Mayor Carol Waller told the village board of trustees that she has run out of patience over Linden Avenue.

It is time, she said to the board, for the village to take leadership role and begin making some changes.

"I think the board needs to do this," she said, adding that she is thinking about the residents of Linden Avenue.

Waller said she spoke with Congressman Sherwood Boehlert last week about the $5 million federal appropriation he promised the village to fund a visitor center and parking lot at the end of Linden Avenue.

The congressman told her the money is very close to being approved, but is still not a done deal.

Recently, the board of trustees approved a plan in which Bassett Hospital would put up the money to make improvements and expand the trolley lot with the understanding the village would repay the money once the federal funds arrived.

The board gave its approval to spending up to $20,000, but hospital vice-president Joe Middleton said the cost would be in the six figure range, she said.

The hospital has decided against making the improvement, but is continuing to use the trolley lot for its employees.

Waller said she now wants the village to spend $12,000 of the $200,000 state grant received earlier to expand the lot by 50 spaces. At the same time, she plans to meet with school superintendent Mary Jo McPhail about moving hospital employees to the elementary school and junior student parking lots for the remainder of the summer.

The changes to the trolley lot will, she said, require that she represent the village before the town of Otsego planning board to explain the lot improvements are only temporary. The lot is located in the town of Otsego and may require a change in the town's zoning law because parking lots are not permitted uses there.

The mayor will also instruct village trucks not to use Linden Avenue, but use the access road to Route 28 instead. She hopes to be able to convince the county highway department trucks to do the same.

Part of Waller's conversation with McPhail will center around being able to adjust contractual agreements between the district and teachers that would allow for a change in the bus schedule which would cut down on traffic on Linden Avenue at the close of school each day. Waller said she would like to see buses not have to go first to the elementary school and then return to the high school to pick up the older students.

Proposals from companies interested in providing the engineering and design work for the Linden Avenue parking lot and visitor center are still under review.