Board to explore leasing mill buildings
by ELIZABETH TAUFA Reporter

The Williamsville Village Board wants to lease both the Williamsville Water Mill and the adjacent white building.

At Monday night's meeting, the board entered into an agreement with the Williamsville Business and Professional Association to hold a farmer's market at the mill each Saturday from June through October.

Mayor Mary Lowther said that the only people who will be allowed inside the mill will be the farmers and any market volunteers.

The board is also exploring the option of leasing the white building near the mill to photographer Dan Chase, who wants to use the building to take portraits during July, August and September of incoming high school seniors.

However, Trustee Brian Geary informed the board at the work session prior to the meeting that another group was also interested in leasing the white building.

"They're looking for a corporate headquarters and they are interested in the white building until the mill gets more under control," he said. "Eventually they were interested in using the mill itself."

Geary said the interested party was also looking at other historic buildings throughout the greater Buffalo area.

"Dan is a sure thing for the summer," Lowther added. "But I think we should let them look at it."

The board will consider a decision on leasing the white building at its next meeting.

The board also discussed the removal of stumps from the village's right-of-way.

According to Mike Parker, general crew chief of the Department of Public Works, the cost of removing 116 stumps will cost the village about $23,000, which includes complete removal of the stump.

Lowther noted that the $31,000 grant obtained through state Sen. Mary Lou Rath,R- Williamsville, will be used to pay for the stump removal, as well as the $4,200 allotted by the state Department of Environmental Conservation. Both grants were to pay for damages from the October storm not covered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

The tree board has also been expanded from five members to seven.

Trustee Bea Slick, the board's liaison to the tree board, noted that due to the storm and other environmental circumstances, there is an increased need for more education and grant writing for tree replacement in the village.

Seats on the tree board are open to students and non-village residents, although the majority of members will be village residents.

The Beautification Committee's planting day will be Saturday, May 19.

Volunteers who are interested in planting flowers in various locations throughout the village, are asked to bring their own trowels and meet at 9 a.m. at the triangle at Main and Evans streets.

"Many hands make light work," noted Geary, who is the board's Beautification Committee liaison.

The Village Board's next meeting is 7:30 p.m Tuesday, May 29 at Village Hall, 5565 Main St. Williamsville.

e-mail: etaufa@beenews.com