Lewiston Town Board approves license plate readers, addresses flooding

Board OKs updates at Town Hall, sets public hearing

By Terry Duffy

Editor-in-Chief

The Town of Lewiston had a rather active regular meeting Monday. Among the newsmakers: a new license plate reader program the town is considering with the Niagara County Sheriff’s Office.

 Also, updates on new measures aimed at recent flooding in town neighborhoods; lighting replacements at Town Hall; staff changes at LPD; and plans for a public hearing on the proposed 5/4 President’s Park Apartments on Creek Road.

License plate reader

Supervisor Steve Broderick said, “It’s a resolution by the Town of Lewiston granting permission upon New York State Department of Transportation approval, to the Niagara County Sheriff’s Office to install license plate reader equipment within the (town’s) geographical jurisdiction.”

Broderick said one such device is already in operation within the Village of Lewiston on North Second Street. “By means of this resolution, and upon New York State DOT approval, (it) grants permission to the Niagara County Sheriff’s Office to conduct the project within state right-of-way and within the (town’s) geographical jurisdiction.”

Broderick said the project is funded by a 2023 NYS grant that provides, “for new technology and equipment to prevent and solve crimes.” Under the agreement, NCSO “shall maintain or cause to be maintained the installed equipment at the installed locations and shall cover any expenses that may arise (from its operation).”

Responding to “a simple explanation” by Councilwoman Sarah Waechter on the tech’s purpose and the impact for drivers, Police Chief Frank Previte said, “It’s the same technology we have; they (the plate readers) will be used in solving crimes. If we have something that is worth locating people, if we have an ongoing investigation, it gives us the ability to program a license plate and see.”

Broderick added, “This is not a traffic enforcement-type equipment. No tickets will be generated from this.”

Previte said the readers would only give LPD information on whether a vehicle’s registration is suspended or stolen. He noted readers are planned for multiple jurisdictions statewide. In addition to North Second Street, he said the town could see upward of “eight or 10” installed in Lewiston.

“It’s still in flux as far as to (certain locations). They’re (NCSO) still talking in discussion with DOT,” Previte said. He predicted that upward of 80 to 100 such devices could be installed throughout Niagara County in the future.

Previte also announced Lt. Brandon Hall is leaving the department for personal reasons. He requested for LPD officer Jonathan Emmons to be appointed lieutenant. The board approved the measure.

More news

•Highway Superintendent Mitch Zahno was approved for up to $153,000 to acquire new piping equipment to address recent flooding that hit neighborhoods just below the hill, with Highway Department crews to do the installation work.

“Basically, this is the project that we hired GHD (Consulting) to do an engineered plan,” Broderick said. “It’s going to take care of Oak Hill, Sullivan, Hillview, Cliff and hopefully some (of) Ridge Road as well.”

Soon after, the board approved the highway request with funding to come from the town’s H-97 account.

Broderick then presented a second request to acquire a new pump to address flooding that also occurs in the golf course neighborhoods above the hill.

“When the rain’s coming down heavy … you know I went up to the corner and Woodland and Forest, I went all across the golf course. There’s an old, 18-inch storm or sanitary sewer pipe that basically is now a storm sewer pipe that is way too inadequate,” he said.

With the new pump and surface hoses, Broderick said he felt the town would be in a better position to “take that water out of there and hopefully prevent some of the flooding until we come up with a more permanent solution. The ends justify the means.”

He said the new pump equipment could also assist the town in other areas, such as Morgan Farms or out on Pletcher Road at the town’s water treatment plant.

The board went on to OK the $45,599.24 pump purchase, plus $850 in delivery charges. Funding would also come from the town’s H-97 account.

Broderick went on to offer comments on the town’s H-97 account:

“Just to let everybody know, our H-97 has been used in the past for paving,” he said. “Our sales tax revenue has been higher than expected. … The sales tax has been used to support the extra paving and the paving that we've done, which has left the H-97 available for projects like this. We're also earning 4% interest on our money, so we have the revenue to cover these costs and hopefully relieve some of the major areas of flooding, which everybody's read about. … We're moving forward on there, so I appreciate it.”

•The board approved a funding request by Councilman Rob Morreale for $8,432 in new lighting in Town Hall to replace outdated fixtures. It also approved $1,981.96 to acquire new lights for the Town Hall parking area. Morreale said the new lighting is intended to replace outdated equipment, and partially funded by National Grid.

He said that, under the program, National Grid will absorb $28,107 of the $37,476 Town Hall lighting expense, with Lewiston to fund the remaining $8,432.11. For the Town Hall parking lot lighting, projected to cost $8,336.11, National Grid would absorb $6,279.83 in costs under the grant. Lewiston would cover the remaining $1,986.96.

•Wrapping up, the town announced a public hearing will be held at 6 p.m. Monday, May 12, to hear comments on the concept plan/PUD for the proposed 5/4 President’s Park Apartments on Creek Road.

If approved by the Town Board, the project by Joe Giusiana of 5/4 Development Corp could see up to 210 new residential units added to an existing 168-unit complex on the site covering 23 acres.

For more on the Town Board session, visit https://www.townoflewiston.us/.