Archive: News

After many months of study through its Capital Plan Review Committee, the Legislature, meeting in special session, tonight approved relocation of County Legislature Chambers and offices to the second floor of the historic Old County Courthouse, space currently used as a Supreme Courtroom.  After more than two hours of presentation and deliberation, the vote to proceed with the decision and a favored design schematic was 13-1, with Legislator Leslyn McBean-Clairborne voting no.  (Legislator Kathy Luz Herrera was excused.)

Through its action, the Legislature commits to moving into the Supreme Courtroom “as soon as is practical,” but no later than the end of this year.   The Legislature also identified its favored floor plan for the space—one of numerous potential designs prepared by HOLT Architects and that recommended by the Capital Committee—as the best option available, “making good use of the space while largely preserving the historical nature of the room at a cost that is likely to be modest and cost-effective.”   The building, built in 1854, is the oldest Gothic Revival courthouse in New York State.

	Village of Lansing Voters: All four candidates will be participating at a moderated Candidates Forum on April 22, 4:00 - 5:00 at the Ramada Inn, 2310 North Triphammer Road.

John O'Neil is running for his third term as Village Trustee.  He and his wife Germaine have lived in the Village for 11 years, and he says they love living there.  He has two sons and a step daughter.

"I like the Community Party which I joined 10 years ago," he says.  "No politics… just solutions for the Village of Lansing!  I’ve served for 8 years on the Board of Trustees, no politics… just solutions for the Village."

O'Neil talked with the Lansing Star about his candidacy this week.

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U.S. Representative Richard Hanna was honored with the National Association of Development Organization’s (NADO) “2012 House of Representatives Legislator of the Year.” Congressman Hanna was selected for the award based on “outstanding leadership and support of federal policies and programs that support regional and local economic competitiveness initiatives,” NADO officials announced.

The NADO National Leadership Award is presented annually.  The award that was presented to Congressman Hanna displays a photograph of a local landmark - the Utica Public Library.

All residential brush burning is prohibited in smaller communities during the state's historically high fire-risk period from March 16 through May 14, state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Joe Martens reminded New Yorkers today.

"This time of year has the most risk of fires and the risk is even greater this year due to the extremely mild winter we've seen across the state," Commissioner Martens said. "Since the open burning regulation passed in 2009, there have been fewer fires reported in New York state. In an effort to protect the health and safety of our children, families and our natural environment, we remind residents that brush burning is banned statewide beginning this week."

A vision was presented to the Lansing Town Planning Board Monday that could begin to make a town center a reality as early as a year or two from now.  NRP Group's Vice President of Development Chris Dirr presented a comprehensive proposal that could eventually mean 420 new housing units including a mixture of senior market rate and affordable apartments, patio homes, cottage style senior housing, and garden style units, as well as green space, parks, a dog park, and commercial and professional buildings and a business and technology park.

"It's a terrific idea," Planning Board member Larry Sharpsteen said.  "It's just exactly what we were hoping for for this land for as long as we've been talking about it."

Anne DrakeLansing School Board President Anne Drake read a statement Monday in support of the proposed $26 million budget the board will put before the public in a May vote.  The budget reflects 2.69% growth ($680,535 more than the current school budget) and a 2% increase in the school tax levy.  Taxpayers will have to make up fo a drastic drop in the value of the AES Cayuga power plant value.  That will account for 3% of an estimated 4.5% rise in the tax rate.

"As a board member and community member I feel compelled to offer a summary of my thoughts regarding the budget development this year, and the overall function of the school in this community.

Tompkins County officials today recognized Assemblywoman Barbara Lifton and State Senators Thomas O'Mara, James Seward, and Michael Nozzolio for their efforts in securing essential State funding to address the Hydrilla infestation in the Cayuga Lake Inlet.

The Hydrilla Task Force, which includes representatives from the City of Ithaca, Tompkins County, the Tompkins County Soil and Water District, the State Parks, and scientific experts from Cornell University and Ithaca College, have coordinated their efforts and lobbied hard to educate Albany lawmakers about the problem and push for the financial assistance needed to eradicate Hydrilla and prevent its spread.

Residents of a new lakefront development asked Village of Lansing Trustees to do something about safety and crime issues in their neighborhood Monday.  They reported that the new 'The Seasons On Cayuga' development is being used for underage drinking, sexual encounters, and auto racing, and other activities they fear will lead to possible accidents, and asked Trustees to intervene with the Sheriff's department to patrol the area.

"We're not here to object to public access to our neighborhood," resident Neil Tarallo told the Trustees.  "During the day, particularly on weekends and after dark I think the intent of the Village of Lansing for that public access is not being adhered to by the public."

Lansing Supervisor Kathy Miller, Andy Sciarabba, and David Herrick met with top New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation (EFC) officials in Albany Tuesday.  They were there to talk about obtaining a loan and favorable interest rates to help bring down the cost of a proposed town sewer system.

"What was exciting about yesterday's meeting is that the executive staff was there, the upper crust of that group," Herrick said.  "We've got faces and names and phone numbers and I think that's going to help in keeping this project fresh in their minds."

Barbara LiftonNew York State Assemblywoman Barbara Lifton announced Sunday that she will not run for Congress this year.

“Over the weeks since Congressman Hinchey announced his retirement, I've been asked many times if I would be running for Congress. The decision to run for federal office is one that shouldn't be taken lightly. After much reflection and consultation with friends, family, and supporters, I have decided that I will continue the fight for the health and security of middle class families in the New York State Assembly. I look forward to working for re-election in the 125th district once again.”

As the first step toward consideration by the full County Legislature, the Legislature’s Government Operations Committee today formally received the final report from the Tompkins County Independent Redistricting Commission on reconfiguration of County legislative districts.

Commission Chair Dr. Henrik Dullea, presented the Commission’s unanimous recommendation for a 14-member Legislature and described the process the Commission used to reach its recommendation over nine months of deliberations — during which it reached out for input through several public hearings, pored over at least 28 maps, and studied alternatives ranging from a 13- to 17-member legislature.

Responding to a proposal from local hunter, the Legislature considered, but declined to support making a request to the State Legislature to enact legislation to allow rifle hunting for Big Game (deer) in Tompkins County.  The vote was 4-10, with Legislators Peter Stein, Jim Dennis, David McKenna, and Brian Robison voting in favor (Legislator Kathy Luz Herrera was excused).

Under the measure, the Legislature would have asked that special legislation be adopted amending the Environmental Conservation Law relating to the use of rifles for Big Game hunting within the County, and that such action be completed so that it could be in effect by the 2012 deer season.  Advocates point out that many counties throughout the state permit rifle hunting, that nearby Cortland, Schuyler, Ontario, and Madison Counties have passed similar resolutions supporting such legislation, and that there has been no increase in the incidence of hunting accidents since such rifle hunting has been permitted in the state.