Archive: News

The Lansing Meadows Project site plan was approved by the Village of Lansing Planning Board Monday, clearing the way for developer Eric Goetzmann to begin construction before the July 31 deadline once a few conditions are met.  But the troubled project only gained approval by the skin of its teeth after a lengthy discussion of the proposed roadway that Village Engineer Brent Cross said does not meet Village road specifications.  Cross said that from an engineering standpoint he could not recommend accepting it, especially because Goetzmann had expressed his desire to dedicate the road to the Village, which would make it a public road.  Code Enforcement/Zoning Officer Adam Robbs concurred.

"As the Code officer I cannot recommend it," Robbs said. 

A plan to relocate shooting ranges at the Lansing Rod & Gun Club has been withdrawn, according to Lansing Planning Consultant Michael Long.  Long told the Planning Board Monday that there is nothing about the project before the Planning Board concerning the project, and town officials don't know what the club is planning for the future.

"As of today we have received notice that they are withdrawing their application," said Lansing Planning Consultant Michael Long.  "We don't know what that means.  We understand that they may have to come back for an application, if they make some changes.  At this point they have withdrawn their application."

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that a Special Town Board Meeting is being called, convened, and held upon June 27, 2018, at 9:00 am at the Lansing Town Hall, 29 Auburn Road, Lansing, New York 14882, for the purpose of the Town Board to hold a Public Hearing on proposed Local Law #3 of 2018, amending Local Law #2 of 2018, early retirement incentive, and such other business as may lawfully thereat come before the Town Board. All residents of the Town and the general public are invited to attend this special Town Board meeting.

Dated: June 18, 2018
By Order of the Town Board
Deborah Munson, Town Clerk, Town of Lansing

Legislature Approves Adoption of TC3 Operating Budget
The Tompkins County Legislature, without dissent (Legislator Henry Granison abstained; Legislator Dan Klein was excused), approved adoption of the Tompkins Cortland Community College operating budget for the coming academic year. Once again this year, the nearly $40.8 million budget contains no increase in sponsor support. The budget contains total sponsor support of $4,650,364), split between the two counties based on proportional student enrollment—64% ($2,976,233) from Tompkins County and 36% ($1,674,131) from Cortland.

Both sponsoring counties must agree on the level of sponsor support, and Legislators have noted that they would have liked the County to be able to contribute more, but that Cortland County has clearly indicated its unwillingness to increase support. Budget chair Michael Lane noted, "We have to adopt the same budget. TC3 has requested a budget with no increase." Legislator Rich John thanked the college for its work on thie budget. "It is a jewel of our community…and we need to protect that," he said.

Dozens of people packed Legislature Chambers, and 16 addressed the Legislature urging sustained and steadfast opposition to reported plans that coal-fired Cayuga Power Plant might seek to repower using trucked-in compressed natural gas.

Among those speaking out were former County Legislators Carol Chock and Dooley Kiefer—Ms. Chock reminding Legislators of the County's proud history of striving to reduce Greenhouse Gas emissions and in leading the drive against fracking.

Cayuga Operating company announced today that they have submitted applications to allow them to close a 155 megawatt coal-fired burner in order to repower it with natural, and that plans are still in motion to construct an 18 megawatt, 75 acre solar farm on it's 434-acre site in northwest Lansing, making it one of the largest solar farms in upstate New York.  Company officials say Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) will be conveyed to the plant by truck, eliminating the need for a gas pipeline  If approved, the conversion will not be paid for at ratepayers' expense.

"We think this is a reasonable and forward looking transition for Cayuga," says Beowulf Energy/Heorot Power Managing Director Michael Enright.  "We're hopeful that in the months ahead we can pursue this with public and political support.  We think transitioning to natural gas and renewables saves local jobs, helps the local tax base, and creates more potential for future economic growth in Tompkins County and the Lansing area."

Senator Pam Helming announced funding Wednesday for four county jails in the 54th Senate District, including $156,000 for the Tompkins County Jail, to help support substance use disorder (SUD) treatment and transition services. Helming advocated for and successfully secured this funding as part of the 2018-19 state budget. It will allow local sheriffs to implement, support, and expand these vital addiction and mental health services in our county jails.

"As State Senator, I have made it a priority to do all I can to keep our communities safe. Part of that is ensuring our county jails have the resources they need to provide critical mental health and addiction services. Earlier this year, I met with the county sheriffs and the county mental health directors in my district. They brought to my attention the effectiveness of providing mental health counseling and addiction treatment inside jails to help offenders stay in recovery upon their release . Thanks to their efforts, I am proud to announce this important statewide funding for county jail-based substance abuse disorder services. This funding will help support deputies and critical staff in Monroe, Ontario, Tompkins and Wayne County jails as they seek to rehabilitate offenders and reintegrate them back into society once they have served out their sentence. Working together, we can reduce recidivism thereby saving the taxpayers money and making our community safer for everyone," Helming said.

