The Sun and the Erie County Independent from Hamburg, New York • Page 3

District building project Thursday, August 20, 1998 The Sun Page 3 nearing completion ft Enrollment has been growing steadily between 1 and 2 percent each year, including about 100 additional students this year, said Close. The $16 million capital improvement project, which includes a addition to the high school for 23 new classrooms, is expected to be finished before Sept. 1, said Close. Including a similar project earlier this decade, Frontier has completed $34 million worth of building expansion and renovations. "We've done it all with really no impact on the tax rate which is great," says Close.

Much of the funding for the projects has come from state aid and cost savings from the first project offset any tax hike, according to Close. The district is also moving to a block scheduling concept this fall, which includes fewer classes each day, but for a longer duration of 80 minutes. At a July School Board meeting several students approached the board with concerns about scheduling certain classes for the 1997-98 school year but Close said those problems have since been resolved. "As far as we know, every student who had an issue has had it resolved," said Close. At Tuesday night's regular School Board meeting the board adopted the final tax rate of $1.92 per assessed $1,000 of valuation, which is r.

I I Wa pacha Frontier By RICK ADAMCZAK Summer is typically a slow time for school districts, but don't tell that to anyone at Frontier. Besides wrapping up a 16 million building renovation and expansion project, the district has hired 41 new teachers for the upcoming school year. "We've been doing a lot of hiring recently, about 30 to 35 each of the last several years. This year is on the high side," said Superintendent Gerald Close. Close attributes the hiring increases to several factors including retirements, resignations, leaves of absence and increased enrollment.

This fall there will be 11 new full-time teaching positions. Farnham seeks waterline 'crisis' aid By JULIE GOODPASTER Village of Farnham officials have less than three weeks to find $175,000 to replace 2000 feet of waterlines along Route 5. "The Department of Transportation is replacing 1200 feet of the waterlines and moving them out from under the road," said Mayor Terry Caber Sr. "But they won't take care of the rest of the lines because they say Federal highway dollars cannot be spent to fix water-lines." "We need to find emergency funding to get the rest of the lines done, otherwise the nearly-70-year-old lines are not going to withstand the roadway reconstruction," said Caber. "We are meeting with state officials next Monday to see what kind if funding is available for us," said Caber.

"We can get an emergency loan from the Erie County Environment and Planning Department for $90,000 and then pay it back with a Community Development Block Grant in the spring, but as it stands now, we are scrambling because Janik Paving (the contractor) probably won't sit back and wait for us to get the funding," said Caber. "It is difficult for us to take out a loan for a project like this because we are the smallest village in the county and we cannot raise taxes to pay back a loan because people are already seeing financial hardship in this village," said Caber. "If the work is not done on these old lines, they will remain buried for at least another 20 years. If a valve leaks within that time, all water services in the village would have to be shut off, leaving no water for residents or fire services until it is fixed," said Caber. This is a crisis and we are hoping that something can be done quickly," See Farnham, Page 14 district-wide, reading); Paula M.

Malesa (high school math); Richard A. Riederer (high school music); Michael Stamatikos (high school physics); Cynthia Lynn Toldi (middle school health). Also, Linda J. Swanekamp (Big Tree School, art); Beth A. L.

Pifer (Pinehurst, vocal music); Jennifer Allyson Kasniak (high school math); Thomas A. Knowles (middle school, technology); Irma J. O'Connor (middle school Spanish); Ann M. Adams (high school counselor); Jennifer Kay Hammond (Cloverbank, reading); Patrick Joseph Lyons (high school social studies); Teresa Ann Yeager (Cloverbank, fourth grade); Charles R. Swierski (high See Frontier, Page 14 HTOA approves sr.

housing project By RICK ADAMCZAK A proposed senior housing development near the South Shore Country Club gained approval for a tax abatement from the Hamburg Industrial Development Agency Tuesday, the first step toward receiving final approval for the 160-unit project. The development was eligible for the tax break under new state legislation passed last fall because it's associated with a non-profit agency. The Chicago Economic Redevelopment Corp has been selected as the non-proit agency, according to developer Mark Trammell, president of MHT Holdings. With rents expected to be in the $800 per month range, the development is geared to middle and upper income retirees. "Right now, if you look at all of our senior housing, it's all subsidized.

There is a need for this kind of housing in Hamburg," said HIDA board member James Connolly. Last fall the state passed the legislation to entice retirees from leaving New York State. The project still needs site plan approval from the Town of Hamburg Planning Board and a bond resolution must be approved by the HIDA. The HIDA board unanimously approved the payment-in-lieu-of-taxes agreement. "Even though they are a not-for-profit, they still have to pay the PILOT, which adds to the tax rolls from land that is vacant.

