Archive: News

Tempers flared at Lansing's Sewer Committee meeting Wednesday when Village Trustee Frank Moore told the committee that Village officials have not considered alternate scenarios to the Route 34 sewer trunk line choice.  Town officials are anxious to choose a route and get the project moving, but have extended deadlines several times to allow Village officials to choose their preferred route from the Cayuga Heights Treatment Plant to the Town.  

Mayor Don Hartill, Town Supervisor Steve Farkas and engineer Jim Blum are negotiating with the State Department of Transportation (DOT) to waive construction regulations that would add about $900,000 to the cost of the project if it is constructed on Route 34, a State road.  Blum worked out alternate scenarios that could lower that amount to $400,000, but Town officials said that is too much when an alternate route along Cayuga Heights Road would not engender the restrictions or the extra cost.

District Attorney Arcuri, Democratic Candidate for Congress, To Speak in Lansing

Michael Arcuri, the District Attorney of Oneida County and Democratic candidate for U.S. Congress in New York’s 24th Congressional District (which includes the Town of Lansing), will speak to voters on Thursday, February 2, at 7:00 p.m. in the Lansing Community Center. The public is welcome and encouraged to attend.

The meeting is hosted by the Lansing Democratic Committee. John Cawley, chair of the Committee, sees the meeting as a great opportunity for Lansing residents to engage in participatory democracy. “We’re delighted that Mike Arcuri is reaching out to, and seeking the input of, voters in Lansing and the rest of Tompkins County. We’re eager to hear his thoughts on the state of the country and the needs of Lansing and the rest of upstate New York. All Lansing residents are welcome to attend to hear Mr. Arcuri’s remarks and participate in a question-and-answer session afterwards.”

Arcuri was recently re-elected to his fourth term as District Attorney of Oneida County. “I’m very troubled by the things I’m seeing in Washington,” Arcuri told the Utica Observer-Dispatch, referring to the war in Iraq, the loss of jobs in the area and the handling of hurricanes Katrina and Rita. “It gets magnified by lawmakers who seem to balance the budget on the shoulders of the people who need it the most.”

The site of the event, the Lansing Community Center, is located at 25 Auburn Road, near the Lansing Community Library (27 Auburn Road) and the Lansing Town Hall (29 Auburn Road).

Here is a summary of some of the major issues Lansing citizens discussed with State Senator Michael F. Nozzolio last Saturday (01/14).

On Whether Taxpayers Vote on Large Tax Increases on the Local Level Nozzolio:  "I want to lead by example at the State level.  I don't think I can say yes we should be, unless we do it at the State level first.  I believe my job is to get it on the State level, because I believe that's what's necessary at the State level.  I don't think the State should say 'you should do it, but we shouldn't.'" (Farkas pointed out that sewer district formation is subject to permissive referendum, so taxpayers within the district will vote by current local law.  Nozzolio's reply answered the more general question about general local tax increases.)

Last Saturday (01/14) Senator Michael Nozzolio was in town to meet with Lansing residents and find out what is on their minds.  He held a series of meetings at the Lansing Town Hall, meeting with Town and Village officials, citizens, Lansing's Board of Education and Library Board members.  The most time was given to the citizens' meeting.  "This is your meeting," he began.  "If there is any particular question at the local level that we may address, we're here to do so."

This week I heard a lot of people talk about the need for tax relief.  State Senator stressed that one of his top priorities is property tax relief, and said that he hopes the State will return this year's surplus to property taxpayers.  "We have a surplus this year, about two and a half billion dollars more than was allocated," he said.  "I think that entire $2.5 billion should be returned to the property taxpayer."

At the Senator's meeting with Lansing School District officials there was some discussion of the upcoming capital project and why it might be a hard sell.  Town Councilman Matt Besemer, who ran on a platform of tax reform, expressed concerns about five upcoming tax and/or fee impacting projects including the school district's project, sewer, a new fire house in Lansing Village, the Charter Library initiative and proposed water districts.

At a special town meeting held by State Senator Michael Nozzolio at Lansing Town hall last Saturday, Town and Village officials reported on progress on the sewer project. Nozzolio listened to reports from Town Supervisor Steve Farkas, Village Mayor Don Hartill and Sewer Committee member Andy Sciarabba as they explained their efforts to work with the State to reduce costs and to raise private money to help fund the project.

