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Mini mailbag

25 Mar

Before this pre-holiday week overtakes us completely, I wanted to make note of a few notices that have come through my email box.

The first is from the folks at the Town of Webster, who’d like everyone to know that Town Hall will be closed this Friday March 29 in observance of Good Friday. They’ll reopen Monday April 1st (April Fool’s Day — no comments, please) at 8:30 am for regular business.

On Saturday March 30, the community is invited to attend an Easter Bunny Pancake Breakfast at the Webster Columbus Center, 70 Barrett Drive.  The event is being held as a fund-raiser to help Katy Corpus earn her trip as a Student Ambassador with People to People this summer.

In addition to breakfast, the event will feature

  • An Easter egg hunt for children 12 and younger (for children who attend the breakfast only)
  • An adapted egg hunt for children with special needs
  • Pictures with the Easter Bunny
  • Face painting
  • A raffle for an Easter basket filled with goodies

The breakfast will run from 8:30 – 11 am. Pre-sale tickets are $8 for adults and $5 for children, and are available at Computer Works Pro (1991 Empire Blvd., Webster) or online at www.kcorpus.com/katy. Tickets will also be available at the door for $10/$7.

Vegan and gluten-free options will also be available.

 

 

From the Town of Webster to everyone: Thank you

21 Jan

I am pleased to post the following letter from Webster Supervisor Ron Nesbitt to the Webster community, and everyone else who so selflessly gave their time, talents, and prayers during the very difficult events of Christmas Eve and the weeks that followed:

After the senseless tragedies that happened in the Town of Webster on Christmas Eve where Lieutenant Michael Chiapperini and Tomasz Kaczowka where gunned down and where Joseph Hofstetter and Theodore Scardino were seriously injured, I wanted to come out and personally thank the communities in Monroe County and beyond.

The outpouring of support and caring from all over the community, the United States and the world has been a great inspiration to me and the community of Webster. I, along with the Webster Police Department and the West Webster Fire Department, have received words of sympathy and wisdom from as far away as Australia and world wide.

Locally, County Executive Maggie Brooks stood by with county-wide assistance with any and all help available from county government.  My Supervisor colleagues, mayors, and many other government agencies state wide offered to come to Webster with any and all support necessary to lessen the burden of this tragedy.

On that tragic day I saw firsthand from the command post established on Bay Road just how dedicated the first responders where to this horrific criminal act. New York State Troopers, Sheriff’s Deputies, Border Patrol and other police agencies within Monroe County and New York State worked in tandem to assist with and coordinate the investigation.  Our own Webster Police, devastated with the loss of one of their own, continued to work and assist in doing their jobs in the face of uncontrollable grief.

Fire fighters from the West Webster Fire Department, quite visibly shaken by the loss of two of their fellow firemen, continued to stand by to put out the fires on Lake Road and to be of assistance at the scene. Fire fighters from all over Monroe County assisted West Webster in back filling the station plus providing support where needed.

The Webster Central School District was outstanding in allowing the Webster Police and West Webster Firemen access to Schroeder High School for the calling hours of our fallen heroes and the service for Lt. Chiapperini.  The attendance of the world wide support and lines of grieving community members were testimony to how loved Chip and Tomasz where to everyone in Webster.

We send our love and continued support to fire fighters Ted Scardino and Joe Hofstetter for a continued and speedy recovery.  Thank you also to Greece Police Officer John Ritter for your quick actions on behalf of the Webster community.  I want to reiterate to these brave men that if there is anything that they and their families need, there is more than just the Webster community ready and willing to help them in any way possible.

To the families who lost their homes on Lake Road to the horrific fires – we stand ready to help you rebuild your lives and homes. The Town Board will waive all fees needed to rebuild and many other agencies have offered support and assistance to you in this trying time for you. A complete list of helping builders, electricians, engineers are available at Town Hall. Please contact us for any and all assistance that you need going forward.

Thank you to the many volunteers who donated their time and resources in support of these heroes and their families.  From setting up vigils, to coordinating food efforts and fundraisers; thank you for the support to all the families involved.

Webster’s motto is, “Where Life is Worth Living”, and I wouldn’t change a thing about living here.  However, I do need to thank everyone for coming together in our time of need with your outpouring of support and love for the Webster community – thank you all from the bottom of our hearts.

