Nikki Pierce, the owner and proprietor of PersNikkity Pies, took the oath of office as a village trustee flanked by her husband, Sgt. Kevin Pierce of the Ellicott Police Department, and their daughter, Kate Pierce. Village Clerk Cynthia Capestrani administered the official oath for the new trustee prior to the start of the board’s Monday meeting.

“Welcome to our newest trustee, Nikki Pierce,” said Mayor James Jaroszynski. “She’s a longtime resident and business owner here in Falconer, and she’s got a ton of ideas, and we can’t wait to work with her, and see what she can do.”

Pierce took the seat of longtime board of trustees member Annette Miller who officially resigned from her position at the end of December 2024. As previously reported in a Dec. 14, 2024, Post-Journal story, Miller’s resignation was not completely unexpected, as she had been in constant communication with Mayor James Jaroszynski for months regarding the possibility that she may have to step down before or at the end of her term of service citing personal issues.

However, Pierce wasted no time as she presented several ideas during the board meeting, regarding the Farmers’ Market and the Parks and Recreation committees she is assigned to.

Falconer’s Village Board of Trustees conducts village business Monday at the Falconer Public Library, 101 W. Main St.

“I really would like to see us expand the farmers’ market,” she said. “I’d like to see more than just people selling fresh produce and wares and expand the program to offer table space for nonprofits and service agencies setting up tables, live music and games. We’ve got this amazing little village. We should share all we have to offer with our neighboring communities and people.”

Pierce explained that she loves the village and feels its best days are still yet to come.

“I love our village,” she said. “I’m looking forward to growing and expanding commerce in our village, and growing community involvement – our best days are still yet to come.”

In other news:

Village Treasurer Paula Spunaugle requested the board authorize her permission to apply for a credit card limit increase from its current maximum of $5,000 to $10,000.

“We’re having a lot of purchases which require a credit card transaction to complete a purchase, order or to pay for a service,” she said. “We’re still on budget, but we don’t have expense accounts with every store and using the one card for everything doesn’t leave us with much room. The DPW (Department of Public Works) and Avery (Faulkner) use the card a lot.”

Faulkner, the superintendent of the village’s DPW, said, “A lot of times I find parts or items we need online at a much cheaper rate than if we went to a store and bought the item. Plus, by shopping this way we save the taxpayer money by buying what we need at the lowest rate possible.”

While the board did approve Spunaugle’s request to apply for the credit line increase- it was with stipulations.

Jaroszynski and Trustee Timothy Dunn were both adamant that the village continued its fiscal conservancy policy, and that purchase stay within the line-itemed limits of each government department’s budgets.

Laurie Becker, Falconer Public Library director, said that in 2024, the library had 22,912 books checked out; 19,002 patron visits; 2,111 computer users and 951 new additions added to its collection. Additionally, she said that the library has new computer tables and a bookcase made by Colecraft, 2155 Allen St., which were purchased by utilizing funds from the Willam B. Anderson and Juliet J. Anderson Rosch Charitable Foundation. She also said that more than 200 pieces of art from Lauren Kimball’s art class at Fenner Elementary School are on display for the month of February.