The Village has expressed its preference for the trunk line to be run along Route 34, but State Department of Transportation regulations for State road construction would add almost a million dollars to the project, a price that is unacceptable to the Town Sewer Committee. To address this Farkas and Hartill have joined forces to petition the DOT for concessions to their policy.

Members of Lansing's Board of Education (BOE) and an ad-hoc committee of residents, staff and faculty began the third of four scheduled public meetings at the Lansing School Bus garage Wednesday night. Lou Vargas who runs the garage gave the Board and committee a short tour of the facility to explain the need for improvements that are planned as part of the $29 million base proposal to improve the schools and facilities. The maintenance facility is responsible for maintaining Lansing School district’s fleet of over twenty school buses and mini-vans to transport students to and from school and trips to sporting and extracurricular events.

The current building consists of new three bay addition that was added in 2002 and a smaller 1 bay garage with an office, break room and two bathrooms built in 1958. The older building office area is badly in need of replacement due to heavy water damage and crumbling foundation. The current proposal calls for a replacement of the old office with a new one and training room with toilet facilities. In addition is the need for a second 50,000 lb lift which will help the district maintain its required semi-annual checks on all of its buses without having to rely on outside service facilities during peak usage. The garage also needs new diesel fuel pumps to replace an existing faulty pump one that is well beyond repair as well as fire suppression systems for its gasoline tank.

Lansing Resident Dave Heck asked the Town Board for one or two days of tax relief in last Wednesday's Board Meeting.  "Up here you make it taxpayer friendly in several respects," he said, "but the one thing you hold fast to is that end of month date.  To benefit the senior citizens my suggestion is that the Town, if it is within your power, think about changing the tax deadline to at least a day or so after the end of the month."

Heck was referring to retired residents on Social Security and others who depend on monthly government checks.  "It's fine," he said, "until you get to the first of the month.  Retirement, if you're lucky enough to get a retirement check, and Social Security... if that date comes before the first you often have to scratch to come up with the money."

Lansing's Board of Education (BOE) got an idea of what the proposed Capital Project Phase II will cost individual taxpayers if it is approved. Dr. Richard Timbs told the board that if the base project is approved as currently configured homeowners will pay $174 per $100,000 of assessed value, about 10% more than they are paying now. If additional propositions are approved that figure could go up to $230 or 13%.

The final route for the sewer trunk line through the Village of Lansing is now in the State's hands. Now that the Village has chosen Route 34 as its preferred route, the choice hinges on affordability for the Town. If the State Department of Transportation (DOT) does not agree to close the road for the approximately three months it will take to lay the sewer lines, State regulations will add a million dollars to the project. Town officials have stated they will choose a route along Cayuga Heights Road if that happens.

It may be an uphill battle. Village Mayor Don Hartill and Town Supervisor Steve Farkas were scheduled to meet with the DOT's Acting Regional Manager Carl Ford in Syracuse yesterday (01/12). The purpose of the meeting was to pitch the road closing by offering a viable alternative route along Triphammer Road as a detour during the construction.

My mind isn't made up about the School District's proposed Capital Project Phase II, but I came away from last Monday's School Board meeting decidedly crabby. A 10% rise in what I thought were already high taxes seemed a bit steep to me, and that's if only the first proposition passes. As currently configured there will be three propositions. If that didn't make me crabby enough, the Wednesday Ad Hoc Committee meeting really set me off. The tour of the Middle and High Schools showed crowded, unsafe spaces in the areas of art, music and technology. How could we let this happen?

It has seemed to me that we are already pretty generous with our schools. And we get what we pay for. We have an excellent school system, something the whole town can be proud of. Our kids are better than average achievers, smart, bright, good kids. But taxpayers have bills to pay and if we are already so generous how can we afford 10% to 13% more? I realized I was going on impression, so I decided to find out exactly how generous we are per household.

 The Town of Lansing is currently accepting applications for vacancies on the Zoning Board of Appeals (Permanent position) and the Planning Board (Alternate position).

The primary responsibilities of the Planning Board include the recommendation of town planning policies and development, as well as advising the Town board, staff and other municipal bodies on matters affecting community development.

The Zoning Board is a quasi-judicial board that is charged with the responsibility for ensuring that the zoning ordinances are complied with or that variances and/or special approvals are authorized.

Further information, along with the application is available from the Town of Lansing Planning/Zoning Office, 29 Auburn Road, Lansing, NY 14882, or by contacting Rachel Jacobsen at (607) 533-7054. Applicants must be a Town of Lansing resident.