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Taking a shine: Sheridan board to schedule another solar project hearing

By Braden Carmen 3 min read

SHERIDAN -- The process for another solar project in the town of Sheridan is set to move forward to its next step.

Upon the advice of Town Attorney Jeff Passafaro, the Town Board set a meeting at a date to be determined later to conduct a hearing regarding a special use permit, SQR review, and variance requests for the SunEast Kingbird Solar LLC project, located on Newell Road.

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The meeting was set for 30 days or more after a recent Town Board meeting to allow for scheduling to ensure Passafaro and the representatives from SunEast Kingbird Solar LLC will be in attendance. The hearing will be its own meeting, rather than part of a regular Town Board meeting.

The SunEast Kingbird Solar Project is a 20-megawatt system that represents the largest solar energy project in Sheridan to date. The project spans across Newell Road to Cook Road near I-90. The Town Board previously entertained a presentation from the solar representatives in November of 2022.

Also of note at the recent Town Board meeting, James Crowell, Code Enforcement Officer and Building Inspector, stated that the Town plans to move forward with court proceedings related to the former Pawn Starz location on Route 20 that was destroyed by a fire in the summer of 2022. The Town will retain outside counsel to pursue action from the County Court. Town Board member Joe White also recently reached out to Congressman Nick Langworthy for assistance on the matter.

Highway Superintendent Jeffrey Feinen also reported the Town received a Soil and Water Conservation non-matching grant to address multiple culverts in the Town in need of repair.

The Town Board also set the salaries for elected officials. Supervisor Tom Wik receives a salary of $8,400; the Town Board members receive $3,675; Town Justices receive $14,700; Town Clerk Rebecca Schafer receives $22,554; and Feinen receives $75,521 as Highway Superintendent. In addition, Schafer earns $1,969 as Tax Collector, $378 for Records Management, and $163 as Registrar. Feinen earns an additional $326 for serving as Disaster Preparedness Official.

The Town Board also approved Crowell's salary as Code Enforcement Officer and Building Inspector at $13,650; Thomas Mleczko as Assessor at $15,472; Bahgat and Laurito-Bahgat for Bookkeeping Services at $15,100; Eva Gadewoltz as Court Clerk at $41,572; Nicole Welka as Dog Control Officer at $2,100; and Rick Cooper as Sheridan Bay Park Caretaker at $4,000. Town Attorney Jeffrey Passafaro was approved at a rate to be determined later.

Hourly town employees recently approved include Deputy Highway Superintendent Scott Thompson, $26.15 per hour; Highway workers Bruce Gadewoltz, John Magierski and Luis Molina at $25.15 per hour; Deputy Court Clerk Kathleen Tempski at $19 per hour; Court Officers Mark Dietzen, Richard Griffith and Ronald Raczka at $19 per hour; Cleaner Holly Pilarski at $25 per hour; and and Deanna Robbins as Youth Recreation Director at $19 per hour. Marah Long was appointed as Deputy Town Clerk and Deputy Tax Collector at $19 per hour.

Town Board member Richard Feinen was re-appointed as Deputy Supervisor, as he was previously under former Supervisor John Walker II. John Yerico, Sr., was appointed to the Town Planning and Zoning Board, alongside Steven Roach, Eric Gentry, Paul Wallenhorst and Brian Aldrich. Members of the Town Planning and Zoning Board receive $54.11 per meeting. Each member of the Board of Assessment Review, comprised of Paul DeMarco, Romaine Hohenstein and Henry Hoisington, receives $50 per year.

The Town Board also approved its list of holidays and closing days for the year; re-established its procurement policy; designated M&T Bank as Town Depository; set its mileage reimbursement rate for Town officials; and set its committee appointments for the upcoming year. Wik assumed the committee roles previously held by Walker as Supervisor.

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