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VOLUME 4 ISSUE 4
The Official Newspaper
FREE
of the Village of Ellicottville, the Town of Ellicottville and the Towns of East Otto, Great Valley and Mansfield, New York
www.EllicottvilleTimes.com facebook/theEllicottvilleTimes
JANUARY 23-29, 2015
Your Hometown Newspaper Serving Ellicottville, East Otto, Great Valley, Little Valley, Mansfield, Olean, Randolph, Salamanca, Springville and Beyond
Snow Sports Race and Competition Season is Here!
Calendar of Events January National Learn a Snowsport Month
By Alicia Dziak
January 24 Harley-Day Valley
© 2014 Keystone Designers Inc.
Calling all thrill-seekers! Racing and competition season is in full swing on the slopes of Holiday Valley and HoliMont. Come to watch...come to play... come to be part of the action! This week’s slope events included the NorAm snowboard slalom event Jan. 20-22 on the slopes of Holiday Valley, where athletes came from all over to compete. But if you missed that event, don’t worry—there’s still plenty of fun to be had, so mark your calendars, because spectators are always welcome. Want to move from being in the crowd to being in the competition? Plan ahead for next year and take advantage of a variety of racetraining programs at both of Ellicottville’s ski resorts. Programs at Holiday Valley include: • Alpine racing training in slalom, giant slalom, super G and downhill racing. Age levels range from U12 (12 and under) through U18-21. • Freestyle/Freeride Training in moguls, and upright aerials in the terrain park and halfpipe. • Snowboarding Training in slopestyle, rails, halfpipe and park skills. Team members compete in regional and national United States of America Snowboarding Association (USASA) events, as well as Holiday Valley sponsored events. • Eagles A development program for kids ages 12 and older that includes ski
January 31 Stone Soup Fundraiser EVL Food Pantry February 6-7 AMSOIL Snocross at Seneca Allegany Casino February 12-13 Your Turn Women’s Ski Clinic at Holiday Valley February 21 Penguin Paddle at Holiday Valley February 21 Red Bull All Snow Event at Holiday Valley February 27 Telestock Day at Holiday Valley February 28 Play It Forward Vertical Challenge at Holiday Valley March 5 Ski Day for United Way at HoliMont March 14-15 Mardi Gras and Winter Carnival March 14-15 WNY EquiFest Hamburg Fairgrounds March 28 Holiday Valley’s Pond Skimming
See Racing Season page 8
Residents Bring Issues to Town Board By Jann Wiswall
Three issues were brought up to the Town of Ellicottville’s board during the Privilege of the Floor portion of the meeting. The first issue was introduced by a resident who objects to a new streetlight that was installed at the intersection of Maples and Elk Creek Roads. The new light, which was requested by the developer of the community as a safety measure for pedestrians and drivers, shines directly into at least three area residents’ homes. The resident stated that the “light pollution” has ruined his quality of life and asked for
it to be turned off or removed. The board was sympathetic to the resident’s concerns and said it would investigate options, including whether or not to remove the light, replace it with a lower wattage bulb, purchase shields to prevent the light from shining directly into homes or taking other actions that would minimize glare and light direction. Next, a longtime Ellicottville resident complained that loggers have been working on property across from hers for years and that the noise and disruption has become “intolerable.” She reported that work continues from very early in the morning and well into the night. She has measured the noise levels at 85 decibels when the skidder and other equipment are idle, and 100 decibels when they are operating. She now wears safety earmuffs in her home, cannot watch television due to the noise, cannot take phone calls in parts of the home and is concerned about her health. Prolonged
School District Voters Say Yes By Jann Wiswall
Ellicottville Central School District voters agreed to the district’s proposal to spend $925,000 on a new capital project. The vote, held on Jan. 21, passed with 113 votes in favor and 36 against. These newly approved funds will be used to replace major
capital project approved by voters in 2013. The board of education met for a brief special meeting at 8:15 p.m. on Jan. 21 after the polls closed to formally approve the results. The proposition was unanimously approved.
Play It Forward to Benefit Local Charities Mountain Challenges, Auctions, Vendor Village and More By Eva Potter
While paying it forward is always very satisfying, adding a little play to the equation makes it fun and exciting, too. On Saturday, Feb. 28, Holiday Valley will host its newest event, Play It Forward, complete with outdoor and indoor family fun, challenges, prizes, auctions and more. And this skiing and snowboarding event is designed to keep 100 percent of the fundraising proceeds in the Western New York area!
See Town Board page 3
Holiday Valley’s Women’s Ski Clinic Feb. 12-13 Lisa Densmore is back to lead the third annual “Your Turn” Women’s Ski Clinic Feb. 12-13 at Holiday Valley. Presented by the Holiday Valley Snowsports School, the two-day clinic, geared toward intermediate to advanced level female skiers, is a unique opportunity to learn from the best and meet other ski-minded women. Read all about it on page 11.
portions of the school’s roof, construct a new vestibule at the south entrance to the school and purchase a state-of-the-art sound system for the school’s new performance facility that is currently under construction. This capital project will be completed while workers are on-site completing the larger
See Play It Forward page 6
Mansfield Board Reorganizes Revisits Town Court Options
By Jann Wiswall
The first meeting of the calendar year serves as the Town of Mansfield’s reorganizational meeting. During the meeting on Jan. 19, the board reviewed and approved existing policies and
procedures and reappointed most staff/elected officials to their respective posts. In its review of vacation time for highway department employees, it was noted that, for the first time in recent memory, one employee — Ken
Minnekine — is coming up on his 30-year anniversary with the department. The board felt that such commitment to the job and community deserved recognition. After discussion, the board opted See Mansfield Board page 5