NEW MIDDLETOWN Fire department grant gets OK, chief says

Council is considering expanding the 30-year-old village administration building.
By MARY GRZEBIENIAK
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
NEW MIDDLETOWN -- The fire department has received a $90,211 grant from the federal government, village council learned Monday.
Fire Chief Bill Opsitnik reported that the money, which comes from the Federal Emergency Management Agency Fire Act Grant, will be used for equipment. The village must provide a 10 percent local share of $10,023, which brings the total to $100,234. Of that, $64,354 will be used for firefighting equipment and $35,880 for personal protective equipment for firefighters.
In other business, Police Chief Bill Morvay reported that even though voters approved a 3-mill replacement police levy plus one additional mill in the general election, the money will not be available to the village until 2004.
Even though the levy takes effect Jan. 1, 2003, real estate taxes for the first half of 2003 will not be billed to residents until February 2004. Although the levy will make a 24-hour police department possible in 2004, Morvay said he hopes to bring full-time coverage to the village sooner by applying for a federal grant for a part-time police officer.
Additional matters
Also Monday, Village Administrator Bob Mason suggested council members consider using the expected 2004 county sales tax revenues of $50,000 to expand the 30-year-old village administration building on state Route 170. He said an expansion could provide the police department with additional space and with room for a community disaster shelter.
In related business, council member Dan Santangelo got council's approval to determine, with the owner, the fair market price of an empty lot on the south side of the administration building with an eye to expanding the building. This will be further discussed when the parks, building and grounds committee meets at the building at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 9.
Dave Bakalar of Thomas Fok & amp; Associates reported he has reworked a grant application for a new waterline on Calla Road, breaking it into phases to improve its chances of being funded by a state grant next year. The project was rejected this year. He said he thinks phasing the project over several years would improve chances for approval.
He would like to apply for a fourth of the line in 2003, which would include laying 500 feet of 10-inch pipe between Renee and Warner Roads. The section has had 19 breaks and is the worst part of the line.
He said the village can also improve chances of approval by increasing the percentage of the project it will pay for. The grant application is due Dec. 13, and council will decide what will be included at its next meeting.
Santangelo asked any resident having trouble with AT & amp;T Broadband service to contact him. Santangelo said he is unhappy with his own service and said he is willing to be the spokesman for any other dissatisfied residents. Council gave AT & amp;T permission last spring to solicit its service in the village.