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A few weeks ago the Lansing Town Board voted to employ GHD, an engineering firm, to do work to complete a generic environmental impact statement (GEIS), a vital piece of the process of sewer district formation, and navigate State approval.  Last week GHD provided a time line showing steps that would take 28 weeks to complete.  Wednesday the Town Board did not set the date for a public hearing that would have been one of the first steps in completing that process.

"I would like to see the sewer committee come up with the Map Plan Report first of all," said Councilman Ed LaVigne.  "If those numbers are finalized it then has to go back to the board.  The board has to look at this product and decide whether it is acceptable or not moving forward.  Before we move forward with any other process I would like the sewer committee to do their job and give us the final numbers.  We can look at those numbers and make a decision."

This may represent a shift in board support for the project.   LaVigne was an avid supporter of the project, pushing to move the process forward while getting firm facts and figures to share with the public.  A few weeks ago he abruptly resigned from the sewer committee.  Councilman Robert Cree Cree says that the form of the project the board voted to support was very different from its final form now, and that earlier vote was more an affirmation of the concept of a sewer project than a vote on its final scope and budget.

The final draft of the Map Plan Report was submitted at the end of March, but board members were confused about how final it actually is.  A lengthy discussion of what 'final' means in a sewer plan ensued.  A copy of the final draft of the Map Plan Report is on the Town Web site, and a version of it (minus two lengthy appendixes listing all properties and sewer costs on a lot by lot basis) was mailed to property owners within the proposed district last month.

The 28 week time line significantly shifted the Sewer Committee's overall timeline for the project.  Based on a list of tasks provided by Town Attorney Guy Krogh the committee had hoped the project could come to a vote of property owners within the proposed district in September.  But GHD's timeline pushes the estimated vote date into April or May of next year.

Cree said the board had not discussed the plan, but Councilwoman Katrina Binkewicz noted that the other four board members had attended sewer committee meetings and discussed the project at length, but agreed that more discussion among the full board is needed.

The public hearing would have been in a special board meeting on June 26th, which would have met a timing requirement set by New York State.  LaVigne asked whether the board should have final numbers before going forward with the environmental review, but Deputy Supervisor Sharon Bowman and Binkewicz pointed out the board had already voted to go forward when it voted to hire GHD.

"I believe that continuing to follow the timeline that was set between the board and GHD will keep the project moving forward," said Bowman.  "This is part and parcel to what was committed to."

Binkewicz said the board should set the date of the public hearing, noting that it can always be cancelled if further discussion leads to the board not supporting the sewer.  She said that keeping to the time line would honor other entities in the town that are depending on a sewer vote as soon as possible.  For example the Lansing Central School District has two out of three septic systems failing and a third ending its estimated useful life.  Replacing the three would cost the district over two million dollars, and while district officials say they can wait for a sewer vote, it will become more expensive for the school district if a septic system fails while they are waiting.

But LaVigne said he doesn't want to do anything more until the full board has a chance to discuss the project.

"Keep in mind we voted to move forward on a sewer project," LaVigne said.  "But that was way before 12A, 12C and other different things... before we decided to dissolve the sewer districts on Warren Road and Cherry Road.  All those new factors that impact the financial aspect, we haven't really considered yet.  So I think as good stewards of the taxpayers money we have an obligation to look at that first before we decide on any other thing."

Councilwoman Ruth Hopkins asked whether a $2.537 million grant is in danger of being revoked if the process is delayed.  Board members did not know.  She also asked whether the process would have to be restarted if the Town could obtain additional grants before the vote.  She noted that some grants become available once the environmental review is complete on the basis that a project is more likely to come to a vote.

Town Attorney explained that generally the process does not restart if the costs to district property owners go down, but that the State Comptroller may require a restart.  He noted that is rare, but within the Comptroller's discretion.

In a Sewer Committee meeting last week committee member Andy Sciarabba says that there is a good likelihood that the grant will be extended beyond 2013 if it can be demonstrated that there is progress on the project.  He said Tompkins County Area Development Michael Stamm knows the project and is supportive of it.  Stamm sits on the Southern Tier Regional Economic Development Council.  He also noted that Tompkins County Legislature Chair Martha Robertson sits on the council and said she would be supportive.

Miller has been a vocal advocate for the sewer project, but was out of town for a municipal training session Wednesday.  LaVigne argued strongly to delay any action until the full board could discuss it, and there was no support for Binkewicz's suggestion to schedule the hearing anyway with the option of canceling if it turns out the board does not support the project.  In the end the proposition to set the public hearing was withdrawn.

Board discussion may take place at the regular June 9th board meeting.  Cree said it might better be discussed at a working meeting that is scheduled for July 3rd.  That could delay the project as much as a month, and possibly halt it altogether.

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