Merger gets a green light

New name, Salem Lakes, generates debate

By Gail Peckler-Dziki
Correspondent

The Salem Town Board and Silver Lake Village Board voted unanimously on July 27 to approve the boundary agreement between the two entities that, if it comes to fruition, will create one new village.

The action taken at the separate meetings now puts the fate of the proposal in the hands of the state Department of Administration. The agency has until Dec. 5 to approve or deny the proposed merger.

About a dozen people showed up for the Silver Lake meeting, according to Village Trustee Pat Dunn.

About Salem 20 residents showed up at the Salem board meeting.

The Silver Lake vote was announced at the Salem board meeting.

The point of controversy that remained until the 11th hour was the name of the new village.

Some on the Salem Town Board wished to call it the Village of Salem.

The Silver Lake board just wanted a different name. Village President Bruce Nopenz researched and suggested Bullen Bridge Village.

It was an emotional moment for Salem Town Board members when they approved the boundary agreement and the new village name.

Dennis Faber, whose family has been in the area for nearly 100 years, said, “I agreed with the entire agreement except for the name. Salem has been called Salem for 174 years.”

He said he was not adverse to the new name, Salem Lakes. “We will now have nine lakes,” Faber continued. “The town at one time had 10, before Paddock Lake incorporated in the 1960’s.”

Town Chairwoman Diann Tesar also said she wished the name could have been the Village of Salem.

“It’s a good compromise and still keeps the name Salem,” she said.

The neighborhood names will remain the same “and we don’t have to repaint the water tower,” she quipped.

Salem Supervisor Mike Culat commented, “Since this will happen on Feb. 14, Valentine’s Day, we could call the new village Valentine Village, paint a heart on the water tower and call it the village of brotherly love.”

Then he said he was joking and the other Town Board members began breathing again and Culat said he was OK with the Village of Salem Lakes.

Supervisor Ted Kmiec said, “We will still identify the place we live by the name of the hamlet (neighborhood) and the lakes.”

Hamlet, or neighborhood names are Trevor, Camp Lake, Wilmot and Salem, mostly according to the post office addresses. There are some homes technically in Salem that have Bristol or Burlington mailing addresses.

Supervisor Dan Campion said, “I’m proud to be part of a new beginning for Salem and Silver Lake. This is a watershed event that will affect us for years to come. Many say it is historical and I agree. I’m happy and humbled in making it happen.”

The next step is sending the signed agreement and a tape of the joint meeting that was held on July 6 to the Department of Administration. Then the wait for the ruling begins.

Should the state agree, the two should become one on Feb. 14, 2017. The Town Board will be dissolved and the Village Board will be intact. The Town Board, along with Village President Nopenz, will form an oversight transition committee.

In April, three village board seats and the village president position will be on the ballot. Three current Village Board members will not be up for election and will maintain their seats until April 2018, when they must run again.

All mailing addresses will remain the same, since that is under the jurisdiction of the United States Post Office and not the government municipality.


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