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Sloan officials, residents dispute 'Trails' work
Although Cheektowaga's recently installed "Rails-to-Trails" program is designed to encourage scenic route travel throughout the area, some Sloan residents whose properties border the town believe the project is creating potential problems on overlapping areas.
Sloan officials said at Tuesday's Village Board meeting that Cheektowaga hired Lancaster company Northeastern Diversified to begin work on a pathway system- one item of the "Rails" program- along the end of Strawn Road near Mann Street, both village roads. Sloan Highway Superintendent Sean McGee said work began as early as mid-December.
Strawn resident Debora Striewing, who owns a large driveway/ lot on her property, expressed concern about a potential lawsuit that could be brought upon her if a
Trails" partaker tripped over the drainage system and onto her property.
"I have enough cars that use my property as a turnaround area," Striewing said. "I should have been given more notice. The town engineer (Bill Pugh) forgot to mention (at a recent meeting) that a gas drain would be placed there. I'm concerned my yard could become a parking lot."
Several Sloan officials, including Code Enforcer/Building Inspector Vincent Ferrarraccio, Engineer Keith Marquis and McGee, claimed they were not given any notice on the paving, which includes installing a pipeline, fencing and laying stones.
"This came as a shock to us," Ferrarraccio said of learning about the project's work on village property. "It's imperative that we get this (parameters) plan as soon as possible. I think jurisdictional lines are getting skewed. The town purchased land from the railroad, and they seem to think they're on railroad property. What they don't realize is that it's village property. The town needs to realize (the village property) is not an annex of the town."
Sloan Board trustees, as well as Striewing, claimed Pugh and "Rails" Project Manager Al Blachowski only gave them 15 minutes of notice prior to a meeting regarding pavement work Monday afternoon. Village Clerk Debbie Smith said that the village has not received a single letter regarding the "Rails-to-Trails" program.
Eldridge Pipeline Company is installing the drainage system. Blachowski said the "Rails" project design has not changed since 2003, adding that he's had discussions regarding parameters with three consecutive mayoral administrations the last 10 years.
Blachowski added that he will provide Sloan Mayor Leonard Szymanski with an official project map as soon as possible.
Marquis said he hoped the project would include parking areas to keep sight-seeing vehicles out of roadways in case emergency service vehicles need to pass through.
"The Town of Cheektowaga is spending the money on the project," said Marquis. "It's a good idea that people look at it first than just throw it together and hope it works."
In other action Tuesday, the board approved the addition of a Sloan Bike Club, founded by Deputy Mayor James Niwinski. The club, which will have meetings on the last Monday of each month at 7 p.m. in the Piekarski Community Center, was founded by Niwinski for the purpose of exercise, the deputy mayor stated.
"It's just a start to get it going," Niwinski said. "It's to bring everybody here in Sloan back into shape."
Another item at the meeting included Trustee Anthony Sisti vowing to make a "New Year's Resolution" to be more "willing to work" and affable with other board members. He added that any reminders or input from Sloan residents is greatly appreciated.
Also, Trustee Norbert Czosek announced that the applications for the Home Energy Assistance Program will be available at Village Hall on January 18 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The first 80 applications will be considered. Doors open at 8 a.m.
The next Sloan Board meeting will take place February 12 at 7 p.m. in Village Hall.
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