There was no Waterford crystal ball coming down in Aurora to mark the turning of the New Year. The fresh winds coming off Cayuga Lake gave great promise for the coming 12 months.

We live in a separate, sequestered world in this very small village, to our residents immense enjoyment. I would call it a time warp, where not much has changed in 50 or more years, except the cast of characters who make up our social groups. Wells College was and is the main employer in the village, and has remained a major influence in the lives of most of the community. Nearly 45 years ago, as a student, I painted dormitories at Wells for extra income, as did most of the younger people growing up in the village and town.

A good deal of foresight over the years has provided modernization of basic utilities like sewer and water, when others were still on outhouses and dug wells (the water type wells). And today, at no cost, Wells security vehicles patrol the entire village.

Five years ago, it became apparent that Wells could not continue to subsidize its commercial entities in the village, without major capital investments in infrastructure. Pleasant Rowland, an alumna, stepped up, and through a cooperative foundation with the college, has contributed major funding for the revival of the village buildings and businesses, with positive revenue guarantees for Wells College. These businesses, in theory, should be supporting the local people with jobs as has been the case in the past.

A win-win situation for an excellent institution with low student populations and revenues, and for the village which was staring at buildings in ugly disrepair and for young people, opportunity to earn some money.

Flash forward to 2006.

Development of the restaurant and bar businesses in the village has been successful and produced a major influx of car and delivery truck traffic. The old post office contributes to more than half of the daily traffic problem, and is currently under review for relocation next door.

We daily see large tour buses dropping off at the Inn, and parking on our Main Street. At mid-day, the congestion at the post office is comparable to New York City, on a state highway that was designed in 1930 for minimum traffic.

I for one, am angered at seeing 18 wheelers coming through that congestion with front left wheels in the oncoming lane.

So, my wish for 2006, is to let the U.S. Postal Service know that it needs to do a traffic environmental study, before it decides to relocate in the village center.

And tour buses are more than welcome, but should be parked outside the village, as they are in all big cities.

Finally, we need expanded parking, not only in the current small lot, but offstreet, somewhere in the village. I am certain that the numbers of parking spaces required by standard zoning law, for the commercial businesses in the village are far more than those available now.

We can't stop progress, but we can control where and how it happens.

Bill Dugan is former supervisor for the town of Ledyard