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Town board approves multiple site plans, appointments and grant agreements; several items tabled
Summary
The Town Board of Cheektowaga on Feb. 25 approved multiple site plans, grant and loan-administration contracts, and personnel appointments while tabling several highway staffing resolutions and amending the town’s CDBG/HOME action plan vote to remove authorization for subrecipient-signature authority.
The Town Board of Cheektowaga on Feb. 25 approved a series of planning, personnel and grant-related resolutions and adopted changes to its meeting schedule and public-comment rules.
The board voted to declare a negative declaration under the State Environmental Quality Review Act for a proposed self-storage project at 4868 Transit Road and to approve the related site plan. It approved a separate site plan for a D & H Paving project on Kennedy Road. The board approved a grant-management contract with Rotella Grants Management and authorized a related loan-administration agreement tied to an Environmental Facilities Corporation financing for sewer improvements.
The board adopted the Town of Cheektowaga Community Development Block Grant Program annual action plan for the 2025 program year and the HOME Consortium consolidated plan but amended the resolution to remove language authorizing the supervisor to sign subrecipient agreements; members said they want subrecipient agreements returned as separate resolutions so the public can review them.
The board approved multiple personnel appointments across departments including sanitation, parks, facilities and highway; several highway-related appointments (resolutions 105 and 106) were tabled after members raised questions about whether the approved 2025 budget contained the positions described. The board also approved the appointment of Thomas E. Fowler Jr. as town attorney and town prosecutor and exempted the position from the town residency requirement.
Council members spent extended time on the consent agenda, warrants and procurement oversight. Council Member Bukowski said she would vote against the general warrant approval without better documentation for several line items, but the warrant passed by roll call. Members asked departments to provide itemized receipts and procurement documentation and asked for a department-head briefing on purchasing procedures.
The board carried a resolution calling on state officials to implement reforms in state correctional facilities, after debate and a failed attempt to add language about not condoning violations of the Taylor Law.
Votes at a glance (selected items) - Res. 2025-95 — Octavia Storage LLC: SEQR negative declaration for local project 20243246 (4868 Transit Road). Outcome: approved. - Res. 2025-96 — Octavia Storage LLC: site plan approval for 4868 Transit Road. Outcome: approved. - Res. 2025-97 — Empire 1 Federal Credit Union use variance (0 Crisfield): pulled by board; no vote. - Res. 2025-98 — D & H Paving: site plan approval (Kennedy Road). Outcome: approved. - Res. 2025-99 — Adoption of 2025 CDBG/HOME annual action plan: approved as amended (subrecipient-signature clauses removed for separate consideration). - Res. 2025-104 — Appointment of Thomas E. Fowler Jr. as town attorney and town prosecutor, annual salary $115,000, residency exemption: approved as amended to clarify term through 12/31/2025. - Res. 2025-105 and Res. 2025-106 — Highway appointments: tabled pending clarification of budgeted positions. - Res. 2025-126 — Two-year professional services agreement with Rotella Grants Management for grant development/administration ($42,000/year): approved. - Res. 2025-127 — Agreement with Rotella Grants Management related to EFC loan administration (not to exceed $24,990): approved. - Res. 2025-135 — Resolution calling on state officials to implement reforms in correctional facilities (including repeal of HALT Act and staffing/shift changes): approved (one abstention by the supervisor recorded).
Why it matters: The approvals commit the town to development approvals, grant and loan administration, and personnel changes that will affect public works, planning and the administration of federal/state grant funds. Citizens and some board members pressed for greater transparency around subrecipient agreements and warrants.
What’s next: The board asked staff to circulate subrecipient agreements as separate resolutions for future meetings, to provide procurement documentation for warrant items, and to return with clarifications on highway staffing and budget impacts.
