ELECTION 2008: GOP rules in town council contests

Communities

November 5, 2008

Anonymous The Lockport Union-Sun %26 Journal Wed Nov 05, 2008, 03:24 AM EST

BY BILL WOLCOTT AND JOYCE MILES

wolcottb@gnnewspaper.com

Republicans ruled in the contests for open council seats in the towns of Royalton, Hartland and Pendleton on Tuesday.

In Royalton, Daniel R. Bragg defeated Mary Cedeno with 59 percent of the vote, 1,541 to 1,078. Bragg, who is also a member of the Royalton-Hartland School Board, will complete the term, which was vacated by Supervisor Richard Lang.

“I’ll start by working with council members to get the financial picture in line. That’s my priority,” Bragg said. “I want to start creating a vision and a plan for the infrastructure and how we’re going to finance it.”

There will be two slots open next year, and Bragg expects Cedeno will run again in 2009. “She’s a good opponent and worked hard,” he said. “She’ll be a voice in this community.”

Cedeno, a member of the Planning Board, noted that Bragg has better name recognition in the town. “He’s been entrenched for a long time. I think I did okay. As people get to know me, they’ll feel more comfortable. Next year will be a different story.”

They were bidding for the final year of Lang’s four-year council term which had been handed over to Lee Criswell.

• Terms for the town clerk, highway supervisor and tax collector were extended from two to four years in close votes. The supervisor’s term will remain two years. Voters rejected the four-year term for supervisor 825-734.

• In Hartland, W. Ross Annable turned back newcomer Joseph T. Derda for a one-year term. Ross Annable, the son of Supervisor William Annable, got 66 percent of the votes.

“I got out and saw the people and got a good response,” Ross Annable said. William Annable had been hospitalized with back surgery, but will soon be back in business, his son said.

Ross Annable is retired from the Niagara County Sheriff’s Department and is police chief of Barker. He was endorsed by the Republican and Conservative parties.

“He’s a good man. He’ll do a good job,” Derda said of Annable.

Derda feels that there may be two openings next November and said, “Oh yeah, I’ll be back next year.”

Derda said he was a 3-1 underdog and got more votes many expected. “I’m happy with the turnout,” the Democratic candidate said. “I learned a lot and appreciated the opportunity. I will be back. I’ll be keeping a closer eye on what’s going on in town.”

• In Pendleton, Ronald C. Morrison defeated Edward P. Harman 1,568 to 1,182 for council in a match of first-time candidates. Morrison will replace Republican Gerald Farnham Jr., who resigned 11 months ago. The remainder of the term is three years.

Morrison, who was endorsed by the Republican, Independence and Conservative parties, is a retired small-business owner who campaigned partly on a desire to see the town do more to recruit businesses into it. He could not be reached for comment about the race results.

Harman, a Democrat and a familiar face in local government through his work on the recreation and master plan committees, plus faithful attendance to town meetings the past couple of years, said he’s “disappointed” in the results.

“I went into it knowing this is a Republican town. The vast majority of residents are Republicans and they have a vast organization,” he said. “And I know some voters just didn’t bother with the local race. They voted in the presidential (election) and just said, ‘forget this town stuff.’”

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The Newfane Historical Society’s annual event takes place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the museum grounds at the corner of West Creek and Ide roads. Admission and parking are free, and families can while away a sunny afternoon perusing everything from antique tractors to a Civil War encampment.

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Maedl, who was a village trustee for nine years and village mayor for 10 years, will not seek re-election. She says she will remain very active, however.
Since the death of her husband, Robert Maedl in 2008, the Middleport mayor has been running Maedl Woodcrafts. She is on the tourist committee, chair of business association and trustee of Middleport United Methodist Church. She sings in the choir and is in charge of Harvest dinner and chicken barbecue. She manages 28 apartments.

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Memorial tree program off to a good start
The town’s new memorial tree program has been growing quickly.
Councilwoman Cheryl A. Antkowiak said the program is being done with Stedman’s Nursery of Newfane. Residents who wish to have a tree planted will receive an information packet from Stedman’s as well as a map of Day Road Park showing where each of the 85 trees are located. Stedman’s sells the trees along with a plaque if the resident wants one to be put up.

February 3, 2011
New recycling bins available soon
Town residents could have some new bins to go along with its new recycling incentive program.
At Monday’s work session meeting, Town Board members approved the purchase of new recycling bins. The town placed an order of 1,000 of the 18 gallon bins for $8,845 and another order of 200 of the 32 gallon bins for $3,110. The large bins are 31 and a half inches in height and 22 inches in diameter.
Both sets of bins will be blue in color and the 32 gallon bins will come with lids.
The 18 and 32 gallon bins were produced by Otto Environmental Services in Charlotte, N.C., a company Supervisor Marc R. Smith said the town has used before for bins. The company still has a rubber stamp with the town logo on it.

February 1, 2011
Library names new director
Beverly Federspiel, Director of the City of Tonawanda Public Library, has been appointed as the new Director of the Lockport Public Library.
Federspiel, 49, will succeed Marie Binderman, who is retiring, on Feb. 28.
“I’m excited,” said Federspiel, who has been at the Tonawanda Library three years after serving at the Buffalo and Erie County Central Library for 18 years. “I’ve always loved the Lockport building and the community is very supportive. There are lots of opportunities out there.”

February 1, 2011
Winterfest, take two
Winterfest was a big success last year and Winterfest 2011 may even be bigger Saturday at Royalton-Hartland Elementary School and the Hartland Bible Church.
“Last year was the first year and well over 650 people attended, that’s a huge response for an inaugural event,” said Helen Feron, the chairman of the steering committee. “This year we expect more.”
Entertainment and activities are scheduled from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. including a basket auction at the Hartland Bible Church at 3 p.m., where Magician Robert Geckler will also perform at 2:15 p.m.
The event is geared towards school aged children and free to children 10-and-under. Admissiong is $3 for adults and includes Chinese auction tickets.

February 1, 2011
High school project coming along
Construction on Lockport High School is continuing throughout the winter months. Construction crews work on a scaffold on the west side of the building, which is the Locust Street side. The school is undergoing a $23.5 million capital improvement project that includes adding a fitness center, a six classroom addition and completely renovate the auditorium into a brand new fine arts center. The auditorium will also have stage work completed, new music rooms, a renovated foyer and a new entrance on the Locust Street side. There will be improvements made to ventilators and mechanical systems, an art gallery, new windows, as well as new padding and bleachers in the gymnasium. The technology wing also will be updated, and the library renovated to make room for a computer lab. Also, bathrooms will be added nearby. The entire project is expected to be completed in September.

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Going green
With a symbolic “shot heard ‘round the community,” Lockport’s historic Kenan Center Arena unveiled its new artificial turf indoor soccer field and renovated “annex.”
About a dozen local dignitaries were on hand Thursday night at special dedication ceremony, attended by about 200 parents and soccer players, who wasted little time putting two new soccer fields to work.
The new turf installation was part of a larger arena capital project, which included the renovation of the arena’s adjacent annex room, which was gutted last year to create almost 6,000 square feet of additional space. Parts of the old artificial turf field were used to cover the new, smaller soccer field in the annex.
Lockport Mayor Michael Tucker lauded the Kenan’s effort and others who joined in to make the $106,000 capital improvement project — more than 10 years in the making — a reality. Funders include the Kenan soccer players, who raised about $60,000 selling candy, the Grigg-Lewis Foundation, the Kenan Arts Council, Rotary Club of Lockport and the Lockport Lions Club.

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