Democrat and Chronicle from Rochester, New York • Page 63

30 PHONE FIGHT Webster town residents continue to oppose a proposed cellular tower for Rochester Telephone. Read about it tomorrow on SB. GOT A HEWS TIP? Something interesting going on in your community? Tell us by calling 258-2253. Democrat antt (ftrouick MONDAY, JUNE 29, 1992 ROCHESTER, N.Y.- Town businesses brace for bridge's closure ipiiilipiig TODAY'S STORIES Route 15A bridge over Honeoye Creek is closed. ARE FROM: i as N-v7 Span's replacement worries shopkeepers By Barbara Gerber tlArtrtant rtif I l-v.

Greece i I Creek Lli. SKS I i Suggested detour At Intersection of Route 251 and 15A go west on 251 to Rt. 15. Go south on 15 to Honeoye Falls Rd. Go east to Rt 15 A.

1 WMf L-ST BrightohT Rush 1 Honeoye all Honeoye Falls Road fine the firm $1,800 for every day it is late. That still means a tough summer for a number of businesses that relied on the north-south traffic through the center of town. "We get a lot of people coming at night from work," said Bock, whose grocery store has been just south of the bridge for 50 years. He said he agreed to take the book drop-off box so that south-side residents wouldn't have to drive out of their way to return books to the library north of the bridge. But he worries that north-side customers will find his store inconvenient as well.

A few years ago the bridge was closed for a month while it was resurfaced, Bock said. His business decreased by 50 percent About 8,000 vehicles typically cross the bridge each day, Brennessel said. If they follow the state's designated detour down Route 15 south to Honeoye Falls 6 Road, they will face a trek of up to 14-miles through the rolling farmland of Rush to get back on 15A. Brennessel said the state chose such a wide detour because it has to use state routes or roads that can handle the increased load of traffic. But business owners say they hope their patrons will find shortcuts on other town roads, and they plan to put up signs indicating alternate routes.

Barbara Wise, who lives at 616 Rush-West Rush Road, realizes her street off Route 15 will probably become a popular shortcut "I don't like all the traffic on my road," she said. But she is resigned to the problem. "There's nothing to do about it," she said. "I'd rather have the bridge safe there. God forbid a school bus should go across." Brennessel said the bridge needs to be replaced.

"The bridge deck was deteriorating, it was unsafe," he said. "Trucks haven't been able to use it for two years." The DOT has put a pedestrian bridge next to the old bridge so that walkers can cross Honeoye Creek, Brennessel said. The bridge is also equipped to handle an ambulance in an emergency, he said. In the meantime, Bock said he plans to MONROE COUNTY MONROE COUNTY tlVtMGSTON COUNTY Democrat and Chronicle A library drop-off box sits near the door of Robert Bock's grocery store on Route 15A in Rush a subtle reminder that traffic there won't be the same after the little bridge in the center of town closes today. HwSH por months, the town has been bracing for the $l-million building project, which will replace and widen the the 58-year-old bridge over Honeoye Creek.

Business owners unsuccessfully fought the construction, which is expected to take up to four months. But John Brennessel, the state Transportation Department's head engineer for the project, says it may not take as long as residents fear. The state has offered to pay Nory Construction Co. Inc. $1,800 for each day it finishes the work early, he said.

And it will UL Democrat and Chronicle supunsin hqtes BRIGHTON take out ads and run special sales to attract people to his store. And he's counting on his fresh meats, cut to order, to remain a draw. John Colbert, who owns J.C.'s Sports Cards, next door to Bock's grocery, said his shop will be open throughout the summer, despite rumors that some businesses would close. El tinn fin onus out tn ooiica oarw IraBTideGpoDti Fest puts oomph in oom-pah-pah fiTjSSl1 Iff. 1 iff 1 1( vy inswap- tyj By Alan Morrell Democrat and Chronicle The gold and diamond ring he wears is inscribed with the International Polka Hall of Fame emblem.

The TmmSamZSUSS black nylon IHOHBEQUOIT 8hirt he wears is open at the chest, revealing a large gold chain. His hair is slicked back in a pompadour. Make no mistake about it Larry Chesky is one of the big 8 tars in the world of polka music. The longtime bandleader brought his act to the Polka Music Fest "92, held this weekend in a large green and white tent behind Bishop Kearney High School. A local group called Polka Productions put the event together, and member Frank War-dynski said it was the first exclusive polka bash in the Rochester area.

