MAYVILLE – Some new property has been given to the village for potential future businesses.

During the recent Mayville Village Board meeting, officials accepted two parcels of vacant land on Valley Street. The property was donated from Chautauqua Inns, LTD. The land sits between Route 430 and Ash Street.

The resolution does not state what the land will be used for, but after the meeting Mayor Rick Syper said he would like to see the land be used for business expansion.

“The goal is to hopefully make more business space, more land available,” he said.

Mayville and the town of Chautauqua are currently creating a joint Comprehensive Plan. Once the plan is completed, Syper said the zoning in that area of Valley Street may be changed. “The problem is that there’s no more commercial property, so it just makes sense to potentially pick up a piece of property,” he said.

Even though the land is being donated, the village will spend around $900 for the title search, $600 for the survey, plus attorney fees.

Syper said Van McConnon owns Chautauqua Inns and has been either selling or donating some of his assets.

“A few years ago he gave the village of Sherman a whole building,” he said.

Syper said he approached McConnon about making the donation.

Syper said there’s no immediate plans to enter into a contract with a realtor to market the property. It’s something they will do on their own. He noted how the village was successful finding Tim Hortons to come when it took over the property where the old Mayville Diner sat, which was destroyed in a fire.

Before the vote, Trustee Mark Perry expressed some concerns. ”

I don’t think it’s good practice of government to be ‘land grabbing.’ I think the open market is the best reality. If Van sells that piece of property, somebody will buy it,” he said.

Perry was the lone trustee to vote against receiving the property.

In a separate matter, Perry criticized a $56,746 change order for the village’s water project.

Syper said the change is needed because of a change of where the water main will be going. He said the change is due to the county not wanting to have the waterline going through the right of way where other utilities are.

“Why was that a last minute discovery?” Perry asked.

Syper replied that the original plans were based on outdated maps.

Perry criticized the consultants of the project Barton & Loguidice, saying they should have known better.

“I don’t think they’ve fulfilled the contract, at least in this particular incident. I look at the fact that we’re going to be asked to vote on 50-some thousand dollars and this is the beginning of the fiasco. How many more of these are we going to come up with because they didn’t have the drawings right?” he asked.

Trustee Bill Ward said that if there are large change orders, he believes a representative should be at the village board meeting to discuss the issue.

Syper said he met with the consultants and discussed with them the reasons for the change order. He said the trustees were all notified ahead of time and could have requested a representative come.

Syper said change orders are not unusual and added that by the time the project is completed, there may be areas where Barton & Loguidice will reduce its costs.

He added that the project couldn’t wait until next month for a vote.

The village board voted to table the resolution. A special meeting was held a few days later where the village board met with the consultants and later approved the change order.