Archive: News

Bonding Authorized for 2016 Capital Program Projects
Through the approval of nine bond resolutions, the Tompkins County Legislature authorized nearly $8.5 million in financing for 2016 capital projects included in the County's 2016-2020 capital program, approved as part of the 2016 county budget process.

Approved were issuance of serial bonds and notes to underwrite the following projects:

• Up to $1 million for road and highway system reconstruction and improvements at various locations throughout the county (recurring annual allocation);
• Up to $200,000 for repair and replacement of certain existing bridges;
• Up to $740,000 for the replacement of the Dodge Road Bridge in the Town of Dryden;
• $782,000 for Ellis Hollow Road repaving, Phase 3 (between Game Farm and Pine Tree Roads);
• Up to $1,438,000 for improvements to the Coddington Road/Burns Road intersection;
• Up to $1,560,000 for replacement of the Red Mill Road Bridge and repair of the Malloryville Road Bridge in the Town of Dryden (Legislators Dooley Kiefer and Carol Chock dissented);
• Up to $560,000 for replacement of the Jail Access Control System at the County Public Safety Building, and other security enhancements (Legislator Chock dissented);
• Up to $1.4 million for improvements at the Tompkins County Public Library.  The Library and donors will eventually pay $1.1 million, with the County supporting $300,000 (for new carpeting);
• Up to $800,000 for facility restoration projects at various county facilities (recurring allocation for deferred maintenance.  Included are reconstruction projects at the Governor Daniel D. Tompkins Building, the Tompkins County Courthouse, and the Old Jail Building; and furnishings for the Mental Health Building and the Human Services Building.

Legislators View Tompkins County Energy Roadmap
Planning Commissioner Ed Marx and Deputy Commissioner Katie Borgella presented Legislators with the assessment and findings of the Tompkins County Energy Roadmap:  Evaluating Our Energy Resources."  The study was one of ten local measures identified in the County's 2020 Energy Strategy to help prepare the community to achieve its stated greenhouse gas emissions goals of 80% reduction in emissions over 2008 levels by 2050.

The Roadmap was developed to help guide activities around energy-related decision making and includes an assessment of the potential of various local renewable energy sources to power the community, as well as the role that energy efficiency and demand management can play in reducing energy demand.  The Roadmap puts those assessments into the context of the overall community energy picture today and projected in 2050 to identify scenarios for how both energy demand and greenhouse gas emissions goals can be met.

Among the report's conclusions:  That the GHG emissions goal of an 80% reduction from 2008 levels by 2050 is feasible to achieve, but that the transition "will require willpower, resources, and work"; that federal and state policies have huge impacts on GHG emissions reductions; and that, while it may be possible to maintain up to 50% levels of natural gas use and still achieve GHG emissions goals, that "would require achieving levels of efficiency and deployment of local renewable that would be extremely challenging."
 
Among the report’s recommendations:
 
To reduce demand:

• Reduce energy use by 35% in existing buildings through retrofits and upgrades.
• Construct new buildings that are extremely energy efficient.
• Hold vehicle miles traveled at around the 2008 level, despite increases in population.

To transition to renewable energy:

• Reduce natural gas use by at least 50%.
• Reduce demand for grid electricity by at least 24% from centralized power plants or energy sources.
• Develop at least 50% of the identified solar energy production potential.
• Develop at least 20% of identified wind energy production potential.
• Develop at least 20 percent of identified micro-hydro potential.
• Develop up to 50% of identified biomass energy production potential.
• Transition at least 50% of light duty vehicles from gasoline to electric.

Commending the report’s approach and the efforts of the broad-based tem that produced it, Legislature Chair Mike Lane said, “A roadmap is how we get from one place to the goal, where we want to be…I think this is a great effort here tonight that you have laid out for us.”  The Legislature at its next meeting will consider a resolution to accept the report.

Tompkins County Joins Ithaca 2030 District
The Legislature, without dissent, authorized Tompkins County to join as a founding member of the Ithaca 2030 District.  The Ithaca 2030 District joins 12 other such districts around the country, which carry forth the principles of "Architecture 2030", whose mission is to rapidly transform the built environment to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by issuing the 20302 Challenge for Planning.  The Ithaca 2030 District, the first such district in New York State, is set to launch this spring.

By joining the Ithaca 2030 District, the County pledges to aspire to meet the following goals for an existing building:  a 20% reduction in energy use below the regional average/median by 2020; a 35% reduction by 2025; and a 50% reduction by 2030.  The County has identified the Human Services Annex for inclusion in the Ithaca 2030 District as a pilot building to determine the County's interest in adding additional buildings in the future.

The measure notes that participation as a founding member of the District shows leadership in the commercial building sector and supports principles and policies laid out in the 2015 Comprehensive Plan and necessary actions identified in the Tompkins County Energy Roadmap.

Authorization Issued for Coddington-Burns-East King Road Safety Improvements The Legislature, by unanimous vote, authorized the County to execute documents issuing conceptual Design Approval and Right-of-Way plan approvals for the federally aided reconstruction of Coddington Road at its intersections with Burns Road and East King Road in the Town of Ithaca.  The State Department of Transportation requires such conceptual design approval before detailed design may begin.  The Legislature also approved a Negative Declaration of Environmental Significance for the improvement project (Legislator Dooley Kiefer dissented on that vote because of a procedural deficiency she saw in that report).  Total cost of the safety improvements is estimated at $1.3 million, with the County share 10% of the cost.
 
Legislature Takes a Step Forward Toward the County’s Bicentennial
The Legislature, by unanimous vote on the recommendation of the Tompkins County Bicentennial Commission, passed a resolution officially declaring the year 2017 to be the Tompkins County Bicentennial Year.  Tompkins County was founded on April 7, 1817, and the resolution notes that "it is fitting and proper that the full year be commemorated with historical, educational, artistic, and joyful events in keeping with this rare and important anniversary."  The resolution encourages municipal governments, educational institutions, businesses, agencies, groups, and individuals to shape activities to help celebrate the bicentennial.

The County  Bicentennial Commission will announce its plans and ideas for the year-long celebration this Thursday, April 7, exactly one year from the 200th Anniversary date.

Among other business
 

• Legislature Chair Michael Lane proclaimed April 2016 as Fair Housing Month in Tompkins County.  He noted that the Legislature, along with the Ithaca Board of Realtors, are committed to highlighting the U.S. Fair Housing Law, Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act, “by continuing to address discrimination in our community, to support programs that will educate the public about the right to equal housing opportunities, and to plan partnership efforts with other organizations to help assure every American of their right to fair housing.”
• The Legislature approved Strategic Tourism Planning Board recommended Spring 2016 Tourism -- Grant awards--$22,550 in Community Celebrations grants, $41,352 in Tourism Marketing & Advertising grants, $43,054 in New Tourism Initiatives grants, and $74,000 in Tourism Projects grants, all funded through County Room Occupancy Tax.

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