Village Board Trustee Amanda Kalfas spoke as a citizen at a recent village board meeting, expressing her issue with the snowmobilers. “As a resident of High Street, I know of a lot of people on my street who are very dissatisfied with the snowmobile situation,” said Kalfas. “I would just like to ask and inquire about that local law, I was able to find it on the website…I just don’t understand what the purpose of having a private trail behind the houses is.”

The location of the trail in conjunction with houses on High Street has been creating a “sandwiched” feeling for many. “A few years back, there was a lot of work put in to making a thousand feet from Route 60 up High Street available to snowmobilers,” Kalfas stated. “I know as a resident of High Street … we’re sandwiched in between the road and a trail that’s behind my house, and people misuse that trail all season long.”

Mayor Mary Jo Bauer then relayed a personal connection to the problem as well. “My daughter is having the same problem on Maple, because they’re coming up and down Maple,” said Bauer. “She, at one point, had given permission for them to go alongside her house. Well, her fence is pushed out now, and every year they’ve come and asked her permission, this year, nobody asked for her permission. They’re going along a very narrow area there, where children are out playing all the time, at very high speeds through there. And going down the road.”

Kalfas also commented on the dangers of snowmobilers using the road and sidewalks, which remains illegal in Cassadaga. “A lot of people on High Street are concerned about leaving their driveways when snowmobilers are out…you can’t see,” Kalfas said. “If I had my driveway plowed, I have giant, ten-foot snow piles I can’t see around. So I have to use caution not only for that, but then if somebody accelerates past my house at 65/70mph, and they’re a lot smaller than a car, that leaves me with a lot of concern.”

OBSERVER Photo by J.M. Lesinski The corner of High and South Main streets in Cassadaga, where snowmobilers commonly ride the main roads, despite the fact that it’s illegal to do so.

Village Clerk Roxanne Astry then noted, “They’re not supposed to go down the road. We haven’t changed the local law.”

The local laws being ignored may very well be it part caused by a lack of signs, as Bauer goes on to mention. “There used to be signs at each village limit, they’re not there this year, saying to snowmobilers that it was illegal to ride the streets and sidewalks in Cassadaga,” said Bauer. “What happens is, one person breaks a trail, and that’s it, everybody’s going that way. Especially because it’s a lot of people coming from out of town, it’s not necessarily just local people.”

Bauer also brought up the sidewalks and how previous permissions may still play a part too. “The tracks from the snowmobiles make the sidewalks hard to walk on,” said Bauer. “There was always permission from all of those land-owners at the time and it was to get from Kwik-Fill over to High Street, and down to the restuarant. That was it, there was no driving from Kwik-Fill down Route 60 to get to the restaurant.”

The trails themselves seemed to become more of an issue as discussion continued. “There really wasn’t even supposed to be across the lake through the field over to Shur-Fine, there is a trail for that to go up behind and around, but to go across the lake and across the field it takes ten minutes,” said Bauer. “To go around the other way takes 45 (minutes).”

Kalfas noted the longer time, while she reaffirmed her stance on the matter. “To follow the trail that is actually laid and marked in our backyards, yeah it’s going to take longer, but once you get passed that little tree line, Curve Road, you can fly across the field,” Kalfas stated. “I feel that snowmobilers should be able to use the backyard, this trail behind my house, and eliminate the use of High Street because I don’t see the point if you’re going to follow that trail, it crosses over at the top of High Street anyway.”

The permissions for access on High Street were then laid out by Bauer, also noting the relation to Maple. “They (snowmobilers) were allowed to access a part over here (on High Street) to get to the Legion and one other part,” explained Bauer. “The trail goes across by the land fill, they were allowed to go from there around the bend to the Legion, but then back on the trail. Not in front of the Legion down Maple Avenue, that wasn’t the deal. They were allowed to come down past Zymbriski’s to the Whiskey Hill, and again, they could walk across the street…and then go back up. They’re not to go down Maple Avenue to get to another trail.”

In the midst of the discussion about the trails, Kalfas mentioned she’s been in contact with the right people, but nothing was discussed at length. “Alan Parker contacted me…(he) is the trail captain for the village of Cassadaga and he’s the person we’re supposed to contact if we have any concerns,” Kalfas reported. “We have to accept that Cassadaga is great for connecting to other trails, (but) I don’t want to overcall Parker.”

Highway Superintendent Sam Alaimo offered up the advice to talk directly with the other landowners. “Take it up with the landowners,” said Alaimo. “A lot of this is because the Tim Horton’s under construction closed that trail. Once that trail opens up, a lot of this problem will go away.”

Kalfas then rebuked the notion regarding Tim Hortons, seeming to focus more on the snowmobilers themselves. “It’s not, people ride straight up High Street,” said Kalfas. “I don’t want to be sandwiched anymore…I can communicate with the club, make sure it’s labeled and marked. But this is a village road. I don’t want people to ride on the road. That’s a village law, that’s a local law that we created.”

Bauer, perhaps sensing the unrest, then inquired what exactly Kalfas wants the board to do about the situation. “I agree with you, we all agree with you, but what I’m saying is…you’re talking about going behind the houses? Staying on the trail?” Bauer asked. “Other landowners would have to give permission as well, that’s all.”

Kalfas’ reply re-focused on the issues on High Street. “Anybody from the snowmobile club says they’re allowed to, in the village of Cassadaga, cross on High Street, 1,000 feet from the intersection,” Kalfas claimed. “I would like to bring attention to the board to discuss why we have allowed snowmobilers to fly up High Street.”

In a heated response, Bauer reminded Kalfas of the board’s function, and what laws were already in place. “We don’t allow them Amanda, this is a village board, not an enforcement agency,” Bauer stated. “It has to go to a police agent to stop it. We can put a sign up again that says it’s illegal, the snowmobile club always put the sign up. They were allowed to in the past. There were two roads I just told you, they’re still allowed to (cross on).”

Bauer added, “That law was made 10 years ago, let’s get the local law out and look at it. Meanwhile, contact Alan Parker and ask why there aren’t signs on the end of each trail saying that it’s illegal to ride the streets. It’s not just about safety, it’s always safety first, but it’s also because it makes it harder for equipment to take care of the roads and sidewalks when the snowmobilers come and pack it all down.”