Archive: News

Legislature Takes Comment on Proposed Redistricting Plan
Legislators heard public comment on the proposal to redraw the boundaries of County legislative districts, based on the 2010 Census.  The public hearing focused on a proposed Local Law that would reconfigure the districts and reduce the size of the Legislature from 15 to 14 members—from five to four in the City of Ithaca—as recommended by the County’s Independent Redistricting Commission after a year of careful deliberation.

Twelve people spoke at the half-hour-long hearing, among them four former long-time County legislators:  John Marcham, Stuart Stein, Nancy Schuler, and Eric Lerner (who is a member of the Independent Redistricting Commission). Of the 12 who spoke, half of them voiced support of an alternate 14-district option to that recommended by the independent commission, whose configuration within the City would combine East Hill, Cornell, and South Hill in a single district, an approach they maintained would better represent the interests of permanent residents.  One resident suggested the 14-district configuration the Commission recommends, but that the Legislature remain at 15 members, with one legislator elected at large.

Ithaca Town Supervisor Herb Engman and Dryden Town Supervisor Mary Ann Sumner both thanked the independent commission for outstanding work, Engman thanking the Commission for reducing the number of sliver districts in the Town.

Although a resolution on adoption of the Local Law passed in a split vote of the Government Operations Committee last week, the Legislature will not consider the Local Law into its next meeting September 4, since the final version of the proposed Law had not been presented to Legislators with sufficient advance time before consideration.

Legislature Delays Action on Measure to Urge State Ban Dangerous Synthetic Drugs
Citing a “significant and immediate public health threat and danger to public safety,” the Legislature considered, but delayed action on a measure to urge the State to immediately pass legislation banning synthetic “designer” drugs, commonly known as “bath salts.”  The measure, as had been recommended by the County Board of Health and the Legislature’s Health and Human Services Committee, called upon the State Legislature and the Governor to “immediately pass further meaningful and effective legislation criminalizing the manufacture, distribution, sale, and possess of these substances and their future derivatives by anyone of any age in New York State, with the intent of protecting the health and safety of all citizens of New York State.”

While Legislators in discussion supported the measure in concept, they decided by a 12-1 vote (Legislator Kathy Luz Herrera dissenting and Legislators Nathan Shinagawa and Jim Dennis excused) to return the matter to committee and the Board of Health for further study.  Several Legislators expressed concern with technical points of the resolution (bill numbers cited, etc.) and Legislator Peter Stein, who chairs the Legislature’s Public Safety Committee, maintained the measure as written doesn’t go far enough—since he said it only addresses State surrender programs and not other critical issues, such as those regarding enforcement that would amend the State’s penal code to criminalize such substances.

Funding Increased for Human Services Annex Renovation
The Legislature amended the Capital Program to increase the renovation budget for the Human Services Annex building by $75,000 (to $1,375,000) to support certain architectural design features and purchase of furniture deleted from the initial plan.  The vote was unanimous, with Legislators Nathan Shinagawa, Jim Dennis, and Leslyn McBean-Clairborne excused.  The action also transfers $75,000 in contingent funding to the capital budget to support the added cost.  The Capital Plan Review Committee determined that certain features are important to the public space and the furniture is needed to provide maximum efficiency and functionality.

Among other business, the Legislature

• Authorized the County Finance Director to enter into an agreement with Chase Equipment Finance to refinance $1.8 million remaining for the County’s energy performance lease covering improvements recommended by Johnson Controls, reducing the effective interest rate from 3.75% to 1.75%.   The change will reduce lease payments by more than $18,000 per year.
• Authorized execution of a contract with Barton and Loguidice, P.C., of Syracuse, for survey and design services related to replacement of the Public Works Department fuel storage and distribution system, at a cost not to exceed $26,900.
• Awarded Casella Waste Management of New York a new five-year contract for curbside collection of recyclable materials, at an annual cost of $981,860.  The vote was 12-1, Legislator Leslyn McBean-Clairborne voting no.
• Authorized application for a more than $73,000 grant Federal Transit Administration Job Access and Reverse Commute grant to fund the Way2Go program, operated by Cornell Cooperative Extension of Tompkins County under contract with the County through the end of 2012.  It also authorized a more than $3,000 contract with the State Department of Transportation using federal transportation funds awarded the Department of Social Services to support a working adult bus pass program.
• Heard an update from Roxy Johnston, of the county Water Resources Council, on ongoing efforts to eradicate the invasive species Hydrilla from the Cayuga Inlet.
• After a public hearing approved a modification to Agricultural District No. 2 on the west side of Cayuga Lake.

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