'A critical time for the Mill'
Village looks to its options for grant monies
by ELIZABETH TAUFA Reporter

Kingsley

More than three years after purchasing the Williamsville Water Mill, the village has made strides toward accepting state grants for renovation purposes.

According to Village Trustee Jeff Kingsley, the board's liaison to the Mill Restoration Committee, a resolution is expected to be on the agenda of the Aug. 27 meeting to accept $200,000 in state grants - $150,000 through New York State and $50,000 from Sen. Mary Lou Rath.

An additional $50,000 was acquired by Assemblyman Jim Hayes to pay down the village's mortgage loan on the mill.

"The purpose of the grant was to assist in retiring the bonded indebtedness due to the village's purchase of the historic mill," Hayes said. He noted that when the grant was accepted a year ago, he hoped it would work as a catalyst for more grant funding for the mill.

Currently, the $200,000 remains unaccepted by the village, and Kingsley and the Mill Restoration Committee's recommendation to accept the grants may come at a high price for the village.

When the village purchased the mill, it also purchased the white and red buildings on the site. When applying for grants, the application concerned the land as a parcel with three buildings rather than the buildings themselves.

The mill and the red building have historical significance while the white building does not.

"The board bought the parcel, but the buildings have varying degrees of historical significance," Kingsley said.

According to Kingsley, who began researching the grants after he was elected to the board and named liaison to the Mill Restoration Committee, by accepting the New York Historic Preservation grants, certain stipulations will exist on the property after it has been restored.

For example, the property would be required to be open to the public a certain amount of time each year. If a restaurant or private business were to inhabit the mill, the business owner would have to open his or her doors to the public, free of charge a certain number of times during the year.

Also any alterations to the property would need approval.

Previous to the election, the village looked into altering the grant to have the white building removed.

"My take on the white house has always been to be able to parcel it - and possibly the red building - off to sell, with the proceeds to go to restoring the mill," said Williamsville Mayor Mary Lowther. "We have asked the state to allow us to remove the white house from the parcel covenant, and to date that has not been permitted."

Lowther noted that she is in favor of accepting the grants and that any developer or business owner who is looking to move into the mill is well aware of the stipulations from the historical covenants.

"I am not in favor of removing buildings from the parcel for new building or parking lots," she said. "Since day one, I have felt that the mill needs protection from anyone who may wish to develop the parcel," she continued. "The mill was the reason I supported the village's purchase of the buildings."

"This is a critical time for the mill," Kingsley said. "If we don't accept the money, where are we? The mill won't survive another winter without repairs."

Currently, the village has a $6,000 fund for mill repairs and renovations, which has been expended almost completely on rodent and pest control for the mill.

"I think the restrictions are workable," Kingsley said. "We need the money, we asked for the money with state regulations, and if we don't accept the grants, the chances of receiving others is slim to none."

e-mail: etaufa@beenews.com