Archive: News

Lansing Students Protest Gun Violence

: By Dan Veaner; News; | Mar 16, 2018 |

Lansing high school and middle school students honored the 17 Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting victims Wednesday, walking out of class to form a large circle and hold hands in silence for 17 minutes. Wednesday was the one-month anniversary of the Parkland, Florida massacre. The Lansing protest was part of a larger movement that saw thousands of students across the United States showing solidarity in their opposition to gun violence. What may have differentiated Lansing's protest was that organizers closely coordinated with the school administration ahead of time to help insure a peaceful and safe event.

"I appreciate that our students have voiced their concerns regarding school violence and we will work with them in establishing proactive ways to be heard. We are fortunate to have such thoughtful and concerned students," said Lansing high School Principal Colleen Ledley Monday when she introduced two student leaders to explain plans for the protest to the Board of Education. "I am amazed at their awareness and desire to speak openly about complex issues. I, more than anything, appreciate their willingness to communicate and collaborate with Lansing administration. As we move forward and learn more, we will send detailed communications."

Mall Senior Housing Impasse

: By Dan Veaner; News; | Mar 16, 2018 |

The Lansing Meadows development took another step backwards at a public hearing Monday as the developer and the Village Of Lansing Planning Board's differences seemed to increase. The senior housing development was a condition of a Planned Development Area (PDA) that allowed construction of BJ's Wholesale Club. But as Arrowhead Ventures developer Eric Goetzmann continues to offer changes, Planning Board members said that they want the whole project to be considered by the Village trustees to determine whether the current plan serves the original intent of the PDA.

"We already determined that this is a major change," said Planning Board chairman Mario Tomei. "We're going back to square one with the developer as to what we need to see. We want the input from the Board of Trustees."

Lansing Schools Respond To Florida School Shooting

: By Dan Veaner; News; | Mar 2, 2018 |

In the wake of the tragic high school shooting at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Parkland, Florida that left 17 dead and 14 wounded, schools across the country are reacting. The Lansing schools are no different. School officials are working on comprehensive plans to create a community in which students, teachers, staff, and families watch out for each other. A symbolic march is planned for March 14th, but Lansing School Superintendent Chris Pettograsso says that concrete measures are also being taken.

"I want to start by sending out heartfelt condolences to the Florida school community," she told the Board Of Education Monday. "Any acts of violence anywhere senseless acts shouldn't happen in schools. It should be a safe haven even more-so. Rest assured that your school community here is talking a great deal about it: your administrative team, your Board Of Education... we have regular meetings with our state troopers and have a state trooper assigned to us. We work closely, and are fortunate to have family members who are in the FBI that we have meetings with as well. And, of course, Deputy Thompson (a school board member)."

Committee Recommends Statewide Plastic Bag Ban Support

: By Marcia E. Lynch; News; | Mar 2, 2018 |

The Legislature's Planning, Development, and Environmental Quality Committee, which back in 2013 considered a proposal from the Environmental Management Council (EMC)for a Local Law banning single-use plastic retail bags, today considered—and recommended to the Legislature—a new proposal on the issue from the EMC, one urging a statewide ban on such plastic retail bags.

Following the EMC's recent adoption of a measure supporting such a statewide ban, the Planning committee, in a unanimous 5-0 vote, joined in recommending that the Legislature express its strong support of a plastic retail bag ban, which would also include a fee on recyclable paper bags, and urging the Governor to propose and the State Legislature to adopt such legislation as part of the State's Fiscal 2019 budget.

Special Housing Committee Begins Work

: By Marcia E. Lynch; News; | Mar 2, 2018 |

The special committee of the Tompkins County Legislature formed this year to address the critical problem of housing in our community convened for the first time February 22.

"Housing is a perennial problem that impacts all sectors of our community and economy, and we can't take our feet off the gas in looking for solutions," Legislature Chair Martha Robertson, who chairs the Housing Committee, had noted in describing the new committee as part of her 2018 annual message to the Legislature. "…Appointing this committee is an effort to give additional attention and accelerate the progress. In addition to implementation of the Housing Strategy and oversight of our ongoing housing programs, this committee will consider new initiatives, such as the possible Housing Capital Reserve Fund." Chair Robertson told the committee that "real people's lives are being affected every day" by the housing problem, and that the committee's work can lead to significant benefit for this community.

Town Sewer Project To Be Presented Wednesday

: By Dan Veaner; News; | Mar 2, 2018 |

A sewer plan for the Town of Lansing will be presented next Wednesday (3/7) at a special working meeting of the Town Board at the Village of Lansing Hall. The project has been a long time coming, especially if you count the three or four major sewer projects the Town was never able to pass. This project is made possible because of a collaboration between the Town, the Village of Cayuga Heights that owns the sewer treatment plant, and the Village of Lansing thats pipes will carry effluent from the town to the treatment plant.

"This is a symbiotic relationship between all three municipalities - the Village of Cayuga heights, the Village of Lansing and the town of Lansing," says Town of Lansing supervisor Ed LaVigne. "We've been working on this project since around February of 2016. We're sharing services in many different ways. This is a win-win-win situation."

