Previous Letters
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The cost is just a few dollars more – is it really? - August 2025
Grand Island’s rising property taxes are making homeowners feel like renters, pushing young first-time buyers away and forcing fixed-income residents on Social Security to sell. These “just a few dollars more” increases continue to snowball creating a crushing burden. As a councilman, I’m often asked why Grand Island’s property taxes keep soaring. My answer: You must elect representatives that make tough decisions and that don’t buckle the minute they feel the heat. True leadership isn’t always making the popular choice. It’s sticking to your values when you’re right and fight for itI even under public pressure.Two such proposed increases now loom that could impact the Town Property Taxes, each demanding significant tax hikes that compete with urgent needs for roads and aging water/sewer infrastructure—needs that have already forced us to exceed the NYS tax cap:
1. Rec Center Referendum: A November ballot seeks a $10M bond to buy and convert a car dealership on Alvin Road, removing it from the property tax base, and converting it into a Town Recreation Center. With staffing, utility and maintenance costs included, this could spike Town taxes ~10% if the bond is paid in 10 years (or 6-7% over 20), atop the usual ~3% annual operational increase in town, county and school property taxes. I opposed the purchase of this building; I did vote for a Referendum allowing the people to decide whether Grand Island can afford such a facility.
2. Fire District Conversion: The Grand Island Volunteer Fire Company seeks to become a political fire district, at an incremental cost of $1.3M, a 78% fire tax hike (~10% Town property tax increase). For a $404,000 home, the fire tax would jump from ~$315 to $521, this would be in addition to the annual Town, County, and School tax increases.
The proposed 78% increase in the fire property tax led to a line by line review of the fire district’s budget revealing a dispatch cost surge from $450,000 to $845,000. This discovery led to review of other Dispatching options and discussions with Erie County who was already discussing centralizing all County Wide dispatching. Erie County proposed to handle all 911 dispatching for Grand Island (fire, EMS, ALS, police) for $60,000–$80,000, and they claim that it would be a seamless transition. Many counties in WNY have similarly centralized, in fact two towns bordering Grand Island, Wheatfield and North Tonawanda dispatch through Niagara County 911. Consolidation would save over $300,000 annually based on current budget and would eliminate the need for an almost $400,000 tax increase in the future, freeing this $300K annually in funds for critical Fire Company needs like new air packs and vehicles—without any increase in taxes.
I served almost 39 years in the military and have deep Respect and value for our heroic firefighters and empathize with dispatchers facing job impacts. Despite personal attacks for proposing this, my duty as your elected councilman is to curb costs and protect taxpayers. I care passionately about our volunteers and residents, striving for safe, sustainable services. For all the naysayers, let’s not forget I live here with my family and would not risk their lives any more than I would risk anyone else’s life – I care deeply for our Island residents. I oppose the rec center and support dispatch consolidation, proven effective across WNY. Together, let’s keep Grand Island strong, affordable, and thriving.
Councilman Dan Kilmer
Keep Dispatch Local - August 2025
As the First Assistant Fire Chief and a paramedic with the Grand Island Fire Company, I feel it is my duty to speak out about the recent proposal to move our emergency dispatch services to Erie County. I write to urge the Town Board to deeply reconsider this decision, as it would have a serious impact on our ability to effectively serve and protect the residents and visitors of Grand Island.Our local dispatch center is not just a hub for emergency calls—it is the heartbeat of our entire operation. The knowledge and familiarity that our local dispatch team has with the island’s layout, its residents, and its unique needs allows us to respond quickly and efficiently to emergencies. This local connection cannot be replicated by a county-wide dispatch system, which could result in delays, miscommunication, and slower responses when time is of the essence.
There are more than 90 volunteer fire departments in Erie County, but what sets the Grand Island Fire Company apart is the scope of services we provide. We are one of the few departments in the region that offers Advanced Life Support (ALS) first response, including paramedic services, directly within our fire company. In addition to answering roughly 2,000 calls for service each year—covering EMS, fire, marine assistance, hazmat, and citizen assistance—we handle countless other calls through our dispatch center on a daily basis. Each one of these calls, no matter how big or small, requires quick and knowledgeable coordination. Without our local dispatch, we risk losing the efficiency that is so critical in moments of crisis.
In an emergency, the time it takes for us to reach a caller can make all the difference. Without a local dispatch center that knows the community intimately, response times would undoubtedly increase, potentially jeopardizing the safety and well-being of those in need. It’s hard to imagine how a broader, less localized dispatch system could offer the same level of service that has made our Fire Company so effective at saving lives.
