Mary Hosler for Town of Evans Supervisor

Please note: the Parade is canceled however the Village will still be holding the Memorial Day Ceremony.

Evans Local Business Giveaway!!! I'm going around Evans to highlight some of our unique businesses. First up is Shultz Hardware! I had an amazing time talking w...ith Phil Vankoughnet and learning more about the history of Shultz. Keep a lookout in two weeks for the next video! Let me know which businesses you'd like to see next! Shultz is doing a giveaway for a $25 gift card to their business. If you like and share this post you will be entered into their giveaway. Good Luck!

This week is National Teacher Appreciation Week & today is National Teacher Appreciation Day! Take a minute to thank and recognize teachers that have made a difference in your life, past and present!

We would like to give a BIG Thank You to Pat Conrad and the Parks Department for helping with the Hometown Heroes Banners! They are diligently working on getting the hardware installed on the poles along Route 5! You may see them out today, or in the coming days! Please be mindful!

Our Hometown Heroes Banners will be unveiled on May 15th in conjunction with Armed Forces Day. This exciting event, honoring those who have served our country, would not have been possible without our Town of Evans Veterans' Committee and many generous sponsors.

Why Recycle Electronics? Industry experts estimate that U.S. consumers throw away 400 million units of electronic equipment per year. Recycling electronic waste... protects human health and the environment by: 1) diverting thousands of pounds of waste from landfills and incinerators; 2) keeping toxins such as lead, mercury and cadmium from contaminating the air, water and soil; and 3) conserving natural resources by allowing valuable materials to be reclaimed and reused, rather than using virgin material.

A message from Supervisor Hosler on Sturgeon Point Marina. Included are photos of the current state of the marina and a list of contacts for our state and feder...al elected officials. "I am working with state and federal governmental agencies to put together a long-term strategy that will make the marina financially viable and economically feasible. The marina has the potential to bring regional tourism and become an economical catalyst to our town. We are looking for long-term success, not an expensive band-aid at the continuing expense to the taxpayers." Senator Charles Schumer 130 South Elmwood Avenue, #660 Buffalo, NY 14202 Phone: (716) 846-4111 Fax: (716) 846-4113 Congressman Brian Higgins Larkin at Exchange 726 Exchange Street, Suite 601 Buffalo, NY 14210 Phone: 716-852-3501 Fax: 716-852-3929 Kirsten Gillibrand Larkin At Exchange 726 Exchange Street, Suite 511 Buffalo, NY 14210 Tel. (716) 854-9725 Fax (716) 854-9731 Senator Sean Ryan 60 Lakefront Boulevard, Suite 125 Buffalo, NY 14202 Phone: 716-854-8705 Legislator John J. Mills District 11 Old Erie County Hall 92 Franklin Street, 4th floor Buffalo, NY 14202 Phone # 716-858-8850

SCHUMER CALLS ON ARMY CORP OF ENGINEERS TO REPURPOSE EMERGENCY FUNDING AND DREDGE STURGEON POINT MARINA TO ALLOW FOR USAGE DURING 2021 BOATING SEASON Sediment B...uild-up, October 2019 Storm Have Rendered Marina Unusable, Despite Status as Safe Harbor Senator Is Urging Immediate Action By Army Corps Says Failure To Dredge Harbor and Open For 2021 Season Could Be Detrimental to Commerce and Safety of Lake Erie Boaters Schumer: "Enough is Enough Dredging Must Take Place ASAP to Ensure Safety of Boaters and Viability of Recreational Boating and Commercial Fishing" U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer today called on the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers to direct funding to an emergency dredging of the Sturgeon Point Marina in the Town of Evans. Rising water levels on the Great Lakes, aged Army Corps-controlled infrastructure, and increasingly frequent and violent storms along the Evans coastline have caused a sedimentary build-up in the marina so severe it has been rendered unusable. Failure on Army Corps’ part to dredge the marina could result in the loss of marina operations for the entire 2021 season. The marina’s closure, even if temporary, would result in the loss of a critical safe harbor between Erie, Pennsylvania and Buffalo, and deprive countless residents of slips and boat launches for the summer. Boating and fishing from Sturgeon Point Marina is a way of life for many in the Town of Evans and the surrounding area and that is threatened because the channels are clogged and must be dredged, said Senator Schumer. The harbor is one of the few safe harbor marinas along the Lake Erie shoreline, and its continued operation is vital to the critical economic activity it supports. I am calling on Army Corps to honor its previous commitments to clear the navigation channel, and provide the Town of Evans the help it desperately needs to conduct the maintenance necessary to open the marina as soon as possible. I appreciate Senator Schumer’s support over the past five years, Town of Evans Supervisor Mary Hosler said. The senator and his team have helped bring a sense of urgency and continue to agree upon the importance of Sturgeon Point Marina as a regional asset. My main focus during my time in office has been to champion an effort to protect Sturgeon Point and keep our waterfront safe for recreational and commercial boating activity. The more than $300,000 required to dredge the harbor is necessary just to open it for the 2021 season, but annual dredging will continue to get more expensive if a long-term solution is not found. We continue to work with Senator Schumer, the US Army Corps of Engineers, FEMA, and the New York State Department of State, on approaching the necessary repairs to the break wall, which could exceed $5 million. The Town of Evans taxpayers should not have to shoulder such a burden. says Supervisor Hosler Senator Schumer added that the federal government originally constructed the harbor, and under the terms of the agreement between the Army Corps and the Town of Evans, the Army Corps is responsible for 12% of the annual dredging costs if the funds are available following their construction projects at the end of the year. Army Corps has not paid this supplemental funding since 2007, which over time has accumulated and cost the town a significant amount of money in marina maintenance. While long-term solutions to the harbor’s sediment problems are being worked on by local, state, and federal stakeholders, Schumer argued that it is important to get the ball rolling on dredging to salvage at least a portion of the 2021 boating season. The Sturgeon Point Marina was authorized by the River and Harbor Act of 1960. It acts as a safe harbor refuge at a vital point between Erie, Pennsylvania and the Buffalo Outer Harbor. It serves as a launching point for 11 commercial fishing charters and, when fully operational, features 213 boat slips and a 24-hour boat launch. It has been operated exclusively by the Town of Evans.

