Archive: News

The Lansing Town Board may send its sewer committee back to the drawing board.  After Town Councilwomen Katrina Binkewicz and Ruth Hopkins conducted an informal survey of property owners within the proposed initial service area (Tier1) of a $10.8 million sewer project Hopkins proposed putting a stop to the town-wide solution and asking the Sewer Committee to come up with a solution that would have people who want sewer pay for it.

"It is important that we hear from a wide representation of property owners in the sewer district," Hopkins said.  "Therefore Katrina and I, with Kathy's support, this weekend organized and conducted an informal opinion poll of residents in the proposed service area of the current sewer plan.  We contacted and gathered feedback from half of the residents and learned that 41% of those we contacted are in favor, and 59% are not."

"Based on this information and other communication from residents from tier 2, the town-wide non-service area," she continued, "I propose that the Sewer Committee not go forward with the current plan, but instead look at alternative treatment scenarios in a central service area, and ways to go forward constructively without the divisiveness."

She specifically recommended the Sewer Committee investigate ways that sewage can be treated economically, fairly and efficiently to serve the Town Center and commercial areas.  To investigate ways to address critical needs for enhanced sewage treatment in targeted areas of the town such as Ladoga Park.  To work with the Economic Development Committee to identify specific ways to support the infrastructure needs of our local businesses.  And to meet with the Comprehensive Plan Committee and the Planning Board to discus strategies for the infrastructure needs of the entire town land.

The opinion survey was the first concerted effort to gather real information on how a vote might go.  Hopkins and Binkewicz decided to get a better sense of what property owners within the proposed district really think by calling people and asking them.  This week they called people whose properties would fall in Tier 1, the initial service area, if sewer is passed.  Wednesday they shared their results with the Sewer Committee, and later with the Town Board.

"I wanted a more concrete tally, data to show what the percent of support in Tier 1 is," Binkewicz said.  "If we have very low Tier 1 support and a lot of questions in Tier 2, that doesn't sound like a go.  So I felt it would be helpful data."

Hopkins is quick to point out that this is not a scientific survey, but simply an informal survey to get some idea of what people really think.

"We got a lot of comments," she said.  "There was a lot of concern about the cost ($450 for those who are hooked up to sewer).  That tended to come from fixed income folks.  There is a perception of unfairness about the benefits within the initial service area with additional concern for those outside the service area."

Binkewicz says a lot of people were happy to get a call from a Town Board member asking what they think, and that even those who are against sewer seemed to like that they were being listened to by a Town Board member.

That, along with other input from townspeople was enough for Hopkins to propose tabling the current project and asking the Sewer Committee to consider other options that could bring sewer where it's needed and paid for only by those who get it.

"We have the opportunity to have conversations with all the 'I don't knows' and clarify information," Binkewicz said.  "If they're willing to say 'I don't know' in the face of this much anti-sewer sentiment it means they're still listening.  I think it's worth proceeding and building support in Tier 1."

"There's overall recognition by many that a sewer would be helpful in the long term," Hopkins said.  "But (they said) the primary beneficiary should pay more and those that don't want it should not be forced to hook up.  There are a good number of residents who would want a sewer if it were more affordable, and a good number who want the sewer given the price of $450, who think it's fair."

Hopkins and Binkewicz say they intend to keep trying to reach more Tier 1 property owners, hoping to reach 75% or more of Tier 1 property owners.

Hopkins hoped the Board would vote on her proposal Wednesday, but Councilman Ed LaVigne asked for time to digest the proposal, and to allow Councilman Robert Cree, who was not at Wednesday's meeting, to do the same.  LaVigne expressed concern about spending more money on a project that isn't widely supported, but Supervisor Kathy Miller noted that no money needs to be spent on the tasks Hopkins proposed because the Sewer COmmittee is made up of volunteers.

Binkewicz said she supports waiting until the August 7th Town Board working meeting, and it was agreed to put the matter on hold until then.

v9i27