Chesky yesterday was hawking goods, not honking horns, but still recognizable to his fans. "I couldn't believe I could travel around the country and they paid me to do this," the Holyoke, Mass. resident said of his 40-plu8-year career in polka. "I put four girls through college doing this." Inducted into the Chicago-based hall of fame in 1985, Chesky nowadays keeps busy selling Polish memorabilia He calls polka "happy music for happy people." Indeed, polka has a way of making even church seem like fun. Members of the Jersey Polka Richie band yesterday played oom-pah-pah versions of hymns, including The Lord's Prayer, during a Polka Mass attended by about 100 people.

There was no dancing during Mass but that situation changed as soon as church was over. "The first thing people ask is, 'How good is your dance said Ray Serafin, a Webster resident who heads the polka band Ray Serafin Brass Magic. "They come to dance, not to sit" Among the dancers were Joseph and Charlotte Brzezinski, Rochester residents who travel the country in search of the "happy music" "It keeps the blood flowing," Charlotte said. "It keep the arthritis out of the bones," her husband added. Off to one side of the tent, Chesky talked with two enthusiastic female fans.

He encouraged them to have fun, then said, "Just give me a hug." They did. "You have to enjoy what you're doing with your life," Chesky said. "I do. Life has been one big balL" Laura Chun Democrat and Chronicle Richie Drongoski of the Jersey Polka Richie band from Clifton, N.J., plays the concertina at a polka Mass yesterday at Bishop Kearney High School. In the background, Jimmy Noga plays the drums.

Town studies reorganizing parks department He's also co-owner of Woodlands Golf Resignation prompts JCC offers sessions in summer theater Two-session summer-theater workshops are offered by Center Stage at the Jewish Community Center, 1200 Edgewood Ave. Subject titles range from "Sell A Song" to "Make the Scene in Community Theater." For more information, call 461-2000, Ext 235. GREECE Shorter public hours may help trim office's backlog The Greece Building Department will be closed from noon to 5 p.m. on Tuesdays to allow workers to catch up on a backlog of permits and plan reviews. A news release issued Thursday by Town Supervisor Roger W.

Boily said the new hours will remain in effect until further notice. Two telephone lines will be open for residents and others to call the department and an inspector will be available for field work during the Tuesday afternoon hours. A town committee recently criticized the building department for its disorganization and work backlog. Boily has said there is not enough money in the town budget to hire additional staff to reduce the backlog. MONROE COUNTY Districts list registration for for summer-school sessions Summer-school registration will be held from 9 a.m.

to 3 p.m. today Summer school will be held from July 1 to Aug. 11. Fairport High School Students in grades 9-12 from Brighton, East Rochester, Penfield, Pittsford and Fairport Webster High School Students in grades 7-12 from East Irondequoit, Webster and West Irondequoit schools and grades 7 and 8 from Penfield. New and review courses will be offered at Fairport and Webster high schools in English, mathematics, science, social studies, foreign languages and physical education.

Local exams will be given Aug. 12; Regents on Aug. 13. The academic summer-school program is coordinated for these eight school districts by Monroe No. 1 Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES).

Applications are available in each of the participating school district's high school and junior high school offices. For more information, call Stuart Weiss at 383-2237. GATES Neighborhood association slates meeting tomorrow The Buffalo Road Neighborhood Association will hold a meeting at 7:15 p.m. tomorrow at Gates Town Hall, 1605 Buffalo Road. Members include residents from Howard Road and Green Acres as well as those with homes between Buffalo Road and the expressway.

For more information call 234-3325. SPENCERPORT Absentee ballots available for school-budget revote Absentee ballots will be available for the Spencerport Central School District's budget revote July 8. The ballots will be available to those who can not appear in person to vote because of illness, vacation, business or imprisonment. The applicant must be at least 18 years old, a district resident for 30 days and U.S. citizen.

Applications are available at the District Clerk's office until July 7. E1EET1HG HOfiSES Wednesday Brighton Zoning Board of Appeals, 7:15 p.m., Town Hall, 2300 Elmwood Ave. Chili Town Board, 7:30 p.m., Town Hall, 3235 Chili Ave. Churchville Planning Board, 7 p.m., Village Hall, 9 E. Buffalo St.

Henrietta Town Board, 8 p.m., Town Hall, 475 Calkins Road. Penfield Town Board, 8:30 p.m., Town Hall, 3100 Atlantic Ave. Perinton Planning Board, 7:30 p.m., Town Hall 1350 Turk Hill Road. Rush Conservation Board, 7:30 p.m., Town Hall, 5977 East Henrietta Road. Webster Village Planning Board, 7:30 Village Hall, 28 W.

