Town of Bennington
New York
Memorial Day Observance will take place on Mon. May 29th at 11 a.m. at the Cowlesville Cemetery. At that time a roll call of deceased military veterans from our Town will be read. If you would like to add a name to the listing, please use the contact form on this website. The Observance includes music from the Attica Marching Band, a brief history of Memorial Day and the reading of the Roll Call. Following the ceremony, the band marches to the Town Museum on Clinton Street for a brief performance and then the Historical Society hosts a hot dog sale.
Waste Management Trash Collection will be on Sat. June 3rd due to the Memorial Day Holiday. The 2023 Collection schedule is posted under our Services page.
The Highway Department will be doing ditching throughout the Town during the upcoming weeks. If you have problems with clogged ditches at your property that need cleaning out, or if you are interested in getting some of the fill from ditching taking place in your area, please contact the Highway Dept at 591-2664.
The annual Real Property Assessment Grievance Day will be held on May 25th from 4 pm to 8 pm at the Bennington Town Hall. If you are interested in grieving your assessment, please contact Assessor Jim Kirsch to find out what information you should bring with you to present to the Grievance Board.
Public Notice by the Wyoming Co Hwy Dept
In the coming weeks, Wyoming County is planning on having a contractor chemically treat roadside vegetation, specifically under/behind guide-rail and around signage. This activity is important as it is needed to maintain safe passage of motor vehicles on our County highways. The contractor will be chemically treating roadside vegetation from May 15, 2023 to June 16, 2023 in compliance with NYS regulations by utilizing certified and registered applicators. The herbicides are EPA approved and have been determined safe for use for this purpose. If there are any areas which should NOT be treated along County roadways, please contact the Wyoming County Highway Department at (585) 786-8955. In the Town of Bennington, County roads are: Bullis, Church,
Rabies Vaccination Clinics - Check out the News & Events Page for the 2023 Clinic Schedule
The Cowlesville Fire Company will be hosting the Wyoming County Fire Convention on June 17th with a parade, food, music and fun for the whole family. Fire companies from Wyoming and neighboring towns will be participating.
Our local fire companies are holding several fundraisers including chicken BBQ's, raffles and open house for recruiting. If interested, stop at the fire halls on Monday evenings.
Youth Recreation Programs - If you are interested in planning, organizing and/or running programs and events for the youth in our community, please join us at a meeting on Sat., May 20th at 9:30 a.m. at the Town Hall. We will discuss programs for this year and future years.
The Town is accepting applications for the position of Town Historian. Please submit your letter of interest to the Town Clerk.
Senior Services
Wyoming County Office for the Aging offers many services for our senior residents including home delivered meals, respite services, the Monday nutrition program at the Pine Lounge, education and advocacy, and Alzheimer support services.
They also offer a Personal Emergency Response Service - Response 4 Help Button - similar to a life line. Information is available by calling 585-786-8833 and ask for Paula. Even if you aren't able to qualify for the subsidized program, you can participate through the same company for a discounted monthly rate that depends on the level of services you want ($27.50/month basic up to $39.50/month for a GPS service that monitors falls.) There are no contracts and no equipment to purchase, with cancellation anytime.
The Bennington Senior Citizens Group meets monthly at the Pine Lounge on the 2nd Monday of the month, prior to the lunch at the Pine Lounge. Activities and outings are planned by members and the organization is open to seniors from Bennington and surrounding Towns in our County.
Trash & Recycling collection: Waste Management changed to the automated tote collection in 2022. There are separate trucks for garbage, recycling and large items, so if one stops and not everything is picked up, keep the remaining items out for the next trucks to come by. Recycling is collected every other week. If you live east of, but not on Rt. 77, your recycling will be collected as per the Green Schedule .) Those living on Rt. 77 and to the west, your recycling will be collected the following Friday (Gold.) A corrected list of streets and which week it is collected is located on this website under Forms & Information. A calendar has also been mailed out showing the alternating green and gold weeks for the year. If you have any questions, you can go to the County's website - www.wyomingco.net and check out the curbside collection site under County News.
