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Home My WebLink About2023-11 NewsletterNovember 2023 Town of Danby, New York Danby Town News 1 Pancakes breakfasts - Yay!! It's that time of the year again, Danby Volunteer Fire Company will be hosting Pancake breakfasts! Halloween Trick or Treat Bring your kiddos to "Trick or Treat" at the Danby Volunteer Fire Company, 1780 Danby Road, on October 31, Halloween, from 4:30 - 6:30 pm. Volunteers from our community will be decorating tables and handing out treats! Be there or beware! To volunteer, text Katharine at 703-304-1146. Thank you, thank you, thank you to the Danby Volunteer Fire Company for their space and time. Drive-thru or stop in for a plate of Pancakes, French Toast, Sausage, Scrambled Eggs, and Home-fries all for $12. Join us Sunday, November 12th, 8am- 11am for breakfast and support our Jaws of Life fundraiser, we're halfway there! West Danby FD Event 12/2/23: Cookies and CoCo event with Santa 4pm-6pm Location: West Danby FD, 47 Sylvan Ln in West Danby VOTE Election day is 11/7. Early voting is from 10/28 to 11/5. November 2023 Town of Danby, New York Notes from the Town Board Town board meeting changes: Because our first scheduled meeting was on election day and our second scheduled meeting was the night before Thanksgiving, we changed the dates of both meetings. First Town Board meeting in November is Wednesday, 11/8 Second Town Board meeting in November is Monday, 11/20 Public hearing 2024 budget, Monday, 11/6 at 6pm. Budget News Getting the budget done is always a prime focus this time of year. This year the proposed budget (initially called the tentative budget) has seen very little modification by the town board, although there may be some final tweaking at a board meeting scheduled for October 25. As of this writing, the amount to be raised by taxes (the levy) is up by just over 3%, which is just shy of the tax cap. Because we are so close to the tax cap the board is keen to stay under it this year, although we did pass the needed local law that would allow us to exceed the tax cap – just in case we need to. The total of general fund and highway fund is $2,753,641 as of this moment. Of that, $2,384,276 is raised via taxes. The rest is met by using some of our savings ($54,100 worth). We project that unspent funds from this year will just about equal (maybe even exceed, but we won’t know for sure until the year-end closing of the books) the $54,000 we need so our savings (called the unexpended fund balance) won’t be reduced below last year’s level. The tax rate will actually be decreasing by around 5% because the increase in property values of over 8% means a lower rate is needed to generate the levy. For every $100,000 in assessed value, the tax bill will decrease by about $31. It is different in the water district, with a larger decrease because the budget there shifts more of the revenue from taxes to charges for usage. The entire budget is available on the website (Danby.NY.Gov) and in hard copy from the town clerk. The public hearing on the budget (called the preliminary budget once the board has modified the tentative budget) will be at 6 P.M. on November 8. More About a Noise Law I reported last month that a third proposed noise law, drafted to be the minimum necessary, had come to the town board from a working group for consideration in September and been referred to the attorney for the town for appraisal and recommendations. He told us that the proposal was a little too simple and he sent us a reworked version (now called version 4 and available on the town’s website if you’d like to take a look at it). The board reaction was a mix of consternation, exasperation, and astonishment that a 3-page version came back 6 pages long. Some features appear to go well beyond what we intended, so the decision was made to carefully review it and discuss it among ourselves before deciding what to include in a version we would consider asking the public to weigh in on. That review is scheduled for the first meeting in November (the 8th). If we come to agreement, it might go back to the lawyer before the public is asked to comment, so don’t expect to be asked before late November at the earliest. 