Main St. money-saving moves By Janice Billiard "Right now we don't have a plan," she said. "We may be designing some different titles and reorganizing functions." Welch announced his resignation Wednesday. He's been the recreation director for 11 years. Before that, he was Hilton's recreation director from 1978-81.

"I'm very confident that the work we've done over the past few years will be maintained," Welch said. "This is an opportune time for me to move on." Welch said he plans to spend more time on projects that he's been doing on a part-time basis. He will expand the scope of Welch and Associates, his private, local-government-consulting firm, to include management solutions to governmental computerization, consolidation and privatization, recreation and landscape architecture. corners in order to maintain the same level of service next year. Recreation Director Ted Welch announced that his last day on the job is Friday.

He will remain on the payroll until mid-August, using vacation time. Assistant Director Jerry LaVigne will supervise department matters until another director is named. Frankel said yesterday the town is already looking at ways to save money in the recreation department, but said it's too early to say whether jobs would be cut One option being considered is reapportioning responsibilities and eliminating one administrative position without laying off any current employees, Frankel said. Welch's salary is about $48,000, Frankel said, so the town could conceivably save that much in next year's budget if one administrative position is lost Range in Spencerport. "My leaving may help the recreation department have some more options in the future in terms of the budget," Welch said.

The town announced recently that to meet a 25-percent reduction in discretion-" ary spending, the recreation department would cut some part-time park-monitoring positions. Police will take on that job. Frankel said there's a possibility under a reorganization that those positions would be reinstated, but if police patrols work out, the town will stay with that method. In any case, Frankel said the town wil miss Welch. "He's a fine professional.

We wish him" much success in his future endeavors in the private sector, and look forward to working with him in his capacity as a consultant." Democrat and Chronicle The resignation of Brighton's recreation, parks and community-services director has set in motion a study of the department's management Town officials are try- ing to determine whether BHIGHTOM the department should be restructured to save money. Supervisor Sandra Frankel said the previous town administration had budgeted almost $900,000 from a "one-shot" ice-storm reimbursement for various town operations, so the town must now try to cut J' "ffigk 1 Town marks July 4 holiday independently and early fi VlfV. 'J V-w v1 hit 0l iSrr By Becky Beaupre Democrat and Chronicle For Amy Webster and Marilyn Leone, the Gates Independence Day celebration is a special day. It doesn't matter to the two Gates resi- dents that the festival is held six jrrSSS day9 before the Fourth of July. aTE-j In fact, they think it's great.

Webster of 234 Mercer Ave. and Leone of 313 Mercer met through Webster's mother at the festival a week before the Fourth two years ago. "And we've been drinking coffee together ever since," they said. But at last night's Fourth of July festival at the Gates Chili High School athletic field, the two women listened to the live music and watched the fireworks together for the last time. Later this summer, Webster will move to Rome, Oneida County, with her husband and children.

"I hope maybe she'll come back next year," said Leone. Other Gates residents flocked to the athletic field for the traditional week-early celebration. Magicians and ventriloquists entertained children, and adults listened to the 1960s and 70s music of Mark Lindsay, lead singer of Paul Revere and the Raiders. And most of them were thrilled to be there a week early. "Its a good thing this way because you can still go to the city fireworks (next Saturday)," said Spencer Conley, who traveled from Texas to be with his family for the celebration.

Town Board members John Maggio said the celebration usually brings in as many as 15,000 people. "We had to pick a convenient day and I think it helps to have it a week early," he said. Susan Mingoea of 3656 Lyell Road celebrates her daughter's birthday on July 4th, and watches fireworks a week early. Mingoea, who has lived in Gates for 28 years, loves the annual festival. "I know a lot of people from Gates it's! like a family reunion," she said.

For some Gates residents, yesterday's festival meant more than hotdogs, cotton candy and fireworks. Kevin Thompson, a Vietnam veteran still in the Army, came home for Independence Day, which he said means "every: thing" to him. Thompson, of 669 Howard is sta-' tioned at Ft. Hood, Texas. Yesterday, he sat against a goal post, away from the balloons' and fried dough.

"I lost too many friends in 'Nam, anc-that's what this day means to me," he said. tn, ll MelltM Mehan Democrat and Chronicle Bonnie Wegman, left, and cousins Sarah and Stacy Wegman, all nine years old, enjoy comedy of Bryan Wilder yesterday at Gates' Independence Day celebration.