The Grand Island Fire Company has always been there for the community, answering the call, no matter how dire the situation. We are not just firefighters, emt’s and paramedics; we are your neighbors, your friends, your family. Our commitment to serving this community is unwavering. But in order to continue doing so effectively, we need to maintain our local dispatch services. Our residents, visitors, and families deserve the peace of mind that comes with knowing help is right around the corner, not delayed by distance or bureaucracy.
I urge the Town Board to recognize the far-reaching implications of this decision and take action to keep Grand Island Fire Company’s dispatch services local. Our community depends on it.
Zachary Bernfeld - First Assistant Fire Chief & Paramedic, Grand Island Fire Company
Press 1 if you have an emergency. Press 2 if you have a really BAD emergency! - August 2025
I have been reading the information in the news and on this website about the Grand Island Fire Dispatch operation. I first want to say that me and my family have lived on Grand Island for years. We are grateful for what our volunteer Firefighters and our Dispatchers provide to our community. As I think about the concept of bouncing our emergency calls downtown among the other city and county emergencies I cannot help but draw a comparison to the customer service vortex, we all seem to despise at retail call centers all over the country. Every time you try to get service with your cell phone bill or credit card you must listen to multiple voice messages and push buttons to get through multiple layers of screening to speak to a human! While a 911 system works differently than a retail call center, I cannot imagine having to navigate multiple layers while trying to report a fire or emergency at my home. As a business owner I know people value good customer service and getting to a human to manage their issues as fast as possible. Cost savings are important where possible but a quick google search says that there are approx. 8000 or so houses on Grand Island not including businesses and commercial buildings. The figure tossed around as a potential savings is about $35-$40 a year per household. Negligible at best when you consider the seriousness of what the fire dispatch center does for us. We are lucky to have a staffed dispatch office right here on Grand Island serving our town and those who visit. We should hold on to it as long as possible.Steve Gorcheck
911 Dispatch History - August 2025
There have been quite a few article and statements about the 911 Dispatch Center in Grand Island, New York. I have been a firefighter in the Grand Island Fire Co., Inc. for 64 years. Through the years there has been numerous changes and improvements to, not only the dispatching, of the fire company to emergencies, but to the entire operation of the fire company. To name a few, updated firefighting equipment, response vehicles, training and yes, even dispatching.The original fire company dispatching was from Firefighter’s homes where the wives of the firefighters would answer and dispatch the fire company to emergency calls. Along came “Plectron Home Receivers” for alerting the Firefighter of a call and location. With this improvement and our 7 digit emergency phone lines, we needed a central dispatching point. Phone Calls were answered by Kenmore Fire Department who, also dispatched the GIFC and took care of informational calls as well. There was a short time during which the Emergency 7 digit emergency lines were handled by Amherst Communications Center and the City of Tonawanda Fire Dispatch center. As the number of Emergency calls increased for Grand Island, it became necessary to improve the Fire Company’s emergency response. Part of the major renovation of the Fire Company’s main Fire Hall as the addition of an emergency communication center. These improvements and upgrades were seamless and handled with professionalism. All of this was not done without hiccups, issues and resistance.
Many years ago, Erie County sent letters to each and every town, city, and village in the county, asking that entity if they would partake in a 9-1-1 system. Each and every municipality EXECPT The Town of Grand Island agreed and sign onto a future county wide basic 9-1-1 system. When Basic 9-1-1 system evolved, the Grand Island Fire Company had their own dispatch center. Calls came in on 9-1-1 lines, a seven digit Emergency number and a non emergency line for other business calls. A few years later a better system was developed to enhance the capabilities of the emergency systems. The Grand Island Fire Company was informed the E9-1-1 call answering point (PSAP) would be moved to the City of Tonawanda. The City of Tonawanda planned on combining their Police, Fire, EMS into the City Hall where the Police would be the primary answering point for all 9-1-1 calls. This did not sit well with the Grand Island Fire Company nor with Town Grand Island Officials. Talks with the City of Tonawanda officials indicated the new PSAP duties would also include, call taker, dispatcher for fire, police, EMS, complaint writer, jailer, and transfer Fire and EMS calls to Grand Island for dispatching. This change did not include non emergency calls for assistance and or notification should a family was going to have a small bond fire. Nor, would it include calls from the various business, schools advising they were having a fire drill or the fire system would be down for repairs. The City would only be the answering point for 9-1-1 calls. The Grand Island Fire Company would need to maintain its own communication center for the dispatching of calls and communications with Fire Trucks, First Aid Vehicles and Officers responding to various calls.
