of more than 226 people (that's the limit, and more were standing and in the hallway) then why not find some humor in an otherwise draining meeting.

 GETTING CLOSER - Although Council Members Ward and O'Loughlin think they can adopt the town's Master Plan they were told a public hearing still needs to be held. The board decided the hearing will take place at 7 p.m. Monday Dec. 4 at Town Hall, 5583 Main St.

 GOOD TIMES FOR GOOD DAYS - Bonefish Grill will hold a fund-raiser

for Camp Good Days and Special Times from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 18, at its Boulevard Mall location, 1247 Niagara Falls Blvd. Tickets cost $25 and include drinks, appetizers and a main course tasting. All proceeds benefit programs and services provided by Camp Good Days. Tickets are limited. Call 206-0709 or visit www.campgooddays.org for tickets. Bonefish Grill recently opened at the mall.

 FREE CLINIC FOR AMPUTEES - Peak Performance Prosthetic Clinic, 4949 Harlem Road in Amherst, will offer free evaluations for amputees on Nov. 14 and 15 by appointment. The clinic offers an opportunity to ask questions during an hour-long evaluation with prosthetic expert Timothy Delahanty, who is certified by the ABC Board. To make an appointment, call 635-5034 or visit the Web site www.creativeOandP.com. Registrations are required, and space is limited.