For additional information on services, such as additional totes, bulk items, stickers for additional bags, click here. For the guidelines on bulk item collection, click here.
Copies of the updated calendar and guidelines are available on our Town facebook page. Check the bottom of the calendar to note which holidays will impact our pickup schedule. If a holiday falls on the weekend (like Christmas just did) it doesn't change the schedule.
Please remember if there are problems with no pickups at your residence, call the Wyoming County Planning Dept before 4 pm, as they have staff on hand who can immediately work to resolve any issues. 585-786-8820. Contact them also regarding any broken or damaged totes so they can make arrangements with WM for repair/replacement.
Vacancies
Town of Bennington is looking for residents interested in serving in the following position:
-
Town Historian - The Town is looking for an individual to serve as Town Historian. Responsibilities include assisting the Town Clerk in reviewing vital records for geneology searches, compiling information regarding events in the Town, liason with the Town Historical Society and Town museum, attending meetings and workshops in the County, communicating with residents on local history, and developing historical presentations. Interested individuals should have good oral and written communication skills.
-
Zoning Board of Appeals - Member to attend approx. 6 meetings per year to review and make decisions on applications for a variance of zoning regulations. Meetings are scheduled monthly on an as needed basis, and training is provided.
-
Town Planning Board - Seeking new members to participate in monthly meetings to review or develop zoning regulations, land separations, etc., for the Town. Training is available. Meetings are held on the third Wednesday of each month in the evening.
-
Letters of interest or applications can be mailed to: Town of Bennington, 905 Old Alleghany Road, Attica NY 14011 or email to: benn-clerk@rochester.rr.com
-
Senior Citizen Nutrition is every Monday except holidays from 11am until 2pm (Pine Lounge Restaurant)
-
Town Clerk is available every Monday and Wednesday from 5 to 7:30pm and Saturday from 9am to Noon
-
Zoning Board of Appeals meets the second Tuesday of the month, if needed, at 7:00 pm
-
The Town Board meets the second Wednesday of the month at 7:30 pm.
-
The Planning Board meets the third Wednesday at 7:00 pm.
2023 Town Hall Holiday Schedule
Town offices will be closed the following dates in 2023:
January 16 - Martin Luther King, Jr. Day - Town Court and Town Clerk
February 20 - Presidents Day - Town Court and Town Clerk
April 10 - Easter (Observed) - Town Court only
May 27 & 29 - Memorial Day - Town Court and Town Clerk
July 3- Independence Day (Observed) - Town Clerk and Town Court
September 4 - Labor Day - Town Court and Town Clerk
October 9 - Columbus Day - Town Court and Town Clerk
December 23 & 25 - Christmas - Town Court and Town Clerk
ABOUT
THE TOWN OF BENNINGTON, NEW YORK
The Town of Bennington was formed in 1818 and celebrated our bi-centennial in 2018. According to the United States Census Bureau, the Town of Bennington has a total area of 55.3 square miles, of which 55.0 square miles is land and 0.2 square miles (0.40%) is water. The west town line is the border of Erie County, New York, and the north town line is the border of Erie County and Genesee County. The population was 3,349 during the 2000 census. The town was named after Bennington, Vermont.
Geographically, the town of Bennington is the largest in Wyoming County, occupying a significant portion of the county's northwest corner. There are no incorporated cities or villages in the town, with two hamlets - Bennington Center and Cowlesville - that serve as community centers. Town offices and services are located in Bennington Center, as well as the Bennington Fire Company, two churches and several businesses. Cowlesville has the Cowlesville Fire Company, one church, several businesses, the Town's Historical Museum and Town Park. Other rural areas of the Town contain cemeteries, and there is also a church in Folsomdale.
Local students attend school at Attica Central School, Alden Central School, Alexander Central School and Iroquois Central School Districts, all located outside the Town's boundaries. There is no post office in the Town, but residents are served through the following post office/zip codes: Cowlesville (14037 - no longer a physical post office); Attica (14011); Alden (14004); Darien Center (14040); Varysburg (14167) and Strykersville (14145.)
