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Lansing Supervisor Kathy Miller told the Sewer Committee Wednesday that a vote can take place in August or September instead of next April or May or later.  The Town will need to obtain legislative approval of an early vote at the state level.  An earlier vote would relieve institutions, businesses and homeowners on the cusp of replacing their current septic and package systems within the proposed initial service area.

"We can hold a vote in August or September," Miller said.  "If a majority vote 'yes' the town goes forward with the procedure, after which the sewer district would be subject to a permissive referendum next Spring when the procedure is completed."

An earlier vote does not guarantee a sewer district will be formed, but it provides confidence enough for Lansing institutions and businesses with imminent septic system issues to plan their next step in the most economical way possible.  In the wake of a positive vote the county health department is more likely to allow homeowners and business owners to nurse failing systems along until sewer hookup is available.

School officials have been nervously watching progress of the sewer project.  Two of three large septic systems on the Lansing school campus need to be replaced and the third is near the end of its projected useful life.  The Board Of Education Monday discussed contingency plans in case a septic fails catastrophically, which could mean replacing it from the general fund only to hook up to sewer a year or two later.  The best case scenario for the schools is an early sewer vote followed by the immediate crafting of a capital plan to either connect to sewer or replace the septic systems depending on the outcome of the vote.  Septic replacement is estimated at more than $2 million.

School Business Administrator Mary June King told the school board Monday that she is not willing to spend money on contingencies until there is a decision on sewer -- unless she has to.

"I said hold off (on septic replacement proposals) until we have a better feel for when the (sewer) vote is going to happen at the town level," King said.  "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."

At the same time the juvenile detention facilities on Auburn Road are ready to replace the package plant that serves sewage for the Lansing and Finger Lakes Residential Centers.  Earlier this year the facilities manager obtained permission from the state to wait for a sewer vote, but if the vote is pushed to mid-next year he would have to get further permission.

Local businesses Rogue's Harbor Inn and Crossroads Bar & Grill have both had serious septic system failures recently.  Rogue's harbor was forced to implement a costly fix, and Crossroads is in the process of doing the same.  Miller says that both facilities are implementing temporary fixes, and that owners of the two businesses are hoping sewer will come to Lansing as soon as possible.

An earlier vote does not actually create a sewer district.  Rather than completing all the approvals and environmental studies before putting the project to a vote, an earlier ballot would determine whether or not to go ahead with the project.  If yes, the procedure would continue and the final public interest order would be subject to a permissive referendum.

Permissive referendums are triggered by a petition, which must be signed by a specific percentage of qualified voters.  Under normal circumstances a vote is the last step in creating a sewer district.  With an early vote the process continues if the vote is positive.  If the conditions for a permissive referendum are fulfilled the district is formed if that vote is positive, or if no qualifying petition is submitted.

Miller said she would be calling Senator Mike Nozzolio and Assemblywoman Barbara Lifton Thursday to ask them to begin proceedings to obtain state permission for an August or September vote. 

Meanwhile the Sewer Committee discussed a plan for making sure all Town Board members have the facts about sewer before it discusses the project further.  Last week the board did not set a date for a public hearing required as part of the environmental studies needed for sewer projects. 

Four of the five board members have attended many sewer meetings, but two of the four now appear to be on the fence regarding sewer.  Councilman Robert Cree's day job prevents him from attending the afternoon sewer meetings, so committee members are now seeking to meet with Cree along with Miller, Town Attorney Guy Krogh and Town Engineer David Herrick to make sure he understands the facts of the project.  Cree replied Wednesday evening he is not available any time before next Wednesday's board meeting due to work-related commitments.

Without a majority of board members supporting the project it is as good as dead.  But unless an early vote is approved and held, even if the board decides to support the project a vote can only be held when the process of studies and approvale is completed.  The town's sewer engineering consultant provided a time line for that process a few weeks ago that would push the vote to April or May of 2014.  With the board delaying the environmental public hearing a vote could be delayed until mid to late summer in 2014.

At the same time Miller has proposed a series of informational articles to appear on the sewer section of the Town Web site.  Articles would appear every other week on the site, explaining various aspects of the project and presenting the facts in plain language, with answers to questions at the bottom of each article.

"We can have them on line on the Town Web site," Miller said.  We can have them in the library, up at the market -- we can have them all over town.  Maybe after six weeks you will have all the information on the sewer in black and white."

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