Archive: News

Lansing School Superintendent Chris Pettograsso presented statistics on how school district voters might vote on a $10.8 million municipal sewer proposal next year.  The numbers came from an exit poll during the May 21 school budget vote.  53% of voters who filled out the exit poll said they would support a yes' vote on sewer. 

"People that tended to fill out the exit survey were people who voted positively for the budget," Pettograsso said.  "Typically if you are voting yes for the budget you are voting yes for the sewer."

800 residents voted in the annual budget election.  70% (559 voters) of the 800 voted 'yes' to the 201302014 school budget.  170 (21%) of the 800 who voted filled out and turned in the exit poll.  143 of those said yes to the school budget and 27 voted no.  The actual vote favored the budget by 70%.  Of those who filled out the exit poll 84% favored the budget, showing that 'yes' voters are more likely to fill out exit polls.

A question on the poll was, "The Board of Education has the ability to cast one vote in favor or against the town of Lansing sewer. If you were a BOE member today, how would you vote?"  Of the 143 'yes' voters 88 said they would vote 'yes' for sewer, 30 'no' and 25 marked 'I don't know'.  Of the 27 'no' voters who completed the poll, two said they would vote for sewer, 20 said they would not, and 5 checked 'I don't know'.  The undecideds were about the same in both groups: 18.5% of 'no voters' and while 17.5% of 'yes' voters checked 'I don't know'

School board member Christine Iacobucci noted that the poll is not a scientific sample of the community and said that the numbers are statistically meaningless.  Pettograsso agreed, but said the purpose was to get an idea of the community's wishes regarding sewer.

"So really, is it going to be telling for us as to what will happen in the future?," Pettograsso said.  "No, it's just to get an idea."

Board member Walker Reynolds said he has suggested a more scientific survey be conducted among residents who will be in the sewer district if the sewer is passed in a vote next year.  He said Lansing Supervisor Kathy Miller was receptive to the idea but that no action has been taken yet.  He noted that no voters seem more certain of their opinions.  The difference between yes and no voters who said 'I Don't Know' to sewer was just over 1%.

Board member Aziza Benson said she wants the district to have contingency plans.  Two of the three school district septic systems have been limping along for years.  The district would likely be crafting a capital project to replace them if there weren't a chance that a municipal sewer might be built in the next few years.  Around February (School Board Vice President) Glenn Swanson suggested that engineers be hired to develop proposals that would guide the district in case of catastrophic failure of a septic system.   The proposals would include projections on replacement costs, and compare the costs of replacing the three septics vs. hooking up to municipal sewer.

King has said that replacing all three septic systems would cost more than $2 million, about 60% of which would be covered by state aid.  She said the district does have some ballpark figures in the most recent building condition survey.

"At that time I said hold off (on the septic proposals) until we have a better feel for when the (sewer) vote is going to happen at the town level.  At the town level it's going in this direction, then, nope, it's going that way.  So I don't want to get too far ahead of that cart, especially if I'm going to be spending ten or twenty thousand dollars of taxpayer money on the proposals."

The poll numbers do not suggest an overwhelming mandate to bring municipal sewer to Lansing, but suggests the vote could be favorable if 'yes' voters actually come to the polls.  That assumes that sewer actually comes to a vote.  Last week Town Board members seemed split in their support of sewer.  While none of the board members actually came out against sewer, Councilman Ed laVigne successfully argued that no further work should be done until the Board has a chance to discuss the current proposal.  That discussion may take place at next Wednesday's regular board meeting.  If not, it will be held up another month until the July 17th meeting.

At this time town officials estimate a sewer vote will be held next April or May.  Depending on the timing and outcome of board discussions the vote could be pushed back even further.

v9i22