LIMESTONE, N.Y. – A total of 173 petitions have been signed
within three months in support of a dissolution referendum, that if
passed, would change the current structure of Limestone from a
village to a hamlet.

The possible changeover was discussed during a regular meeting
held Tuesday in the village clerk’s office. The referendum was
presented by Davey Frederick, newly-elected village supervisor, and
Billy Rounsville, former member of the board.

Officials said a total of 219 people – nearly every potential
voter in Limestone – was approached about the dissolution.

Village officials needed two-thirds of the people approached to
bring about the appointment of a committee to develop a dissolution
plan to present at a town meeting. The committee was equally
represented from both the Town of Carrollton and the Village of
Limestone and was assumed by the planning board.

If approved, Limestone would be a separate municipality with its
own structure, independent of Carrollton.

“No one is against it to any extent, they just want to find out
the plus and the minus of it all,” said Mayor Ralph Bottone. “If it
is best for the village we will all sign it, that’s why we are
here.”

The two village representatives brought with them an official
how-to guide from New York state on succession, dissolution and
consolidation, along with a sheet titled “little known facts about
village dissolution.”

With the petition and committee in place, a report will be
developed that, when finished, will need to be discussed at a
public meeting. After the public meeting, a referendum is required
to be issued within 30 to 60 days that would finalize the change,
officials said.

“Everyone on the other side of the creek get slammed with taxes
that do not deal with them,” said Rounsville.

Frederick said officials don’t expect taxes to go down a
significant amount, but “we will be able to get things through the
diplomacy of getting something done.”

Before the meeting ended, a planning board was officially
appointed to become the committee overseeing the proposed
dissolution.

Frederick, who took office on Jan. 1, is hoping to push though
all of the official steps of the process by March of 2009 and to
officially designate Limestone as a hamlet by January 2010.

“The change will have no job loss even with the current office
and funds being distributed into two offices,” said Frederick. “It
will be a better way to do it … the people of the town will have a
much easier time expressing their opinion.”

The dissolution was brought up and dropped in the past, but was
dropped when they were told it couldn’t be done, said
Rounsville.

“But when I went up to houses, at least 58 of them (residents)
snatched the petition out of my hand and said this was a long time
coming.”

The planning board committee will meet at 6 p.m. Sept. 2 to
discuss the development of a report that will address funds, grant
writing and the pros and cons of the switch.

“The state money that will go to assist the transition is a
non-competitive grant and I don’t think that we will run into any
troubles with the county and their support,” said Frederick.

The progress on the plan and official proposal, including the
meeting and plan, is hoped to be finished before the next election.
The next election in the current system will offer the positions of
a trustee and mayor. Frederick said the implementation of this
process should be complete before the election cycle comes
around.