🏛️ Board of Trustees
Albion Village Board Halts Water Fluoridation Hearing, Accepts DPW Resignation
The Village Board cancelled a planned public hearing regarding the removal of fluoride from Albion's water and approved payments of nearly $100,000 for water infrastructure improvements. The Board also accepted the resignation of a Department of Public Works supervisor and approved a 12-month payment plan for residents struggling with utility bills.
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Key Actions & Decisions
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Cancelled Public Hearing: The board voted to cancel the May 28 public hearing regarding the removal of fluoride from the public water supply; no future date is scheduled.
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Infrastructure Payments: Approved payments totaling roughly $166,000 for water improvement projects, largely invoiced to state grants.
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Personnel Changes: Accepted the resignation of Ronald Ricker, MEO from the DPW, effective June 27, 2025.
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Hiring: Hired Kayla Malone as a part-time cleaner at a flat rate of $200 per week.
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Utility Relief: Denied sewer "break" requests for two residents but approved a 12-month payment plan to help them manage costs.
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Grants & Reserves: Allocated $1,652.03 from the sale of scrap metal to equipment reserves and moved $1,017.50 in donations to the July 3rd celebration reserves.
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Cemetery Maintenance: Approved a request for KeyBank employees to clean Mt. Albion Cemetery on June 4.
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Events: Approved the Memorial Day Parade for May 26 and the WNY Honda-Tech Meet for September 21 at Bullard Park.
The Village of Albion Board of Trustees moved quickly Wednesday evening to table a controversial topic, cancelling a scheduled public hearing regarding the removal of fluoride from the village water supply.
During the brief meeting, which lasted less than an hour, Mayor Angel Javier Jr. and Trustees William Gabalski and Tim McMurray voted to cancel the hearing that had been set for May 28. The decision to halt the hearing was unanimous, with Deputy Mayor Greg Bennett and Trustee Joyce Riley absent.
According to the minutes, a future public hearing on the fluoridation issue "has not been scheduled at this time," leaving the status of the mineral in the village's water unchanged for the foreseeable future.
While the fluoride hearing was called off, the board moved forward with significant financial adjustments to support infrastructure projects. The board approved roughly $166,000 in payments for water improvement grants, specifically the Water Infrastructure Improvement Act (WIIA) projects.
The payments, largely benefiting Statewide Aquastore Inc. and Donegan, are funded through state grant revenues. The board formally authorized the budget adjustments to move the grant money into the appropriate expense lines.
In personnel matters, the board accepted the resignation of Ronald Ricker from the Department of Public Works (DPW), effective June 27. Ricker served as a Motor Equipment Operator (MEO).
To fill the upcoming vacancy, the board authorized the Village Clerk to advertise the position externally. The approval allows for advertising after a required seven-day posting period, presumably to satisfy internal contractual obligations.
The board also made a new hire, bringing on Kayla Malone as a part-time cleaner. Malone will be paid a flat rate of $200 per week, effective Thursday, May 15. She will serve a 52-week probationary period.
Residents struggling with utility costs received a mixed response from the board. The board denied "sewer break" requests—financial relief granted when a specific leak causes high bills—for Leticia Sanders of 340 Caroline St and Alice Hughson of 126 Heritage Estates.
However, the board did offer a lifeline in the form of a 12-month payment plan to help the residents pay off their water and sewer arrears. The move follows the approval of two other sewer break credits earlier in the meeting for Brandy Draper ($320.45) and a local church ($2,125.55).
In other business, the board is preparing for the summer season. They approved a request from KeyBank employees to clean Mount Albion Cemetery on June 4 as part of the “Neighbors Make the Difference Day” initiative.
The board also greenlit the Memorial Day Parade for May 26 and the WNY Honda-Tech Meet for September 21 at Bullard Park, with a rain date of September 28. A slate of applications for seasonal employment, including roles for the cemetery and summer recreation, were accepted and will be kept on file.
The board agreed to cancel a scheduled meeting for May 28, pushing the next gathering to a later date. The meeting adjourned at 6:45 p.m.
Coverage of the Board of Trustees meeting on 2025-05-14,
Village of Albion, NY.
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This article was drafted by AI (claude-sonnet-4-20250514) from the official meeting transcript and reviewed by a human editor.
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Related Board of Trustees Meetings
2025-04-29
Albion Village Board Adopts $3.46 Million Tax Levy; Police Cuts Rejected
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Key Actions & Decisions
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Adopted the 2025-2026 Village Budget with a $3.46 million tax levy (Unanimous 5-0).
