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The Lansing Town Board is considering a new capital reserve fund that would be used to maintain and expand the trail system.  Once established, money would be put into the fund as projects are developed. 

"The funds could be used for acquiring land for these connected trails," said Councilwoman Katrina Binkewicz.  "Perhaps a commuter greenway trail between here and the Village as a high priority.  A trail between the town center and the schools, which would improve safety."

In April the Board discussed a potential land acquisition reserve fund under Municipal Law 6C that could also be used to acquire land for road and park projects.  But in a May working meeting board members had pulled back to a more specific purpose, including funding interconnected trailway systems throughout the Town.  That could include equipment such as signage, exercise structures, and benches.  The money could also be used for feasibility studies to do with establishing and maintaining trails and identifying the best locations for them.  Town Attorney Guy Krogh said that the development of a trailways master plan, paid for from the reserve, would help make trail projects eligible for funding from grants.

"They're principally proposed to be projects approved by Parks and Rec and the Town Board..." said Krogh.  "... and to cover the Town Center trails, a connector trail between the Town Center land and Myers Park and Salt Point; the extension of Town Center Trails to the north; connecting South Lansing with the Village of Lansing (what's being demarked as the Greenway Commuter Trail); using any existing and old railway beds, at least part of which is the existing trail a boy scout built; I also mention the rails to trails network because if you go into that program there is federal funding; and even connecting snowmobile, bicycle, bridal and other trailways to create interconenctive recreation and transportation trails, including seasonal use designation and things like that."

The Lansing Recreational Pathways Committee was dissolved last year, a casualty of discussions about what the Town can legally fund with tax money.  But a 'friends of' group has continued to maintain the Lansing Center Trail, located on 153 acres of property owned by the Town across from the Town Ballfields on Route 34B and Auburn Road.  They have even raised enough money for a mower, and they have kept the existing trail very well maintained, even adding a spur to the trail that leads to an ice cream stand.

Another trail that had been established by the former Pathways Committee has been abandoned.  The Emilie Jonas Falls Nature Trail was a treacherous hike, and is no longer being maintained.

Krogh has been drafting a resolution that may be considered at the next board meeting next week.

"They're principally proposed to be projects approved by Parks and Rec and the Town Board, and to cover the Town Center trails, a connector trail between the Town Center land and Myers Park and Salt Point; the extension of Town Center Trails to the north; connecting South Lansing with the Village of Lansing (what's being demarked as the Greenway Commuter Trail); using any existing and old railway beds, at least part of which is the existing trail a boy scout built; I also mention the rails to trails network because if you go into that program there is federal funding; and even connecting snowmobile, bicycle, bridal and other trailways to create interconenctive recreation and transportation trails, including seasonal use designation and things like that."

As with most reserves, once the fund is established dollars can be added when available from budget to budget.  Individual projects would have to be approved by the Parks and Recreation Department and the Town Board and then go to public referendum to authorize the actual spending of the money.

Supervisor Ed LaVigne suggested seeding the reserve fund with $10,000 if it is established, and adding more money as it becomes available each budget year.  There was some discussion about using a portion of the money from the sale of town center land, but board members seemed reluctant to tie it to such a specific source of funding.  However, maintaining, connecting to, and moving the Town Center trail, if necessary, may be paid for by developers purchasing land there.

"The open question is how much is the initial depository amount," Krogh said.  "And whether you wanted to state any sort of intent as to taking a portion of the sale of town center lands to help fund the preservation and buildout for those trails as they need to get moved, and working with developers to get that done."

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