These are trying times for our residents, our families, our local businesses and our community. Please help one another, especially our seniors and our veteran...s. If you know of a seniors (60 yrs. or older) who needs assistance with meals, please call my office 549-5787, and I will be glad to connect them to our senior meal program offered through Erie County Senior Services. PLEASE SHOP LOCALLY! Stay safe ~ Wear a mask ~ Maintain safe social distancing ~ Wash your hands frequently

COVID Update: The Town of Evans was moved to Orange under Governor Cuomo’s Cluster Zone Initiative. Below are the restrictions for the Orange Zone accordi...ng to the Governor’s Office. One of the major factors contributing to the Town moving right to Orange is our high rate of positive tests in the 14047 zip code, and cross border spread with Hamburg. Going to Orange takes effect Friday morning. The businesses being effected by this order could have devastating consequences. To get these businesses back open we need to get to yellow. In order to do that, we need to stop the spread and lower our positive test rates. How do we accomplish this, FOLLOW safety protocols: Wear a mask, wash your hands, practice safe social distancing and avoid social gatherings. County contact tracing is finding that family contacts are one of the main causes of the spread. The Governor is warning against large family gathering and has reminded us that the gathering size is only 10.

HEAP INFORMATION - You don't need a shut off notice to apply. INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO APPLY ONLINE. The HEAP office strongly suggests that residents apply as ...soon as possible this season, as HEAP funding is limited. The HEAP regular benefit program opens to the general public on November 2, 2020, which aims to reduce heating costs for income eligible households. Applicants do not need to have a disconnect notice to be eligible for the regular HEAP benefit. Due to Covid-19 pandemic and PSC Regulated Companies Moratorium until March 31st, 2021, changes have been made to our procedures to provide services to the public in the safest manner possible. The department will be using more technology this season to reduce waiting lines, and limiting the need for coming in-person to 460 Main Street this season. With the new technology, the www2.erie.gov website, and our internal improvements to our HEAP phone center, we hope to provide the best service we can to the public. Applicants are encouraged to apply for HEAP online via www.mybenefits.ny.gov. New this season, the NYDocSubmit app allows applicants to send us the required documentation necessary to complete their application, via a photo of the documentation, from their smart phone. This is a free phone app that is available to the public through Google Play and the Apple App Store . Attached is a copy of the NyDocSubmit publication reference guide. WWW.MYBENEFITS.NY.GOV

As you may have already seen in the news, Erie County has launched a grant program this week for small business in Erie County. This is a great opportunity for the smallest of businesses that might have missed out on other Covid rescue programs. Small business owners can apply for a grant up to $45,000 based on business size and need. Applications are being accepted now through November 2nd. Here is a link to the grant website: https://grants.ureeka.biz/backtobusiness ... Additionally, Erie County does have an ongoing Microloan Program that is based on business address and owner’s household income. This program does not conflict with the above grant, meaning applicants can apply for both. Here is the link to Erie County’s Microloan program listing the income limits and eligible communities for business locations. http://www2.erie.gov///uploads/MicroLoanFlyer_09.06.13.pdf See more

I want to thank everyone who took time to vote today, we had over 1900 vote. Whether you voted yes or no on the upsizing, you voted! Being engaged and exe...rcising your right is a freedom we should never take lightly. The unofficial results are in: yes 1553 no 359 Thank you to all the poll workers and especially the Evans Center Vol. Fire Co. for always being generous with their fire hall. It is very much appreciated.