Roxanne Astry, Village of Cassadaga Deputy Clerk, shared at a meeting that the village received a grant in excess of $15,000 from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation for the inventory and management of trees in the village. P-J photo by Braden Carmen

CASSADAGA — Deputy Clerk Roxanne Astry proudly revealed good news at a recent meeting of the Cassadaga Village Board of Trustees. The village received a grant exceeding $15,000 from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation for the inventory of trees and management of forests in the village.

The Urban and Community Forestry Grant, in the amount of $15,010, was among the $978,820 of grant funding awarded on Dec. 22 throughout the state by the Division of Lands and Forests. Cassadaga was the lone recipient in Chautauqua County, and one of only two in Western New York, along with the Town of West Seneca in Erie County.

“The last year we submitted it, we didn’t get it, but they critiqued it for us so we knew what we did wrong,” Astry said. “It’s nice that they do that and give us their feedback.”

Also notable from the recent meeting, Village Clerk Annette McChesney stated there has been some level of interest from Southern Chautauqua Federal Credit Union about expanding to Cassadaga. Southern Chautauqua Federal Credit Union also has a branch located at the former Bob Evans restaurant on Vineyard Drive in Dunkirk. The Village Board discussed the increased need for a local bank at length in recent months with the closing of the Community Bank branch in the village.

In the month of November, the Village of Cassadaga Fire Department responded to six emergency medical services calls, one motor vehicle accident, and no structure fires. The Department logged 33 hours, with 11 mutual aid calls responded to and no mutual aid received.

The first wave of short-term rental property applications will be heard at a public hearing by the Zoning Board of Appeals on Jan. 11 at 7 p.m.. The six applications that will be ruled on are located at 237 Dale Drive, 166 Dale Drive, 37 Dale Drive, 76 Maple Ave., 49 Lakeview Ave., and 88 Frisbee Road.

The Village also anticipates the appointment of Dave Rowley to the vacant Planning Board seat. With Mayor Bill Dorman absent for the recent meeting, Rowley’s official appointment is anticipated at the next meeting of the Village Board, Jan. 10.

“Dave is going to be great, a really great asset to the team,” said Planning Board Chair Nancy Wickmark.