2 November 2023 Town of Danby, New York Open Board and Commission Positions - Applications due 4 Dec 2023, application forms are available on the town website (danby.ny.gov) Board of Zoning Appeals (1 seat); 5-year appointment Conservation Advisory Council (3-4 seats); 2-year appointment Danby Youth Commission (7 seats ); 2-year appointment Environmental Management Council (1 seat); 3-year appointment Historian (1 seat); 1-year appointment Planning Board (1 seat); 7-year appointment West Danby Water District (1 seat); 5-year appointment. Notes from the Planner Greg Hutnik Hello from the Danby Planning Office! I have been in this role for a short 2 months, but a lot has happened. In development review news, the Planning Board reviewed two cases at their October 17 meeting. The Board approved an amendment to the Norbut Solar Farm Site Plan (located off Bald Hill Road) to allow for a modified internal driveway. Overall, the amendment is a better proposal than the originally approved plan as there will be less driveway on the site, fewer trees cleared, no new stream crossings, a greater setback to adjacent properties, and more conservation area. The Planning Board also reviewed a sketch plan for the Danby Market at 1843 Danby Road. The proposal is to operate a market/café out of an existing building onsite. If approved, the project would further the Town’s goal to revitalize the central hamlet with a neighborhood-scale commercial establishment that offers goods and services. One challenge for the applicant was found in the review process: the existing building proposed to be converted to the market sits further from the street than the allowed maximum front setback of the Hamlet Center Zone District, and therefore a variance is needed. In other words, the Zoning Law does not exempt existing buildings from meeting setback requirements when they are being converted to a new use. Upon considering this impediment to hamlet reinvestment, the Planning Board made a motion recommending that the Town Board amend the Zoning Law to exempt renovated buildings from the setbacks of the Hamlet Center Zone District. Other than the above, I have kept busy with general planning and zoning related inquiries, meeting with property owners and potential buyers of land, working with the Code Enforcement Officer to issue building permits, perform site inspections, and getting involved in regional planning efforts with Tompkins County. If you have a zoning or property-related question, please feel free to call me at 607- 592-0417 or email planner@danby.ny.gov. Office hours are preferably by appointment, as I am often “in the field.” 3 SEEKING MAINTENANCE and REPAIR HELP The Town of Danby is looking for someone interested in building maintenance and repairs for the Town Hall and grounds and more. If interested, please call Town Supervisor Joel Gagnon at: 607-277-4788 November 2023 Town of Danby, New York Tompkins County Legislature News Dan Klein Early Intervention is the largest program run by the Tompkins County Whole Health Department. This is a federally-mandated program that operates on the common-sense and scientifically-proven idea that the earlier you identify and treat children with developmental delays, the more chance you have of sending that child on the path to success. A parent begins to notice something seems off with their baby. This has to be one of the worst feelings in the world. The Early Intervention program pulls together a team of specialists to help figure out what is going on and then begin therapies to improve the situation. The results can be dramatic and miraculous. The funding for this program is complicated, and involves local, state, federal, and insurance dollars. Ten years ago, NY State took over a key piece of the billing piece of this program, and the results have been disastrous. There has been a steady shedding of the number of providers who are willing to work with the program. The number of speech therapists, physical therapists, and other providers has dropped off so much that the waiting times for this program have become very long. The long wait times work against the idea that earlier is better when it comes to having a big impact on the development of young children. I am pleased to report that we have come up with a solution that we