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Approved General Fund appropriations of $4.76 million (Unanimous 5-0).
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Voted down reductions to Police overtime, keeping funding at $108,000 (2-3 vote).
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Voted down eliminating $10,000 in police reserves for body cameras and computers (2-3 vote).
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Authorized Deputy Mayor Greg Bennett to sign collectors' warrants (Unanimous 5-0).
2025-04-23
Albion Trustees Approve New Fee Schedule, Plan Special Meeting for Final Budget Vote
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Key Actions & Decisions
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Approved 2025-2026 Fee Schedule: Trustee Gabalski voted nay; Mayor Javier, Trustees Riley and McMurray voted aye.
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Set Special Budget Meeting: The Board scheduled a meeting for April 29, 2025, at 6:00 PM to formally adopt the 2025-2026 budget.
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Demolition Permits: New fees set at $125 base + $.30/sq ft for residential; $350 base + $.50/sq ft for commercial.
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Alarm Permits: Fee set at $100 every two years; Gabalski opposed the flat fee, suggesting charges only for repeat offenders.
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Solar Permits: New residential fee of $150 + $.50 per kilowatt; commercial fee $500 + $.50 per kilowatt.
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56 N. Main St: Authorized up to $1,500 for legal costs and abstracts regarding the property.
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Meter Enforcement: Board instructed Deputy Treasurer to bill triple the past usage for residents refusing to replace non-reporting meters.
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Personnel: Accepted resignation of cleaner Amy Jaczynski; authorized advertising for replacement at $200/week.
2025-06-11
Dissolution Debate Dominates Packed Albion Village Hall Meeting
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Key Actions & Decisions
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Public Hearing Held: The Board opened a public hearing on the consideration of dissolving/consolidating the village into the town. Public comment was mixed, with residents questioning the necessity of the move.
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Bills Approved: The Board authorized the payment of $91,082.63 in total expenses across General, Water, Sewer, and Capital funds.
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Employee Request Modified: Trustees voted 4-1 to offer three personal days instead of the requested ten days to an employee who previously declined a 4% raise. Trustee McMurray voted no.
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July 4th Funding: The Board accepted a $100 donation from St. Mary’s Athletic Club for the 2026 July 3rd celebration.
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Budget Adjustments: Approved an increase of $3,146.12 in the water fund for sludge truck fuel expenses.
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Albion Board Votes to Override Tax Cap, Sets Financial Policy for Coming Year
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Key Actions & Decisions
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Override Tax Levy Limit: Unanimously (5-0) approved Local Law 2-2025 to override the tax levy limit established in General Municipal Law §3-c.
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Strawberry Festival Approved: Unanimously approved use of the E. Bank St. municipal parking lot for the Annual Strawberry Festival on June 13 and 14.
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Procurement Policy: Unanimously adopted Chapter 66 of the Village Code regarding procurement.
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Investment Policy: Unanimously adopted Resolution 2025-05, dictating how village funds are invested and safeguarded.
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Official Depositories: Unanimously adopted Resolution 2025-04, designating Key Bank, 5Star, JP Morgan Chase, and NYCLASS as official village depositories.
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Annual Appointments: Unanimously appointed over a dozen residents to various boards, including Planning, Zoning, Library, and Recreation committees.
2025-06-25
Village Eyes State Grants for Climate Planning, Water Plant Upgrades Approved
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Key Actions & Decisions
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Authorized application for NYS Climate Smart Communities Grant to update the Comprehensive Plan (Unanimous).
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Approved $165,903.63 in budget adjustments for Water Treatment Plant electrical and storage upgrades (Unanimous).
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Authorized legal retainer with Webster Szanyi LLP to revise the Village Employee Handbook (Unanimous).
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Approved a 24-month payment plan for a resident with outstanding water/sewer bills (Unanimous).
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Voted 3-1 to deny an employee's request for a retroactive raise percentage (Trustee McMurray dissented).
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Approved special event permit for Albion Summer Festival at Bullard Park, July 30–Aug 3 (Unanimous).
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Accepted donations totaling $1,186 for the July 3rd celebration reserves (Unanimous).
2025-03-31
Albion Trustees Approve $40,450 Cemetery Excavator in Brief Special Meeting
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Key Actions & Decisions
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Approved the purchase of an excavator for the Cemetery Department for $40,450, utilizing Cemetery Capital Funds (Vote: 4-0).
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Entered executive session at 6:02 p.m. to discuss employee personnel.
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