Archive: News

The Legislature, after more than an hour of discussion, approved a new Local Law to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species, such as Hydrilla, in Tompkins County.  The final approval vote was 12-1, with Legislator Dooley Kiefer voting no.  (Legislators Kathy Luz Herrera and Nathan Shinagawa were excused.) 

The new Local Law prohibits anyone from launching, hauling, or attempting to enter or exit a watercraft from a water body with any plant or animal material visible to the eye in or attached to the watercraft.  It also prohibits transportation into or within the county with such material visible or attached to such a craft, and bars anyone from introducing any invasive aquatic material into any body of water.  The law requires that any such material removed from watercraft must be discarded away from the shoreline, in a manner that prevents the items from reentering a body of water.

Awarded for Human Services Annex Renovation
The Legislature, by unanimous vote, awarded construction contracts for the renovation of the Human Services Annex, located in the 200 block of Ithaca’s West Martin Luther King, Jr./State Street, new home for the County Office for the Aging.  (Legislators Kathy Luz Herrera and Nathan Shinagawa were excused.)  Contracts were awarded to F.E. Jones Construction, Inc., of Binghamton, as General Contractor; Climate Control Technologies, Inc., of Endwell, Mechanical Contractor; Richardson Brothers of Ithaca, Electrical Contractor; and Ackerman Plumbing, Inc., Plumbing Contractor, for a total contract cost of $1,092,444.

Governor Andrew Cuomo today urged all across the state to use extra caution, as dry weather conditions have created a heightened danger of wildfires across Upstate New York.  The State is also issuing a statewide ban on residential burning for 90 days, through October 10.

“These conditions should not be taken lightly,” Governor Cuomo said. “The potential for disastrous wildfires is present in all areas of the state and we must do whatever we can to prevent fires from occurring. The State will continue to closely monitor the wildfire danger, and we will deploy whatever resources are necessary to protect New Yorkers should a critical situation occur.”

Sheriff Ken Lansing told the Lansing Town Board Wednesday that he wants to have more open communication with the town.  He invited the board to take advantage of expertise in his department, and to bring issues to him so the Sheriff's Department can be proactive in serving the community.

"I want every village and town board to know that when issues come up that you think needs to be addressed, or you need expertise from somebody in my department, we want to be asked to come to a board meeting to help you in any way we can," Lansing said.  "It's like putting a fire out before it gets started: it saves everybody a lot of extra work and a lot of trouble."

After passing a moratorium on hydrofracking and new heavy industry in the Town of Lansing the Town hired municipal planning and zoning expert Jonathan Kanter to lead the effort to update town plans and ordinances.  A key document Kanter will be reviewing and updating is Lansing's comprehensive plan.  Town officials are currently asking residents to join a new committee to work with Kanter to update the plan so it reflects the direction Lansing wants to take for the next ten to twenty years, and to include new efforts like the 2012 sewer proposal and the town center.

"The sewer plan is a huge element that the 2006 comprehensive plan didn't really have much information about," Kanter says.  "There have been a number of sewer plans over the years, but this one seems to really be coming into gear.  It's very much related to the town center plan, as well.  Those two things are big reasons to take another look at the comprehensive plan and really factor in how they are going to influence the plan."

The Town of Lansing wrote a check for $294,800 Wednesday to New York State.  It was sent by Fedex to Albany Thursday.  That virtually concludes the sale of 156 acres of land on Route 34B across from the Town ballfields.  Town Attorney Guy Krogh says the final paperwork should be back in his hands within a week or so.  Once it is signed and filed the Town will be free to develop the land as a town center.

"Once he's filed all the relevant documents with the Tompkins County Clerk it's a done deal," says Lansing Supervisor Kathy Miller.  "The land is ours with all restrictions lifted.  That's really important."

As the Lansing Sewer Committee continues to work toward its first public information meeting on August 8th, members continue to work on lowering the cost per Equivalent Dwelling unit (EDU).  Wednesday TC Miller Engineer David Herrick presented a plan for a sewer district extension that could add units that may share the cost of the project, lowering the cost for everyone in the district.  The extension revolves around the Cayuga Farms project on Triphammer Road, which has been held up for years while its developers try to find a viable waste water solution that would allow the density of development they need for the 138 condominium town house project.

Developers have explored every possible solution including routing a trunk line south on Triphammer Road to the Cayuga Heights Treatment Plant, running a trunk line east to join with the Warren Road sewer, and stand-alone on-site treatment.  None of the municipal solutions worked out so they were prepared to commit to an on-site treatment approach, but have expressed keen interest in hooking up to the new municipal sewer if it becomes available.

Assemblywoman Barbara Lifton announced today that she will be running for re-election in the 125th Assembly District. Lifton’s campaign formally turned in her designating petitions to be on the ballot for the Democratic and Working Families parties earlier today.  She will be running for her 6th term, having served since 2003.

“I am greatly looking forward to a campaign focusing on my record of protecting the health, safety, and security of working families in the district and across the state. This election comes at a critical time for New York. I will continue to work to strengthen the the middle class, while fighting against environmental destruction,the growing corporate influence in our state and country, and the backwards economic policies that the Tea Party brought us in 2010,” said Lifton.  “To me, the choice is pretty clear.”

The Lansing Fireworks last Monday was a success.  An estimated 3,000 people came to Myers Park to see the fireworks and listen to the bands, not counting those who viewed the fireworks from the water or off-site.  Burgers were consumed, a comprehensive traffic plan greatly improved egress from the park after the event, the firework show was spectacular, and a good time was had by all.

Well... almost all.  A team of four scalpers tried taking advantage of the event, selling items around the park until they were stopped by fireworks organizers with the help of Tompkins County Sheriff's Deputies.  When confronted by the event organizer these people were belligerent and lied to her.  She called them on it, then called another volunteer to get a Deputy to come down to the Community Council tent to help her deal with the situation.  The Deputy took names and escorted the scalpers out of the park.

Legislature Approves TC3 Budget, Master Plan
The Legislature, by unanimous vote, adopted the 2012-2013 operating budget for Tompkins Cortland Community College (TC3). No one spoke at a public hearing preceding the vote.  The $37.5 million budget includes a total sponsoring community contribution of about $4.3 million (split between Tompkins and Cortland Counties), a 1% in sponsor contribution over the current year’s budget.  Tompkins’ share of the sponsor contribution is $2.7 million (63%), based on a funding formula related to the proportion of students enrolled from each county.   The Cortland County Legislature has already approved the budget.

The House of Representatives on Friday passed landmark legislation, which provides two years of steady federal funding through the Highway Bill. Its passage allows New York state to invest in our ailing roads and bridges. It maintains level funding and New York’s historic share of the federal transportation programs.

The Lansing Town Board Monday struggled to find a way to legally give the town library building to the Lansing Community Library (LCL).  Town attorney Guy Krogh told the board they can not simply give the building away, at least not legally. But he said New York State Comptroller opinions allow a municipality to deed the building to another public agency by passing a local law.

"You can't give away capital assets except in rare circumstances, and this is one of them," Krogh said.  "So Because it is a public agency the Town cannot give the property to the library.  That's prohibited.  But it can by local law it can because it would not be superseding a general law.  There are a lot of comptroller-related opinions on this kind of thing."