hope will help this situation. Tompkins County will be hiring 5 service providers directly, rather than having NYS contract with them. This will give the providers steady income and benefits. They will still be paid even if the family does not show up for their appointment. Under the old system, providers were not paid for mileage, so they were less motivated to drive out to the distant areas of Danby. Employing them directly will eliminate that barrier as well. For every dollar of local tax money we spend on this program, we expect to get an extra $1.50 in outside money. That seems like a good investment. This is a 3-year experiment to see if it works as well as we hope it will. We expect that this will positively affect the lives of hundreds of Tompkins County young people, and hundreds more of their family members. 4 Danby Seniors Margie VanDeMark The next meeting of the Danby Seniors will be on Thursday, November 2nd at 12 noon for a dish to share luncheon. We will be entertained by Pamela Goddard on the harp. Usually about 50-60 folks show up for fellowship and all sorts of good eats! Our annual holiday luncheon will happen on December 7th, 12 noon, at LaTourelle with music by John Simon. Contact Theresa Klinger for information and to sign up. (phone: 607-275-6171 or email: tklinger617@gmail.com). The cost is $25 per person and there will be a cash bar. Tammy Lopez has created a Facebook page for our group. If you haven’t already, check it out. November 2023 Town of Danby, New York Danby Rural Cemetary Sharon Boda and Jennifer Bryce History Comes Alive in the Danby Rural Cemetery If you start at the Danby Town Hall and head south toward Owego on 96B, you can find a rich slice of history by turning right on Curtis Road and then taking the second right into the Danby Rural Cemetery (DRC). Three examples highlight the types of historical treasures to be found there, and were reviewed by the Danby Town Historian, Mary Ann Barr. The rows are numbered to help you find your way. First, take a walk around to pay tribute to the 141 US Veterans buried in the cemetery, who will be honored on 11 November. The three oldest veterans buried in the DRC were born in the 1700’s, and fought in the Revolutionary War. Many of the Veterans’ gravestones are marked by official US military plaques, indicating that the men and women of Danby have fought in all US military engagements since 1917. Thank you to our Veterans! Second, head to the oldest part of the cemetery (Rows 1 – 10) to find gravestones dating back to the 1700’s. Some stones can no longer be read, but certainly one of our oldest graves is Mindwell Canfield (née Steevens), who was born in 1732 and died in 1811 after bearing six children (Row 6). In the 1800’s, families often purchased large plots, so generations could be buried together. The gravestones document the intertwining of families through marriage, and sometimes tragedies. For example, the McFall family (abutting rows 4 & 10) lost an infant (Elmer) in 1865, and seven years later in 1872, four youths aged 11 (George), 15 (Alice), 17 (William), and 21 (Phebe). A short search suggests there were no epidemics in that period, and no reports of major local events or house fires. What might have happened, and how can it help us understand and appreciate history? Third, historical developments are not always in the past. The DRC exemplifies a cultural trend in the US (and elsewhere) moving from “full” burials – with a sizeable gravesite and a full casket – to cremations. A single plot in the DRC today can accommodate up to four sets of cremated remains, including even a pet, rather than a single casket as was common in the past. The first cremation in the DRC occurred in 1994, and the second in 1996. An increasing number of families are electing cremation. The DRC Board has started looking at options for “natural burial” in the sections of the cemetery that have not yet been developed into formal plots. We hope these examples will encourage you to visit the cemetery and explore its beauty and potential lessons. Please consider contributing to our effort by joining the small group of elderly volunteers who are working to maintain the grounds, the cemetery records, and the funding base. Call Sharon Boda at 607 220 6676 to join our team, or with specific questions. 