Our town continues to grieve but we will move forward.  We are a resilient community and while we will never forget Chip and Tomasz, the support of our extended community has helped us all to move forward.  Once again, thank you.

Ronald W. Nesbitt, Supervisor

Town of Webster

 

Should Webster create a memorial park on Lake Road?

12 Jan

Is it to early to think about a permanent memorial to honor the heroes we lost — and almost lost — on that terrible Christmas Eve morning?  Probably not. It’s a natural next step for a town which continues to grieve, but is slowly beginning to move beyond the tragic events of that day. The fire and the shootings, and the utter senselessness of it all, tore a hole in this community as nothing has ever done before.  And in the years to come, we all need something, or some place, to visit where we can show our respect and our love for those we lost, and — just as importantly — to remember how as a community we not only persevered, but became stronger.

There has been some talk about creating a memorial on Lake Road, at the site of the fires.  That’s an intriguing idea, but not as easy as it might sound.

For starters, the Lake Road families whose homes were destroyed are planning to rebuild, with assistance from the Town of Webster, which is waiving building fees, and local tradesmen and women who have offered their design and construction services.

But how about 191 Lake Road, where the shooter lived?  Webster Town Supervisor Ron Nesbitt explained in a recent email why that’s not an immediate solution, either.  He pointed out that the lot is small and there’s no room for parking.  Plus, the property is likely to be tied up in the courts for a while. “We still don’t know if it was the sister in the fire, and if it was, and she owned the house,” he said. If she did, it’s possible she left it to someone in her will, which would complicate matters further.

“We are waiting a little longer for things to calm down,” Nesbitt added, “then the town, police and West Webster Fire will sit down and plan a proper memorial.”

So eventually there will be a memorial, but the town is proceeding slowly. And that’s a very good idea, because this memorial, more than any other, has to be done right.

 

 

New Van Ingen Drive an improvement

18 Nov

When I was out and about today I noticed that the Van Ingen Drive project has been completed.  Last month the town ripped up the old Van Ingen Drive behind the library and rerouted it, as part of a deal with the Webster Plaza owners, who wanted to expand their parking.  (See the blog I wrote about the project here.)

It’s really pretty nice. The road is wider and smoother. They took out some parkland, but there’s still plenty of green space there and the park entrance has remained unchanged. But the best thing I like about it is the road’s exit point onto Hard Road.  The old road did not allow a left-hand turn onto Hard Road, which was a real pain in the butt. If you wanted to go south on Hard, you had to exit at the traffic light at Kmart Plaza.  And that’s a long wait.

But not only can you turn left from Van Ingen Drive now, there’s even a left turn lane.  It’s a definite improvement. (And makes an already great secret Christmas-shopping shortcut even better.)

Graffiti art vexes the town

2 Nov

I’ve had a few readers write me in the last several weeks about the mysterious artwork which has appeared on the Route 104 bridge at Phillips Road.  Somebody — or many somebodies — have been decorating the underpinnings of the bridge with graffiti art.

The reviews I’ve heard have been mixed. The first person who brought it to my attention called it “methodical, neat and weird.” Another asked if the “art work” was an “approved and funded project.” Which is not to say that she actually likes it.

The town’s official position on the artwork, however, is clear.

For starters, it is most certainly not an approved art project. “We don’t know who is doing this,” Supervisor Ron Nesbitt wrote in an email, and noted, “It looks terrible.”  He added that the Webster Police are closely watching the area every evening in an attempt to catch the perpetrators. But so far the artists — whoever they may be — have proved slippery.

What’s going on behind the library?

16 Oct

A few readers have asked me that question recently, which means that many other people are almost certainly wondering the same.

This graphic accompanied the blog I wrote about the land swap back in March 2011. It shows the plaza and Van Ingen Drive before construction.

The short answer is that the owners of Webster Plaza are creating some new parking behind Savers.  The project involves re-routing Van Ingen Drive — the road which allows Town Hall access from Hard Road — and has required taking down some trees.  The work should be completed by the end of the month. Next year the Town plans to work with the Friends of Webster Trails to create some trails in the remaining parkland.

The project has been in the works for more than a year, when the plaza owners first asked the Town Board to rescind the easement rights the Town had been granted, so that more parking could be put in for the proposed Savers store.

