Nov
09
2007
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Dan Veaner
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Friday, 09 November 2007 |
When the unofficial election results were released by the Tompkins County Board of Elections last Tuesday night the results seemed clear: in the contested races Connie Wilcox and Marty Christopher had retained their seats on the Town Board, defeating challenger Hugh Bahar, and Scott Pinney had unseated incumbent Supervisor Steve Farkas by a margin of 70 votes.
On Wednesday a bombshell hit: more than 50 votes for Farkas hadn't been reported. That made Pinney's lead a vulnerable 18 votes. And with 120 absentee ballots sent out, it was anybody's guess who would win the Supervisor race. Inspectors at the Central Fire Station polling place had misread results generated from the voting machine when they called them into the Election Commission late Tuesday. The machines print on an oversized four-part form, with the clearest being the bottom page.
(Left to right) Shary Zifchock, Chuck Guttman, Scott Pinney
Town Attorney Guy Krogh (standing) observes
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Nov
02
2007
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Dan Veaner
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Friday, 02 November 2007 |
  Lansing Town Clerk Bonny Boles grew up in Ludlowville, and has lived in Lansing her entire life. After graduating from Lansing High School she went to work for the town in 1974. She worked as a senior clerk for a couple of years in the Ithaca Chamberlain's Office until she began raising a family in 1980, when she was asked to come back to Lansing full time as Deputy Clerk. When Town Clerk Jane Bush Horky retired in 1987 Boles was appointed to complete her term. In November of that year she ran for Town Clerk and won the post. She has run unopposed in each election after that.
Boles notes that when she started working for the Town in 1974 the tax roll had 2,652 parcels and a levy of $989,254.04, and two water districts had about 50 customers. Over the years the town has grown tremendously to 4,396 parcels and a total 2007 levy of $11,329,573.50. The consolidated water district now serves 1,350 customers with quarterly billings of $107,000.00.
The Star interviewed Boles in the Clerk's office in the Town Hall. We paused as people called or stopped by for information, and at one point she brought out town records 100 years old to show, including handwritten town board minutes. She clearly knew where to find information, and was enthusiastic about keeping up to date with new procedures and technologies to make her functions more accessible to town residents.
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Nov
02
2007
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Dan Veaner
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Friday, 02 November 2007 |
 Supervisor Candidates Tackle the Issues
Election Extra!
 Lansing Town Supervisor candidates Steve Farkas and Scott Pinney laid out their positions on the top issues at a Candidate's Forum on WHCH this morning. With Greg Fry filling in for Dave Vieser, the two talked about sewer, development, and what it takes to run a town. Pinney challenged the current government on sewer, a vision for a future town center, and the handling of issues regarding some town employees. "I am pro the town center," he said. "I'm against the sewer system that they proposed. I'm for an open government. The zoning office definitely needs some correction. I've talked to residents and they are unhappy with the way they've been treated. The town constable: I know the Town doesn't think it's an issue, but there are a lot of residents that think it's a serious issue, and I would look at that in depth and try to straighten the issues out."
Both said they favor a town center that could be located on a parcel of land already owned by the Town across 34B from the Town Hall. While Farkas favors a mixed use center with housing and business, Pinney said he prefers a business-only center there with residential growth in the South part of town.
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Oct
26
2007
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Dan Veaner
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Friday, 26 October 2007 |
  This November Scott Pinney is challenging incumbent Steve Farkas to become Lansing Town Supervisor. Pinney has lived in Lansing his entire life, 41 years. He and his wife Tracey have three children, 14, 8, and 7 years old. He owns Alex Cole Excavating and Paving company, named for his oldest children. He also owns other properties around town including half of Portland Point and the old Egan's Market building that is behind Rogue's Harbor Inn.
Supervisor Candidates Steve Farkas and Scott Pinney will participate in a Supervisors Forum 11/02 in the 7 o'clock hour on WHCU 870 AM Pinney has had some run-ins with the Town, especially with the planning board. He has been quite vocal about that. He says he won a lawsuit against the Town on this issue, and he has attended Town Board meetings to ask them to terminate one employee in particular. He has also been at Town meetings to support others with planning or zoning issues.
It took a long time to get an interview with Pinney. I originally contacted all the candidates for interviews on September 10th. We finally arranged a time on the 29th, but I stupidly, though not intentionally, missed it. At that time he asked to reschedule on a rainy day because this is prime paving season. I got a call on a rainy Friday morning, and interviewed him in his home two weeks ago.
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