By Heather Skinner
ESPERANCE-On May 12th, the monthly Village of Esperance Meeting was held at the Village Hall. The meeting was led by Mayor Royce Gage, Clerk and Treasurer Michelle Parks, and Trustee Dan DeFilipps, who also led attendees in the Pledge of Allegiance.
Gage opened the meeting at 7:00 PM, which began with a motion to accept the minutes from the previous meeting. That motion was seconded and approved.
First on the agenda was a report on the Fire Department’s Banquet. Parks said it went well, and the officers were sworn in.
The Village-Wide Garage Sale will be on Saturday, May 17th, and breakfast will be served that day from 8:00 AM – 11:00 AM in the Village Hall.
Parks has received two transfers; one was 136 Charleston Sage Lane Properties to Michael and Tracy Hebert, and the other was 162 Main Street Larry Bruno and Robert Welch to Leonardo Barrera. The only money received was $850.65 in the semi-annual Mortgage Tax.
Updates on the playground: the caterpillar got fixed, and the port-a-potty that goes in every year is going to be put in this week.
The Communications update was an event announcement for the Esperance-Sloansville United Methodist Church Memorial Day Luncheon, which will take place on May 26th from 11 AM- 2 PM. Hot dogs, chips, salads, Marion’s meat sauce, and desserts will be served.
A representative from The Historical Society updated next. The Museum’s Memorial Day opening will have a new exhibit featuring William North and his connection to the Bicentennial of the Erie Canal and to Lafayette’s Tour of America as the Nation’s Guest. They are investigating fixing the heating issue in the library with a new electrical heating unit and insulating the old schoolhouse. Fundraising has been done to help with the heating repairs. Book buddies are coming up; new volunteers are welcome twice a month on Thursdays. The library fund has received a generous donation in memory of Barbara Smith. The carriage barn exhibits are getting reorganized after a new concrete floor was installed, thanks to the late Nicholas Juried. Their new website will be launched soon, and summer programs are being planned. They’re participating in the brochure exchange coordinated by Destination Marketing. The docent schedule is being sent around; right now, there’s only 6 signups for May 31st-August 30th, and more volunteers are needed.
In response to the Historical Society’s update that the Village has yet to seal the concrete base around the building and that there’s a dead animal smell under the workroom area, Gage said that project was the first thing he told their laborer to do, and he will be reaching out to tell him it has to be done. It was discussed that another option would be to get estimates. To accomplish the patching of those 2 or 3 holes, they plan to put stone in and maybe some cement up around it in addition. They will go out and find some field stone, which Gage thinks will be easy to come across along the Carriage Barn.
During the 5-minute Privilege of the Floor, Esperance Fire and Rescue Squad President, Duane Diamond, commented on the New Business topic that the new sidewalks going in look nice. They’ve already done the front of his house, and he said he and his next-door neighbor like them. Gage said the sidewalks should be completed by Memorial Day, weather depending.
Old Business on the agenda read, “Held Public Hearing for Budget 9am Saturday March 20, 2025. Paul Roberts made a motion to approve the final budget, 2nd by Royce Gage all in favor.”
In New Business, they plan to mill and put new blacktop down on Cumpston Street to fix cracks and flooding from lack of drainage. They have been getting estimates and are looking into funding to continue to work on one street at a time. Gage hopes the timeline on that will be within the next couple of months, and they will come through and let everyone know at that time.
Parks is still awaiting an email response from the Girl Scouts who plan to put flowers into a flowerpot this weekend or next weekend. An attendee offered to follow up with the Girl Scouts the day after the meeting, and next year’s flowerpot plans with the Girl Scouts will be made further in advance.
Parks presented a general voucher of $2,994.11. The Fire Department voucher of $10,796.07 mostly went toward ambulance repair, which needed new brakes, an all-new exhaust system, and the manifold was broken. Diamond said it’s running a lot better now, “just like a brand-new rig!” They have a staff EMT, and the volunteer drivers are usually Duane and Howard. To be a driver, you must know how to get to all of the hospitals, join the Fire Department, and upon joining tell them you want to be a driver for the ambulance.
Motion to adjourn the meeting took place at 7:15 PM, to which Parks noted was record time!
Gage, Parks, and DeFilipps created a friendly meeting environment where the camaraderie between those in attendance brought a smile to everyone’s faces. New faces in attendance were given opportunities to introduce themselves, a chance to speak, and were invited to ask questions. A mother and daughter in attendance looking to find out when the garage sale day would be also enjoyed being a part of the conversation about the New Business blacktop topic. If you would also like to participate in conversations about local happenings, Esperance Village Meetings are held monthly on each 2nd Monday with a start time of 7:00 PM in the Meeting Room of the Village Hall, which is located at 113 Church Street. Esperance Town Board Meetings take place on the 3rd Thursday of each month at 104 Charleston Street, also with a 7:00 PM start time.
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