This is where the story gets a little complicated.  The Town proposed a land swap involving property at Yankee Stadium on Boulter Parkway (apparently a new parking lot was needed there as well), the whole thing went up for public comment, and a deal was struck. Supervisor Ron Nesbitt detailed the process for me in a recent email. I’ve posted it on my blog Facebook page.  Click here if you’d like to read that and get the long story.

Bottom line is, a new Van Ingen Drive will be created, which will now be a dedicated Town access road.  Trees are coming down and a parking lot is going up.  The amount of parkland back there is now smaller.  But it’s not the end of the world as we know it.

Frankly, before this project began, I never even realized there was a park back there, despite all the times I have taken that shortcut behind the plaza.  The way I see it, this little park is getting reborn. Once the Friends of Webster Trails get their hands on it and create some new hiking trails, it will finally get the appreciation it deserves.

 

Tuesday Webster Mailbag

15 Oct

There are so many things happening in the next week or two, I’m afraid they’re going to start falling through the cracks. So here’s an unusually early mailbag.

The Webster Town Board will hold a public hearing on the 2013 budget this Thursday night October 18.  Residents are encouraged to attend to ask questions about the budget, published in its entirety last week in the Webster Herald.  There will be time to comment on any line item and department. The meeting begins at 7:30 pm at the Webster Town Hall, 1000 Ridge Road.

* * *

Check out Operation BLUE this Saturday October 20, a full day of events sponsored by the Webster Marching Band at Webster Schroeder High School.  Operation BLUE 2012 is an open house and clinic held in the stadium from 2-4 pm. This clinic is free of charge and is offered to any Webster School District student in grades 4-12 interested in color guard, dance, percussion, woodwinds or brass. Interested musicians should bring their own instruments. A parent information session will also be held.

That evening is the band’s annual Autumn Fanfare, a field band competition featuring eight bands from across New York State. The event starts at 6 pm and tickets are available at the door for $6. Students participating in events earlier in the day will receive one free ticket.

* * *

Webster’s second Cash Mob also takes place Saturday, from 1-3 pm. This month’s target is the Art Stop, 10 North Avenue, just steps from the village’s four corners.  Stop by, drop a few bucks, and help give a small business an economic jolt.  Cash mobbers will meet afterwards at Barry’s Old School Irish for a pint and a scone.

* * *

Weather permitting, the Webster Highway Department will begin its autumn leaf collection on Monday October 22. Trucks will pass through town every week through Monday November 26, when they make one final west-side-to-east-side sweep. If you have any specific questions, contact the Highway Department at 872-1443, Monday through Friday between 7 am and 3:30 pm.

* * *

The Music at Immanuel Concert Series will feature Warner Iverson performing on Baroque Guitar on Friday October 26, beginning at 7 pm.

Warner Iversen is a multi-instrumentalist currently pursuing a doctoral degree with a double major in classical guitar and early music from the Eastman School of Music. Mr. Iversen has performed as a guest artist at the Juilliard School of Music, NYC and at DePauw University, Greencastle, Indiana. He recently made his debut as a musical director in a production of John Blow’s Venus and Adonis.

The concert is free and open to the public, and a reception will follow. A free will offering to benefit the Music at Immanuel Concert Series will be received.  Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church is located at 131 West Main Street, Webster, at the corner of Daniel Drive. Parking is available behind the church. For more information, go to http://www.immanuelwebster.org.

* * *

Make sure to make time a Saturday, October 27 to celebrate Halloween in the Village and Trick or Treat Trail.  You can click here for details, but briefly, you can look forward to donuts & cider, the annual costume contest, the scarecrow contest, a pet costume contest and parade, pumpkin painting, and of course trick-or treating all through the village.

The Webster Museum will also have some special events that day, from 11:30 am -4 pm. You can solve some mysteries and get some candy.  So make sure you stop by — 18 Lapham Park. More information at http://www.webstermuseum.org.

If you’re planning to make a scarecrow for the contest, time is running out. Check out the details here and get working!

* * *

That evening, Webster’s favorite little Irish Pub, Barry’s Old School Irish, will celebrate its one-year anniversary.  Everybody who’s anybody in the village will be there.  Actually, I think they’re planning special events all week to celebrate, but make sure you’re there on Saturday night to celebrate with an entire village.

