HomeMy WebLinkAboutMayor's Report 5/21/1973MAYORkS REPORT
5/21/73
My first duty is to record with regret the death of CArl Nelson who put on record
his formal retirement from the Board on April 25. I will prepare and pass to you
for signatures a letter expressing our condolences and aNd our gratitude for the
help he gave us during his seven years of service.
A motion is in order to enter in the minutes our sense of loss and our sympathy
for Mrs. Nelson and her daughter.
We have opportunity to fi71 the vacancy in the Board. Available to us are David Allee
who stood next in line in the voting at our last election and following him Francis
Saul. I will follow your instructions in approaching one of them to see if he is
willing to serve.
During the §69 past month Village officials and members of the Board have spent
much time considering details of the proposed inter--municipal water program. Two aspects
of the program have been under study - the arithmmtic associated with apportioning
costs among the municipalities and the engineering design of the plant and lines
together with estimated costs. As to what is involved in sharing costs, all we
know at present is that we do not have firm figures. The City Chamberlain's office is
at present checking out total water comsumption in the Village as a ffd preliminary to
further discussion. We met with engineers to discuss design and costs. The information
we gained was in general favorable. Here also we await more details ffnd firm
figures.
The Board might consider calling a public hearing on the intermunicipal water
program, and setting a date for its next regular meeting &n June 18th. If we did
this it would be on the assumption that prior to that day we would hzve learned
all pppropriate facts, would have made up our own minds on the course of action to
be followed and would have come to agreement with our partners in the enterprise.
I have received a copy of a letter from Mrs. Dooley Kiefer of Highland Road
to Mr. Henry Diamond of the Environmental Protection Agency. She argues it is wrong
to ban the use of phosphates in domestic cleaning agents on June 1 next. Taxpayers in
Villages such as Cayuga Heights are paying Nd extra taxes to finance equipment for
phosphate removal in their remodelled sewage plants. Why, she asks, penalize them
ffd##Vgdf'f' further by 4denying them use of washing machines and dishwashers designed
to work with detergents that include phosphates.
I have a letter from Mr. Morusty, as follows: " I have recently purchased the
property located at 112 North Triphammer Road in the Village of Cayuga Heights. I
intend to reside at that location, and eventually, to move my office there.
I understand that there is a request presently before the Board to re -zone the
property south of mine for commercial use. I would like to request the Board to consider
extending the commercial zone to include my property at this time.
My property goes as far as the new street being constructed, Spruce Lane... this
would form a good boundary for the commercial zone. Thank you very much for your con-
sideration of my request."
The reference to a property south of his that might be under consideration for
rezoning has in mind the earlier request from Dr. Felch. This request has not been
renewed. Mr. Morusty offers no reason why we should make a change concerning his
property. I recommed refusal of his request.
I wrote to Mr. Mackesey, Vice President for Planning at Cornell University
and asked him if he had figures regarding development of university propery in the
Village that might help us in establishing future water needs.
Mayor's Report - 5 /21 /T3 (continued) page 2
He replied as follows: "" ji;.S!WeidorhavonseskotghiiplAn for the comprehensive
development of the Savage Farm for faculty housing. There is at this time no
approval of this plan by the University and no timetable for carrying it out. The
plan exists only im my office and is regarded as a possibility rather than a
definitive proposal.
It doesShow, however, the approximate capacity of the site for development in
a comprehensive plan for single family detached houses, town houses, and some
apartments which comes out fid $d at 278 units.
If this particular scheme, or one like it, weee carried out, it would be over a period
of years."
The proposal to place a Borg Warner factory in the Town of Lansing has biven rise to
discussion among the Village, the Town of Lansing and the CoRRPny oncerning use of the
Sewer Plant for the effluent. Mr. Rogers, TOM the County Health officer and I
have checked the matter with Teetor- Dobbins, who have examined a report If the
chemical content of the effluent. Teetor- Dobbins say that the effluent may be
accepted and suggest that Borg Warner give an undertaking that the effluent from
their factory will not damage the sewer plant. I have asked Borg Warner for a
statement but have not received it.
To suit our Ordinance Article VIII, Section 1. to the needs of the plant we need
to change a *6#0 word. We use the word "domestic" to describe the sewage we accept.
The State has already recommedded that we use the phrase "sanitary sewage ", which
would corer industrial and commercial wastes that are not detrimental to our plant.
I suggest a possible hearing on the subject prior to our next regular meeting.
Mrs. Morse of The Parkway complained that her garbage pails were damaged in dd��dd-
�dddddddHdffiNBYId consequence of the negligence of our men. She seeks redress.
Mr. Frank Liguori, County Planning Commissioner, has promoted meetings to secure
cooperation between the Town of Ithaca, the City of Ithaca and Cornell University in A
making the Cornell Water supply available to the City in case of emergency during the
period between now and the opening of the Bolton Point water plant. Agreement has
been reached. Our endorsement is now in order and I recommend that we support the
emergenby plan.
Following our informal discussion of choice by the F.B.I. of Police Chief Mc Ewen to
attend their National Academy during the period June 25th through September 14, 1973
I spoke to Chief McEwen as you suggested. I congratuahted him on being chosen, spoke
of our willingness to authorise his attendance and said that the Board thought it
appropriate to ask that he agree to serve the Village for at least two years after
his return. He said ire would gladly do so.
An old question has arisen regarding sick leave. Mr. Rogers has presented it in the
following terms: "It is my recommendation that the Village go to a formal plan of
sick leave for all of its employees so that all the employees will be handled on
the same basis. My recommendation would be to review the University's policy on
sick leave and with minor changes to make usre it applies to the Village, adopt it
as Village personnel policy."