WELLSVILLE — Funding efforts to save the Babcock Theater are in the planning stages, organizers told the village board on Monday.

During the meeting, Barry Glickstein, chair of the Babcock Movie Theater Preservation Society, provided an update on the group’s early efforts.

“We can’t thank you and the board enough for having the foresight to purchase the theater,” Glickstein said. “It is a great help to us to have your backing.”

While the village holds the deed to the property, Glickstein’s committee is in charge of fundraising for the effort. The mayor and trustees were invited to a meeting Sept. 16 at the David A. Howe Library. Presenting will be capital campaign fundraiser Eric Alcott, the former associate vice president of the University at Buffalo, who will advise the group on how to organize the fundraising effort needed to save the theater.

IN OTHER BUSINESS, Department of Public Works Director Dean Arnold provided the fall hydrant flushing schedule. The notification of the hydrant flushing schedule to take place between September 22 and 26, will be listed only in the newspaper and will not be included in the upcoming water and electric bill.

Prefacing the notice with “Remember, the water is absolutely safe to drink,” Arnold noted “we are merely cleaning out an accumulation of dissolved materials that have settled in the mains.” He added, however, that to avoid any inconvenience water users should be sure to check the water before doing laundry and to keep water in the refrigerator for drinking and cooking while their area of the village is being flushed.

Hydrants will be flushed from 6 a.m.-2:30 p.m. on the following schedule:

• Sept. 22 — east side of Genesee River starting at East State St. working south to the village line.
• Sept. 23 — east side of Genesee River, starting at East State Street and working north to Pearl Street.
• Sept. 24 — east side of Genesee River starting at Pearl Street, working north to village line.
• Sept. 25 — west side of Genesee River starting at West State Street working north to village line.
• Sept. 26 — west side of the Genesee River starting at West State Street and working south to the village line.

THE BOARD ALSO approved a special event permit for a Mental Health Awareness Walk on Oct. 11. The event is sponsored by the Battling Mind Striders with the Catholic Church, with the walk beginning at Immaculate Conception Church parking lot, proceeding on the sidewalk to East Pearl Street, and then returning to the church.

Shayler asked Police Chief Tim O’Grady if he had a problem with the route and O’Grady replied that there were no problems.

Regular visitor Tim Colligan, a former board member who is now the vice chair for the Babcock Movie Theater Preservation Society, told the board that the Battling Mind Striders were a good group and had been a great help at Colligan Park earlier this year.

The next meeting of the village board will take place at 6 p.m. Sept. 22, in the village hall.