Archive: News

Webster, NY – “I don’t have much, but I want my grandson to have a better future,” said the Grandmother from Webster as she put a handful of change into the Ziploc baggie.  With that, Paloma Capanna secured her 1,000th individual donation in her “Change-for-Change” fundraising drive that has had her door-knocking throughout the 54th Senate District since June 3rd.
 
“Near everyone I speak with is fed up with Albany,” described Capanna, “Our campaign has attracted supporters who, like me, want to achieve the goal of reforming Albany from within by winning this election.”

Ludlowville residents came to Lansing Town Hall Wednesday to learn what is going to be done about storm water and flooding that has caused substantial damage to the hamlet over many years.  Tompkins County Senior Planner Scott Doyle hosted the meeting th get input from the effected residents, and to outline a $480,000 project that will improve drainage and help to avoid future damage.

"When I was first briefed on the Ludlowville project there were two things of note," Doyle said.  "One was the complexities of the flooding issues here.  Secondly it struck me how important this project is in your community.  Part of that is evidenced by all of you coming together to work on this project."

On at least four occasions people sounding off to the Star about an issue they were angry at the Town of Lansing about have also implied, but not for print, that Supervisor Scott Pinney's business dealings with the Town are suspect.  Each specifically mentioned Pinney's wife Tracy's purchase early this year of Genoa Sand and Gravel, which has been a major supplier to the Lansing Highway Department for about ten years, and incidentally employs Deputy Supervisor Connie Wilcox part time as bookkeeper.  When pressed none has offered any evidence of wrongdoing, or has been willing to go on the record.

Pinney was willing to go on the record about the challenges that face him as both a business owner and elected official.  "When I ran my campaign I stated I would no longer do contract work with the town through my business once I was elected," Pinney says.  "Alex Cole Paving hasn't done any business with the town.  However, my wife's business does.  The Town still rents equipment and they are buying gravel from Genoa Sand and Gravel.  As far as I know the Highway Department has been buying gravel out there for years."

The Town of Lansing and Tompkins County will host a meeting to discuss flooding, drainage, and erosion concerns in the hamlet of Ludlowville. Issues of discussion will include flooding and erosion associated with the existing culvert on Ludlowville Road over a feeder stream to Salmon Creek, as well as bank overflow problems along Salmon Creek near the Community Park and neighboring area. All residents affected by these concerns are urged to attend.

The Tompkins County Planning Department, in cooperation with the Town, Tompkins County Highway, and Tompkins County Soil and Water Conservation District, has contracted with Barton & Loguidice, P.C. and TG Miller Associates to complete a full engineering study of these problems so that possible solutions may be evaluated. The study is being funded in part through the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation's Water Quality Improvement Project program. The Ludlowville community's input and observations concerning this matter are welcomed and needed to guide the process toward a successful conclusion.

Joe Mareane Appointed County Administrator
The Tompkins County Legislature tonight made it official, by unanimous vote appointing Joe Mareane as the County’s next County Administrator.  Mareane, currently Chief Fiscal Officer for Onondaga County, is appointed effective October 21 (to permit overlap with outgoing Administrator Steve Whicher) and will become County Administrator as of October 28.  The Legislature’s action confirms the selection of Mr. Mareane, following a more than year-long search to fill the leadership position.  (Legislators Martha Robertson, Pam Mackesey, Mike Hattery and Tyke Randall were excused from the meeting and did not participate in the vote.)

The Legislature also officially thanked retiring County Administrator Whicher, who will leave his position as of October 27, expressing its “gratitude for the many years of service which he has committed to the public good of all residents in Tompkins County.”

Lansing residents told the Town Board that they want to spend more money next year so that the Tompkins County SPCA will continue providing dog control in the Town of Lansing.  "I strongly urge the Town of Lansing, a progressive town, and I hope a humane town, to support the SPCA and use their services for dog and cat control," said Donna Scott, a Lansing resident who volunteers at the SPCA.  "I would be willing for my taxes to go up a little bit to pay the difference in the cost."

Last year the cost to Lansing for dog control rose by 50% to $32,499.  This year it could rise as much as an additional 74% if Lansing accepts a proposal to maintain services.  An alternative proposal subtracts emergency veterinary care from that contract with a price rise to $29,790, or 60.05%.  Or the Town could choose a proposal for $18,600 from Country Acres, a Homer based shelter.

