Archive: News

The Tompkins County Clerk’s Office has been awarded a nearly $140,000 New York State Archives Shared Services Grant to enable the County’s six towns to join the County in digitizing their municipal records through the County’s electronic document management system.

The $139, 291 Local Government Records Management Improvement Fund Award is the largest grant awarded to a County Clerk in New York State this year by the State Archives, a unit of the New York State Education Department.

The Lansing Schools have an impressive academic record, but school officials continue to look for ways to improve the educational experience for all students.  High School Principal Eric Hartz reported to the Board Of Education last Monday that the number of students on the 'deficiency list' has fallen this year.  This means that fewer students are in academic jeopardy.  This week Hartz stressed ways that the district can encourage kids to excel academically.

"We are looking at bringing back the honor roll banquet," Hartz said.  "Karen Phlegar has taken the lead role in this.  We're finalizing fundraising and options like making it for kids only, not parents.  I think it is nice that we are bringing back some recognition for our kids."

It is hard to imagine a time when Geoff Dunn hasn't been the voice of Ithaca and Tompkins County news.  He has spent over half his 30 years in broadcasting in the Ithaca market.  He has been the News Director of Cayuga Radio Group's (CRG) stations for the past seven years, spent another seven anchoring Time Warner's News Center 7, and in the 1990s spent three years at Ithaca's WTKO. 

Last week Dunn dropped a bombshell on WHCU's Morning News Watch: he would be leaving broadcasting.  But good news for Ithaca: Dunn will start a new job December 17 as Communications and Administrative Coordinator at Tompkins County Solid Waste Management Division.

Last week Finger Lakes Land Trust Executive Director Andy Zepp asked the Lansing Town Board Wednesday to approve a resolution supporting state acquisition of 490 acres of lakefront property for public use.  But the Board was deeply split in a working meeting Wednesday on how the land should be used.  While some board members saw value in preserving the land, others worried that town would lose future additional tax money, particularly in light of the power plant hemorrhaging tax revenue value.

"I talked to somebody today who said the DEC has no money," said Supervisor Kathy Miller.  "You'd be a fool to get into anything with them right now.  My personal feeling is that there are too many questions about this to pass it.  I also think if we ever did, since it's such a huge tract of land, it should go to a town vote.  I don't think five people should decide whether this gets pulled off the tax roles."

The Lansing Town Board passed a resolution Wednesday to submit a request to the New york State Department Of Transportation (DOT) to reduce the speed limit on NYS Rt. 34B from Triphammer Road West to the Lansing Schools.  Supervisor Kathy Miller said that about 30 people who live on the state road submitted a petition to lower the speed limit from 45 miles per hour to 35mph.

"The speed limit is 35 in other towns," said Councilwoman Katrina Binkewicz.  "This is our town.  This is our center."

The Legislature’s Planning, Development, and Environment Quality Committee today recommended that the Legislature seek State authorization to dedicate Mortgage Recording Tax revenue for mass transportation purposes.  Support came by a unanimous 4-0 margin, with Legislator Kathy Luz Herrera excused.

The Legislature is considering a 0.25% increase in the Mortgage Recording Tax (a one-time tax on the value of a mortgage levied at the time of closing) to allocate to the Tompkins Consolidated Area Transit (TCAT) system to support operating and capital needs.  The proposal would increase the County mortgage tax from 0.75 to 1%.  (Current mortgage tax revenue is split between the municipality in which the transaction occurs and the State.)

New York State could save as much as $20 million a year if the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) applies to the federal Medicaid program for inpatient care for eligible inmates, according to an audit released today by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli.

“With state tax revenues lagging projections and the costs of Hurricane Sandy mounting, every state agency should be doing what it can to find additional revenue and cut costs,” DiNapoli said. “DOCCS should seek reimbursement from Medicaid and other outside insurance providers for any money to which the state may be entitled.”

Legislature Calls for More Time for Review of Revised Hydrofracking Regulations
The Legislature urges that the public comment period on revised State regulations on high volume hydraulic fracturing be extended to at least 90 days, now that the New York State Department of Environmental (DEC) has extended its rulemaking process to permit the State Commissioner of Health to complete its review of potential public health aspects.  The vote was unanimous, with Legislators Carol Chock, Kathy Luz Herrera, and Nathan Shinagawa excused.

The Legislature’s action calls the 30-day public comment period the DEC specifies “completely inadequate for a thoughtful and thorough public review of the released documents,” especially during the time of major religious and national holidays.  Because of Open Meeting Law advance notice requirements, the measure notes that the 30-day comment period essentially eliminates or severely limits the ability of regulatory or advisory organizations, such as the Tompkins County Board of Health, to review and issue comments.

Congressman Tom Reed announced today that legislation he introduced to designate the song ‘Taps’ as the National Song of Military Remembrance is in the final phases of becoming law. Having passed the House in May, the measure passed in the Senate by unanimous consent yesterday and will now move to conference committee between the House and Senate before heading to the President’s desk for final approval.

“With this legislation, ‘Taps’ will receive the recognition it deserves as it honors those who have made the supreme sacrifice for our nation,” Reed said. “Yesterday’s passage is an important gesture to recognize not only those who have served our nation since ‘Taps’ was arranged, but also those who serve today and those who will step forward in future generations to defend the United States. I want to thank Senator Inhofe for his efforts and commitment to bringing this to a vote in the Senate.”

The season as begun for Winter Sports.  Coach Adam Heck sat down with the Lansing Star to lay out the run down for this year's teams.

Varsity Boys Basketball

The Boys Basketball season started last week, with Heck coaching the varsity team.  The team lost two seniors from last year, so there are a lot of experienced, returning players.  Last year the team was around 500, finishing the season 9 and 11.  Heck says the second half of the year was best as younger players found their legs.

Assemblywoman Barbara Lifton (D/WFP- 125th AD) expressed great concern Wednesday about the lack of clear information and transparency regarding the DOH  “review” of the DEC’s work on the possible effects of high-volume hydro-fracking on human health.  

“First, the plan to appoint an expert panel was leaked to the press with no formal announcement and also lacking the crucial information about the scope of their work or a plan for an open and transparent process. More confusion has followed about the completion date of the review, with no clear public notice from either agency.  The result is that public officials and all New Yorkers are left without assurances that the DEC is planning an appropriate process to safeguard public health from the risks of hydro-fracking,” Lifton said.

The SPCA of Tompkins County has seized 17 cats from Kristen Inman of West Seneca Street, Ithaca. Inman has been charged with one count of New York State Ag & Markets 353 (failure to provide proper sustenance) and one count of Ag & Markets 356 (failure to provide food, drink and wholesome air to a confined animal).

The case began in mid-September when the SPCA was contacted by the building management of the apartment. Inman had not been seen for more than a week and it was known that cats were in the apartment.