Archive: News

Lansing Town Supervisor Ed LaVigne reported to the Town Board Wednesday on his negotiations with the Villages of Cayuga Heights and Lansing to reserve sewer capacity for new developments in the Town.

"We have started the process to formalize an agreement between the Village of Cayuga Heights and the Village of Lansing and the Town of Lansing for the sewer extension," he said. "We're working very hard with the other two municipalities. They have been very receptive to this."

Congressman Tom Reed supported the latest reauthorization of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

"We care about keeping all Americans safe, and we do that by ensuring our defense agencies have the resources they need to execute their missions effectively," said Reed. "It's only right that we come together and ensure our national security and support our troops as they make the sacrifices needed to keep us safe."

The Tompkins County Solid Waste Division will soon open three additional food scraps recycling drop spots: Cass Park in the City of Ithaca Thursdays from 3:00pm to 6:00pm beginning January 5th, Tompkins County Highway Department on Bostwick Road, Ithaca Saturdays from 9:00am to Noon beginning January 7th, and Trumansburg Department of Public Works on Corey Street Saturdays from 9:00am to Noon beginning January 7th. The new locations bring the number of drop spots operating in the County to 11.

A free food scraps recycling toolkit, including a kitchen caddy, compostable liners, and a transport container can be picked up at any drop spot or the Solid Waste Division office in Ithaca. The program accepts food scraps, including meat, bones, and dairy products, as well as paper towels and napkins…and offers residents a convenient way to reduce their trash disposal costs.

New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli today proposed changes to the state's procurement practices in the wake of criminal charges and allegations of corruption in the awarding of contracts for state economic development projects.

"The alleged contracting and kickback schemes uncovered by federal and state prosecutors show lax oversight over economic development spending," DiNapoli said. "The state funneled taxpayer money to quasi-government organizations, avoiding scrutiny and sidestepping usual procurement practices. This created an environment ripe for self-dealing and abuse. New York state must take credible steps to reestablish the public's faith in government and address the broader problems."

The Lansing Board of Education approved a preliminary spending plan in a 5-1 vote Monday for $680,889 in Smart Schools Bond Act dollars earmarked for technology in school districts across New York State.  The money is a straight grant, a gift to the school district to improve technology equipment.  After a public review, the school board could approve the plan in time to get new equipment as early as this summer.

Consultant Joe Riley said the District's Smart Bond Planning Committee is recommending the  purchase of a reliable, secure classroom telephone system; expanding the security camera network at the Elementary and High schools; to purchase and install displays in the Elementary School for mass notification and emergency communication; install Triumph Boards in classrooms to replace older, failing Promethean smart boards; and to upgrade Internet wiring district-wide.  He said that one of the requirements includes a replacement plan for equipment purchased with Smart Bond money.

After a severe July 2014 storm that knocked out electric service to 3,508 Town of Lansing homes and another 626 in the Village of Lansing, then Highway Superintendent Jack French told the Town Board that Lansing is not prepared for disasters and admonished the board to develop a disaster preparedness plan.  More than two years later the Town is still catching up.  An Emergency preparedness Committee was formed, and last year four hand held radios were purchased.  Last month the Town Board approved the money to purchase an emergency generator.  When that is installed over the next three weeks or so, some of French's concerns will have been addressed.

"There is a plan in place.  It simply needs to be fine tuned," says Lansing Supervisor Ed LaVigne.  "I have the utmost confidence in our Highway Superintendent, Charlie Purcell.  He has done a wonderful job this year, as did Jack French before him.  They're both good men... they're just good people.  The radios were purchased and now we're working on the other aspect of it.  Why it wasn't done over the last two and a half years -- I don't have an explanation for that and I'm not going to criticize past administrations.  I'm focusing on implementing it sooner than later."

Legislature Sets Next-Term Legislator Salaries
The Legislature approved legislator salaries for the next four-year legislative term, which begins in 2018. The Legislature traditionally sets the level of legislator compensation well in advance of elections for the new term. Annual Legislator salaries are currently set at $19,075 for each year of the current term, with the Chair of the Legislature earning 50% above the base salary.

After nearly an hour-and-a-half of discussion, the Legislature voted to accept the recommendation of the Government Operations Committee and increase legislator salaries to $21,400 for each of the next term's four years, 2018 through 2021, with the Chair continuing to earn 50% more than the base salary. The vote was 8-6, with Legislators Glenn Morey, Martha Robertson, Mike Sigler, Jim Dennis, Rich John, and Chair Michael Lane voting no.

Tom Reed unveiled a comprehensive proposal aimed at reducing college costs.

"We care about the working families and college students that are struggling keep up with the rising cost of education," said Reed. "It's only right that we work together to get these costs in check, which is why we brought together Our Vision for Students. We must use all available tools to make sure college is affordable and accessible. That's why our proposal forces colleges to be transparent about how they are spending tuition dollars."

The Town of Lansing is currently accepting Applications for anticipated vacancies on the Planning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals for Members or Alternates. 

The primary responsibilities include the recommendation of Town Planning, Policies and Development, as well as advising the Town Board, Staff, or other Municipal Bodies on matters affecting Community Development.  

Further information, along with the Application is available from the Town of Lansing Planning Office, 29 Auburn Road, Lansing NY 14882, or by contacting Rachel at (607) 533-7054. Deadline Application date is, December 28, 2016 by 3:00 PM. Applicants must be a Town of Lansing Resident.

When a major sewer project in Town of Lansing was killed in 2007, it looked like the end of sewer for the Town. But sewer wasn't entirely dead. Not long after that defeat a smaller town sewer project was completed on Warren Road. A week and a half ago Village of Lansing Mayor Donald Hartill and Village of Cayuga Heights Mayor Linda Woodard met with Lansing Town Supervisor Ed LaVigne, Town Planing Consultant Mike Long, and Cayuga Heights engineer Brent Cross to talk about how future growth in the Town can be served with sewer.

"This is encouraging as we try to be pro-growth, but also as development moves out from the densest part of the Town," LaVigne said at a Village Trustees meeting Monday. "That's what people in our Comprehensive Plan and yours want to do so we don't have sprawl."

The Tompkins County Legislature's Old Library Committee received a status update regarding redevelopment of the site of the Old Tompkins County Library from preferred developer Travis Hyde Properties. The project continues to be under review by the Ithaca Landmarks Preservation Commission, as well as the City Planning Board. Since it is located within the DeWitt Park Historic District, the project needs a Certificate of Appropriateness from the ILPC before it can formally proceed to the Planning Board for site plan review. The Committee received its last update in April.

Developer Frost Travis and Graham Gillespie, of HOLT Architects guided Legislators through the evolution of project design—from the original through a series of six proposed modifications—since the Legislature awarded Travis Hyde preferred developer status in August 2015. The new designs came in response to concerns expressed by the City, as well as the changed role of the senior citizens organization Lifelong in the project. Lifelong will no longer move its headquarters into the building, although it will have program space and responsibility for the building's community room.