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EYESORES: Boards twiddle thumbs on sites

Powerless. How else would you describe Silver Creek and its elected officials when it comes to the old school building on Main Street?

To be fair, the village is not alone. Other municipalities, including the larger city of Dunkirk and village of Fredonia, are nearly as helpless when it comes to taking care of abandoned or dangerous sites. Instead, the small governments normally call on a larger entity with much deeper pockets. In the most recent case with the school, the village is hoping for help from Mayville.

“I think what we’re looking for is some help from the county … That’s in the works,” said village Trustee Marv Cummings.

Old industrial sites in the city — and throughout the region — are normally cleaned up or remediated through state grants or through the Department of Environmental Conservation. Municipal boards, though seeming proactive, really have no control.

Just look at that old school. It has been a problem for more than three decades. What has the village done during the long saga? Nothing but complain and hope someone swoops in to help.

How is any of that responsive to constituents? It also makes you wonder why we continue to believe we need so many layers of government.

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