By RICK MILLER
Olean Star
The Olean Common Council held a three-hour marathon session Tuesday discussing issues from repaving Front Street and Seneca Avenue to curb or frontage fees, plowing business district sidewalks, closed restrooms and splash park fees.
Aldermen also discussed setting aside $200,000 in surplus sewer fees for litigation costs over Allegany sewage disposal costs.
In the City Operations Committee’s discussion of plans to repave Front Street and Seneca Avenue, which were not on the original street paving list, Council President Vernon Robinson Jr., I-Ward 6, obtained an agreement to place the streets that were removed from the list to be on next year’s state CHIPs aid list.
In adding Front Street and Seneca Avenue on this year’s list it was necessary to delay several streets on the list until next year, including: sections of North First Street, Fourth Avenue, Root Street and North 15th and 19th streets.
On another issue, aldermen discussed implementing a curb or frontage fee that would be paid by all property owners, even tax-exempt non-profits.
Mayor Amy B. Sherburne made the issue of some type of fees on tax-exempt non-profit groups, a centerpiece of her mayoral campaign last year.
City Operations Committee Chairman Lawrence Bennion Jr., R-Ward 1, said 40% of the property in the city is tax exempt.
The curb fee would apply to all properties, and depending on how much was raised, could be expected to lead to a reduction in the property tax rate.
Aldermen plan to meet soon with city officials including the mayor and City Attorney Michael Morgan to discuss proposed legislation to implement the curb fee.
Aldermen split with the mayor over her decision to close the restrooms at the pavilion in Lincoln Park due to misuse and alleged illegal activity.
Sherburne said The Olean Farmers Market, which leases the pavilion, had complained about the condition of the bathrooms. “It is not in good shape,” she added. Infrequent cleaning and the inability to keep an eye on the bathrooms has led to their misuse, she said, adding anyone in Lincoln Park needing to use a restroom in an emergency could go to the Municipal Building across the street.
Aldermen last year passed a resolution to require the city to provide restroom facilities at city parks, including portable toilets if necessary, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
William O. Smith Recreation Center must be open for restrooms at War Veterans Park, and the restrooms at Franchot Park are in an unsecure area. At Forness Park, restroom facilities are on one side of the park and portable toilets are in use on the other end.
Sherburne said if budgets allow, she would ask for an increase in portable toilets at city parks. She did not have a solution for re-opening the Lincoln Park restrooms during the day, however.
Robinson said he could not support a proposed $5 fee for a two-hour session at the city’s new splash pad at War Veterans Park.
With the high number of low-income families, he said the splash pad fee is too expensive and asked aldermen and city officials to come up with a better price, including family plans.
Sherburne said there wasn’t much new to report on the War Veterans Park swimming pool, which has not been used in more than two years.
Two weeks ago “substantial” damage to the walls was reported by Parks and Recreation coordinator Kris Shewairy. The smaller kiddie pool has been decommissioned.
Repairing that damage is not included in the $1,093,000 low bid to replace the pool’s filtration and piping system and make other cosmetic changes.
The city two years ago received an $800,000 state grant to renovate municipal swimming pools.
On Tuesday night, some aldermen pushed for a zero entry pool, the shallow end of which could be used by younger children.
Public Works Director James Sprague said that would require a significant redesign and need to be put out for bid again. Another option would be to change orders to the current bid to address additional issues.
Robinson, who was initially against the city replacing the pool, urged the council to consider making it more inclusive for disabled people. “That’s money well-spent,” he said.
Reducing the footprint of the pool would save money too, the council president added. He questioned earlier why the pool cover wasn’t replaced and if it contributed to the damage recently discovered.
The response two years ago from city residents over plans to close the swimming pool convinced aldermen to proceed with replacing the filter and upgrading the pool that is more than 45 years-old.
Sherburne said she should know more in the next week about the extent of additional work needed to pool walls and tile to further update the aldermen.
The latest semi-trailer striking the Front Street railroad bridge sparked questions from aldermen why the Western New York & Pennsylvania Railroad hadn’t raised the bridge as agreed with the city.
Trucks are prohibited from Front Street, yet trucks regularly strike the bridge, which is posted at 10 feet, 10 inches of clearance.
Bennion said Front Street was never intended to be a truck route. Its use by trucks increased during North Union Street construction. While installing three stop signs along Front Street has helped, another truck that stopped at the stop sign by the railroad bridge, struck it again.
The Ward 1 alderman said one reason the railroad hasn’t raised the bridge may be because the nearby bridge over Olean Creek limits the pitch of the rail to Front Street. There is also the King Street crossing to consider. He still said someone from the railroad should come before the council to discuss the matter.
While the council doesn’t want Front Street to be used as a truck route, the city fire department’s ladder truck cannot fit under the bridge either.
The issue of lighting in the Queen Street pedestrian crossing still needs to be addressed, Bennion said.
The agreement with the railroad was that the inside be illuminated, but it was crossed out in the original agreement, unknown to the council.
