I hope you are enjoying this beautiful summer. Erie County has one of the finest public parks systems in New York State. We have beaches, golf courses, disc golf courses, campgrounds, mountain biking and horseback riding trails, boat launches, dog parks and more. Be sure to go to https://www3.erie.gov/parks/ to make reservations or find offerings that meet your individual tastes. For those of us living in northern Erie County, I would encourage anyone with children to check out the update all-inclusive playground that was installed at Akron Falls Park.
After years of negotiations, I am glad to see that work has finally begun on Conner Road in Clarence. That road has been a priority of mine for the better part of the last decade, and I am glad to see that both drainage and resurfacing improvements have begun. I have spoken with the Department of Public Works, and they are anticipating the work being completed in September.
In Amherst, work will finally begin on redesigning and resurfacing New Road this Fall. Erie County has completed the bid process, and a contractor has been selected. While this work is long overdue, it is a more complex project and will not be completed until the Summer of 2025. I have received many calls from residents who have expressed concerns about this project getting off the ground and can assure you that this is 100% moving forward.
As a resident who travels our roads on a daily basis, I share the frustration when our infrastructure does not meet expectations. Hazardous road conditions are by far the most common complaint I receive from residents. I know that there are many more roads that need to be addressed, and I will continue to be a staunch advocate for them to be addressed. Unfortunately, I can’t be everywhere, so I rely on residents to be my eyes. I encourage everyone with a road concern to reach out to my office at the contact points listed below. Since becoming an Erie County Legislator, I have personally visited every road complaint my office has received. If you have the ability to email pictures, they are typically very helpful.
We will return from August recess soon and will be addressing mid-year budget hearings, which are obviously a couple months overdue. Erie County’s fiscal situation is bleaker than it has been in a long time. Both the budget director and Comptroller have expressed concerns regarding meeting our 2024 budget and these hearings are vital to ensuring every department is preparing for the potential shortfall.
If you have a county related concern, please contact my office at 716-858-8676 or by email at Christopher.Greene@erie.gov.