There were many hours of discussions for alternatives between the Town of Grand Island and the Grand Island Fire Company. After much discussion, it was decided, Grand Island would build a Primary PSAP for Grand Island. Erie County Sheriff, County Legislature and County Emergency Services opposed the idea saying we could not do this. Well, as I said earlier The Town of Grand Island DID NOT SIGN ON TO THE County’s original 9-1-1 system. The county legal department started some digging into the Town’s claim, could the Town indeed construct the Town’s own Enhanced 9-1-1 system. There was a public information meeting set up at the Grand Island Fire Company which included, Town Board members, Grand Island Fire Company Board of Directors, Fire Company Officers, Erie County Legislature personnel, Erie County Sheriff’s staff, Erie County Legal personnel and the Public. The Erie County Attorney found the Town of Grand Island could in fact have their own Enhance 9-1-1 PASP due to not agreeing to participate in the original 9-1-1 request from Erie County.
Some of the issues exhibited at that public meeting were: It took the Erie County PSAP an average of 27 Seconds to determine the call was for a fire and/or Emergency Medical Services on Grand Island and then transfer the caller to GIFCO for Dispatch. At the same time a 9-1-1 call originating from Grand Island took an average of 9 seconds to determine if it was a police matter and transfer the caller to the Erie County Sheriff dispatch center. The fire company dispatcher could remain on the line to make sure there was no need for EMS or Fire response. The Erie County Legislature, passed legislation which would provide the Grand Island Fire Company with its own Primary Enhanced 9-1-1 PSAP and stipulated, the Fire Company dispatcher would transfer all police matter calls to the Erie County Sheriff’s communications center, with the exception, if a caller specifically requested the NYS Police or some other agency. The Town Board of Grand Island passed legislation to accept the County Legislation and the Grand Island Fire Company also voted to accept these pieces of legislation. The stipulation at each level is to change any part of this, required approved of all parties involved before it was enacted or went into effect.
Earlier this year the Grand Island Central School District installed a weapons alert system which would alert the authorities immediately should it discover an issue. Somehow between Verizon and the Erie County Sheriff, the Primary PSAP for the Enhanced 9-1-1 was taken away from Grand Island Fire Company and all 9-1-1 calls are now answered at Central Police Services in Buffalo. The transfer of calls for assistance on Grand Island should be a one (1) button transfer to our dispatch center. There have been car accidents, bicyclists down to name a few, which have not been transferred. There have been instances where the Fire Company Dispatcher received only the address and type of incident to dispatch. With EMS calls, the dispatcher can and does provide lifesaving pre-arrival instructions to the caller to help preserve a life until the paramedics can arrive.
Along with being a firefighter for 64 years, I was the in charge of the Communications Center for the Grand Island 9-1-1. During this time while we were the primary answering point and transferring police matter calls to the Erie County Communications Center, about once a month the 9-1-1 lines between Grand Island and Erie County Dispatch Center were down. The fire company dispatcher would need to call the seven digit number and first relay the information and secondly advise the dispatcher there was a problem with the 9-1-1 line(s) to their center. The test was for the sheriff’s dispatcher to call their patrol cars around the county and have them go to a land line and dial 9-1-1.
I submit to the Citizens of Grand Island, there could be improvements to any system. The assumption someone’s personal views is the best, probably not. Under the unauthorized changes to answering 9-1-1 calls, isn’t in the best interest of the citizens of Grand Island. I am a lifelong Grand Island Firefighter, Paramedic 24 years and Fire Company Communications Director over 14 years. Communications is always the best answer, but not through, he said, she said.
Daniel B. McMahon
Dispatch Lifeline - August 2025
When reading Councilman Kilmer's Letter to the Editor on Isldegrande, I can't help but respond. Mr. Kilmer has zero knowledge of the full scope of what a Fire Dispatcher actually does. He expects residents to believe that "low call volume, under 10 calls/24 hours" somehow shapes their job. He wants residents to believe everything should be about "money". No, sorry, everything should NOT be about money! He wants residents to believe that having 10 of the 15 dispatchers as off Island residents somehow makes them not aware of the Island.Grand Island Fire Company is one of the busiest Fire Companies in all the Counties of WNY. When the dispatcher answers that call and delivers Emergency Medical or Emergency Fire dispatching information, that's just the beginning. The Grand Island Fire Dispatchers are the lifeline of the entire incident. If we become part of a dispatch center that dispatches multiple other agencies, we will lose the "One on One" lifeline we have between our command units on scene and our dispatchers. Their job is essentially to be there and listen to just us and deliver what is needed throughout an incident, not listen to 5 or 10 other Departments on incidents also.
