STATE, COMMUNITY DONATIONS SAVE DARE

NORTH TONAWANDA - An emergency grant from the state and the support of
local businesses and community groups have provided the funds to keep the
city's Drug Abuse Resistance Education program off the chopping block in 2003.

State Sen. George D. Maziarz, R-North Tonawanda, announced at Wednesday's
Common Council meeting that he had secured $5,000 in emergency funding from
the state Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services to fund the
city's DARE program that had been cut in the Council's 2003 city budget.

Additionally, 1st Ward Alderman Phillip R. Rizzo and 3rd Ward Alderman
Brett M. Sommer have secured a number of donations and in-kind services
from local businesses to provide the educational and other materials the
program gives to children at the nine public and parochial schools. Rizzo
said that over the weekend, he received pledges from North Tonawanda's
Pioneer Printing to print all diplomas and other materials, and Budwey
Supermarket to provide the sheet cakes for graduation ceremonies, at
reduced or no cost to the city. The North Tonawanda Democratic Committee,
Bonterra Lawn and Landscaping, accountant Jason Amato and others had also
provided $50 and $100 donations.

Jason Smergalia, owner of Special Occasion Catering, said that his business
would provide catering services for a possible future DARE fund-raising
banquet at no cost to the city.

"Our business believes that in today's society, we need a DARE program in
North Tonawanda," said Smergalia.

Sommer secured donations from two of North Tonawanda's Republican county
legislators, Malcolm A. Needler and Peter E. Smolinski, as well as the
city's Police Benevolent Association and Professional Firefighters unions,
as well as offers from Payne's Restaurant and Galassi's sub shop to provide
free pizzas, and Ted's Hot Dogs to sponsor T-shirts for graduates.

Maziarz said that while the $5,000 would ensure the city's DARE program
would not end in January, it provides only a "short-term solution."

"This is a temporary solution, at least to continue it for this year," said
Maziarz. "Now they've got to find a long-term plan."

Police Chief Carl Stiles said that with the grant and donations, the
part-time officers teaching the program would be able to offer it for the
next year.

"I think it's good for the city, I think it's good for the children, and
it's good for the morale of the police department," said Stiles.

Line-item budget vetoes due from Mayor David Burgio by next Monday could
possibly instruct the chief to remove the officers from their instruction
duties, as has been discussed at Council meetings and budget talks. The
officers who instruct the program, who are compensated at overtime rates,
cost the city around $65,000 by Burgio's estimates.

Sommer said the impetus to solicit the community for donations grew from
concern over the how the city's funding for the program - $7,000 in 2002
and a proposed $10,000 in 2003 - was being spent, leading to a weekend
campaign and phone call to Maziarz.

"We kept hearing that it couldn't be done, so we went out and did it," said
Sommer. "I guess we'll see what the mayor does next."