Massena Highway Superintendent Dylan Castleman told city council members that the change had to be made because of the storage building’s size.
“Originally it was supposed to be in the back entrance on the right side where the parking spaces are. And due to the size of the building, it would encroach on the driveway. Therefore, it was moved directly behind the museum on the Rite Aid corner of the parking lot.
In order to accomplish this work, Castleman said, they would need to remove a piece of the sidewalk to accommodate the new traffic flow.
City Supervisor Susan J. Bellor said the original concern was that vehicles coming from Main Street into the back parking lot would travel too fast and crash into the building.
“So, they have a plan so we can mitigate any problems there. Of course, if people slow down a little bit too, we won’t have any problems,” she said.
The building will be used to store museum artifacts that are currently housed in the former Hallmark Store at the St. Lawrence Center mall under a lease agreement with the city. Moving the items to the mall solved the museum’s storage problem. Items previously stored in the former Massena Museum building on the rue d’Est-Orphees have been stored in various locations, including the basement of the Grand Chamber of Commerce of Massena.
Museum board members said the temporary mall’s location made it easy to move the items because it was located on one level. The area is 3000 square feet with a new roof. It also has a gated entrance at the front and display windows, allowing advertisements to be displayed to advertise the Celine G. Philibert Cultural Center and Museum.
Additionally, there is direct access in the rear, giving the City Highway Department crew access to move items into the space.
However, there have been concerns that as the mall shifts its focus to warehouse stocking, the city may be required to remove its items. City grant writer Linda McQueen is seeking grant funding for the storage building, which has an estimated cost of $57,000.
The museum’s board of directors has also been involved in a letter-writing campaign soliciting donations. Consultant Francis J. Carville said they received another $1,000 to cover the cost of the building. This is in addition to grant money already received, including $5,000 from the Northern New York Community Foundation.
The Northern New York Community Foundation learned of the city’s dilemma in early May and secured grant funding to help with the purchase.
“We are pleased to help build on the investments that continue to enhance this important resource in the Massena region,” CEO Randy Richardson said in a statement. “This facility is a great reminder of the importance of appreciating the region’s history and heritage.”
“If anyone gets a copy of the newsletter from the North New York Community Foundation, it will have a nice article and a picture of our museum and what they’re doing to give us $5,000 for storage,” Bellour said.
In addition to discussing museum storage, city council members have also scheduled two public hearings for Sept. 20. One is to ban all development, construction and installation of billboards in the city of Massena until changes are made to a local law. The moratorium will expire on February 28.
A second public hearing will be held to override the 2% property tax if needed in the 2024 budget. Board members will hold budget workshops prior to the regular board meeting on September 20, starting at 2:30 pm with the Highways Department and Massena International Airport Massena Public Library and Museum, the Great Chamber of Commerce of Massena, and Dog Watching. The second session at 3:30 p.m. will cover the assessor, city court, tax office, city clerk, Massena Senior Citizens, and Massena Meals on Wheels.
Counselor Debra A. Wheeler, the city’s liaison to the Massena Public Library Board of Trustees, said the board had reviewed their budget proposal and submitted it to the city for consideration.
The regular meeting begins at 4:30 p.m
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