Village talks trees, veterans and high school seniors to be honored
By JOHN ANDERSON
The Village of Water Treatment plan finished 2021 with zero violations, something that was not lost on Wellsville Village Mayor Randy Shayler.
“Once again, they had zero violations,” Shayler said. “I want to commended Water Treatment Plant Supervisor Brent Roberts along with Eric Welninski, Jim Fisher, Chris Lounsberry and Dan Gardner. They do great work on an on-going basis.”
The report was from the Allegany County Department of Health. All reports are available at wellsvillewater.com.
Wellsville Department of Public Works Director Dean Arnold requested the village spend $42,000 on a new system for the plant. The purchase was approved by trustees.
The Aquaritrol System is needed to run the water system as the old one is outdated. The new system is computerized and has the latest data, Roberts explained.
The Wellsville Tree Committee also talked to the board about the importance of the program, which plants and maintains the trees and the Tree USA City status thanks to their efforts.
Members Oak and Susan Duke along with Avy Thompson and Tom Reuning requested the village does not cut funding for the committee, which is $4,800 annually.
“They could certainly use more and they have a very detailed and coordinated plan to help Wellsville continue to be a Tree City USA recipient,” said Shayler. “Right now, the funding has not been set as we work on the budget.
Wellsville Central School District teachers Stephanie Viglietta and Rachel Gunzburger took tht eprogram over when Reuning retired as a teacher. They explained the importance of the project for the 5th-grade classes and the Arbor Day activities.
“Stephanie an had an antidote about planting a tree as a student and she can still point it out in Island Park. That is pretty cool,” Shayler said.
Wellsville Volunteer Fire Department Chief Kevin Fleischman said he is working with Arnold on a plan to have markers installed at all village fire hydrants. The markers will be in place before the winter of 2022.
For now, Shayler said residents should continue to clear the snow around hydrants. Volunteers from the fire department have worked on it this winter as much as they could.
“It could be your family, your neighbors family or a member of your community who escape harm because you spent a couple extra minutes to help the firefighters,” Shayler said. “Those minutes could make a difference.”
Shayler also congratulated Fleishman and his wife, Maranda, on their new son, Garrison, who was born Feb. 20.
The board also approved allowing the YMCA to hold the annual 5K color run on May 14.
A popular Main Street display is the photos of veterans on the light post. With seniors at Wellsville losing so much from Covid, they were on display the past two years as well.
Shayler said the village has come up with a schedule to honor veterans and the high school graduates of 2022.
“The electric department from the department of public works will put the veterans up from mid- to late-May, take them down after Memorial Day weekend and replace them with the high school graduates,” Shayler explained. “The graduates will come down in late June and the veterans will go back up before July 4 and stay up through Veterans Day.
“The objective is to add both groups,” Shayler added. “Yes, it adds work for our DPW, but it is time well spent.”
