During the last Board meeting, three members of the Village Board adopted a resolution to oppose COVID related mandates and …”their associated enforcement by outside agencies.” Erie County sanitarians attended the meeting, “…witnessed [willful] violations…”, and issued a violation of both NYS and Erie County’s lawful Executive Orders. The Village has until February 5th to either pay a $300 fine or appear at a hearing where penalties could be as much as $1000 per violation!  On January 18th, the Village announced a special meeting to hire outside counsel to represent the village in a pending legal matter with the Erie County Department of Health.

1. The Village Board does not need a special meeting. The next scheduled meeting is Monday, January 24, two weeks before the deadline set by ECDOH. This meeting is unnecessary and is being forced to occur to avoid unpopular public involvement.

Cancel the Special Meeting. Discuss this during the next regular meeting when public comment is permitted.

2. The Mayor has publicly expressed her personal opinions and she, Deputy Mayor Sherman, and Trustee Carson have now attempted to make personal opinions into public policy with disastrous results. The Mayor and her appointees should be responsible for paying the fines, not the Village taxpayer. 

The Williamsville taxpayers have no interest in paying legal fees for a fight that the majority of residents do not support. Do not spend taxpayer dollars to defend this totally avoidable, self-inflicted notice of violation.