Archive: News

Senator Pamela Helming (R,C,I-Canandaigua) today announced that Governor Andrew Cuomo has signed a bill that she sponsored that allows local BOCES and municipalities to directly purchase New York State-produced foods. Senator Helming made this announcement during the Food Access and Health in Rural NY roundtable discussion that she hosted Friday at the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva.Senator Pamela Helming (R,C,I-Canandaigua) today announced that Governor Andrew Cuomo has signed a bill that she sponsored that allows local BOCES and municipalities to directly purchase New York State-produced foods. Senator Helming made this announcement during the Food Access and Health in Rural NY roundtable discussion that she hosted Friday at the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva.

Current law allows state agencies to spend up to $200,000 annually to purchase locally grown foods without going through formal procurement procedures. School districts are similarly authorized to spend up to a multiplier based on enrollment and school days, but local governments are limited to a $20,000 annual threshold for the purchase of local products.

The Legislature's special Jail Study Committee heard consultants last week from the Center for Governmental Research (CGR) present their findings from their six-month study related to capacity issues at the Tompkins County Jail.

CGR's final report, received by the County last week, finds that Tompkins does not need to build a new jail or expand the number of beds in the existing jail, due both to Tompkins County population projections over the next 25 years and savings in bed days that can result from effective use and expansion of incarceration alternatives.

Senator Pamela A. Helming (R,C,I-Canandaigua) announced Thursday that Governor Andrew Cuomo signed legislation that she sponsored to allow paid and volunteer firefighters from other states to assist volunteer fire departments in New York State. The bill, S.6415, passed nearly unanimously in both the Senate and Assembly during this year's legislative session, and with the Governor's signature, it has become law after several years of effort in the State Legislature.

Many volunteer fire departments around New York State – especially in small, rural areas – already struggle with recruiting members and maintaining sufficient numbers, and significant, temporary increases in population during the summertime in these areas causes a higher demand for emergency services. At the same time, many individuals who visit these areas – often residing in New York State temporarily for several months during the tourist season – are trained and serve as firefighters in other states. By allowing these individuals who are members of fire departments in their home states to serve with volunteer fire departments in New York State, these volunteer fire departments can augment their membership during a critical time of the year.

The Tompkins County Shared Services Panel has recommended a County Shared Services Plan, based on a proposal drafted on behalf of the panel by County Administrator Joe Mareane, from three months of panel deliberations. The Plan was approved at a meeting July 19th and sent on for the next step in the process.

The Shared Services Plan will now be submitted to the County Legislature, through its Government Operations Committee. The Legislature will review the Plan, then return it to the panel for final approval. Under New York State's County-wide Shared Services Property Tax Savings Plan Law, the Final Plan, including certified savings, must be submitted to the State by September 15.

The Tompkins County Environmental Management Council (EMC) has taken a position on the issue of indoor and outdoor lighting, specifically regarding the presence of blue light in the environment.

The resolution passed by the Council at its June 8th meeting features an alert and policy recommendations for Tompkins County residents, schools, and municipalities to consider regarding excessive blue light at night in homes and the external environment.

Tompkins County released the final report from a wide-ranging, six-month-long population study related to capacity issues at the Tompkins County Jail.

The Tompkins County Legislature late last year retained the Center for Governmental Research (CGR) to conduct the criminal justice and jail population trend analysis. The Legislature initiated the jail study process after the New York State Commission of Correction announced its intent to revoke the Jail's long-standing 18-bed variance (since then, temporarily reinstated) that has allowed the Jail to operate above its 82-bed capacity.

Legislature Approves Funding for Environmental Protection Projects
The Legislature, without dissent, approved funding for two projects, under the County's new Natural Infrastructure capital program, and for a third from the County's Capital Reserve Fund for Natural, Scenic, and Recreational Resource Protection. (Legislators Carol Chock and Martha Robertson were excused.)

The Legislature allocated $15,000 in Natural Infrastructure capital funds to support the Six Mile Creek Water Protection Project, through acquisition of a perpetual conservation easement on the Lounsbery Tract in the Town of Caroline, held by the Finger Lakes Land Trust, to protect the forested buffer to Six Mile Creek and the entire farm property. The allocation is contingent upon award of $15,000 from the City of Ithaca and $250,000 in State Water Quality Improvement funds, both being sought by the Land Trust.

