WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. (WENY) — A dialysis treatment center could be coming to Watkins Glen following a vote by the board of trustees on Tuesday, Oct. 4th. The board initiated the first step in changing the zoning law for a building located at 1 First Street so that residents with kidney issues won’t have to travel to Ithaca, Corning or Elmira. 

“This is important only because of availability,” said Deputy Mayor Lou Perazzini after the meeting, adding, “This will provide easy access (to dialysis treatment) for people in and around the community and (Schuyler as a whole).”

According to documents provided to WENY News by Watkins Glen Village Clerk Fred Warrick, the final step in the process is for the state to approve the amendment.

If everything goes smoothly and the zoning change is approved, Perazzini said after the meeting that an unnamed company has agreed to move into the space and open a dialysis center. 

“It’s not a done deal, but that is all they are waiting for,” said Perazzini. 

In the introduction to the proposed amendment the village noted that elderly individuals tend to have kidney issues at a higher rate and that 30 percent of the Watkins Glen population is 60 or older. 

Also during the meeting Trustee member Lauire DeNardo introduced the fact that a Village Ethics Policy does indeed exist and that it has not been altered or even reexamined for 20 years. 

“I put this up there because our ethics policy is dated to 2002… I think it’s important to read this and (see) if there are any changes needed to it so we can get it to Fred (Warrick) to get it up on the web,” DeNardo said. 

Warrick, who is still in his first year in the position, said that most village policies are updated every five years. The board agreed to address the issue at an upcoming meeting. 

In other business the board agreed that it would discuss the possibility with some local businesses of making more of an effort to be disabled person and wheelchair accessible. According to Warrick the American with Disabilities Act says that some businesses in older buildings are exempted from having to provide wheelchair access. Being an older village, some businesses in Watkins Glen fall within this category. 

“We will speak to some businesses to see if they can become more handicap accessible. But we can’t force them to,” said Warrick after the meeting.