GOVERNMENT
The Town is governed by the Town Council or Town Board, made up of one Town Supervisor (2 year term), and four Councilmen (4 year terms.) The Board meets monthly on the second Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. to conduct Town business - pay claims, review the financial status of the Town, review the work of the various departments, approve actions such as contracts for services, appointing members to committees and boards, and planning future activities and projects. Each member of the Board has one vote and actions must be approved by a majority of the Board.
The Town Supervisor also serves as the Town's representative to the Wyoming County Board of Supervisors. There the Supervisor has voting authority by weighted vote - following each US Census, the Town's population is apportioned against the total County population and receives a number of votes for actions on the County level.
Other elected officials for the Town include two Town Justices, who each serve four year terms. The Justices receive training and operate under the direction of the New York State Office of Court Administration.
The Town Clerk serves a two year term and provides many of the services the Town offers to residents - hunting and fishing licenses, handicapped parking permits, birth and death certificates, marriage licenses, dog licenses, etc. The Clerk also takes and maintains minutes of the official proceedings of the Town Board at their meetings.
The Town Highway Superintendent serves a two year term, and oversees the operations of the Town Highway Department., including planning and carrying out maintenance, repairs, snow removal operations, removal of fallen trees, and road improvements.
Town officials and employees, other than the Highway Superintendent and the Highway employees, serve as part-time employees.
Event Calendar
Town News
Wyoming Co. Health Dept. Dog, Cat & Ferret
Anti-Rabies Vaccination Clinics 2023
Save Time in Line - pre-register at: www.wyomingco.net/activities
On-line registration not accepted after 12:00 p.m. the day of the evening clinics or after 12:00 p.m. the Friday before a Saturday clinic.
Tues., June 6, 2023 6 pm to 8 pm
Perry Village Highway Dept - 32 S. Federal St., Perry
Thurs., June 15, 2023 6 pm to 8 pm
Arcade Town Highway Dept - 7340 Rt. 98, Arcade
Wed., July 19, 2023 6 pm to 8 pm
Attica Town Highway Dept - 700 Rt. 98, Attica
Sat., Oct. 14, 2023 9 am to 11 am
Wyoming Co Highway Dept - 4328 Rt. 19, Rock Glen
Dogs, cats and ferrets three months of age or over will be inoculated at these clinics. The initial vaccination is good for one year only. For dogs and cats, each vaccination thereafter will be valid for three years (ferrets must be vaccinated yearly.)
Animals must be accompanied by someone able to control them. This is a free clinic to Wyoming County residents, donations are gratefully accepted to off-set clinic costs.
**A mandatory $10 fee per animal will be collected for out-of-county residents**
If you have any questions, please call the Wyoming Co. Health Dept at 585-786-8894.
Town-wide flea market will take place Sun., July 9th in Cowlesville with many tables of goods to purchase, food vendors and interesting items for all ages. The Historical Society will hold their annual Strawberry Social starting late morning, behind the Town museum. Bargain hunters will find many homes throughout the Town holding garage sales all weekend long.
Cannon Covered Bridge:
The Cannon Covered Bridge was opened to traffic on June 1st. The bridge is located on Schoellkopf Road and is on the site of a previous covered bridge that was removed almost 100 years ago - the Mosier Bridge. On June 9th a ceremony was held to officially open the bridge and acknowledge those who contributed to the project. Then the bridge was formally named and dedicated in memory of Sgt. Charles Cannon of Cowlesville, killed in action in WWII. Sgt. Cannon was a member of the 35th Engineering Battalion, constructing roads and bridges in both the Pacific Northwest and in Europe. Members of the Harder-O'Donnell and the Walter Klein American Legion Posts, as well as the Patriot Guard, participated in the dedication.
The bridge project has since won several awards including preservation of the old iron bridge and the design and architecture of the wooden covered bridge. The Historical Society has t-shirts and postcards for sale depicting the
Cannon Covered Bridge.