Our Dispatchers, regardless of on or off Island residents have made it their business to know and understand Grand Island. They are not bothered by what is in the Town of Hamburg, West Seneca, Holland, Lancaster or Amherst. They work here, they know here, they know the landmarks, roads neighborhoods etc. They know it because that's their job, to be able to do a service and do it right.
Without the knowledge of how a Fire scene works and the immense importance of a local, knowledgeable Fire Dispatcher on the other end of the radio, I guess I would expect one to just make it about money. To know the actual importance from experience, would also show that money should never play a role in the safety of our Volunteer Firefighters and the residents of Grand Island! If a Firefighter on Grand Island calls a Mayday on scene, I personally do not want a Fire Dispatcher who isn't personally invested in our well being, being the one who may or may not be paying attention to our call, to be the one to hear that call, or not.
If a politician says they want to serve one term so they can make the hard decisions and others don't have to, please understand they can also make the wrong decisions that can cost lives. As a life long resident of Grand Island and a 39 year member of the Grand Island Fire Company, I will happily pay $50 +/- a year to keep the Grand Island Fire Dispatch operating for the firefighters safety and the residents of Grand Island!
Chuck Berlinger Jr
To Keep the GI Dispatch or Not? - August 2025
Some argue that maintaining our local 911 dispatch is vital, asserting it ensures faster responses due to the dispatchers’ community knowledge. They claim local control guarantees reliability and that centralizing with Erie County risks service quality. If this is true then why have so many nearby counties converted to County Wide centralized dispatching?The Regional Standard: Centralized 911 dispatching is the norm in Western New York. Allegany, Genesee, Livingston, Monroe, Orleans, and Wyoming Counties use single Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) to dispatch all police, fire, and EMS calls county-wide. Niagara County has centralized except for the City of Niagara Falls.
Significant Cost Savings.: Our local dispatch costs $450,000 annually for fewer than 3,000 calls/year, including non-emergencies. The Fire Company recently proposed to raise this to $845,000 as part of their proposed 78% or $1.3M fire tax hike to create a fire district. Their justification is the cost is just “a few dollars more,” but when piled atop already soaring property taxes, driven by repeated “just a few dollars” justifications—these costs are no longer tolerable. Erie County’s offer to dispatch for $50,000–$80,000 per year saves $370,000–$700,000 annually.
Streamlined Efficiency: Since late 2024, Erie County’s PSAP answers all Grand Island 911 calls, after receiving a call they must then transfer them to our dispatch, forcing callers to repeat some of the information. This risks delays and frustration. Centralizing eliminates transfers for faster responses. Claims that local dispatchers’ street knowledge is essential ignore that only 5 of 15 GI Dispatchers are Grand Island residents, and GPS has made manual directions practically obsolete.
Supporting Our Fire District: The Fire Company’s conversion to a fire district proposal becomes significantly more financially feasible if the Grand Island Dispatch was Centralized with Erie County. Yet another benefit.
Addressing Concerns: Critics warn centralization could compromise service, but this fear ignores neighboring counties’ success and Erie County’s advanced systems. Let’s move past unfounded fear mongering and approach this discussion constructively and with facts weighing the pros and cons and doing what is best for the community.
Sincerely,
Mike Madigan
Grand Island 911 Dispatch - August 2025
Members of the Grand Island Town Board, Grand Island, NY 14072Good evening:
I understand that the Grand Island Town Board is contemplating discontinuing the emergency dispatch services provided by the Grand Island Fire Company. Simply put, this is pure hooey!
I recognize that, as a Florida resident, I may be considered an interloper, however I was a Grand Island resident for 33 years. During those years I was very involved in the community. I taught in the Grand Island Schools. I was a director of the Neighbors' Foundation. I was a trustee of the Grand Island Library. I served on the Town Board. Most importantly, I served as an active member of the Grand Island Fire Company. I was the EMS captain and one of the original paramedics in 1979. I retired as chairman of the GIFCo board of directors.
This whole issue of dispatching on Grand Island is not new. At least 40 years ago, the Erie County Sheriff made a valiant effort to take over dispatch services on Grand Island. The county went so far as to dictate that GIFCo had no authority to be on the emergency radio frequencies. To resolve this contentious dispute, three members of GIFCo (Board Chairman Norman Mrkall, Peter McMahon, Gail Lazenby) along with Erie County Legislator Chuck Swanick traveled to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania to meet with individuals from the Federal Communications Commission. Our situation was discussed at length with a determination being made by the FCC that Grand Island Fire Company had every right to use the emergency frequencies and appropriate authorization was issued.