Lansing, NY - On June 19th, 2018 at approximately 12:01 A.M., two subjects entered the McDonalds Restaurant, located at 2350 North Triphammer Road in the Village of Lansing.

Both subjects displayed handguns and demanded money from the employees. The two subjects exited the restaurant with an unknown amount of cash and fled the area in an unknown direction of travel.

Governor's Action Follows Detention of Children on Long Island

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced Tuesday that New York State intends to file a multi-agency lawsuit against the Trump Administration on the grounds that the federal government is violating the Constitutional rights of thousands of immigrant children and their parents who have been separated at the border. We now know of more than 70 children who are staying in federal shelters in New York State and that number is expected to increase as other facilities are contacted. The Governor is directing the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance, the Department of Health and the Office of Children and Family Services to commence legal action against the federal government's "Separation of Families" policy. Following the callous and inhumane treatment of immigrant families at the border, New York is suing to protect the health and well-being of children being held at least 10 different facilities across the state and at others throughout the nation.

Montour Falls, NY - Just weeks after the wrap of the May 14-18 proceedings of the international Permanent Peoples' Tribunal Session on the Human Rights, Fracking and Climate Change, the 10 international judges on the ruling panel issued a strongly worded Preliminary Statement.

In it, the judges state that evidence presented during the session by dozens of groups and individuals from four continents demonstrates that fracking and related industries contravene the rights of people as well as those of other species and ecosystems—and not accidentally.

The New York State Senate passed Senator Pam Helming's bill to block a proposed garbage incinerator project from moving forward at the former Seneca Army Depot in the Town of Romulus. Circular EnerG is seeking to build a garbage incinerator that would require the daily delivery of more than 2,500 tons of trash to operate.

"This is a tremendous victory for the entire Finger Lakes region. For the last eight months, I have worked with local residents, environmental advocates, and business owners to craft this legislation and get it passed. We brought together many diverse groups, including statewide business organizations, and environmental advocacy groups, who are typically on opposite sides of the table to pass this historic legislation. All levels of government worked together to get this done. This is the way government should work, for the people! My legislation, which is known as the Finger Lakes Community Preservation Act of 2018, would help keep this misguided project out of our community. It is a win for residents and business owners who were fearful of the impact this project would have on public health, the environment, their businesses, and the value of their property. Most importantly, this is a win for the children of Romulus who would have been forced to go to school next to a smokestack releasing who knows what. This is not a Republican or a Democrat issue; rather, this is a matter of protecting the quality of life for local citizens and visitors alike and preserving our beautiful lakes, farmland, and natural scenery. It's time now for the Governor and the Assembly to join the Senate in passing this legislation and getting it signed into law. With two days left of the legislative session, we need immediate action from the Assembly and Governor to protect our community and the entire Finger Lakes region," Helming said.

Senator Pam Helming announced Monday that for the eighth year in a row, the New York State Senate passed a bill that she co-sponsors that would enact Brittany's Law and establish a violent felony offender registry. The legislation is named after 12-year-old Brittany Passalacqua, who was brutally murdered along with her mother, 34-year-old Helen Buchel, in Geneva in 2009. The man convicted of killing Brittany and her mother, John Edward Brown, was a parolee released from prison after serving only 2 ½ years of a 3-year sentence for violently assaulting his infant daughter in 2003.

"Once again, the Senate has passed Brittany's Law so that we can protect our citizens from violent felony offenders and prevent tragedies such as the one that happened to Brittany and her mother. And once again, we are waiting for the Assembly Majority and the Governor to take action and put this critical measure up for a vote. The Assembly Majority and the Governor claim they support victims of domestic violence, and this is one step they can take to help victims. We need to give our law enforcement officers and the public a way to track these violent offenders once they return to our communities. We have a registry for gun owners, for sex offenders, and even – in New York City – for those who abuse animals, yet there is no registry to keep track of violent felons. Those convicted of sex crimes must register, so a similar system for those convicted of violent crimes just makes sense. Thank you to my Senate colleagues for once again supporting this much-needed, commonsense legislation. On behalf of Dale Driscoll, Brittany's grandmother and Helen's mother, I strongly urge the Assembly Majority and the Governor to do the same," Helming said.