Lansing's Board of Education (BOE) voted Monday to set the tax rate at $17.76 per $1,000 of assessed value at their meeting Monday.  That will bring $165,000 extra dollars to the district, above the $14,729,065 they said they needed from taxpayers when the $22,838,912 budget was passed last Spring.

"What you put out there using the word 'proposed' was a tax levy of $14,729,065," explained Business Administrator Mary June King.  "That was projected to be at a tax rate of $17.96 per thousand dollars (of assessed value).  What happened is that the value of the assessed property in the district is actually higher than the County Assessor's office had estimated for Mr. Klemm in March.  I spoke with him and he said that is his policy, that he will always underestimate it because the opposite would be a nightmare for us."

(Left to right)  Glenn Cobb, Richard Thaler, David Dittman, Sandi Dhimitri, BOE President Anne Drake, Superintendent Stephen Grimm, Glenn Swanson, Michael Cheatham

Lansing Fire Commissioners did not seem surprised at Tuesday's meeting when they were asked to accept Kimberly Spencer's resignation from the commission.  Commissioners Robert Wagner, Alvin Parker, and Larry Creighton voted to accept the resignation, retroactive to August 1st, the date Spencer submitted it.  "She's had a lot going on in her life," Wagner said.  "She decided it wasn't working out."

That leaves a three year and four month hole in the district, which seats five commissioners, each for a five year term, and a treasurer.  One seat is open for election each year.  Spencer began serving in January of 2007.  "She's got three more years on her term," explained Chairman Wagner.  "In December there will be two seats up for election, my position and a three year position to finish her term.  If we appointed someone they could only serve until the end of this year before we had to take it to a vote anyways."

Tuesday evening voters decided whether the Lansing Fire District should sell two adjacent vacant lots it owns across the street from Station 5 on Oakcrest Road in the Village of Lansing.  Well, a few voters, that is.  The resolution passed 20 to 9.  Low turnout  is not unusual for an off-season election on a non-controversial question.  But Lansing Fire Commissioners are required to ask the public for permission when the value of an item is more than $50,000.

"It sits there and it's not feasible for a station that we want," says Commissioner Jeff Walter.  "Every year we don't put it back on the tax maps we're losing tax dollars.  Everybody is -- the fire district and everybody else.  We don't intend to use it so we might as well get rid of it."

For years Lansing residents have bought fruit and vegetables from Bob Foster, who sets up his truck on a little patch of land east of the Lansing United Methodist Church.  But not everyone is thrilled that he is there.  Ray Reynolds, who grows and sells 500 different varieties of apples from his home only yards away says that he loses $70 or $80 of business per day, because of Foster's stand.  Foster's stand is in an R2 (Residential - Moderate Density) zone, which does not allow roadside stands, and Reynolds has asked town officials to do something about it.  "They're not enforcing the zoning, because it's not allowed," Reynolds says.  "If it's not allowed how is the guy still there?"

But town officials have been stymied by a series of confusing and conflicting laws and regulations, some of which are out of their control.  Lansing Code Enforcement Officer Dick Platt says he must have the facts before he can issue a ticket.  And the facts in this case depend on who you talk to.

Patricia Buechel Confirmed as New Probation Director
County Administrator Steve Whicher has appointed Patricia Buechel as Tompkins County’s Director of Probation and Community Justice.  The Legislature tonight confirmed the appointment by unanimous vote (with Legislator Tyke Randall absent); the New York State Division of Probation and Correctional Alternatives also has confirmed the appointment.  Ms. Buechel was sworn in as director July 24th.

Patricia Buechel enters the director’s position with 20 years of service to the Probation Department.  First hired as a probation officer in August 1988, she advanced to Senior Probation Officer in 1999, and was then promoted to Probation Supervisor in 2005.  Ms. Buechel holds a Bachelor’s degree from the State University of New York at Cortland.

UTICA, NY – U.S. Representative Michael A. Arcuri (D-Utica) hosted the opening meeting of his Higher Education Advisory Committee Wednesday, hearing from university and college presidents, professors and administrators about the needs of local educational institutions and students.

“My objective today was to listen to the experts and learn where local institutions need federal support and how we can work together to educate tomorrow’s workforce,” Arcuri said. “Today was about economic development and how we can help make our colleges and universities, which already serve as economic engines, stronger and more integrated into our communities. We also discussed how working together our colleges can build synergy within Central New York and the Southern Tier to make our area an alternative energy production center for the country.”