Archive: News

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that a Special Town Board Meeting is being called, convened, and held upon November 8, 2017, at 6:30 pm at the Lansing Town Hall, 29 Auburn Road, Lansing, New York 14882, for the purpose considering and holding public hearings upon the 2018 Preliminary Town of Lansing Budget and the Assessment Rolls and budgets for the various water, lighting, and sewer districts within the Town of Lansing, and Proposed Local Law Number 8 of 2017 to repeal Local Law Number 4 of 2017 and reinstate the tax cap limits, 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: October 20, 2017
By Order of the Town Board
Deborah Munson, Town Clerk, Town of Lansing
October 25, 2017

Legislators Adopt Amendments to 2018 Recommended Budget
The Tompkins County Legislature formally adopted amendments to the County Administrator's 2018 Recommended Budget and the Capital Program for the next five years, as recommended by the Expanded Budget Committee. The vote was unanimous. There were no additional changes to the package before the Legislature vote.

The amended budget would increase the County tax levy 2.32%. The recommended tax rate of $6.57 per thousand is down by 5 cents (0.76%) from 2017 and is a penny less than the Administrator's budget, representing an increase of $11.14 in the tax bill for the median-valued $178,000 home. The amended budget's recommended levy increase of 2.32% compares to a 2.4% increase contained in the County Administrator's budget, and is below Tompkins County's State-calculated 2018 Tax Cap of 3.53%.

Village of Lansing trustees voted Monday to rescind their support of an Article 78 lawsuit to be filed against the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) by Cayuga Lake Environmental Action Now (CLEAN).  The Trustees voted two weeks previously to lend its name to the proceeding when Ronny Hardaway called on fellow Trustees to add their support to that of other nearby communities.  The suit challenges a permit granted for Cargill's new 2,500 foot deep Cayuga Salt Mine mine shaft that clears the way for the project to move forward.

In the October 2nd meeting Hardaway argued that an Environmental Impact Study (EIS) had not been conducted.  He said the lawsuit, if successful, would force the DEC to revoke a permit unless an EIS shows the project does not threaten the lake.  Board members were split on the issue, with some expressing surprise when it was raised at the end of the meeting usually reserved for Trustee reports.  Mayor Donal Hartill abstained from the vote, saying he felt 'blindsided' by Hardaway.  Trustee John O'Neill voted against supporting the lawsuit, but Trustees Gerry Monaghan and Pat O'Rourke joined with Hardaway to pass the resolution.  However, at the Board of Trustees regular Thursday lunch meeting, the Board rescinded their vote.

Many New York schools fall short when it comes to protecting students from harassment and discrimination based on gender, race, religion, sexual orientation or gender identity, according to an audit released in Rochester last Friday by New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. The audit  examined New York state schools' compliance with the Dignity for All Students Act (DASA). On Sept. 25, DiNapoli engaged a similar audit focused on New York City schools.

"The Dignity for All Students Act was created to protect students but four years later, many schools remain unsure of what to do and make serious errors in reporting incidents of harassment and bullying," DiNapoli said. "All students deserve schools that support them and are safe and free from harassment and bullying. School districts must protect students' rights and ensure thorough training for school staff. We appreciate that the State Education Department agrees with our recommendations and is taking steps to help school officials improve their ability to safeguard students."

A standing-room-only crowd filled the Town courtroom Monday, when the Lansing Town Planning Board conducted a public hearing Monday to consider site plan approval for surface facilities for the proposed Cayuga Salt Mine shaft #4.  After a brief explanation of the project by Cargill Mine Manager Shawn Wilczynski and Senior Project manager William Gracon, the floor was opened to the public.  A half dozen Cargill employees passionately defended the company and the project, citing its safety record and stressing that the safety of mine employees is the key reason for the shaft.

"This project isn't born from corporate greed, as some may wish you to think," said 38 year mine employee Brian Bartlett.  "Instead it's a necessary project that will allow us to maintain and further our commitment to the safety of people who go a half a mile underground each day to perform difficult and important work. I encourage you to vote in favor of supporting this project, allowing our employees the opportunity to work under conditions most people take for granted every day at their workplace: breathing adequate, clean air, being able to exit in a reasonable amount of time in emergency situations, and, in the event of injury or illness, to have professional care available at the earliest possible moment."

