Archive: News

Last Week Lansing Highway Superintendent Jack French told the Town Board he hoped to get a final permit to dredge gravel banks that have built up in Salmon Creek.  The project will help alleviate ice dams that build up near a railroad trestle between Cayuga Lake and Myers Road, and threatens nearby homes with flooding.  After three years of waiting and conflicting requirements, French finally had two permits in hand last week.  With a looming deadline for completing the work, another required permit had not been issued this week.

"We finally got the permit from New York State DEC to get in the creek and dredge it," French said.  "Then we were told we had to wait for another permit to be able to dump what we take out of the creek onto Salt Point.  We waited a couple of weeks for that, and now we're told we have to wait for a permit from the Army Corps of Engineers."

One way to gauge the severity of the season is to monitor the amount of snow plowing needed.  After last year's warm winter, Lansing is back to a more normal season, at least as far as plowing is concerned.  Last week Highway Superintendent Jack French reported on what it has taken this year to keep Lansing's roads clear.

"We're obviously well ahead of last year's winter," French said.  "Since January first we are at an average of 70 hours of overtime per man.  Last year we were at 49 and a half for the entire season."

Administrative shortcomings in the School Tax Relief (STAR) program have resulted in duplicate and improper exemptions going to individuals or entities not eligible to receive them, according to an audit released today by New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. Auditors estimate these exemptions cost New York State $13 million during the 2010-11 fiscal year and could top $73 million by the 2015-16 fiscal year.

“The STAR program has succeeded in delivering million of dollars in tax relief, but it is difficult to ferret out abuse or even errors because it is hard to police the program. STAR exemptions could be easily gamed at a significant cost to the state,” said DiNapoli. “New York cannot afford these abuses. Some local assessors have taken it upon themselves to track down improper exemptions but state and local officials need to work together to ensure legitimate tax breaks are only provided to those homeowners entitled to receive them.”

Rep. Tom Reed spent his time in the 23rd district last week holding a series of conference calls with hospital administrators, school superintendents, college presidents, and local elected officials, in addition to a number of meetings with groups including AARP and constituents throughout the district. These discussions were part of a continued outreach plan to remain proactive and keep the lines of communication open with local residents.

“What I am hearing around the district from our mayors, superintendents, those in the healthcare field – all types of groups in our community – is overwhelming support for the need to cut spending to combat our debt crisis as well as a renewed call for no additional tax increases,” Reed said. “While people are understandably concerned about the looming sequester cuts and their impact on our communities, they realize intuitively that in order to get out of this crisis, we need to get spending under control. It is time the President and Democratic Party recognize their tax increases are further hurting an already burdened taxpayer base.”

In the first of two meetings with legislative standing committees, County Administrator Joe Mareane today asked the Legislature’s Budget, Capital, and Personnel Committee to review a recommended approach to examining the County’s Livable Wage policy.  Mareane said his proposal establishes a recommended framework for a constructive discussion that can lead to a workable policy that clearly reflects the values and intent of the Legislature.  The Legislature’s Government Operations Committee considers the matter tomorrow.

Ten years ago, the County adopted a Livable Wage Policy requiring consideration of “the wage levels and benefits, particularly health care, provided by contractors when awarding bids or negotiating contracts, and to encourage the payment of livable wages whenever practical and reasonable.”  Recent questions regarding wage levels paid under a County contract have sparked a discussion regarding whether the current policy should be strengthened and, perhaps, be made mandatory.

Lansing Board Of Education (BOE) President David Dittman announced Monday that the board intends to vote on whether to remove the 'Acting' from Acting Superintendent Chris Pettograsso's title.  Pettograsso was appointed Acting Superintendent last fall after Superintendent Stephen Grimm announced his resignation.

"We intend to enter into discussions with Chris Pettograsso, our Acting Superintendent, about becoming our Superintendent of the Lansing School District," Dittman said.  "In this regard she will schedule meetings with the various constituents as a vehicle for us to obtain feedback for the Board of Education."

Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Regional Director Kenneth Lynch came to Lansing Wednesday to answer questions and explain the process of turning pproximately 490 acres of landincluding 3,400 feet of shoreline into a wildlife management area or state forest.  Lynch stressed that there is no project at this stage, and there won't be one unless the Town indicates it wants one.  Town Supervisor Kathy Miller says she won't vote to support the project unless all questions are answered about the impact on town expenses, revenues, enforcement and other responsibilities.

"You have to consider everyting going forward," she said.  "Once it's done it's done.  And it's not just the people in this room who think it is a great idea.  Everybody needs to provide some sort of input.  Then we'll decide as a baord how feasible this is.  Even though I think it's a great idea I have a lot of questions."

Town Attorney Guy Krogh suggested the Lansing Town Board consider authorizing a contempt of court order to protect neighbors from a dangerous dog.  Krogh told the board that the owner has three dogs that are allowed to run free.  One in particular has been involved in multiple incidents in which people have been attacked.  Krogh declined to name the owner in the public Town Board meeting Wednesday, but he offered the board a possible remedy, saying the owner has refused to comply with previous court rulings.

"There is a person that has dogs that are frequently at large," Krogh told the board.  "One of them has already been adjudicated as a dangerous dog.  This dog was at large and attacked the same person for the third time."

In his annual State of the College message to the County Legislature, Dr. Carl Haynes said he is optimistic about the future of Tompkins Cortland Community College in continuing to effectively serve the people of its communities.  But he also expressed concerns about significant challenges that TC3, and most other community colleges, face in the near-term that affect their ability to fulfill their mission.

Dr. Haynes reported that both fall and spring semester enrollment at TC3 declined by about 6%, stemming primarily from higher academic standards at the College and subtle changes restricting outside financial aid.  He said the College has adjusted this year’s budget to reduce spending by $500,000—and will seek approval to use $250,000 in reserve funds to help fill that gap.

Industrial Development Agency Appointments Approved
The Legislature, by a vote of 9-3, approved Chair Martha Robertson’s appointments to the County Industrial Development Agency.  (Legislators Leslyn McBean-Clairborne, Kathy Luz Herrera, and Dooley Kiefer voted no; Legislators Carol Chock, Frank Proto, and Pam Mackesey were excused.)  Reappointed to one-year terms were Legislators Nathan Shinagawa, Jim Dennis, Will Burbank, and Robertson, who will continue as chair of the IDA.  Appointed for two-year terms, as at-large members, were Larry Baum, who will continue as representative of Tompkins County Area Development, and Ithaca architect Grace Chiang, who is new to the IDA.  City of Ithaca Mayor Svante Myrick, appointed by resolution last year, will continue as an at-large member until the completion of his two-year term.

Lansing Central School District and programs that rent busses from the schools are finding it hard to transport children because of a bus driver shortage.  The district has enough busses, but not enough qualified drivers to operate them.  Business Administrator Mary June King says the situation has caused Transportation Supervisor Roger Dedrick to work above and beyond what is reasonable.

"We are aggressively pursuing trying to find new bus drivers," King said last week.  "We're just not seeing folks lining up looking for these jobs."

The Lansing Town Board scheduled a public hearing Wednesday for a proposed law to impose a six month moratorium on business and commercial signage in the town.  A previous sign ordinance was part of the Town's zoning laws until it was inadvertently repealed when Lansing zoning was updated in 2005.

"It will deal with just commercial and signs relating to places of business," Town Attorney Guy Krogh said.  "It is a six month moratorium because you need time to put a local law into place.  Whether it's an amendment to the zoning ordinance or a stand-alone law is something you would wrestle with.  As of now we have nothing."