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FLUSHING -- A new shopping venue is on its way to Flushing.
Village Council met Thursday and learned plans to bring a Dollar General to the community are closer to fruition.
Village Solicitor Chris Gagin updated council on the transfer of the former Flushing school properties to the Belmont County Port Authority for the purpose of development. He said he had been finalizing details of the transfer with port authority officials and affirmed, “It’s happening.” He added that the port authority has a Dollar General developer “lined up.”
The schools have been closed since 1998, when the newly consolidated Union Local Elementary School opened at the district campus near Morristown. The district sold those buildings back to the village for $1, allowing the community to use the prominent, centrally located property as needed.
The three buildings, at least one of which dates to 1904, have since fallen into disrepair. Broken windows and doors are apparent, and extensive interior damage is evident on closer inspection. The property is just a couple of blocks away from the High Street business district, which includes a Convenient store and gas station, pizza parlor, beauty salon, hardware store, bank, the Underground Railroad Museum and more.
Ed Sustersic of Utica Landowners Group was at the meeting to advise council concerning details of the village’s gas lease with XTO Energy that was signed in 2011 when he was the village solicitor. He said the original lease was for five years with an option to extend for an additional three years, but since the acreage has not been put into production the village has the option to let the lease expire. Council voted to approve the extension and amendments of the existing lease with XTO.
Interim Police Chief Paul Leek updated council on his efforts to properly inventory the police department’s equipment.
Councilman Bryan Clark discussed the Street and Alley Committee’s meeting concerning the use of golf carts on village streets. He said members decided to allow golf carts and proposed a sticker and fee system so carts could be inspected and registered annually by the police department.
Clark also told council that excavation at the park for construction of a new playground would start over the weekend. He showed council updated plans for the project and brought up the need for seating in the area, suggesting a pavilion eventually be built for that purpose.
He also informed council he was still researching the details of installing security cameras to monitor the Municipal Building property. He indicated a decision would have to be made on whether to go with wired or wireless cameras and that a lock and buzzer system could be integrated at a later time.
Clark brought up the need for the village to seek grants to fund projects in the village, citing the recent sewer project in nearby Holloway as an example of the benefit of doing the necessary work to secure such grants.
Councilwoman Sandy Twarog updated council on her efforts to get bids to replace the front door and frame on the municipal building. She presented a bid from Doors Unlimited and said she was expecting other bids within the week.
In other business, council discussed the need for a system to issue and enforce building permits in the village and the need to sell certain properties owned by the village. Finally, Councilman Angelo Vincenzo proposed, and council approved, the purchase of a laptop computer at a price not to exceed $400 for use by the police department.