Grand Island officers honored

By Senior Contributing Writer Benjamin Joe

Two Grand Island Police Department officers were honored at the Town of Grand Island regular business meeting on Monday night.

“On June 26, 2026, officer Thomas Dewey and officer Lee Richard responded to a structure fire where the initial radio dispatch call reported there being four people trapped in a burning apartment building,” Supervisor Peter Marston said. “On arrival to a very chaotic scene, the officers were able to assist the fire victims at the scene, render first aid to the two victims, and safely clear the scene to allow fire personnel to extinguish the fire.

“Their actions that night reflect the very best of law enforcement. Duty, honor and service. By their actions on June 26, I hereby award the Town of Grand Island’s Police Department Emeritus Conduct Service Award to officer Thomas Dewey and officer Lee Richard.”

The officers previously received the 2026 Crime Stoppers of Western New York Law Enforcement Achievement Award, as did the Erie County Sheriff’s Office and Buffalo Police Department officers.

In other news

•In two public hearings, residents spoke out against developments in their neighborhoods.

Paul Cotman, of Timberlake Drive, was the first speaker of the hearing held for the Links at River Oaks, which he opposed and supplied information suggesting the plans for the development do not align with the town’s master plan.

“The master plan says 3.4 units per acre,” he said of the allowed density of homes in the project. “It’s 222 (units), not 288 (units as proposed).”

A familiar face, Nate McMurray, former supervisor of Grand Island, also appeared to take part in a public hearing. He addressed the Town Board and supervisor on River Oaks.

“I know you love Grand Island,” he said. “I come here in peace. There’s one thing, Pete, you know, that motivates the people of Grand Island more than anything else. And that is clear cutting.

“Now, for those who don’t remember, I was the supervisor of Grand Island, and I probably got elected because of clear cutting. People get angry over clear cutting and to pave over the Island based on a 40-year-old plan makes no sense, for you guys politically or for the future of the Island. People come to Grand Island because they love Grand Island, because of the nature. And I’m not against development, but a development based on a 40-year-old plan, against the people who live here?

“Some of these people, I’ve been talking about this project with them for over a decade – so all I’m asking tonight is – no one’s against people making money, but some of these projects don’t make sense and you guys know it.

“And you’ve got a brilliant attorney right here, who can slow it down or make it make sense. Not just for this one, but also the one on Whitehaven! I’m not saying this to scare you politically. I’m saying this because I know, Pete, I know you guys care about this, too. So, I’m just going to end this by saying, ‘Help us figure it out,’ because the people in this room should matter more than any developer somewhere else.”

The comments for both hearings, one for the Links at River Oaks and Park Place Patio Homes, were put into the record.

•A new law is set to be put into effect after a public hearing on Oct. 19. The new law is a real property tax exemption for disabled veterans brought to the Grand Island Town Board by Councilwoman Rhonda Diehl.

After the meeting, while speaking with a veteran about his possible participation, Diehl said she is still learning the specifics of the new measure.

According to a draft copy of the proposed local law, “It is the intent of the Town Board of the Town of Grand Island to provide a full real property tax exemption for the primary residence of certain seriously disabled veterans.”

Diehl noted the exemption would only be from the town and would not include county tax exemptions.

According to the draft of the proposed law, the veterans must meet one of the following in order for the law to impact their taxes, 1) they must be discharged from active duty; 2) they must have a qualifying condition; 3) they must be a discharged LGBTQ veteran; or 4) they must be considered permanently and totally disabled as a result of military service by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.