I had a knowledge of GifCo dispatch from ever perspective. As a GIFCo member, I understood the importance of our dispatch operation. In fact, my wife, Kathy, was one of the original dispatchers. As a result, I spent many an evening in the dispatch center when she worked.
One thing is certain: turning over emergency services dispatch to Erie County will be detrimental to the citizens of Grand Island. We've seen what will happen previously. On several occasions, when the county dispatch operation received the call, they first dispatched a sheriff's deputy. When the deputy arrived on scene and he discovered a medical emergency, he would then call for Grand Island Fire. Delay, delay, delay. Would you be satisfied if that delay happened during an emergency medical situation with your family?
I read the article published in the Buffalo News by Eileen Buckley. I also read the comments of town board member Dan Killian. I was not surprised that his first defense of giving up GIFCo dispatch was FISCAL. That's right. Let's save money. It's only life, death, and protection of property that we are talking about. I know all about budgeting, fiscal restraint, taxes, saving taxpayers money. I served on the Town Board. I was the Chairman of the Board of the Fire Company. I served the community as a VOLUNTEER paramedic for more than 20 years.
Keeping Grand Island emergency dispatch services on Grand Island is an imperative to the health and well being of Grand Island residents. If all you can see is dollars and cents, you're myopic. Even though I'm over 1000 miles away, I still consider Grand Island my true home. Grand Island is a unique community. It is one of Western New York's residential gems. Don't tarnish the value of this gem by diminishing the dispatch services of the Grand Island Fire Company.
Sincerely,
Gail J. Lazenby
Grand Island 911 Dispatch: Why Consolidation Makes Sense - July 2025
Mike Dallessandro’s recent letter pushing to retain Grand Island’s 911 dispatch ignores the fiscal and operational benefits of consolidating with Erie County’s dispatch center. The proposed shift stems from a review triggered by the Grand Island Volunteer Fire Company’s (GIVFC) request to form a Fire District, which, as part of their proposal, would hike property taxes by 78% for fire service, from $1.67M to $2.98M annually, using their 2024 proposal. For a median home assessed at $404,000, this means fire taxes would jump from $315 to $521 for a median GI home, a change that would result in GIVFC no longer being one of the lowest cost fire services - far from it.The GIVFC justified the tax increase, in their proposal, based on their need for safety equipment they are lacking, but a line-by-line budget review revealed $845,000 was allocated for the GI 911 dispatch, double the current 911 call center budget – a significant contributor to the proposed tax increase. This prompted the Town Board to unanimously approve a review of dispatch options, especially given the low call volumes, on average below ten calls/24 hours. Technological advancements like GPS-integrated first responder applications and Erie County’s AI-enhanced systems, AND even more significantly the recently completed transition to having ALL 911 calls consolidated and dispatched through Erie County 911. Erie County must then transfer the call to Grand Island, a significant impactful change – this change alone justifies the need for a review.
Dallessandro argues that local dispatchers’ knowledge of Grand Island’s streets is critical, but this doesn’t hold up. Ten of the fifteen dispatchers live off-island, and residency isn’t required. Modern GPS tools ensure the first responders locate calls quickly and accurately – a great improvement over relying on a person in dispatch. Moreover, Erie County’s mandate to route all 911 calls through their dispatch for school safety and rapid sheriff response further weakens the case for a local Grand Island center.
Why did this debate heat up this past week – the reason is Erie County quoted GIVFC that they could takeover Dispatching Grand Island calls for less than $100,000. A cost that is almost $300,000 below current cost and over $700,000 below the proposed Fire district cost that was proposed last year. The Town Board has suggested that they would not reduce the Fire Services budget and instead the Fire Company could repurpose those funds for their much-needed safety equipment – a significant benefit.
Consolidation offers the opportunity to repurpose current funds toward purchase of needed safety equipment, modern technology, and enhanced safety, and actually makes creation of a Fire District significantly more financially feasible, all benefits Dallessandro omitted in his letter. It’s time we ALL acted in the best interest of Grand Island residents. What is safest and what is the most cost-effective? This should be a debate, NOT a fight between politicians and the fire hall, we all want what is best for Grand Island.
