Archive: News

The latest twist in an isolated neighborhood disagreement that blew up into a major issue for the Town of Lansing resulted in the failure to pass a moratorium on new signs in the town.  Concerns about the length of the moratorium, its impact on attracting new business to Lansing, and impediments to replacing damaged existing signs were not satisfactorily addressed for some residents attending Wednesday's Town Board meeting.

"We're working very hard on a sign ordinance and it will not take six months to get it done," Lansing Town Supervisor Kathy Miller said.  "So everybody understands, if we don't have a moratorium and we don't have a sign law then anybody can put up anything. If you're happy with that, then so be it.  We're doing it only to protect the Town while we don't have a sign law."

The Lansing Town Board unanimously passed an extension to the Town's moratorium on high impact commercial and industrial activities Wednesday.  The original one year moratorium was passed into law last May to protect the town against the threat of hydrofracking while the town updates ordinances and plans to offer permanent protection against potential environmental and road damage to town property.  The new law extends the moratorium for another year and includes one minor clarification of permitted business uses to protect existing businesses in the town.

Town officials and committees are in the process of updating zoning laws and the town's comprehensive plan.  The moratorium is crafted to allow time for the work of Town Center Committee, the Comprehensive Plan Committee, the Pathways Committee, the Codes Committee, the Oil & Gas Committee, as well as what officials deem 'key drivers of the future' including the comprehensive plan and zoning efforts, including the South Lansing sewer initiative.

Village of Lansing Trustees approved bids Monday for a new Village office.  The 2662 square foot $1.2 million building will house offices for the Village Clerk, Codes Department, Department of Public Works, the Village Trustees, and a meeting room.  Although the project will cost significantly more than anticipated a year ago, Mayor Donald Hartill says it will not cost taxpayers any additional taxes.

"Our goal is to have the shovel in the ground by the first of June," Hartill said.  "The expectation is it can be completed before the heavy snow."

The Legislature once again urged a ban or moratorium on high volume horizontal hydraulic fracturing in New York State—supporting bills pending in the State legislature that would, if enacted, support either a statewide ban on fracking or impose a two-year moratorium on it—and calls for the regulatory review process to begin again in light of apparent conflicts of interest.  The vote was 13-1, with Legislator Brian Robison voting no and Legislator Jim Dennis excused.

The measure cites apparent conflicts of interest on the part of several consultants employed by the State Department of Environmental Conservation in the development of the regulatory document, the Supplemental Generic Environmental Impact Statement (SGEIS), including its socioeconomic analysis, since they have been identified as members of the Independent Oil and Gas Alliance of New York, the leading advocacy group in favor of permitting gas extraction through fracking.

Bonding Authorized for $6.5 Million in Capital Projects
In three separate votes, the Legislature approved the issuance of serial bonds and notes to support nearly $6.5 million in County capital projects—up to $4.3 million to help support road and highway reconstruction improvements; up to $1.65 million to pay a portion of the cost of repairing or replacing county bridges;  and up to $470,000 to help support the cost of a voice-over-internet protocol telephone system, which will extend such service to all County departments.  All three bonding resolutions were approved without dissent.  (Legislator Jim Dennis was excused.)

Senator Mike Nozzolio and Assemblyman Mark Johns honored Webster Police Lieutenant Michael “Chip” Chiapperini Wednesday at the annual Police Officers’ Memorial Remembrance Ceremony in Albany.  Lt. Michael Chiapperini was murdered as he responded to a fire call on Christmas Eve day, along with the West Webster Fire Department, of which he was a volunteer member.

Nozzolio and Johns were joined at today’s memorial ceremony by Lt. Chiapperini’s wife, Kim, his mother, Marcia, children, Nick, Kacie, Kylie and several other family members. Webster Police Chief Gerald Pickering and members of the Webster Police Department also attended today’s memorial.

Continuing its examination of how the County could vacate the Old County Library building, the Legislature’s Capital Plan Review Committee today reviewed updated preliminary concept drawings prepared by LaBella Architects, showing how the Community Justice Center Day Reporting Program, now located in the Old Library, might be accommodated in a slightly expanded County Human Services Building.  Members of the committee also toured the space that would be affected in the southern part of the building, adjacent to the Beverly Livesay Conference Room.

Reviewing two alternate approaches, the Committee directed the architects to produce more detailed information on one of the options, which proposes a 1,600 square foot one-story bump-out at the building’s southeast corner.  Under that proposed floor plan, Day Reporting would be located at the southwest corner, Department of Social Services interview rooms relocated from there to the southeast, where the conference room is currently located, and extending into the addition, along with a relocated Livesay Conference Room, reduced to about 60% of its current size.

The Lansing Sewer Committee met Wednesday to hone plans on providing accurate and complete information about the $10.8 million sewer to the public.  The discussion focussed on creating a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document that can be used in presentations and posted on the Town Web Site, and on identifying neighborhoods and potential hosts for home presentations.

51 questions were submitted at the Lansing Middle School Auditorium presentation (available on the Town Web site for viewing) last month.  About 20 of them were duplicates, leaving around 30 unique questions, and committee members plan to expand the FAQ as more questons arise.  Committee Member CJ DelVecchio said she will divide the questions into categories for easy reference.  Questions roughly broke down by financial, project specifications, quality of life, expansion, and exemptions.

Following reports that some Members of Congress are seeking exemption from Obamacare for themselves, Rep. Tom Reed stands in opposition to the exemption, saying lawmakers who helped enact the law must endure its consequences.

“Members of Congress should not be exempt from following the same guidelines all Americans are expected to follow,” Reed said. “What we’re seeing are the same Democrats who voted for Obamacare – those who were vocal about how great the law would be for all Americans – now trying to work their way out of having to comply.”

Dryden, NY – On Saturday, April 27, Martha Robertson, chair of the Tompkins County Legislature and candidate for the House of Representatives in the 23rd Congressional District, made a keynote presentation on economic development to the New York State Democratic Rural Conference at the annual meeting in Saratoga Springs. Her speech demonstrated her wealth of experience and success fostering economic development and creating jobs, and illustrating how Robertson’s experience and leadership would benefit all of New York’s 23rd Congressional District.

With unemployment at 5.3% last month, Tompkins County has the lowest rate in the state. Robertson has been a long-time leader in economic development in the county. In addition to her position on the legislature, she has served on the Industrial Development Agency (IDA) since 2006, which she has chaired since 2010, and is a board member of Tompkins County Area Development (TCAD) and the Chamber of Commerce.

Congressman Tom Reed’s new district office in Ithaca will open Thursday, May 2nd. The office, located in the Gateway Center Building, 401 East State Street in Ithaca, will be open to constituents every Tuesday and Thursday from 10:00am until 4:00pm. An upcoming open house will also be held.

“Between our five district offices, satellite office hours, town and tele-town halls, we’re always looking for ways to reach out and make ourselves available to constituents,” Reed said. “Our Ithaca office will provide those in the eastern part of our district with an additional resource to seek assistance and share concerns.”

Attorney Joe Cassidy announced his candidacy Tuesday for County Judge.

“I am excited to run,” said Cassidy, “and I believe I have the necessary experience in both criminal court and family court to carry out the responsibilities of the County Judge.”