Plus, we're providing senior housing," said HIDA Executive Director Michael Bartlett. Under the PILOT, the town would earn approximately $1.4 million in taxes in the next 10 years, according to officials. The project would also include a community cen- See HIDA, Page 14 1 41 i ill 1 A f-1, ii i ft 0 A the same proposed for the budget vote in May. "We were able to keep the tax rate low despite the loss of $15 million in assessed valuation and the STAR program and other senior citizen programs," said Richard Binner, director of business. Close said the district's senior citizens are significantly benefitting from the STAR program.

District senior citizens are paying a combined $1.4 million less than last year. New teachers hired at the School Board meeting Tuesday include: Betsy Jane Boundy (Pinehurst Elementary School, second grade); Beth A Hudler (high school social studies); Karin D. Kraus (Pinehurst Hassett noted that the towns of Boston and Concord saw some notable decreases in their equalization rates, and Evans rate was down also. Eden and North Collins, however, saw only slight changes. Eden's current equalization rate is at 93.9 percent, compared to the previous year of 99.6 percent.

North Collins, which completed a property update Tax rates are as follows: current rate Boston Concord Eden Evans N. Collins $18.06 20.62 14.12 17.45 13.98 The Andes Mountain, Ecuadorian-based band "Runa Pacha" plays their fourth year at the Erie County Fair. From left are Malki Camuendo (pipes) Temoc Morales (bass guitar), Lnti Alvarez (guitar and vocals), Sasi Camuendo (pipes and sanka) and Rupay Males (mandolin). Sun photo by Julie Goodpaster. Ecuadorian band plays for fans at the Fairgrounds by JULIE GOODPASTER Near the food midway at the Erie County Fair, one can hear the pipes and relaxing guitar sounds of Runa Pacha, a group of five men from the Andes Mountains in Ecuador, South America.

Fairgoers gather in passing to listen to the unique style of music that these men put out, music that really cannot be catgorized, no matter how hard you try. You see, Malki, Sasi, Temoc, lnti and Rupay come from an agricultural town about two hours north of Quito, the capitol of Ecuador, a much different way of life than what we know here in Hamburg. "We grew up with music," said Temoc in a Monday afternoon interview with The Sun. "But mostly our people are farmers and artisans. That's how they make their living.

We are artisans." There is very little technology in northern Ecuador, according to Temoc. Everything is hand-made, including their instruments, some of which leave people wondering how such beauti- ful sounds can come from such bizarre contraptions. Sasi plays the pipes, made of hollowed-out bamboo sticks, and the sanka, an instrument that reminds this reporter of the little, plastic recorders used in third grade music classes (but this one sounds a lot Rupay plays the mandolin, a miniature, guitarlike instrument that truly gives their music a sound unlike any other. Occasionally Temoc will pull out the Ryan Stick, an intricately-carved stick with ivory tusks sticking out of the sides, filled with small stones. "This gives us the sound of rain waters," said Temoc.

See Band, Page 15 Evans-Brant Chamber Eden releases school sets 3rd Taste of Evans tax rates last year, has a current equalization rate of 100 percent, from a previous 95.7. Hassett explained that initially, district officials had projected a tax levy increase of 1.38 percent. However, after final assessments an? equalization rates were totaled and the books were closed, the tax levy ended up at only a three quarter of 1 percent increase overall. previous rate $17.49 18.46 14.37 16.28 14.97 change up 57 cents up $2.16 down 25 cents up $1.17 down 99 cents By MARY MURRAY Eden School District Business Administrator Elizabeth Hassett has released the tax rates for the five towns included in the Eden Central School district, noting the changes in the towns of Boston, Concord and Evans equalization rates played a major role in a tax increase for those three towns, while Eden and North Collins saw a decrease. "I haven't done a complete analysis and looked at the towns assessed valuations 'explained Hassett, "but the towns whose equalization rates dropped are picking up a bigger portion of the tax levy." Eateries in this year's Taste in clude: Angola Jubilee, Bobbo's Tacos, Cala's Kitchen, Captain Kidd's, Castaway's, Chick's Restaurant, Connors Hot Dog Stand, Evangola Pizza, Evans Hill Bar Grill, Lakeside Market, Maria's, Meadowbrook Grill Bar, Mickey Rat's Clam Stand, Pepper's Family Restaurant, Pizza Hut, South Shore Beach Club and the Taco Cantina.

Uninterrupted music from noon to 10 p.m. will feature classic show tunes and easy listening from Diamond Sound, the Be-Bops and their See Taste, Page 15 The third annual Taste of Evans sponsored by the Evans-Brant Chamber of Commerce will take place Sunday, Aug. 23 from noon to 10 p.m. at the Evans Town Park on Old Lake Shore Road, Angola-on-the-Lake. Visitors will have the opportunity to sample specialties from 25 different area restaurants and enjoy all-day musical entertainment All food samples have been priced from 50 cents to $2.50 to make it easy try many offerings at an affordable price.

Over 100 items have been donated for the silent auction. Id.