5 November 2023 Town of Danby, New York 6 Danby Youth Commission Jamie Sorrentino Danby Youth Grant application deadline is December 15th The Danby Youth Commission offers $100 grants for youth 21 or younger to participate in recreational activities of their choosing. There are still grants remaining for the rest of the year. The deadline for the next round is December 15th, 2023. A link to the application and eligibility criteria can be found on the Town of Danby website. It only takes a few minutes to complete the online application. Youth Survey OPEN through end of November The Danby Youth Commission (DYC) is calling all youth between the ages of 11 - 19 to complete a brief survey. So far, the response rate has been strong but we would like to hear from more male youth and/or older teens. The survey asks about what youth do in their free time, the challenges they face, and what they want to see happen in our Town. It is just 9 questions, anonymous, and takes about 3 minutes to complete. The survey is for YOUTH to complete. The more youth voice, the better. Youth Programs Heidi Doggett Danby’s next round of youth programs begins in November! We will have Dungeons & Dragons/Magic: the Gathering continuing from October on through December, but the rest of the programs listed are new. Danby youth programs are open to youth grades 4-8. You can register for programs at bit.ly/41jUwDO. Feel free to email program educator with questions at hd289@cornell.edu or call at (925)240-3572. Dotson Park Making costumes November 2023 Town of Danby, New York Youth Programs Heidi Doggett (hd289@cornell.edu) Puppet Workshop: Talking Sandwich Muppet (two days a week, one for each age group) Grades 6-8 Boynton Middle School 3:30-5:30 Mondays 11/6, 11/13, 11/20, 11/27 Grades 4-5 South Hill Elementary School or Danby Town Hall, TBA 2:00-5:30 Thursdays 11/2, 11/9, and 11/16 Work with foam to create a talking sandwich puppet! Youth will also have access to a collection of other puppets to practice with as much as they’d like. This 3-4-week workshop is intended to give youth time to finish their puppet and to work on some puppetry basics. For an example of this project, check out https://www.instructables.com/Sandwich- Puppet/ Puppet Workshop: Talking Cake Slice Muppet (two days a week, one for each age group) Grades 6-8 Boynton Middle School 3:30-5:30 Mondays 12/4, 12/11, and 12/18 Grades 4-5 South Hill Elementary School or Danby Town Hall, TBA 2:00-5:30 Thursdays 11/30, 12/7, and 12/14 Work with foam to create a talking cake slice puppet! Youth will also have access to a collection of other puppets to practice with as much as they’d like. This 3-week workshop is intended to give youth time to finish their puppet and to work on some puppetry basics. For an example of this puppet, check out https://puppetnerd.com/make-a-cake-puppet- free-pattern/ Explore the Woods (grades 4-5) Dotson Park/Danby Town Hall 2:30-5:30 Tuesdays 11/7, 11/14, 11/21, 11/28, 12/5, 12/12 A mix of everything: shelter building in the woods, outdoor games, snack scavenging, and when it is too cold/rainy to be outside we will head inside the Town Hall for games, crafts, and hide and seek. Dungeons & Dragons, Magic: the Gathering, and board games (grades 6-8) Boynton Middle School 3:30-5:30 Wednesdays 11/1, 11/8, 11/15, *NO PROGRAM 11/22*, 11/29, 12/6, 12/13, 12/20 Do you dream of epic quests? Whether you are a beginner or an experienced player, you can join this program to hone your D&D/Magic: the Gathering skills, as well as having time to play Gaga ball outside and try out other games (maybe try out a new table top role playing game?) This program runs all the way through December, but it will be broken up into multiple short D&D campaigns where we rotate to give all youth the change to get maximum quality playing time in a small group. Once a campaign begins, new players will need to form their own campaign or wait until the next one begins. We will provide kits to help youth run their own mini one-shots (short campaigns) and experiment with games to level up core playing skills like creativity, teamwork, improvisation, and others as dictated by program participants. 