Residents press Valley View council for committee transparency and oppose proposed trail link to Valley View Woods

Several residents used the April 7 Valley View council meeting to press officials for more transparency and to object to a proposed trail connection to Valley View Woods.

Mike Dzek of Tinkers Creek asked how residents find out about board and committee openings and requested "a list of grants and loans, outside funding applied for, received or denied, since 2000, broken down by projects," saying he wanted to know whether the village had missed funding opportunities. Mayor Matthew March described his practice of keeping a list of interested residents and said he retains committee members who are performing well; Councilwoman Jakubczak said residents may contact their councilperson and that minutes are on file.

Nicole Goliembewski of Hathaway Road said she opposes a proposed trail connection to Valley View Woods. She said Realtors gave no disclosure to residents about possible plans, that surveyors had entered her property multiple times, and raised concerns about environmental impact, erosion control, drainage, buffer zones and security. Mayor March said he had communicated with Recreation Director Von Ville and Engineer Sciano earlier in the day and offered to meet with Goliembewski to review the village's plans and her concerns.

The council did not take formal action on trail funding at the meeting; Engineer Sciano described a conceptual application for additional funding to connect the Sagamore trail to the National Park and said the proposal is at a conceptual stage.