Councilman Dan Kilmer
Minutes Matter - July 2025
It is 3 AM and you wake from a sound sleep to a piercing noise. As you wipe the sleep from your eyes you realize it is your smoke detector sounding, but why would it be beeping? You have recently changed the batteries. At the same time, you are collecting your thoughts, you begin to smell smoke. You realize this could be an actual emergency and your children are sleeping in their bedrooms down the hall of your two-story Grand Island home. You jump up in a panic and grab the doorknob in your bedroom and it is hot, extremely hot. Now there is more smoke coming from under the crack at the bottom of the door. You need the Grand Island Fire Co. and you need it fast because in a situation like this MINUTES MATTER!Its 5:30 in the afternoon and you have just finished dinner with your spouse of almost 50 years. You settle in to watch the evening news and have a little bit of dessert. You briefly reflect on how good life has been. You have worked hard and retired, raised your children and are enjoying grandchildren. As you are watching the evening news, you hear a strange sound, look over, and see that your loved one is slumped over unresponsive and struggling to breathe. In a split second you face the horror that your beloved spouse is suddenly and unexpectedly in cardiac arrest. You need the Grand Island Fire Co. now and fast because MINUTES MATTER!
It is 1 o’clock in the afternoon on a Thursday and they have been calling for Lake Effect Snow for the past few days. You work in the City of Buffalo and the snow band was supposed to stay south near the Ford plant and Hamburg. However, as the day unfolds the snow has become heavier. It has now moved north, and visibility is reduced. Your employer says it is time to go home early and beat the storm. As you start leaving the city and heading for your home on Grand Island the snow is piling up and you can barely see 20 feet in front of you. You are thinking if you can get home and ride out the storm for just 1 day the weekend will be here and everything will be fine. You make it to Grand Island and you head down the parkway. Visibility is almost zero and the wind is whipping. Then your car slides off the road into a ditch and your airbag deploys. You are dazed and confused, and you are not exactly sure where you are and you can’t see an address, but you can make out the Say Cheese Pizza sign through the snow. You need help from the Grand Island Fire Co. and you need it now! You tell the Fire/EMS dispatcher who is in the building at 2275 Baseline Rd. on Grand Island that you are on the Beaver Island Parkway and you can see Say Cheese. Without any research, GPS or electronic assistance, the dispatcher has a particularly good idea where you are because they are ON Grand Island and know Grand Island.
Why do I share these realistic scenarios? Recently, some members of the Grand Island Town Board (NOT Councilman Bahleda) have advanced a plan to discontinue Grand Island-based fire rescue and EMS dispatching and transfer those responsibilities to Erie County for potential “cost savings”. Decades ago, Grand Island Fire leadership and Town Board members made the decision that Grand Island was a unique community in the northernmost part of Erie County. We are quite different and separate from the City of Buffalo and the south towns and the sometimes-overwhelming emergency services demands that exist there. Grand Island Fire wanted to function independently and be fully self-contained for the residents of Grand Island.
It makes absolutely zero sense to take Grand Island emergency calls and have them dumped into a basket with all the other calls that are going on in Erie County. The current Fire Company leadership has tried to communicate the importance of maintaining Grand Island’s emergency services independence for residents and first responders. However, this has fallen on deaf ears by some of our council members who in my opinion have a predetermined agenda. I will not name names or shame, but you can do your own research and make your own decisions. These council members and political power brokers use a thin veil of “financial accountability” and “due diligence” to justify their attempt to shut down Grand Island Fire dispatching; they throw around saving two or three hundred thousand dollars a year, however a home on my street pays approximately $208 a year in fire tax which gets a resident 24/7 Fire/rescue/EMS AND professional dispatching! My calculation breaks that all down to about $.54 CENTS per day. Why on earth would any Grand Island Council member who is supposed to be trying to do the BEST for Grand Island residents want to take your once in a lifetime emergency, possibly the worst time of your life and send it to a dispatcher downtown who is juggling multiple incidents, possibly short staffed and may be working a mandated double shift versus having a fully trained dispatcher you’ve been paying for through your local tax dollars right here on Grand Island?? That is a good question to ask your Town Supervisor and your council members because, as I see it MINUTES MATTER.
Mike Dallessandro
Thruway Authority: Why the recertification process keeps tolls low - July 2025
As a Grand Island resident, two things are for certain – the bridges and tolls . Luckily, Island residents are eligible for a Grand Island Resident (GIR) discount plan through New York E-ZPass. Instead of paying $1.75 through Tolls by Mail or the New York E-ZPass rate of $1.00, eligible residents only pay 9 cents each time they cross onto GI. What savings! Before I go any further, I want to share that I am a Public Information Officer for the New York State Thruway Authority who lives on Grand Island. This is not just lip service because I work for the Thruway. This discount is just as important to me as it is to you.As you may have seen on the news earlier this year, the Thruway Authority conducted an address recertification process to ensure the accuracy of the resident discount program. We understand the importance of this program for Grand Island residents, and we want to protect our customers who are eligible for the discount. Anyone who has not completed the process is no longer receiving the resident discount. Ensuring the integrity of our discount programs helps maintain the affordability for all customers who pay their tolls. As it is in every other industry, fraud and abuse only drives up costs.
