Residents of the village of Sherman, as well as Village Trustees, received a “State of the Village” presentation prior to the regular meeting of the board Jan. 12.

Sherman Mayor Colleen Meeder outlined dozens of areas where activity is taking place with the goal of making Sherman “a stable and sustainable community.”

Meeder began with a history of the last four years. At the start in 2017, it was apparent that “in order for the village to proceed forward, there are necessary changes that must be done,” she said.

Meeder said the last Annual Updated Document of village financial records had not been completed since 2009 and there were no bank reconciliations since that year. No grants could be applied for until the situation was rectified.

“So everything from 2009 to 2017 was re-created from scratch,” she said.

Also, all of the hardware and software to process items such as utilities billing, payroll and water metering needed to be updated, Meeder said.

“The office was filled with papers without any organized files,” she said. “We touched every paper in the office … and adopted a new records retention policy.”

After this work was completed, the first application for a Community Development Block Grant to conduct a comprehensive study of the wastewater treatment plant was submitted in 2017, Meeder said

The village also established a vision, mission statement, governance policies and procedures for the village, Meeder said. In terms of governance, they outlined responsibilities for village, municipal and zoning laws and state building codes. The village updated operations for three different but overlapping areas — building and fire code, property maintenance and zoning codes.

Meeder then shared the details of the Department of Environmental Conservation Climate Smart Comprehensive Plan that the village developed over the last four years in order to have a vision for the future. The village received an $18,000 grant which it matched to create the plan

Meeder also talked about several different aspects which make up a community. For instance, she said, much work has been done to enhance community celebration. The old Christmas lights on Main Street were replaced with LED lights which allow the colors to be changed throughout the year to celebrate each holiday. The annual Sherman Day celebration continues under the guidance of an independent committee; however, “the village does a lot of work in the background,” Meeder said.

A lot of work has been done in the area of beautification. The village has worked with the Chamber of Commerce and volunteers to help maintain the beauty of the downtown region in areas such as flowers, decorations, and the like. A tree committee has also been formed through which the village contributes one tree for every tree purchased by a resident.

“Over 100 trees have been planted already,” she said.

Meeder applauded the Sherman Historical Society for its care of the Yorker Museum, which has been a village treasure for decades. She noted that the village has formed an historical preservation committee to recognize historical locations and homes of those who settled and influenced Sherman.

In terms of community development, Meeder spoke first about community services that are needed in the area, for which Sherman could be a host. These services include programs for children and families, senior citizens, as well as mentoring programs, life skill programs and a community garden. She praised the work of Helen Reynolds and a team of volunteers who run a food pantry on Main Street.

Housing rehabilitation is an area of primary concern, Meeder said. The village has obtained a Community Development Block Grant of $488,250 which is administered by the Chautauqua Home Rehabilitation and Improvement Corp. CHRIC employees select eight or nine single family dwellings to receive $40,000 to $60,000 each worth of improvements, she said.

Also, under community development is the activity surrounding Sherman’s parks, Meeder said. The George Edmunds Memorial Park along French Creek has received $30,000 from the Wake Family Charitable Foundation for its upkeep and development, she said. In addition to the village dog park, the municipality has sought improvements for its trails, which are part of the Chautauqua Rails to Trails system.

“Ultimately, the goal is for Sherman to be a trail town,” she said.

Economic development is one of the top priorities of the village, Meeder said. She related how Village Clerk Jeanette Ramm recently created a “Sherman page” for the Chautauqua County Travel Guide.

“It has literally put Sherman on the map,” Meeder said.