Archive: News

Kathy Miller wants to be on the Lansing Town Board to increase communication with the community, to help plan for sustainable growth, and preserve the town's rural character and farmland.  She has lived in Lansing with her husband Bill since 1986, and have three grown children 29, 24, and 21.  She holds a BS in Biology from Wilkes University, and has worked at Purdue University, the Unicersity of Pennsylvania, and Cornell in immunology, virology, and medical genetics.  She has also worked as a teaching assistant at Lansing schools, and was Director of the Lansing Drop-in Center.

On Monday she dropped by the Lansing Star to talk about her candidacy and her vision for the town.

Only five days after Village of Lansing Mayor Donald Hartill vowed to contain speeding on Cayuga Heights Road two weeks ago, a small pickup truck with an extended cab hit the guard rail not far from the Mayor's house, launched over it, then hit some trees and brush, flipped multiple times over a creek, and landed upside down onto a lawn or a rental property Hartill owns.  The driver was trapped underneath the brake pedal and dash, and two passengers managed to crawl out.  The accident occurred around 6am on October 10th.

"It was a difficult extrication," says Lansing Fire Chief Scott Purcell.  "The extrication we practice down in the yard is when the truck is on its wheels.  We had to do it backwards and upside down that morning."

A public hearing to consider the proposed Lansing Fire District budget took exactly two minutes and thirteen seconds Tuesday evening, largely because nobody showed up.  But the news was good for Lansing taxpayers, who will pay a penny less than anticipated, and who will not be asked to pony up any additional taxes to pay for a capital improvement project that will expand Central Station.

"We have a budget of $1,387, 153 of which we're going to raise by property taxes, $1,327,153, which is approximately 98 cents per $1000," said Fire District Treasurer George Gesslein.  "As far as our relation to our statutory spending limitations we could raise an additional $520,000 if we needed it.  But we don't need to do it."

New York State Senator Mike Nozzolio announced last Friday that Governor Paterson had signed legislation he sponsored and enacted that will remove deed restrictions on 146.831 acres of land north of Route 34 B from New York State.  The restrictions limited use of the land to recreation, town hall, and town community center uses.  This legislation removes those restrictions and clears a major hurdle so that the Town can use the land for a town center and business park.

“The Town of Lansing is one of the fastest growing communities in the Finger Lakes Region and this legislation will allow Lansing to move forward and reach its goals for economic development,” said Senator Nozzolio.

Legislature Accepts Report on Indigent Defense

The Legislature received and adopted recommendations of the Task Force on Indigent Representation, which over eight months examined alternatives to effectively deliver legal services to county residents who cannot afford legal representation.  The vote was unanimous, with Legislators Mike Hattery, Kathy Luz Herrera and Tyke Randall absent.  The report finds that the County’s Assigned Counsel program provides high quality representation at lower cost than would a public defender model or any other combination of services, but also recommends modifications to improve training, accountability and workflow.  Legislators expressed their deep gratitude to the Task Force for its thorough and dedicated work over many months..  Legislator Leslyn McBean-Clairborne also thanked former County Administrator Steve Whicher for initiating the matter for study last year.

President Obama, backed by financial analysts, Congress, and his own cabinet, declared that many of sectors of our economy were “too big to fail.”  So the Great American Giveaway (GAG) was set in place earlier this year.  Essentially, we were told that our tax dollars would rescue the ailing auto industry, the financial industry and the banking industry.  Anything short of a bailout would result in a global economic collapse and complete chaos.

With grimaces and some arm twisting, we went along with the plan hoping for the best. Americans from all walks of life have had to sacrifice much and endure daily uncertainty during the economic crisis.

(Ithaca, NY) – October 21, 2009 – Since the beginning of October, The Tompkins County Health Department (TCHD) has been receiving a limited supply of H1N1 vaccine. New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) requires that TCHD and other local health departments provide the vaccine to health care workers and first responders who include emergency medical/fire services and law enforcement. Health care workers and first responders have been designated as a priority group because they are in regular contact with vulnerable people in health care settings who would be at serious risk of complications from the disease. Since October 9, TCHD has provided over 400 vaccinations to this group.

Tompkins County Administrator Joe Mareane has issued the Tompkins County Quarterly Indicators Report for October 2009.  The report uses the most recent data available to provide insights into the major social, economic and fiscal trends that impact Tompkins County and its budget.

“As it has throughout this year, the global recession continues to dominate the County’s fiscal and social environment,” Administrator Mareane states.  “The third quarter saw sustained levels of general economic distress in the form of high unemployment, low consumer confidence, and price deflation. The effects of the recession on the County’s fiscal health were reflected in high human service caseloads and continued deterioration of sales tax revenue and investment income.”

Phase one of the construction of the 1791 North Log Cabin was completed Wednesday.  Workers finished the roof, boarded up the windows and doors, and removed machinery from the site.  Highway Superintendent Jack French says the grounds around the cabin will be leveled within the next week or so, and grass replanted next Spring.  The last piece to go up before winter will be a small kiosk that will display a sign explaining what the cabin is and a bit about its history.

Community Council President Ed LaVigne says he wants to raise another five to seven thousand dollars to pay for a few overages, and for materials for chinking, a plaster-like treatment that fills the spaces between the logs, and perhaps period-style doors and windows.  The chinking will be done next spring as well, letting the air circulate through the cabin throughout the winter to help dry out the logs.  Information about donating, detailed history of the cabin, and a picture gallery of the construction in Myers Park is posted on www.NorthLogCabin.com .

Mike Sigler's mailer talks about his accomplishments in his first term representing the Town of Lansing on the Tompkins County Legislature.  In big letters it says, 'But Mike's Not Done.'  Sigler sat down with the Lansing Star last week to talk about what he thinks is important for the coming term, and why he is the man to do it.

Sigler has lived in Lansing for just over four years with his wife Sarah, their daughter and his step son.  He is an Account Executive for Park Communications, and works with a technology firm, IDI.

Pat Prior has been active in Tompkins County politics and the Democratic Party for many years.  She first came to Lansing in 1962 and stayed for eight years while teaching at Lansing Elementary School.  She moved back here in 2004 and has been active in the Tompkins County and Lansing Democratic Committees.

She sat down with the Lansing Star last week to talk about why she is running and what she will bring to the job if she is elected.