5-17-19 Ellicottville Times

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VOLUME 8 ISSUE 20

MAY 17 - 23, 2019

DIGITAL EDITION ELLICOTTVILLETIMES.COM

CAR. TR. BULK RATE US POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 244 BRADFORD, PA

TIMES The official Newspaper of the Village of Elliocttville, the Town of Ellicottvillle, Ellicottville Central Schools and the Towns of East Otto. Great Valley and Mansfield, NewYork

Hit the links in Ellicottville and beyond

SALES DIRECT 716-699-2000 6084 Rte 219 • Ellicottville, NY 14731 www.holidayvalley.com/realty

YOUR

TO ELLICOTTVILLE

By Kellen M. Quigley

LIVE MUSIC

With summer-like temperatures and blue skies on the horizon, it’s the perfect time to hit the links for a round or two in the Enchanted Mountains must-play golf courses. Whether looking for a weekend getaway with family or friends, or just a quick nine after work some weekday, there are several courses just a short drive away. Just outside Ellicottville at Holiday Valley Resort is the Double Black Diamond course, a par 70 18hole public course with challenges and opportunities for players of all levels. The course offers a blend of both hilly and flat terrain, with the front nine built along the southeast base of the the hills with plenty of ponds and sand bunkers to steer clear of. The back nine is laid out in and around the lower ski slopes, which brings into play many elevation changes. You may even hit a killer drive or sink a long putt on a spot you skied over just a few months ago. “The snow has finally melted off the course and everything is open,” said Jane Eshbaugh, Director of Marketing at Holiday Valley. Although there aren’t many changes to the course, Eshbaugh said some new trees have been planted behind number 15 green and 12 green. “They’re not really in play … hopefully!” she added. The Mel Sole Golf School will be back again this year June 21 through July 4, Eshbaugh said. Check holidayvalley.com for more information. Eshbaugh said there are several golf events scheduled for the season open to the public to sign

Thur - 8pm • FJ & RJ Fri - 9pm • 2 FJ & RJ Sat - 9pm • West Wed 8pm • Wagner & Winston 22 Washington St, Ellicottville, NY

Fri - 7 p.m. • 10 Dekaware Sat - 4:30 p.m. • Sudden Urge

DJ AFTER BANDS

Fri • JESTERZ Sat • SNARKSI 20 Monroe St • 699-4162

UPCOMING EVENTS May 18 - 19 Routes to Art studio tour 10am - 5pm

See Hit the Links, page 3

May 27

Work on EVGV Trail to begin soon By Deb Everts

Construction on the Ellicottville-Great Valley Trail is expected to begin this summer. Mark Alainello, of MDA Engineering, said they now have written land rights on all the properties that they need to work on the trail from the Ellicottville town center over to Tim Hortons on Route 219. So far, the only thing that has been completed is the structure at the trailhead at the town center, which was built by BOCES students in the Building and Construction Trades class two years ago. Alainello said they did a little bit of grading at that location last summer just to clean the trailhead up and finish it, but they have multiple segments of the trail that they are pursuing in different directions. “What we’ve always been calling Phase One is from this trailhead at the town center to Tim Hortons parking lot and across the base of the hill,” he said. “There have been a

Memorial Day Parade

lot of obstacles associated with that, like land rights, and that involved insurance and trying to find somebody to sell the insurance that we needed to satisfy the landowners. That’s all been resolved.” According to Alainello, the next step was to apply to the Army Corp of Engineers for a Wetlands Disturbance Permit. He said that involved a release from the United States (U.S.) Fish and Wildlife Department for endangered and threatened species. “So we had all that in place, but since we got those permits, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife have changed some of their rules and refined them a little bit. This is to our advantage because of the northern long-eared bat, Photo by Deb Everts which is a threatened species in Cattaraugus Construction on the Ellicottville-Great Valley Trail is expected County,” he said. “As of right now, there are none documented in the town of Ellicottville. to begin this summer. Hikers, bikers, walkers, skaters, joggers and just about all forms of non-motorized transportation will Based on that, Fish and Wildlife should let have use of the trail. Mark Alainello of MDA Engineering and us go in there and start clearing trees and that

See EVGV Trail, page 2

Joe Wright, fundraising and marketing director for the EVGV Trail, stand at the trailhead by the town center.

ECS presents $13.1 million school budget with 2 percent tax increase

By Louisa Benatovich Student Reporter

A $13.1 million budget with a 2 percent increase in the tax levy will be presented to Ellicottville Central School District voters when they attend the polls on May 21. The levy, now under the jurisdiction of the statewide 2 percent tax cap, assures Ellicottville residents the second lowest tax rate in Western New York. “ECS has learned how to do more with less,” said Superintendent Bob Miller at the onset of his budget presentation. “We receive the lowest amount of foundation aid in the county and had the third-lowest budget last year. Nevertheless, we maintain high state test scores and all-around amazing results.”

This year, ECS is estimated to receive approximately $2.83 million in state aid, about $690,000 lower than the next closest district. Additionally, the school receives the NYS minimum BOCES aid ratio, approximately 36 percent. ECS also boasts the fourth lowest expenditure per pupil in the county at $19,396 each. With the proposed budget, each student benefits from an increase of $33. Other schools project a sum of around $200. “I think we have done a good job of being fiscally sound and responsible,” said Miller. “As a district, we get it done!”

In the 2019-20 scholastic year, Ellicottville’s ability to generate new money should rise. With the 2 percent tax increase, the district would gain $148,880. The district can generate a total of $169,978 in new money with this levy and the expected increase in foundation aid. The newly-acquired revenue will be utilized to purchase 75 replacement student laptops — a necessary maintenance measure — and a new high-speed copier. The current copier was purchased to make 600,000 copies, but, due to the high volume of necessary printing, ECS tallies over 7,000,000 copies. The allotted Smart Schools Bond

Act payments will serve to fund the purchase of 3 additional Cleartouch interactive boards and the installation of a security camera server. This year, ECS is in the third stage of increased participation with CA BOCES science kits, saving the district time and money. Also on the projected expenditures list lies general software upgrades, as well as the preservation of funding for teacher-created curriculums. ECS will be leasing three new busses, as well. On the hiring side, ECS will be employing a full-time psychologist to better serve students “In this age of mental health concerns,” says Miller, “we really need the help.”

See ECS, page 5

May 31 - June 2 Ellicottville Girls Getaway Weekend

June 15

Ellicottville Paddle Fest

June 15

Holiday Valley Mudslide Obstacle Trail Run

July 4

Ellicottville Championship Rodeo

July 4 - August 8 Ellicottville gazebo series

July 5 - 7

EVL Summer Music Fest

July 26

Jazz & Blues Weekend

August 10 - 11 Taste of Ellicottville

August 31

Rock Autism Music Festival

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