After advertising for bids regarding dredging services, the Town received two bids on Monday, June 15. However, the bids varied dramatically, with a difference in cost of roughly $60,000. Supervisor Lou Pelletter felt that the work is not comparable, and rather than accept one of the bids, the Town Board elected to re-advertise the bid specifications in hopes of a different outcome.

The Town Board tabled a resolution to accept a bid for the work at its latest meeting. Once the new bids are submitted, the Town Board will reevaluate. Dave Romano of GEI Consultants is assisting the Town in the dredging process.

If a bid is accepted for the necessary work to dredge Cattaraugus Creek and Hanover Harbor, it will come down to finding the right time to do the work. The initial target the Town had in mind for the work to begin was in spring of 2027, and as of the last meeting, that timeframe still seems feasible. The Town is being careful to avoid dredging the Creek and the Harbor around the various fishing tournaments held annually in Hanover. The Town hopes to coordinate the timing of the work with the County, the State, and the Army Corps of Engineers.

Also of note, the Town’s emergency waterline repair grant is being reviewed by USDA Rural Development. The Town is seeking grant funding to reimburse the cost incurred from waterline breaks in Hanford Bay during the winter. The Town recently received $10,200 for an emergency demolition of 22 Center Street in Forestville nearly two years ago. Supervisor Pelletter thanked Assessor Jeanne Ebersole for her work on the matter.

The Town has entered into an agreement with Joel R. Kurtzhalts, of Bennett, DiFilippo, Kurzhalts, Whittemore and Seibold LLP, for Special Counsel attorney services relating to assessment matters.

Pelletter said that the Town is still owed $64,000 in reimbursement from Northland Power for road repairs that were necessary due to windmill traffic. Pelletter said the repairs were done more than a year ago. He has spoken with Senator George Borrello and Assemblyman Andrew Molitor regarding the issue.

The Town Board approved an agreement with David Wojda for new vinyl plank flooring to replace the carpeting in the Supervisor’s Office, Court Clerk’s Office, and Code Enforcement Office at the Town Hall. The total cost including installation shall not exceed $9,370. Wojda, of Silver Creek, had the lowest total cost of three quotes the Town received. The work will begin later this summer.

In the month of May, the Town Clerk’s Office collected $1,252 in revenue, while issuing 55 Dog Licenses, 26 State Department of Environmental Conservation Licenses, tags, and permits, 15 Handicap Tags, and three Marriage Licenses. The Code Enforcement Office issued 27 permits in May – 21 in Hanover and six in the village of Silver Creek – totaling $1,900 in revenue. The Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office reported 389 responses in May.

The Board approved hiring 3 Pete’s Masonry, of Forestville, for the installation of a 36-foot round concrete pad to be located at the Town Hall to anchor the Veterans Memorial. The total cost of the work shall not exceed $12,060. The Town received three bids for the work, with 3 Pete’s Masonry being the lowest cost of the three.

The Board also approved hiring Ava Cowan as a lifeguard for the 2026 beach program, pending certification. Cowan will receive $18.50 per hour as a seasonal employee.

An adjustment in cost for the purchase of a 2026 Dodge Ram truck for the Highway Department was also approved. The cost increased from $33,157.00 to $33,383.50.

The Town Board approved a contribution of $1,200 to the Silver Creek Senior Citizens Association on the condition that the funds be applied to the expenses of the organization. The Town Board also approved a contribution of $1,000 to the Grape Festival Committee to assist in the expected costs of the 2026 Festival of Grapes.

The Board recently passed a resolution to declare its support for the Constitution Pipeline, a proposed natural gas transmission line designed to transport energy from the Marcellus Shale region in northeastern Pennsylvania to support key markets across New York and New England. The Town also noted that the newly established Forestville Historic District has been officially listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The next meeting of the Hanover Town Board will be held at Bicentennial Park, located at 611 King Road, Forestville. The workshop will be held at 6:30 p.m., with the regular meeting beginning at 7 p.m., including a ribbon cutting celebrating the recent additions to the park.