A water district extension proposed for a portion of Auburn Road and Bower, Buck, Wilson and Colon Roads was tabled Wednesday, after three property owners within the proposed district strongly objected to the project.  A petition signed by 23 neighbors requested removing the portion of Buck Road between Auburn and Conlon Roads.

"Ever since we've owned this property our taxes have gone up, some years more than others," said Lansing farmer Matt Dedrick, some of whose fields are part of the proposed district.  "At this point in time the taxes far exceed what our agricultural land can generate in return.  So adding another $934 a year for 38 years for a water system that we and a number of other neighbors don't want, need, or can't justify at this price tag, would be very burdensome to to many."

It is great to be recognized for excellence.  Lansing schools have certainly seen a lot of recognition lately, including Lansing High School being named a 2017 National Blue Ribbon School, and being ranked 70th within New York State by US News &World Report.  That excellence, along with a strong supportive community attracts families to Lansing, and with the growth spurt the town is experiencing it also brings an impact to school programs and taxes.

"Last school year we ended at 1,164 students," said Lansing School Superintendent Chris Pettograsso at Tuesday's Board Of Education meeting.  "Right now we're at 1,194, so we're up 30 students in a year.  It doesn't seem significant, but it is.  We only see that going up every year as we move forward."

Legislators acting as an Expanded Budget Committee have begun to recommend changes to County Administrator Joe Mareane's Recommended Budget delivered to them last month, marking the start of a new phase of the County's 2018 budget process.

At their initial voting meeting October 10, Legislators recommended the following changes to the budget. Those recommendations may be reconsidered at later expanded committee meetings and will require approval by the full Legislature to become final.

Bridges owned by New York's local governments need an estimated $27.4 billion in repairs, according to a reportreleased today by New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli.

While the cost for repairs is staggering, DiNapoli's report found the number of "structurally deficient" locally-owned bridges has declined in recent years. But concerns about how local governments will find funding for repairs is growing as Washington considers changes to infrastructure aid.

Washington, DC – Representatives Tom Reed (R-NY), Tim Ryan (D-OH), and Paul Tonko (D-NY) today introduced the Developing Tomorrow’s Engineering and Technical Workforce Act. This legislation would award grants to states educational agencies and local educational agencies to support, develop, and implement formal and informal engineering education programs in elementary schools and secondary schools. It will help provide school districts the resources to incorporate engineering and engineering technology education into their science standards.

“We need to prepare our students for the jobs of today and tomorrow. This bill would incorporate engineering and engineering technology education into our classrooms. Resulting in our students being better equipped to pursue a career in these expanding fields. By providing the proper training we are working to close the skills gap that we are currently seeing in our workforce,” said Rep. Reed.

Developer Eric Goetzmann brought an informal proposal for a small shopping center to the Village of Lansing Planning Board Monday.  The idea is to locate two buildings that together would bring 30,000 square feet of retail space to be leased to small stores along North Triphammer Road.  Goetzmann said that with declining traffic to the mall it is important to bring new forms of retail to attract customers and new stores to the properties.

"In 2000 we did the target and the Best Buy and the Borders, the Dick's," Goetzmann said.  "We had to show that it's vibrant.  Later came the Regal.  And Michael's came in recently, and BJ's and the other ones.  We've got to keep showing tenants that there are new things happening up here in order to keep the ball moving forward. This would be a nice combination to keep things going forward."

The Lansing School District offers tax exemptions to seniors, low income taxpayers, and to small business investment projects. When retired career military medevac pilot Bill Howard petitioned the Lansing Board of Education to adopt a tax exemption for military veterans last January it sparked an ongoing discussion on whether further exemptions should be offered. 

On the one hand, exemptions are granted in good causes, and nobody on the board argued that military service wasn't a good cause.  But when one group is exempted from property tax, everyone else must make up the difference, and some school board members were wary of adding to that burden, particularly when school revenue was significantly threatened by the NYS State GAP Elimination withdrawal of promised state funding and the ongoing devaluation of the Cayuga Power Plant, the largest taxpayer in the district, that meant millions in lost revenue over the years.