Dansville’s village water and sewer will not be under new management. The decision came Tuesday night in a village trustees meeting before a packed crowd.
Mayor Peter Vogt expressed his view in opposition to a 40-year lease to the Livingston County Water and Sewer Authority. He recognized the village personnel who operate and manage the utilities. The board’s role, said Vogt is to decide policy and money, which he admitted is one of the biggest challenges for his present administration.
“The real issue before us tonight is control,” Vogt said.
He expressed a dim view of what would happen if the village surrendered oversight of the water and sewer systems to the WSA.
Village superintendent of public works Scott Tracy said he opposed the WSA proposal and village employees said the same thing in a personnel meeting this week.
Trustee Don Sylor proposed a motion to reject the WSA proposal, to proceed with current plans to renovate the sewer plant and further added a stipulation that the board would not consider leasing to the WSA under the current administration.
Trustees Jay Griffith and Pat Kreiley, who often vote as a bloc, opposed the motion, saying they were blind-sided by the motion.
“If we retain control, your bills will double, I can guarantee that,” Griffith said to the audience, which he called a special interest of employees, their friends and relatives. Griffith cast the sole vote against Sylor’s motion.
Kreiley, who abstained from voting, said the matter was not adequately discussed and she wanted to hear employee input.
Trustee Dick Whitenack, frequently the swing vote in split decisions of the village board came down in favor of the motion, though he noted he has not always supported the wastewater treatment plant project and was willing to consider the WSA proposal.
“My support is stick with the village and lets get the plant done,” Whitenack said.
Dansville’s village water and sewer will not be under new management. The decision came Tuesday night in a village trustees meeting before a packed crowd.
Mayor Peter Vogt expressed his view in opposition to a 40-year lease to the Livingston County Water and Sewer Authority. He recognized the village personnel who operate and manage the utilities. The board’s role, said Vogt is to decide policy and money, which he admitted is one of the biggest challenges for his present administration.
“The real issue before us tonight is control,” Vogt said.
He expressed a dim view of what would happen if the village surrendered oversight of the water and sewer systems to the WSA.
Village superintendent of public works Scott Tracy said he opposed the WSA proposal and village employees said the same thing in a personnel meeting this week.
Trustee Don Sylor proposed a motion to reject the WSA proposal, to proceed with current plans to renovate the sewer plant and further added a stipulation that the board would not consider leasing to the WSA under the current administration.
Trustees Jay Griffith and Pat Kreiley, who often vote as a bloc, opposed the motion, saying they were blind-sided by the motion.
“If we retain control, your bills will double, I can guarantee that,” Griffith said to the audience, which he called a special interest of employees, their friends and relatives. Griffith cast the sole vote against Sylor’s motion.
Kreiley, who abstained from voting, said the matter was not adequately discussed and she wanted to hear employee input.
Trustee Dick Whitenack, frequently the swing vote in split decisions of the village board came down in favor of the motion, though he noted he has not always supported the wastewater treatment plant project and was willing to consider the WSA proposal.
“My support is stick with the village and lets get the plant done,” Whitenack said.
