OBSERVER Photos by Braden Carmen Silver Creek residents Jim Castiglia (left) and Anna Frederickson (right) recently addressed the Village Board regarding code violations in the village.

SILVER CREEK — With multiple vacancies on both the Planning Board and the Zoning Board of Appeals, the Village of Silver Creek is considering making the two boards become one. The Village is evaluating a potential dissolution of its Planning Board, while turning over its duties to the Zoning Board of Appeals.

The Village employs the same attorney as the Village of Brocton, Peter Clark. Under Clark’s guidance, Brocton recently passed a local law abolishing the existing Planning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals to create a new Zoning Board of Appeals to have the duties and powers of both boards.

Brocton’s decision was sparked by all existing members of the Planning Board submitting their resignations at the end of 2025, without enough members of the community expressing an interest to replace them. Silver Creek is in a similar position now, although in less dire circumstances than Brocton was when it made the decision to merge the boards into one.

Two Silver Creek residents spoke to the matter at a recent meeting of the Village Board. First was Anna Frederickson, who reiterated her consistent plea to clean up the village properties that do not comply with the codes. Also addressing the Board was Jim Castiglia, a member of the Planning Board.

Both Frederickson and Castiglia agreed that the village needs to do more to address code violations. Frederickson playfully joked that she was not going to let up on the matter until she wound up in the cemetery.

“When I first joined the Planning Board committee, one of the first things I said – and everyone who was on the Planning Board said – was we’ve got to clean up Silver Creek. It’s a mess,” Castiglia said.

Castiglia re-submitted several complaint forms he filled out in the past, but was told to do so again due to turnover at the Code Enforcement Office. Silver Creek has had several Code Enforcement Officers in recent years, and now has an agreement with the Town of Hanover for Code Enforcement.

“Nothing is getting addressed. That’s where I’m at, frustrated,” Castiglia said.

Castiglia expressed willingness to serve on a new Zoning Board of Appeals if the Village were to abolish the Planning Board. Both Castiglia and Frederickson urged the Village to have the new Zoning Board reevaluate the existing village codes.

“Our codes have been that way for years, and they no longer apply to what people are doing now,” Frederickson said. “… The codes have to be looked at. They’ve got to be stricter.”

Castiglia added, “A lot of towns, I’ve heard, have to start formulating new codes because people don’t have common sense anymore. … It’s time to start moving, start getting things organized and let’s clean up this town.”

At the recent meeting, the Village Board also approved the hiring of Jeff Griewisch as a part-time Department of Public Works employee at an hourly rate of $24.53. Jeff Griewisch is a recently retired member of the DPW who will be filling in while Labor Supervisor Brianna Griewisch is out on medical leave. The temporary position is in place for no longer than six months.

The next Mobile Food Pantry event, sponsored by the Silver Creek Food Pantry, the Village of Silver Creek, and Feedmore WNY, will be on Tuesday, Feb. 24, from 11 a.m. until 12:30 p.m., at the village municipal parking lot. The event is free of charge to residents of Silver Creek and other nearby communities. The Village appreciates and welcomes all volunteers.

The next meeting of the Silver Creek Village Board is scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 17, at 7 p.m., due to the regular Monday meeting falling on Presidents’ Day.