Board updates vehicle policy to preserve sewer foremen exemptions, tables plow purchases and awards waste-tipping contract

Council member Benczkowski led amendments to a draft town vehicle-use policy, proposing restrictions on personal use, requirements for driver-license documentation and GPS installation in town vehicles, and limits on taking vehicles outside Erie County without board authorization. Supervisor Brian Nowak offered an amendment to restore the sewer department general foreman and working crew chiefs to the list of employees allowed to keep vehicles overnight, arguing that quick response to pump-station and lift-station problems requires on-call access. After roll-call votes the amendments passed and Resolution 2025-824 (the amended vehicle policy) carried with the board's approval.

Separately, the board considered two procurement items to purchase Fisher 8'6" V-plows for facilities and sewer departments at $7,800 each. Members questioned whether existing plow packages could be retrofitted to new trucks at lower cost, and whether purchasing new plows for new trucks was warranted. Supervisor Nowak and Council Member Bukowski moved to table the two plow resolutions (2025-837 and 2025-838) for further study; the board approved tabling both items.

The board approved a later resolution, 2025-853, awarding the town’s tipping contract for solid waste to Waste Management of New York LLC (West Seneca) on a voice vote.

What’s next: Town staff will post the amended vehicle policy and circulate any supporting documentation; procurement staff will bring additional cost comparisons for plow retrofit versus new purchases at a later meeting.

Quote: "By having working foreman and a general foreman that have these vehicles, they can respond more quickly to the lift stations," Supervisor Nowak said in arguing for the sewer exemption.