●• Special meeting held Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026, to address emergency stabilization costs after a roof collapse at 20 East Bank Street.
●• Trustees Bennett, Riley and McMurray entered executive session at 4:51 p.m. for legal consultation, exiting at 5:21 p.m.
●• The board voted unanimously to sign on as “initial applicant,” giving the village rights to seek reimbursement from property owner Francisco Corso for the full cost of Security Enclosures Inc.'s work, plus any additional roof-collapse costs.
●• Attorney John C. Gavenda will issue a letter to Corso outlining the obligation.
●• Mayor Angel Javier and Trustee William Gabalski were excused; the meeting adjourned at 5:22 p.m.
**ALBION** — The Village Board has taken formal steps to ensure a local property owner pays for emergency stabilization work following a structural collapse.
During a special meeting Tuesday at Village Hall, the Board of Trustees unanimously approved a strategy to seek full reimbursement from Francisco Corso, the owner of 20 East Bank Street. The property recently required immediate intervention by Security Enclosures Inc. following a roof collapse.
Trustees Greg Bennett and Joyce Riley, alongside Trustee Tim McMurray, voted to sign on as the "initial applicant" for the work. By acting as the applicant, the village ensures the emergency work gets paid for immediately, presumably by the village, which will then bill Corso for the total cost.
"This to include any and all additional cost associated with the roof collapse," the minutes stated.
Mayor Angel Javier and Trustee William Gabalski were excused from the brief Tuesday afternoon session.
The decision allows the village to recoup funds spent on the enclosure company’s services. According to the resolution, Village Attorney John C. Gavenda will issue a formal letter to Corso outlining the specific financial obligations and the village’s intent to recover the costs.
The board met for roughly half an hour, spending the majority of the time behind closed doors. Trustee Bennett made the motion to enter executive session at 4:51 p.m. for "legal consultation," with Trustee Riley seconding. The board emerged from executive session at 5:21 p.m. and immediately voted on the reimbursement resolution.
Also in attendance were Code Enforcement Officer Chris Kinter and Jeff Holler, who appeared on behalf of the property owner.
The board’s swift action aims to prevent the village from bearing the financial burden of the cleanup.
The meeting adjourned at 5:22 p.m.
●Parking Fine Increase: Fines for parking violations will rise to $40 if paid within 7 days, $50 if paid within 30 days, and $65 after 30 days (5-0 vote).
●Local Law 1-2026 Approved: Terms for the Clerk-Treasurer, Deputy Clerk, and Deputy Treasurer will now run for four years, concurrent with the Mayor's term (5-0 vote).
●Budget Adjustments: Trustees authorized over $127,000 in new expenses, including $94,923.75 for CIR Electrical Construction and $6,693.40 for a Bobcat snowblower.
●Water and Sewer Breaks: Denied a water break request for William Wittman; granted a sewer break for Aaron Pappalardo.
●Personnel Matter: Rescinded a Feb. 3 motion regarding administrative leave for an employee; the employee will use PTO while unable to work.
●Utility Projects: Approved nearly $95,000 in budget increases for Water Improvement Index Areas (WIIA) I & II.
●Historic Preservation Repealed: The Board voted 4-0 to remove Chapter 173 and Section 173-2 from the Village Code, effectively dissolving the Historic Preservation Commission.
●Tax Cap Override: Adopted Local Law 2-2026 (4-1) to allow a tax levy exceeding the state limit for the 2026-2027 fiscal year; Mayor Javier voted against the measure.
●Water Treatment Repair: Approved $26,475 from equipment reserves to repair a pump at the Water Treatment Plant.
●Cemetery Upgrades: Allocated $7,800 from cemetery reserves for residence pointing and an overhead door replacement.
●Village Election Set: Scheduled the General Village Election for Wednesday, March 18, 2026, at Village Hall.
●Cannabis Notification: Accepted notification of a potential adult-use cannabis dispensary at 126 N Main St.
●• Special meeting held Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, at 5:27 p.m., with Mayor Angel Javier absent and Trustee Greg Bennett excused.
●• The board voted 3-0 to enter executive session for a personnel matter, meeting privately for about 20 minutes.
●• Upon returning to open session, trustees voted 3-0 to place a particular employee on administrative leave with pay; the employee and department were not named.
●• The board also authorized Village Attorney John C. Gavenda to retain outside counsel to handle the personnel matter.
●• The meeting adjourned at 5:50 p.m.
Albion Board Schedules Tax Levy Hearing, Adjusts Water and Sewer Fees
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