Her first months in office have been enjoyable and productive, says Churchville Mayor Nancy Steedman. Steedman took over the job in March, following long-time Mayor Don Ehrmentraut who decided not to seek re-election. Though she does have a new title, Steedman said after ten years serving on the village board and working with Don, the transition has been an easy one. She gives much of the credit for the smooth transition to the staff at the village office including Village Clerk Sue Davis and Department of Public Works Superintendent Dave Adams. "They make it so easy," she said. Village business has been running normally and the staff has been very helpful in assisting her as she works into her new position as mayor, Steedman said. Members of the village board have also helped the transition time to go well. Steedman said the village is very fortunate to have a board consisting of its current members: Scott Cullen, Diane Pusateri, Don Suter and John Hartman. "They are looking out for the good of the community and its residents," Steedman said. She also praised her predecessor, Don Ehrmentraut, "Don had done so many wonderful things and left the village in good standing," Steedman said. The job of mayor has been pretty much what she expected. Steedman said she spends a lot of time studying and reading material in her "in basket," and remembered how tall the stack could get when Don Ehrmentraut was mayor. The village is moving ahead with ideas and plans that came out of the Charrette, a guide for village development and beautification which was presented to village residents in March. Part of the Charrette was the development of the former Luster Coate property along Black Creek on East Buffalo Street. Steedman says she is excited to report that Lotus Green, LLC, a subsidiary of Larsen Engineers of Rochester, has purchased the site and plans on cleaning it up and turning it into a high density residential area with public access to the creek. The zoning code for the area of the village near the intersection of Washington Street and Buffalo Road has also been changed to create a neighborhood business district, Steedman said. The area includes the site of the proposed new Churchville Volunteer Fire Department Fire Hall. The "walkability" of the community, another important part of the Charrette, continues to evolve, Steedman said. Recent Eagle Scout projects have helped brighten "gateway" areas and mark village trails. Steedman is working closely with new Riga Town Recreation Director Dave Thomas to create more designated walking routes. She has particular interest in a greenway trail that runs along the west and south banks of Black Creek through the village and Churchville Park. Steedman said she has very much enjoyed attending community and local events as mayor including the Mill Seat Landfill open house and the visit of the schooner, Lois McClure on the Erie Canal in Brockport. She attends monthly meetings of the Monroe County Mayor's Association, the Monroe County Council of Government, and workshops and conferences sponsored by the New York State Conference of Mayors. As a retired school teacher, Steedman said she would love to get students involved in village board meetings. Students were involved in the Charrette process and she would like to see more opportunities like that, she said. College students could also be given opportunities for study in areas like planning, engineering and economic development. "There is a wealth of resources that haven't been tapped," Steedman said. Steedman would also like to have an economic development person hired for the village. She said one person could possibly be shared with surrounding municipalities. "I want to keep this community vibrant," she said. A Local Development Corporation or LDC could also be formed in the village, Steedman said. It would consist of local business people and developers who would pool their expertise to assist with economic development. The LDC would also be a bonus when applying for grants, Steedman said. Steedman is excited about the completion of a new sidewalk along Park Road which runs to the Churchville Elementary School. "Everybody loves that walk," she said. The area is safer now for motorists and pedestrians, Steedman said, because the visibility around the sharp corner has been greatly improved. Steedman said she is planning a ribbon-cutting ceremony with school officials for the sidewalk. Work is also progressing on the Town of Riga/Village of Churchville Joint Comprehensive Plan. The two boards will meet on August 30 to go through the plan one more time before a public hearing is set. "A lot of good work has gone into it," Steedman said, "we should have it adopted by the end of the year." The village also works with the town on equipment sharing and new concerts at the gazebo have been a joint effort between the village and the Riga Recreation Department, Steedman said. If there are any concerns about the village, Steedman said they would probably be over the vitality of Main Street. She said businesses affected by the recent fire are coming back and credited the Churchville Volunteer Fire Department with keeping the fire contained. © August 19, 2007 - Westside News Inc. |
