Board hears status of Ash Borer in village trees
by Kristina Gabalski
The Seymour Library will be getting a new roof. Brockport Village Board members May 28, authorized the utilization of $72,645.00 in funds from the V. Shafer Trust Fund to pay for the roof replacement.
The Shafer Trust benefits both the library and the Emily L. Knapp Museum and Library of Local History.
The contract for replacing the library roof has been awarded to Harvey Strassner Contracting, LLC of Rochester.
Also at the May 28 regular meeting, Trustee Margaret Blackman discussed the threat the Emerald Ash Borer poses to trees in the village.
Trustee Blackman said 54 of the 94 ash trees on village property are in Corbett Park. “If those trees go, it will change the character of the park and will cost the village to remove (affected) trees,” she said.
The Ash Borer has not yet been detected in the village, but Blackman said the issue has been discussed by the village Tree Board which will try to, “….target certain trees to be treated.”
The College at Brockport has offered to loan the village its equipment for treating the trees to prevent damage, and the village might be able to employ the person at the college who is certified to treat the trees, Blackman said.
“We need to think about this and do something soon,” she advised.
She also had advice for residents with ash trees in their yards. They can contact the Monroe County Cornell Cooperative Extension office for assistance, Blackman said.
Finally, following a public hearing on the abandonment by the village of a portion of Kenyon Street to The College at Brockport, village board members decided to hold off their vote.
No one spoke during the public hearing, but afterward trustees discussed the fact that the village has no memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the college regarding compensation for the village.
Trustees said they wanted an MOU in place first before they vote on a resolution.
The college would like to take ownership of the portion of Kenyon St. in the area between Monroe Ave. and Residence Drive for proposed public use in order to facilitate the College’s accomplishment of its “Facilities Master Plan” for capital improvements.
