Take a drive down State Route 31 through Wayne County, and you won't get to the village of Macedon any longer. Jordan Mazza was there for the final day before it dissolved.
MACEDON, N.Y. -- After more than 160 years, Friday marked the last day for the village of Macedon.
A year ago residents voted to dissolve the village and elected William Murray as mayor to carry out that task.
“It’s a unique experience,” said Murray. “Just running the village alone is a lot of work. But when you’re running and you’ve got to turn around and get rid of everything at the same time, and you’ve got to have your timing right -- you can’t get rid of one thing before the other, what if you need this? You’ve got to slowly eliminate things, you’ve got to start setting up districts, and you’ve got to start working with other jurisdictions.”
Murray says there’s already been a 73 percent reduction in village taxes over the last year. And he says services will stay the same -- largely covered now by the town or the county.
At the final village board meeting Friday money and the keys were transferred to the town.
Village employees, including the mayor, are now out of a job. But after years of tension, some residents say they’re glad to be united.
“I’m glad we’re all going to be one now,” said Rose Reeves of Macedon. “We’re going to be paying lower taxes, and it’s going to be good for the village and the town.”