Son-of-a-gun ­– Mayor Peacock and Strack admit error (no, no, not Jerry) over “mutilation” of property and parking lot assessment, storms were lashing the country … but also on a happier note, just look at the picture honoring the JV football team.

The young woman reporter by the name of Meri-Jo Borzilleri is covering a good third of page one on village board issues, including the lead story about site work on a condominium project and another about a special assessment district.

“A special meeting between village electrical commissioners and a local developer has led to the mutilation of a section of privately-owned property, according to the family whose land has been scarred.

“Ruth and George Hart claim their property was mutilated when trees were cut and utility poles were planed near their residence to accommodate the development of the Lake Placid Marina condominium project nearby.

“The Harts say the activity took place without their permission.

“Trustee Shirley Seney said that more than $4,000 worth of village manpower and materials has already been spent since October to place the poles. The amount of $4,344.96 has been billed to Lake Placid Marina for moving the poles.

“Village Mayor Robert Peacock who serves as electrical commissioner along with Trustee James Strack, said they had met with the developer Serge Lussi [Martin Stone was co-developer] in an informal meeting and allowed the poles to be moved to the Hart property, not realizing the impact of the decision.

“‘Apparently we made a drastic mistake,'” said Strack, who added that a meeting with Lussi and Stone is in order to figure out a solution of the problem. [How refreshing to hear such honesty from elected officials.]

“Dr. Hart said, ‘We now look out our window at a big transformer.'”

I fondly remember interviewing Mrs. Hart at their home when they lived on Hillcrest Avenue. I was Lake Placid News editor and Ruth was president of the Lake Placid School Board of Education. What a gracious, bright woman.

[The above are excerpts from a long story.]

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Who is paying for the parking lot?

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“A local businessman chastised the Village Board for proposing to have only certain businesses and residents pay for a parking lot the village purchased three or four years ago.

“At a public hearing Monday night, local businessman, Peter Roland said the board should have planned for the cost of the lot by charging businesses extra money when parking variances were granted.

“‘If you had charged them for variances in 1978-79, you could have bought the lot by now,’ said Roland, owner of the Lake Placid Hilton. ‘But the board is now taking the easy way out, almost the cowardly way out.’

“The board has proposed forming a special assessment district to pay for the lot.

“Mayor Robert Peacock admitted that the money to buy the lot could have been available.

“‘I know parking variances have been a thorn in the side of the zoning board of appeals,’ and if money had been collected, the village would have a significant fund by now,’ he said.

“Roland said he provides off-street parking for all of his customers, and more.

“‘Just ask Jerry Strack [I knew Jerry would somehow get into this story] he’ll tell you how many he has towed out of there.

“‘We have to do something about it,’ Roland said of the parking problem. ‘It’s within our village budget to buy a parking lot, we should do it. But don’t tell me I am in a special district,’ and have to pay extra, he said.

“One lot, located across from the Bank of Lake Placid was bought in the early 1970s. The village just recently finished paying for the lot by utilizing tax money and revenue sharing funds.

“The lot creating the controversy is located off Main Street where a Texaco filling station once stood.

“Residences, businesses, churches, the library and village property on or near Main Street will be assessed at a rate of $2.28 per thousand for the first year to pay for the lot, said Village Attorney Ron Briggs.”

[Also, just excerpts from a long story.]

Three die in tornadoes

“At least three people were killed and heavy damage was caused by tornadoes hurled at Arkansas by violent thunderstorms that washed the Mississippi Valley with floods today, closing roads, washing out bridges and forcing evacuations.

“Snow and freezing rain ice roads from the mountains of the West to the Northern Plains, triggering dozens of accidents. A collision between a bus and car Monday in Portland Oregon, killed one motorist.

“Hurricane Kate was 325 miles southeast of Miami Monday night and was moving to the west at 20 mph. Maximum sustained winds were 100 mph.

“Three people were reported killed by surprise tornadoes late Monday in Rea Valley of Marion County in north-central Arkansas. Authorities said property damage could soar into the millions of dollars.

“Twisters also cut through a wide swath of Johnson County hitting Clarksville, Flippen and Mountain Home.”

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Hurricane hits Cuba

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“Hurricane Kate roared over Cuba’s northern coast with 110-mph winds today, lashing Miami Beach with blinding squalls and threatening the vulnerable Florida Keys on a march through ‘Hurricane Alley.’

“Gov. Bob Graham declared an emergency in the Keys and the 150-mile-long ‘Overseas Highway’ to the mainland was jammed in a frantic exodus as the surprising, late-season hurricane steamrolled west over Cuba at 20 mph.

“Hurricane forecaster Gil Clark said the Keys will be spared its first direct hit from a hurricane in 20 years if Kate keeps its present course and goes south of the island chain into the Gulf of Mexico.”