As part of our initial internal review, nearly 40% of GIR accounts were automatically recertified without any action needed by customers and those receiving the discount were sent multiple letters about the process in January and March. Nearly 30% of those have yet to complete the recertification process to retain their discount. You may not realize this, but the Thruway Authority is not a NYS agency – it is an independent public authority. That means that we do NOT receive taxpayer dollars. Instead, 90% of our revenue comes from tolls and for that reason, we are committed to collecting every toll dollar owed to us. As Grand Island residents, it’s important to remember that over the past several years, tens of millions of toll dollars have been reinvested right back into the four Grand Island Bridges for capital improvements, routine maintenance and inspections to ensure their long-term viability for the region.
If you are an Island resident who did not complete the recertification process but have the proper documentation, the good news is that you can have the discount reapplied by logging in to your online account (www.e-zpassny.com) or calling customer service at 1-800-333-8655. If you’re no longer a Grand Island resident but visit frequently, there are still discount programs available to you. For more information, you can call customer service. From resident to resident, I hope this helps you better understand the importance of the recertification process. From PIO to resident, I am here to help you however I can. If I can be of assistance in any way, please feel free to reach out to me at kelly.holland@thruway.ny.gov.
Kelly Holland - Assistant Public Information Officer, New York State Thruway
Creating Distraction Free Schools - June 2025
The most recent New York State budget process resulted in an agreement to make all schools across the state distraction free by instituting policies that prohibit the use of internet-enabled devices anywhere on the grounds of K-12 schools for the entire school day (from “bell to bell”). This is a monumental chance to take back control of the mental health of our children, and I urge all school leaders and stakeholder groups to seize this opportunity by taking courageous action for the sake of our students, their future and the future of our communities.The typical childhood experiences that most adults had are nothing like those of today’s youth. In the past fifteen years childhood has shifted from being based on play and in-person interactions with other children and adults to being phone-based, virtual, and occurring largely online. This shift has fueled an unprecedented mental health crisis in our young people. Rates of depression, anxiety and thoughts of self-harm have increased tremendously among our youth. Research shows that the only plausible explanation for this trend is the increased use of technology during childhood, specifically, exposure to social media and their destructive algorithms.
In his book The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt, the author describes four specific ways in which our children have been harmed by their phone-based childhood. American adolescents have experienced social deprivation as their interactions shifted from in-person to online forums. Sleep deprivation continues to impact our youth as their inability to put down their phones intensifies. Their inability to focus their attention continues to worsen, as any teacher today can verify. And most concerning of all, the grip that their cell phones have on them can only be described as an addiction, and thus should be treated with proportional alarm and response just as any other addiction would be. This book should be required reading for anyone professing to be concerned about the state of mental health in our children today.
As I stated, today’s children experience a childhood very different from that of previous generations. Schools, fortunately, are also very different. Communication between school personnel and the community has never been easier thanks to email and the existence of telephones in nearly every room in each school building. Faculty and staff are capable of communicating with families frequently through various means including the parent portal of the student management system and online tools such as Google Classroom. The typical student simply does not need to be in constant contact with their parents by cellphone.
Schools across New York State are in the process of creating policies for internet-enabled devices to comply with this new requirement. Policies must be adopted and posted on school websites by August 1, 2025. I strongly urge those involved in crafting and approving these policies to seize the moment by acting with resolve, and to meet the moment with courage and certainty by instituting policies that are appropriately serious and restrictive in order to change the course of childhood for our current generation of school aged children. Let us not miss this opportunity to act, let us overcome complacency with action, let the will to do what is right overcome the fear of speaking out, and let all of us fulfill our obligation to care for the children whose wellbeing has been entrusted to us.
Sincerely,
Michael Grosso - President, Grand Island Teachers’ Association
To Grand Island Town Council - Reassessment - May 2025
After experiencing 2 reassessments in the last few years, I would like to make the following suggestions and observations which I feel would improve the process.When mailing out the initial reassessment notice, automatically include a sheet showing the comparables used.
If the new assessment on the property exceeds the average percentage of increase in value for all Grand Island (residential or commercial as appropriate) automatically provide an explanation.