7 Practicing monster makeup November 2023 Town of Danby, New York Danby Community Groups Danby Community Library Contact: Cindy Parlett library@danby.ny.gov Open Tue 1-3pm, Thur & Sat 10am-12pm Danby Food Pantry Danby Community Church Contact: Joan Barber Open: 3rd Thur 4-6 pm Danby Food Scraps Pickup every Sat 9am – noon behind Town Hall Danby Community Parks Association (DCPA) Website: dotsonpark.org dotsonpark@gmail.com Danby Rural Cemetery Contact: Sharon Boda Sharonboda@gmail.com Danby Seniors Contact: Pat Phelps patriciaphelps2.0@ gmail,com Luncheons: 1st Thur at noon Danby Community Council President: Pamela Goddard Website: danbycc.org Meeting: 1st Thur 7pm Danby Tosspots (Open Alcoholics Anonymous Meeting) Wed 7pm virtual West Danby Community Association (WDCA) Contact: Pat Curran pc21@cornell.edu Danby Library News Cindy Parlett The holidays are upon us! Our Thanksgiving books for children are on display, with Christmas and Hanukkah waiting in the wings! A new selection of Large Type books from TCPL have arrived and our visit to the fall Friends of the Library Sale has resulted in a number of new things to read by some of your favorite authors. Day of the Dead- J.A. Jance Sleep No More-Iris Johansen Sooley-John Grisham Golden Girl-Erin Hilderbrand Deadline-John Sandford The Tenth Justice-Brad Meltzer Total Power-Vince Flynn Demon Copperhead-Barbara Kingsolver Jack-Marilyn Robinson Violeta-Isabel Allende Midnight Bayou-Nora Roberts 8 November 2023 Town of Danby, New York Monthly Meeting Schedule At-A-Glance Group Day Date Time Call-in by Phone Meeting ID Town Board* Wed 11/8 6:00pm 1-929-205-6099 980 8515 9868 754633 WDWD Wed 11/1 5:00pm In person - West Danby fire station CAC* Tue 11/14 7:00pm 1-929-205-6099 972 1566 0090 423584 FD Tue 11/14 7:00pm I n person at the Danby Fire Station DYC Thurs 11/9 7:00pm Online - contact jsorrentino@danby.ny.gov PB*Tue 11/21 7:00pm 1-646-876-9923 958 0817 5336 245871 Town Board* Mon 11/20 6:00pm 1-929-205-6099 971 0723 2988 535713 BZA* Thurs 11/23 7:00pm TBD FD Tue 11/28 7:00pm In person at the Danby Fire Station See the Danby calendar for the final, most up-to-date details. (Acronyms in the above schedule are identified below.) *These meetings are hybrid (i.e. both online and in-person at the Town Hall) Boards & Committees Planning Board (PB) Chair: Jody Scriber planningboard@danby.ny.gov Meets: 3rd Tuesday at 7pm Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) Chair: Earl Hicks bza@danby.ny.gov Meets: 4th Thursday, as needed Conservation Advisory Council (CAC) Chair: Margaret Corbit cac@danby.ny.gov Meets: 2nd Tuesday at 7pm Danby Youth Commission (DYC) Chair: Jamie Sorrentino jsorrentino@danby.ny.gov Meets: 2nd Thursday at 7pm Fire District (FD) Secretary: Sharon Gaden, secretary@danbyfiredistrict.org danby.ny.gov/depts/danby-fire-district Danby Volunteer Fire Company (DVFC) Chief: John Gaden, jgaden@danbyfiredistrict.org danbyfiredept.org West Danby Fire Department (WDFD) Chief: Robert McCray rmccray@danbyfiredistrict.org westdanbyfire.com West Danby Water DIstrict (WDWD) Contact: Scott Wendt, swendt@danby.ny.gov Meets: 1st Wednesday at 5pm 9 November 2023 Town of Danby, New York Town Officials Main Phone: +1-607-277-4788 Town Supervisor Joel Gagnon, x1010 supervisor@danby.ny.gov Town Board Meets 1st Tue and 3rd Wed Leslie Connors Paul Hansen H Katharine Hunter Pat Woodworth townboard@danby.ny.gov Town Clerk Deputy Town Clerk Hours: Mon–Fri 11am–6pm Janice Adelman Cindy Katz clerkoffice@danby.ny.gov x8001 Highway Superintendent Deputy Highway Superintendent Hours: Mon–Thu 6am–4:30pm Keith Shipman, x8009 highway@danby.ny.gov Jack Shawley, x1012 jshawley@danby.ny.gov Town Justices Court Clerk Hours: Mon-Wed 8am-11am Garry Huddle Theresa Klinger Diane Gair dgair@nycourts.gov Town Planner Hours: Mon–Fri by appointment Greg Hutnik, x1007 planner@danby.ny.gov Code Enforcement Hours: Mon-Fri by appointment Steve Cortright, x1006 code@danby.ny.gov Documents / Historian Mary Ann Barr, x1008 mbarr@danby.ny.gov Bookkeeper Laura Shawley, x1011 lshawley@danby.ny.gov 10 Danby, New York From: 1830 Danby Road Ithaca, NY 14850 PRST STD U.S. Postage Paid Permit No.428 Ithaca, NY 14850 Phone: +1-607-277-4788 https://danby.ny.gov Welcome to the Danby Town News! Questions? Email us at townnews@danby.ny.gov