During Monday’s Village Board meeting, Joseph Taylor of Falconer expressed his concerns about rising security issues in the community. He recounted an incident where vagrants were reported breaking into homes, highlighting his own experience when someone rifled through his daughter’s car just a few nights prior. Notably upset, he conveyed that the response time from the police department took between 45 minutes and an hour.

Taylor expressed concerns about the slow response times from the police and inquired whether Ellicott had sufficient personnel to adequately patrol Falconer, noting that he hadn’t observed a patrol car in the village for quite some time.

The Ellicott Police Department is contracted to provide police and law enforcement services for the village of Falconer and has done so since the village lost its own police department in the 1980s noted Mayor James Jaroszynski.

Jaroszynski believes the Ellicott Police Department operates two patrol vehicles–one for Falconer in the east and another for Ellicott in the west, with potentially more patrol units on the road at various times.

Falconer Mayor James Jaroszynski, presents an award to Abigail Rexroad, after she was named as the Western Region Youth Advocate of the Year by New York State for her passionate commitment to empowering local youth. Photo by Alan Gustafson Jr.

“I’m not going to speak for the police department, but I will reach out to Ellicott Town Supervisor Janet Bowman, and I’ll contact the Chief of Police about your concerns – I’ll invite one of them to come to our next meeting to speak and answer your concerns,” he said.

Falconer resident Keith Beckerink shared another incident he and his neighbors experienced recently. They discovered people sifting through their garages and rummaging through personal belongings. Items such as old bicycles, tools, and other personal property were taken without permission. Beckerink said in a moment of frustration, he firmly confronted this individual and successfully drove him out of his garage and off his property.

Jaroszynski said with compassion, “It’s really important that this is reported to law enforcement officials – the police to make sure everything is documented. Involving law enforcement is better than taking the law into your own hands.

Beckerink also expressed his frustration about people camping on the grass near Tops Market, sleeping all day and using drugs, yet nothing was being done to remove them from the village.

“This is a serious concern,” Jaroszynski said, emphasizing the county’s partnership with the Budget Inn to provide shelter for individuals experiencing homelessness. “This is a sensitive situation that requires careful consideration, and I’ve been open about these challenges before. Unfortunately, there’s no simple solution, but we are committed to finding a way to help. I’ve been very vocal about these issues in the past.”

In other business:

– The Falconer Volunteer Fire Department has officially accepted the resignation of Chief Bryce Webster. In response, the village board has unanimously decided to promote the department’s under-chiefs by one rank each. This move aims to ensure continued leadership and support for the firefighters during the interim period until a new chief is elected.

– Abigail Rexroad received an award from the mayor recognizing her as the Western Region Youth Advocate of the Year by New York State for her passionate commitment to empowering local youth.

– “National Fuel is currently carrying out work in the village,” said Jaroszynski. He assured residents that any damage caused to yards will be repaired by the company. While there is no specific timeline for these repairs at the moment, residents can be confident that the necessary fixes will be made.

– Falconer is organizing a Village-Wide Yard Sales event on May 30 and 31. Residents can sign up at the Falconer Vac Shop, located at 30 W. Main St., between May 1 and May 27, with a registration fee of $5.

– Trustee Nikki Pierce reported that around seven vendors have registered for this summer’s farmers’ market, with the potential for more to join. The trustees have approved a fee schedule for Mobile Food Trucks, establishing a rate of $50 for a one-day setup and $10 for each additional day, with a maximum annual cap of $300. Additionally, the Annual Fire Inspection Fee, originally set at $50, has been reduced to $25 to promote commerce in the area..

– Director of Public Works Avery Faulkner reported that his department installed bird feeders donated by Jerry Pischera. Jaroszynski mentioned that Pischera built eight to 10 birdhouses during the COVID-19 pandemic that have been well-received in public parks.