Fate of new Webster fire station lies in voters’ hands

17 Jul

The North East Joint Fire District would like to build a brand new North Station on Phillips Road, but they can’t do it without voters’ permission.

The new station would be built at 566 Phillips Road (near Schlegel Road), a location which was purchased and cleared several years ago with the ultimate plan to use it for a new station.  The 12,600 square-foot facility would serve as a joint fire/EMS facility for the north end of the district. It would cost $5.4 million.

And that’s where the voters come in.

The district wants the Webster community to fund $4.9 million of that cost, bonded over the next 30 years. On Tuesday July 24 they’ll put that bond resolution up to a vote, and if it’s passed, hope to begin construction on the new station next summer and complete it in 6-8 months.

A public information session was held on June 14 which detailed the entire planning and design process the district has gone through to get to this point. If you weren’t at that meeting, you can see a comprehensive 35-minute narrated slide show recapping the meeting by clicking here.

One of the main questions, of course, is how much such a $4.9 million, 30-year bond would add to our taxes.  Here’s the slide that details that (click on it for a closer look):

If you’d still like more information after you watch the slide show, plan to attend the Fire Commissioners meeting on Wednesday, July 18 at 7:30 p.m. at 35 South Avenue and ask your questions there.

The bond vote will be held on Tuesday July 24 from 3-9 pm at the Webster Presbyterian Church, 550 Webster Road (Rt. 250).  All registered voters in the Northeast Joint Fire District are eligible to vote.  The district is roughly the area bordered by Hard Rd./Whiting Rd./Shoecraft to the west, Atlantic Avenue to the south and County Line Road on the east.  Click here to see a pdf of the district.

This is an important vote. There’s lots of our money involved, after all. So please get informed by watching the video or attending tomorrow’s meeting, and then get out and vote.

 

Webster’s on a wild goose chase

15 May

Baby geese are cute and fuzzy, but eventually grow into messy, aggressive adult geese.

A few days ago, as I was driving along Empire Blvd. near Abbott’s, I almost rear-ended a car which had come to a dead stop in front of me. After letting loose a few … um, highly complimentary … adjectives to describe said driver, I looked more closely and saw why he had stopped.

Two adult Canada geese and half a dozen fuzzy goslings were slowly waddling their way across the busy road.

My near-accident was a perfect illustration of the big problem Webster is having right now with geese. A recent survey of the local geese population counted about 200 resident geese in the area – those are the ones which nest locally and don’t migrate very far. Plus, this spring you can add about 50 new goslings to that number as well.

So basically we now have about 250 geese making their way around town, befouling walkways and ponds with their droppings, damaging lawns, spreading disease, and causing automobile accidents.

The survey identified several areas where the problem is particularly bothersome:

* North Ponds Park
* R.L. Thomas High School
* Willink Middle School
* Calvary Automation (Publisher’s Parkway)
* Mirrorshow Management (corner of Hard Rd. and Publisher’s Parkway)
* Webster Parks and Recreation building
* Empire Park
* Webster Park
* Webster Golf Course
* Webster Schroeder High School

North Ponds Park has a large number of resident geese.

All sorts of eradication strategies have been tried already, with limited success. The Rec Center installed decoy coyotes on their property last August, which scared the geese for a while – and some residents, for that matter. But eventually the geese caught on. More recently, the Mirrorshow Management folks strung fishing wire and tinfoil around their ponds. That worked for about two weeks. So far, nothing seems to be working for very long.

Last week, representatives from the Parks and Recreation Department brought the issue to the Town Board to see what could be done. Several possible solutions were presented, including hiring a border collie to scare away the geese (Brighton has had some success with this), putting stones around ponds (geese like a grassy habitat) and addling the eggs (spraying them with corn oil so they never hatch).

All of these plans would cost the town a lot of money. One idea, however, received a lot of support from the board members: a capture and euthanize program. With the help of strategically placed snow fencing, human sheep dogs herd geese into holding pens from which they’re collected, shipped out of town and euthanized. And the best part? Federal grant money will pay for it.

So right now, that’s the plan. Sometime in the next few months the town will conduct a catch and euthanize program at North Ponds Park. Then, once the local geese population is at a manageable level, the Rec Department will use its bag of tricks — and maybe some budget money from the town — to keep it there.

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