Lansing Democrats recently completed a highly successful petition campaign to secure ballot positions for Democratic candidates in November's elections. Candidates Walaa Maharem-Horan and Joseph Wetmore, who are running for Town Board, and Michael Koplinka-Loehr, who is running in County Legislative district 6, are pleased with the support shown them by the total of over 1200 signatures on their petitions. Wetmore, Maharem-Horan, and their team collected nearly 700 signatures, while Koplinka-Loehr's team collected 536. And Deborah Dawson, a candidate in Legislative District 10 which comprises the Villages of Cayuga Heights and Lansing, garnered over twice the number of signatures she required.

While not negating the importance of the actual number of signatures, significantly more than those gathered by their opponents, Democratic candidates were quick to point out that the most important result of their petition drive was the many positive and informative conversations they were able to have with voters. The issues discussed and problems identified will provide the candidates a sound basis for the development of a platform that is open, transparent, and responsive to the expressed needs and wishes of Lansing residents.

The Village of Lansing Board of Trustees approved a Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU) Monday that clears the way for a new sewer district in the Town of Lansing.  The new town sewer will connect to the Village of Lansing sewer system to transport material to the Village of Cayuga Heights Sewer treatment plant.  Two new developments south of Asbury Road plus The RINK will comprise Town of Lansing Sewer District #1 when the new sewer is constructed.  The MOU had previously been approved by the Town Board and the Village of Cayuga Heights.

"This will, hopefully, increase our tax base," said Lansing Supervisor Ed LaVigne..  Wouldn't it be nice to keep growing where the Comprehensive Plan wants us to grow, and to follow its guidance on growth in the south, leaving our ag land alone in the north?  This is what we're doing right now, along with increasing infrastructure in our water lines.  As we continue to increase our tax base, we look to decrease our tax rate."

Washington, DC - Representatives Diana DeGette (D-CO), Susan Brooks (R-IN) and Tom Reed (R-NY) introduced the "Protecting Access to Diabetes Supplies Act" (H.R. 3271), which would strengthen protections for Medicare beneficiaries who buy blood glucose testing supplies through the National Mail Order Competitive Bidding Program.

DeGette and Reed are the co-chairs of the Congressional Diabetes Caucus; Brooks serves as its vice-chair.

Thursday night the 'City Limits' concert at Myers Park was cancelled.  Torrential rains had subsided, but the park was flooded.  The next day rain pelted the area, floodwaters stranding cars and shoppers at the Shops at Ithaca Mall, lakeside properties, and overflowing streams, including Salmon Creek.  Area waterfalls were majestic, but that was little consolation to store owners and homeowners whose establishments were flooded.

"We had a couple of substantial issues in the Ludlowville area, which has been on the docket for some improvements at the end of this summer," says Lansing Town Highway Superintendent Charlie 'Cricket' Purcell.  "A couple of the bigger culverts were plugged, and water ran over the road.  Water ran through the foundation into the basement one house, clogging footer drains and doing some structural damage.  That was the worst damaged spot we had in the Town.  We had a lot of minor washes here and there, and a couple that were a little more substantial.  Nothing that closed roads, but a lot of little stuff."

Assemblywoman Barbara Lifton (D/WFP-125AD, Tompkins/Cortland) announced yesterday that she and NYS Assembly Committee on Environmental Conservation chair Steve Englebright have sent a letter to Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos calling on the DEC to enact a moratorium on permits and avoid approving activities that would lead to expanded salt mining under Cayuga Lake.  Lifton held a press conference at Stewart Park with the lake as a backdrop.  She and Englebright called on the DEC to halt Cargill's mining operation under Lake Cayuga and mine under dry land instead.

"During the last year I've grown increasingly troubled about the Cargill shaft permit application that could have the effect of expanding of expanding the vast salt mine directly under Cayuga Lake," Lifton said.  "These concerns are shared by many of my constituents who drink water supplied from this lake, live near the lake, or simply treasure Cayuga Lake as much as I do."