Filling Spaces in the Village of Lansing

: By Dan Veaner; News; | Feb 23, 2018 |

A new development project was informally presented to the Village of Lansing Planning board last week that would bring 12 townhouses to a small triangle of land behind the M&T bank on Triphammer Road. Dubbed 'Triphammer Row', the project would include approximately 1,350 square foot townhouses, each with a one car garage and additional parking space. Developer Robert Poprawski said he hopes to attract older couples and new families to settle there.

"The primary issue is trying to fit some nice residential facilities in that little triangle behind M&T Bank. The developer is close to closing on that property so we can do something there," said Project Engineer Gary Bush. "We're showing 12 units on the plan (shown below) because that's what we reasonably think we can put there. Even with the 12 we're going to need some variances, because we're too close to property lines, and things like that."

County Legislature Highlights

: By Marcia E. Lynch; News; | Feb 23, 2018 |

Funds Approved for Two Positions for Jail Mental Health Services
In two actions related to the County's commitment to providing mental health services to inmates at the Tompkins County Jail, the Legislature in two separate unanimous votes, authorized the transfer of funds from the Mental Health Department to the Sheriff's Office Budget to fund a new position of Jail Psychiatric Physician, and to transfer a Mental Health Forensic Counselor position from Mental Health to the Sheriff's Office.

The Jail Psychiatric Physician measure creates the part-time psychiatrist position (not to exceed four hours per week) at a rate of $95.00 per hours, which is above the graded salary range, and budgets $25,823 (salary and fringe) to cover the position for 2018, and authorizes the budget adjustment to continue for future years. The Mental Health Forensic Counselor action transfers the counselor position to the Sheriff's Office and approves the related budget adjustment of $100,533 (salary and fringe) for 2018 and future years.

$1.1M To Help Replace Aging Septic Systems

: By Dan Veaner; News; | Feb 23, 2018 |

Senator Pam Helming announced yesterday that $1.1 million in funding will go to help residents replace aging septic systems in the Wayne-Finger lakes region. $150,000 of that will go to residents who apply and qualify in Tompkins County.

"The Septic Tank Rebate Program will give local communities an important tool they need to protect water quality and keep our lakes clean. Our pristine lakes provide drinking water for hundreds of thousands of people. They attract many visitors to our local communities and are a driver of economic development and job creation in our region." Helming said. "Failing septic tanks not only threaten our drinking water, but also contribute to harmful algal blooms, and hurt recreational opportunities in the Finger Lakes. As the State Senator representing the beautiful Wayne-Finger Lakes region, I am proud to announce that the six counties I represent will be included in the New York's Septic Rebate Program."

State Denies Middle School Traffic Warning

: By Dan Veaner; News; | Feb 23, 2018 |

As traffic slows to 45mph going south on 34B, the schools are not visible when going over Salmon Creek bridge.

A rumble strip to alert south-bound drivers to a school district as they speed downhill and over the Salmon Creek Bridge on State Route 34B was denied by the New York State Department Of Transportation (DOT, according to Tompkins County Legislator (Lansing) Mike Sigler. Sigler requested the rumble strip a year and a half ago, saying that traffic by the Myers Road crosswalk poses a safety concern about children crossing the road as motorists, who can not see the school buildings until they come off the bridge, are supposed to be decreasing their speed from 55mph to 45, and again to 30.

"Unfortunately the State DOT did reject my idea for a rumble strip down by the middle school," Sigler told the Lansing Town Board Wednesday. "I was hoping to alert drivers that they were coming to a school zone as they come down from the north. The did suggest a crossing, though."

Sales Tax Revenue Up For Lansing and County

: By Dan Veaner; News; | Feb 23, 2018 |

Lansing Supervisor Ed LaVigne said that Lansing's share of of sales tax will be up considerably over last year's revenue. Lansing's good fortune is shared county-wide, as County Legislator Mike Sigler reported to the Lansing Town board Wednesday.

"Good news on the sales tax report," he said. "County Finance Director Rick Snyder is reporting the County's share of receipts for 2017 at over $35 million. That is 6.22% above receipts for 2016, and more than $1.8 million above budget. That should be able to help us keep the tax rate down."

Reed Does Not Support Budget Agreement

: By Office of Congressman Tom Reed; News; | Feb 16, 2018 |

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Helming Hosts Farm Brewery Roundtable

: By Office of NYS Senator Pam Helming; News; | Feb 16, 2018 |

Albany, NY - Senator Pam Helming, Senate Chair of the Legislative Commission on Rural Resources, held a Farm Brewery Roundtable in Albany on Wednesday, January 31, drawing nearly 60 stakeholders from across New York to the State's capital. Those in attendance included members of the Legislative Commission on Rural Resources, including Assemblywoman Woerner, Assemblyman Fitzpatrick, and Assemblyman Palmesano, as well as Senator Amedore. Also in attendance were senior staff from the NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets and the State Liquor Authority, representatives of Cornell University, including Mike Stanyard from Cornell Cooperative Extension Wayne County, the New York Farm Bureau, the New York State Brewers Association, as well as Jeff Trout of Poormon Farms in Waterloo, and other various brewers, maltsters, hops growers, and malting barley growers from across the state.

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