🏛️ Board of Trustees
Albion Trustees Advance Cemetery Land Purchase Between Two Closed-Door Sessions on Contracts
The Albion Village Board of Trustees, meeting without Mayor Angel Javier Jr. at an April 30, 2024 special meeting, spent more of the session behind closed doors than in open session, holding two separate executive sessions on contracts while also voting to move forward on purchasing land south of Mt. Albion Cemetery at $7K an acre.
Drumlin shoreline along Lake Ontario, NY — photo:
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(BY 4.0)
▶ Key Actions & Decisions
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• Board entered executive session at 5:19 PM to discuss contracts, on a motion by Trustee McMurray seconded by Trustee Gabalski; carried, with Deputy Mayor Riley and Trustees Bennett, Gabalski and McMurray voting aye and Mayor Javier absent. Exited executive session at 5:29 PM (same vote pattern).
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• Voted to move forward on purchasing land immediately south of Mt. Albion Cemetery at $7K an acre based on a survey (carried, same vote pattern).
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• Directed that a letter to NYSDOT seeking help with repairs to Ingersol St, closed due to a bridge closing, be put on village letterhead and readied for all board members to sign at the May 8, 2024 meeting; no vote recorded.
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• Approved closing East Bank St on May 5, 2024 for the Motorcycle Awareness special event held by ABATE of Orleans (carried, same vote pattern).
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• Reentered executive session at 5:40 PM to discuss contract negotiations, exiting at 5:50 PM, then adjourned with no further business (all carried, same vote pattern); minutes record no detail on what contracts were discussed in either closed session.
The Village of Albion Board of Trustees spent more of its April 30, 2024 special meeting behind closed doors than in open session, retreating into executive session twice to discuss contracts while also moving forward on a land purchase next to Mt. Albion Cemetery.
Deputy Mayor Joyce Riley opened the meeting with a pledge of allegiance at 5:15 PM in the absence of Mayor Angel Javier Jr. Four minutes later, on a motion by Trustee Timothy McMurray, seconded by Trustee William Gabalski, the board entered executive session to discuss contracts, returning to open session at 5:29 PM.
In the public business that followed, trustees voted to move forward on purchasing land immediately south of Mt. Albion Cemetery at $7K an acre, based on a survey. The board also directed that a letter to NYSDOT seeking help with repairs to Ingersol St, closed due to a bridge closing, be prepared on village letterhead and ready for all board members to sign at the May 8, 2024 meeting. Trustees separately approved closing East Bank St on May 5, 2024, for ABATE of Orleans' Motorcycle Awareness event.
At 5:40 PM, the board returned to executive session, this time to discuss contract negotiations, before exiting ten minutes later and adjourning at 5:50 PM. The minutes name no other business and record no discussion of what contracts were addressed in either closed session. Deputy Mayor Riley and Trustees Greg Bennett, Gabalski and McMurray voted aye on every recorded measure; Mayor Javier's absence was noted throughout. Clerk-Treasurer Tracy A. VanSkiver recorded the minutes.
Coverage of the Board of Trustees meeting on 2024-04-30, Village of Albion, NY. View original document ↗
This article was drafted by AI (claude-sonnet-agent) from the official meeting transcript and reviewed by a human editor. Quotes link to source video timestamps for verification. Read our editorial policy.
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Albion Resident Who Challenged Water Plant Timecards Named to Two Village Boards Same Night
▶ Key Actions & Decisions
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• Resident Jeff Holler told the board about results of a FOIL request on Water Treatment Plant timecards, and the minutes record he "expressed his concern and displeasure of how hours work is being utilized"; no further detail on the discrepancy is recorded.
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• Later in the meeting, trustees appointed Holler an alternate to the Planning Board effective immediately, and separately appointed him to the Grievance Committee for a term expiring 4/2025 (both moved by Trustee McMurray and Trustee Riley, carried, Riley/Gabalski/McMurray aye, Bennett absent).
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• The board accepted Deborah Zicari's resignation from the Planning Board, effective immediately, and appointed Linda Smith to the seat for a term expiring 4/2028 (carried).
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▶ Key Actions & Decisions
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• Cameras and a Code Enforcement memorandum of understanding were also tabled to May 22, 2024, the latter for attorney review.
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• Board entered executive session for personnel and contract matters at 8:08 PM and exited at 9:04 PM; meeting adjourned at 9:04 PM. Mayor Angel Javier Jr. was absent throughout.
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▶ Key Actions & Decisions
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• Trustees voted 3-0, with Angel Javier Jr, Mayor, and William Gabalski, Trustee, absent, to let Adam Rush, Water Treatment Plant Chief Operator, purchase equipment needed because of the April 17 power outage at the plant.
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• In a second 3-0 vote, trustees let Rush make further outage-related purchases without returning to the board, keeping it informed "as it progresses," for this power outage only.
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• A further 3-0 vote directed Joyce Riley, Deputy Mayor, to issue a general statement to department heads on spending.
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• The special session opened with the pledge of allegiance at 3:12 PM and adjourned at 3:44 PM.
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▶ Key Actions & Decisions
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Adopted Resolution 2024-19 to apply for Restore NY grant funding (Unanimous 3-0; Mayor Javier and Trustee Bennett absent).
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Approved early bill payment schedule for May 22, 2024 (Unanimous 3-0).
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▶ Key Actions & Decisions
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