HomeMy WebLinkAboutReport of the Mayor Oct 1974VILTA GE OF CATUGA HEIGHTS
S REPORT OF THE MAYOR
October 1974
I received a signed contract to fix the details of the agreement the Village
has made with them to define their role in enforcement of the Dog Ordinance
from the Tompkins County Chapter of the SPCA. I then passed this contract,
vith the language of the proposals for amending the original ordinance, to
the Commissioner of Agriculture and Markets. I await his approval.
I met with Mrs. Lambert and then with her and other interested persons con-
cerning the restoration of Sunset Park, after the Engineer and I had satisfied
ourselves regarding the major items that needed attention. On October 6th and
again on October 13th, I went to the Park and there took part in a number of
decisions regarding matters of detail. The Village Attorney, our insurance
agent, and I had spent much time in refining a "hold harmless" document for
use by the parents of children who took part in the work. No child or adult
suffered injury in the work.
As we had inberded, my own role was not that of Czar. I did speak firmly on
some major points but, in general, my purpose was to mediate among the many
persons who wished to preserve this or that tree or shrub. If all had been
satisfied, we would have preserved everything as it was. Every tree had its
defendant, and some persons declared flatly that nothing should be changed.
A few persons, to my knowledge perhaps three or four, were dissatisfied with
our actions; but the vast majority expressed pleasure that a drastic work of
tree and shrub removal took place. The Village work crew made quick work of
removing the first day's harvest of tree limbs and branches; the second day's
will disappear soon. We should, I think, Wxp ess our thanks to those who
organized the project, especially, Mrs. 4e Lambert and Chief McEwen, to
the more than a dozen adults who worked steadily, to the young persons who
helped them, and to those who provided refreshments.
The Board said I should prepare a statement to show the readiness of the
Village to welcome cooperation oil projects of this kind. I suggest:
"The Board of Trustees of the Village of Cayuga Heights welcomes the participa-
tion of groups of Villagers, young or old, in projects that will allow older
persons to teach and younger persons to learn and use skills in landscape
gardening or other activities that help to beautify the Village."
I am inviting Trustee Kiefer to be a member of the Public Works Committee and
Trustee Anderson of the Public Safety Committee.
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Trustee Kiefer obtained in a "top secret" arrangement with NYSEBC - materials
on loan - copies of their new customer list for the period June 1, 1974 thru
September 12, 1974; in 60 minutes she abstracted approximately the names of 17�O
new Village residents. Her judgment is that if the lists were moved over to
the Village month by month - the some secrecy to be observed - the Clerk's
Office could abstract the names of new Villagers in 15 to 20 minutes. She
favors use of written reports from officials. They should, she thinks, be
distributed in the week preceding the regular meeting. At that meeting, there
should be time for questions on the report and for discussion of matters in
"the general subject area" of each official. She recommends that at each
meeting there be opportunity to consider "unfinished" and "new" business.
She thinks that fuller use of the Committee system - the Committee negotiating,
studying, and reporting on new business to the Board - might save the Board
much time.
Trustee Kiefer wishes to raise with the Board the matter of Village action to
support County legislation on beverage container deposits. She is willing to
speak on this topic and to offer a series of alternative resolutions.
Trustee Kiefer offers the attached substitute for Resolution 2268 - Youth
Program (June 17, 1974).
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