Final Meeting Tonight Before Depew Dissolution Vote — Details Here

The vote is 8 days away, and tonight is the final meeting before it happens.

If the village of Depew is dissolved, Transit Road becomes the new dividing line, where some of the 16,000 residents will be "absorbed" by Cheektowaga, and the rest by the Town of Lancaster.

The issue at hand is supporters of the dissolution say the rising debt in the Village is out of control, going from $2 million to $8 million in a few short years. Property owners in Depew would still be responsible for that debt, even if the village is dissolved.

Diane Benczkowski, Cheektowaga's Town Supervisor, says Depew's police officers would be welcome to apply to work for the CPD, and that they are over-staffed in sanitation so no more workers would be needed there.  She says Cheektowaga is ready to absorb Depew residents:

They do pay taxes into the Town of Cheektowaga, so absolutely. We're willing to do whatever they are ready to vote on. If they want to become a part of Cheektowaga, we are ready to take them on. A lot of the services we already are providing to the village residents, so we would have no problem doing that.

If voters vote against the dissolution, another vote won't be allowed for another four years.

The V.O.T.E. (Villages Opposed To Elimination) group's Facebook page shows support for maintaining Depew as is.

The Village Board of Trustees will meet tonight at 7pm in the Council Chambers of Village Hall.  The public is welcome.