OBSERVER Photo by Braden Carmen Mayor Jeff Hornburg stated that a water rate increase will come soon in the village of Silver Creek. Just how much of an increase it will be is yet to be determined.

SILVER CREEK — The Village of Silver Creek is anticipating an increase to water and sewer rates, but just how much of an increase that will be has yet to be determined.

The Village Board tabled a resolution regarding a water and sewer rate increase to allow for further discussion between Board members on the topic.

Another item on the agenda, however, did not need further discussion. After the Silver Creek Fire Police advocated for their department’s needs at the previous meeting, the Village Board followed through on its support of a vehicle purchase for the department.

The Village Board unanimously approved the purchase of a 2003 Ford F-550 Commercial Light Rescue Truck from Brindlee Mountain Fire Apparatus, LLC, at a delivered cost of $35,000. The amount was the lowest responsible bid of three bids received by the Village. The funds will come out of the Fire Department Reserve account.

The Village Board also approved an agreement with Bahgat & Laurito-Bahgat for bookkeeping services for the fiscal year ending May 31, 2026. Three budget transfers were also approved by the Board at its latest meeting. One in the amount of $5,558.39 was to cover the costs incurred from a water leak earlier this year; another in the amount of $2,000 was to increase the Independence Day celebration budget; and the third in the amount of $1,882.82 was to cover the costs remaining at the Village Victory Garden after a grant from the Northern Chautauqua Community Foundation allocated funds for the purchase of benches.

Members of the Village Board attended Howard Ehmke Day on July 13, hosted by the Jamestown Tarp Skunks. Fittingly, the game featured a rain delay, allowing for the tarp to be showcased before Ehmke was honored.

Born in 1894, Ehmke, a Silver Creek native, spent 15 years in Major League Baseball from 1915-1930. He won the 1929 World Series as the Game 1 starter of the series for the Philadelphia Athletics. Ehmke won 166 games and registered more than 1,000 strikeouts in his career. He also threw a no-hitter on Sept. 7, 1923.

After retiring from baseball, Ehmke started a company that made tarps to protect baseball diamonds from the rain. Village Trustee Sandra Lindstrom called the rain delay “kind of apropos, because he created the tarps.”

Historical items including newspaper clippings chronicling Ehmke’s career were on display by Silver Creek Historian Lou Pelletter. He also brought the display to the recent Village Board meeting, and also plans to display many of the items during the Festival of Grapes this fall.

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 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. Volunteers are welcomed by the Village.

The Village of Silver Creek and the Town of Hanover have assumed leadership of the annual Silver Creek Yard Sale, which was previously hosted by the Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce. The Yard Sale is scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 9. Registration is $10 per residence. Proceeds will benefit a scholarship fund for Silver Creek and Forestville students.

The next meeting of the Silver Creek Village Board is Monday, Aug. 4 at 7 p.m.