Penn Yan bridge will close in September

   PENN YAN, May 25—The Liberty Street bridge in the village will be closed in just four months. The entire span will be replaced. Discussions between the village and New York State Department of Transportation continue. The project is expected to take several months. Planning for detours have been a major topic of discussion.
   During the meeting of the village board on Tuesday, May 18, trustees approved a matter associated with condition of village streets before and after the project. A letter of assurance has been received from DOT. Inventory and documentation of the involved streets will be made for reference before the project begins. After the project is completed, the roads will be returned to the condition they were in prior to the project.
   Extensive planning by the village and DOT officials has been ongoing for several months. The Main Street bridge will be the sole link between areas north and south of the Keuka Lake Outlet in the core business district during the months the bridge is under construction.
   In other business: During the public comment portion of the meeting, village resident Charlie Spacek expressed his concern about the waste from horses on village streets. A related story is in this issue of The Observer.
   • Trustees approved increases in water and sewer rates.
   • Keuka Street Boat Launch parking fees were approved. Signs and collection boxes have been ordered. The fees are for parking boat trailers at the launch site. Village residents will not be charged for parking at the site. The village hopes to begin the program by Memorial Day.
   • A contract with the town of Pulteney to reduce the minimum purchased gallons from 20 million to 13 million gallons of water a year was approved. The contract was negotiated and agreed upon.
   • The bid of $10,500 from Elliott Engineering Solutions of Penfield was accepted for the Waterfront Park and Trail Improvement project. The engineering contract includes an asbestos abatement plan, site plans and elevation and a document regarding building a new bath house at Red Jacket Park.
   • A public hearing on a Community Development Block Grant was canceled. There were no new applications.
   • The board accepted the resignation of Barb Elias from the Historic Committee. The resignation is effective immediately.
   • Alternate member Dennis Karalow was appointed to a three year term on the Historic Committee, effective May 17.
   • Daniel Henries Jr. was approved for membership in Hunter Hook & Ladder Company.
   A special village board meeting is scheduled at 2 p.m. Tuesday, May 31. The purpose of the meeting is approval of year-end invoices. The next regular meeting of the village board will be in the village office on Elm Street at 6 p.m. Tuesday, June 21.