Recognize that in many cases, Grand Island homes are unique and that makes it difficult to find comparables when trying to challenge an assessment. Allow comparables of similar age and square footage to be used regardless of whether they are ranches, colonials, etc.
When the informal review is completed (this time it was done by phone), mail the results (including the reasoning for the decision) out in a timely fashion as clearly stated in the initial mailing. This is only fair and also gives the homeowner time to properly prepare should they want to continue challenging the assessment.
Make the taxpayers aware in the initial mailing that they can also meet with the assessor to discuss their assessment. Establish fixed hours convenient for working taxpayers when they can make appointments to meet the assessor. I suspect many people don’t know that the assessor can make changes to the assessment on the spot if an agreement is reached.
I think the process as currently being done is deeply flawed. In this country you are supposed to be innocent until proven guilty. As currently run, the reassessment process (in many cases) says you are guilty and you must prove them wrong. Please don’t use the excuse that it would be too hard to implement, too expensive or too time consuming. The taxpayers deserve better. A written response would be appreciated.
William Wilson
An Open Letter to the Grand Island School Board - April 2025
[N.B. I am not speaking at a School Board meeting about this because it would be a waste of my time. I am writing it here in the hopes that many Islanders will read it and act on it.]In 2021, I ran for the School Board (I lost). One of the questions on candidates’ night had to do with the draconian (my term) restrictions that the State Education Dept. and the State Health Dept. imposed on the operations of schools. One candidate stated that we are just doing what we were told to do. My response was decidedly different. I believed that we should be demanding that the above entities show justification for their policies. It isn’t sufficient to impose mandates without supporting evidence that they would accomplish their stated goals. We now know that they didn’t accomplish the stated goals nor were they based on any scientific data. We also know that the costs to the purported beneficiaries, the students, were and will be substantial.
Why do I bring this ancient history up? The State legislature is mandating that all new school buses acquired after 2027 be all-electric with the fleet being all-electric by 2035.
I won’t even bother to discuss the safety aspects of doing this other than to say I would never let a child of mine ride on one. The costs of complying with this nonsense will be substantial. Electric buses, today, cost $450,000 versus $150,000 for a diesel one. (One pathetic rationale given for going all-electric is that we will save on oil changes. The battery packs on these buses last 6-8 years and cost $80,000 to replace. You can’t make this up.) That is the price today when only suckers are buying them. When every school district has to submit orders, you can bet the price will rise.
This is only the beginning of the costs. They have to be charged. This will require installing a substation to supply the greatly increased amounts of electricity needed. Of course, it gets cold here in the winter. EVs don’t like the cold so we will have to build a heated (heated by what?) garage to hold all of the buses. We will also need to install a back-up diesel generator with the appropriate sized fuel tank for the times when the grid fails. Because of the massive weight of these vehicles, along with the start-and-stop nature of the bus routes, the buses will go through tires much faster.
Where is the electricity going to come from? The state has made a fetish of prematurely closing nuclear power plants as well as fossil-fueled ones. Solar and wind won’t do the job. The buses will be charged at night. Oh, yeah, the sun doesn’t shine at night. Homes need heat at night. So, who gets first dibs on the power? The School district or the homeowner?
The new (taxpayer subsidized) computer chip plant being built in Syracuse is projected to consume 10% (that’s not a typo) of the electricity consumed in the state. Where is the electricity going to come from?
The geniuses in Albany have never run a successful lemonade stand much less a business. They have no appreciation of the havoc their policies will wreak on families in this state. That’s all right. Their policies sound good.
Based on what I see as an impeding disaster for the taxpayers, I believe that the School Board has a moral obligation to tell us what the cost implications are for our property taxes. They don’t have to provide an exact amount per thousand of assessed valuation. A lower bound, i.e., it will be at least this much, would suffice. The number will shock everyone.
As things currently stand, this train is chugging down the track. The best that can be hoped for given the cowardice of the School Boards around the state to speak up, is that once the mandate starts to be implemented people will revolt at the cost. However, the taxpayers will still be stuck paying for garages, substations, diesel generators, etc. that are unneeded.
Providing the taxpayers with an estimate of the costs is not rocket science. It just takes willpower. Again, in my opinion, the School Board has a moral obligation to do so. It should be provided by the first week of classes this Fall.
James Mulcahy
Grand Island Community Center
Grand Island Cultural Center moves to new role
Thu, Jul 3rd 2025 11:00 am
Article and Photos By Karen Carr Keefe Senior Contributing Writer
