HomeMy WebLinkAboutAnnual Mtg. Minutes 2/23/1971��-<<-
VILLAGE OF CAYUGA HEIGHTS
MINUTES of the Annual Resident's Meeting held in the Village Hall, 836 Hanshaw
Road, Tuesday, February 23, 1971 at 7 :30 P.M.
• PRESENT: Mayor F. G. Marcham; Trustees Ronald E. Anderson, Harold R. Fisher,
Verne A. Fogg, Carl H. Nelson, Virginia Powers; Treasurer Gordon B. Wheeler;
Police Chief Jack W. McGraw, Sr.; Fire Chief Ned G. Boice; Village Justice
W. T. Dean; Tree Warden David Pimentel; Members of the press and about 26 residents
or other interested parties.
A motion was made, seconded and carried that Mayor F. G. Marcham serve as Chairman
of the meeting and Rose M. Tierney, Clerk, serve as Secretary of the meeting.
Mayor Marcham gave his report of the past year's activities of the Board of
Trustees. He touched upon the benefits of buying the property where we now are
instead of the other alternative we had of building a cinder block extension on
the fire station for our use as a Village Hall. The Fire Department now enjoys
the advantage gained by our move and is expanding its space and equipment to
better serve not only the Village but the outlying areas it protects.
Although there is a controversy pertaining to the water supply and demand about us,
the Village is as yet a sideline spectator.
Sewer service is another matter, the Mayor reported. He further explained in
detail the background and present and future steps which can be taken to either
form a County Sewer District or for the Village to retain control over the
treatment of sewage from the whole drainage basin, which includes the Towns of
Ithaca, Lansing and Dryden as well as the Village itself.
• Mr. Hahn began asking questions about many aspects of forming this district and
seemed not quite to understand the complex situation. Other residents asked
questions and Mayor Marcham, with the help of Mr. Wheeler, Treasurer sought to
answer these questions. When Mayor Marcham was asked what benefits there would be
to joining the District he replied as follows: There will be no immediate economic
benefit. The benefits will be intangible, the benefit of having helped to promote
intermunicipal cooperation in this neighborhood. Later when Mr. K. Hasbrouck
made much of this statement, implying that it was evidence for condemning the
district proposal. Mr. Hutchins pointed out that there would be a substantial
economic benefit in the fact that instead of the Village incurring a million
dollar debt and being entirely responsible for it, the County and the district
would incur the debt.
Treasurer Wheeler presented his report for the period June 1, 1970 through
January 31, 1971 showing the following bank balances:
General Fund
$1002394.16*
Sewer Disposal & Maintenance
1483595.22*
Sewer Lines Extension
793.91
Water Improvements
277.29
Capital Construction
11.53
Trust & Agency
524.34
Water & Sewer Capital Reserve (S.A.)
2,577.50
Streets Improvement (S.A.)
6,809.46
Fire Dept. Equipment (S.A.)
8,752.08
Tax Stabilization Fund (S.A.)
272139.45
Sidewalk District
- 230.47
Village Hall Capital Fund
13559.03
*Much of these funds are temporarily invested
for interest income
S.A. = Savings Account
� Minutes 2/23/71 Page 2
Mayor Marcham read the Engineer's report in his absence. The report told of all
the accomplishments of the past year of the Public Works Department.
Police Chief McGraw gave his report remarking on the need for a full time patrol-
man to replace the many part time employees. This was a year during which more
young people were involved with drug and narcotic violations. In- service training
of the officers continued this year as usual to keep abreast of new methods
available to law enforcement agencies.
The Chief related that there was an increase in activities in Sunset Park after
closing hours, resulting in 38 separate violations.
Village Justice Dean gave his report that while cases increased moderately in
1970 as well as total fines, criminal matter coming before the court almost
doubled. While only a few involved violation of the narcotics laws, a number
of the others appear to have involved addicts attempting to raise money to pay
the pusher. In this connection it is discouraging to note that, in an area in
which the hard drugs are said to be generally available, even those who see their
friends being destroyed by heroin, for example, seem unwilling to cooperate with
the authorities so that the pushers can be apprehended.
He has had excellent cooperation from the well trained Village Police Department
throughout the year. Our officers unlike those of the city police and deputy
Sheriff, are able to prosecute their own cases whenever the defendant appears
without an attorney.
A total of 239 hours was devoted by the Village Justice to work of the court in
• 1970.
The Fire Chief's report shows an increase of 70 the number of alarms or assists
handled in 1970. There were only two major fires, one in the Village with a
loss of $8,000 and one in the Lansing Protection District at the Sheraton Inn
with a loss of $30,000.
The major departmental improvement program began in 1969 is moving forward and
the bids are,let for the addition to the fire house, additional equipment is
being purchased and by the end of 1973 we hope to have completed the upgrading
required by the Fire Underwriters to insure a minimum insurance rate.
Professor David Pimentel the Village Tree Warden reported on the Dutch Elm Disease
program in the Village. Dutch elm disease outbreak was severe in the Village
this past year for two reasons: (1) Weather conditions were ideal for trans-
mission of the disease and (2) during the previous years the Village had accumu-
lated some highly infected areas because of our inability to enforce removal of
diseased trees. This year about 125 diseased elms were removed on Village
property; on private property about 530 elms were removed.
The overall view concerning the Dutch elm disease is this: We will continue to
lose trees slowly until the density of elms reached the point at which the
transmission of the disease is difficult. Professor Pimentel thanked the
Villagers for their cooperation.
• In the absence of the Chairman of the Nominating Committee, Mayor Marcham read
his report as follows: The Committee has met and convassed the possible nominees
for candidacy for election to the Board of Trustees for the term running from
April 1, 1971 through March 31, 1973. The following individuals have indicated
their willingness to be candidates:
Minutes 2/23/71 Page 3
Ronald E. Anderson (incumbent)
• Verne A. Fogg (incumbent)
Virginia Powers (Mrs. Robert N.) (incumbent)
Claire Nulle (Mrs. Richard)
L. J. Long
David Allee
Mayor Marcham asked for nominations from the floor. Mr. Hahn was nominated but
the nomination was not seconded. Nominations were closed.
A young renter asked questions concerning an ordinance pertaining to renting and
what recourse she would have to remedy a situation where there was gas leaking
from a stove and a problem of inadequate heat. She was given sympathy and
advised on where to seek help.
Treasurer Wheeler gave a run down on how the budget was progressing and said
that it will be scrutinized very thoroughly before being presented at a Public
Hearing to keep it at the lowest possible rate; nevertheless it may have a rate
increase of between 5% and 10%. One reason for this possible increase is the fact
that there are some costs we have no control over such as utilities and insurance.
Meeting adjourned at 9:53 P.M.
•
Rose M. Tierney
Village Clerk