Village of Churchville Deputy Mayor Dean Arlidge presents retiring Trustee Marian Gowan with a clock featuring the Churchville Municipal Electric Department's electric meter, in thanks for 10 years of service to the community.

Churchville village trustees honored and thanked fellow Trustee Marian Gowan, who is retiring after more than 10 years of service to the village board, at her final meeting Monday.

Deputy Mayor Dean Arlidge read a statement prepared by Mayor Donald R. Ehrmentraut, who was on vacation. "You have been an integral part of this board," he read. He went on to say Gowan had been instrumental in representing the village in utility matters, especially the electric franchise and cable.

He said her expertise and hard work would be missed, and although he wished her well, said her departure would leave a difficult hole to fill on the board. Scott Cullen was elected last week to fill that spot, along with Trustee Nancy Steedman, re-elected for another four-year term.

"I've learned a lot," Gowan said. "I really have enjoyed it and I feel privileged to have had the opportunity to serve." Gowan is also retiring from her 30-year career at Eastman Kodak, joining her husband, William, who retired in 1998 after 32 years there. She said they plan to travel and look for a winter home in the south.

"It doesn't seem possible it's been 10 years," Gowan said. She said she had seen a lot of positive changes over the years, but missed one goal by a few months. "My very first meeting was the last meeting (of the Village Board) in the old building," Gowan said. "I had hoped my last meeting would be the first meeting in the new building. I didn't quite make it."

In other board business:
The construction of the village's new municipal building, originally scheduled to be finished this spring, has been held up by soil problems at the site.

The original plan called for an addition to, and renovation of, an existing building on the property owned by the village on East Buffalo Street across Black Creek from the firehouse. MRB Group Engineer Carl Schoenthal was at Monday's village board meeting.

"Upon start of construction it was found that soils were not acceptable for the project as designed," he said. "Estimates to perform deep foundations proved it would not be feasible to pursue construction at this location."

Remaining within the $625,900 cost approved by the board to bond the project, engineers and architects decided to build new on a better part of the site, further west, where a wood-frame house had been demolished several years ago.

"We're making good progress now," Schoenthal told board members. He said building from scratch will be less expensive and costs more predictable that renovating an existing structure. Site plans remain the same, just flipped around, with sidewalks planned along the upper creek bank, and a gazebo on the back of the property.

Schoenthal said Testa Construction, Inc. expects the project to be completed in four months. Village crews will demolish the old liquor store on the site.

"I feel comfortable with this building ... it's all new, there is less unknown, less risk," said