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HomeMy WebLinkAboutFinal March 2026 NewsletterMarch 2026 Town of Danby, New York 1 Danby Town News Property Tax Reminder 2026 Town and County taxes will be collected by the Town Clerk until March 31st. Mailed payments must be postmarked no later than March 31st to be accepted. We highly recommend having the envelope postmarked at the post office itself to guarantee an accurate postmark! Payments made after this date will be returned. Installment payments are due to the County by July 1. If you have any questions, please contact the clerk’s office! Our information is on page 8. Continued Public Hearing A second public hearing regarding the Zoning Amendments local law will be held at the Town Board meeting on March 17th at 6pm. A copy of the local law is available in the Clerk’s office, as well as on our website. Please contact the Town Planner, Greg Hutnik, for more information. Pancake Breakfast with the Danby Fire Company a Winter is ending and so are the Pancake Breakfasts! For the last time of the season, drive- thru or stop in for a plate of pancakes, French toast, sausage, scrambled eggs, and homefries all for $12. Join us Sunday, March 15th 8am-11am! Cash, card, check, Venmo, and Apple Pay are accepted. We’ll be doing this on the third Sunday of the month from October 2025 through March 2026 at the Danby Volunteer Fire Company, 1780 Danby Rd, Ithaca, NY 14850. Proceeds to benefit the Danby Volunteer Fire Company. Fundraising targets include improvements to our equipment for managing breathing problems and to our rope rescue equipment. March 2026 Town of Danby, New York 2 Notes from the Town Supervisor Joel Gagno n Modified Proposed Zoning Changes to be Considered. You may recall that in February the Town Board was to consider enacting multiple changes to the Zoning law. We held a public hearing where no one raised serious issues with the proposal, but in subsequent board discussion new Town Board member Zach Larkins questioned the need for such large setbacks from the property line for principal buildings in the hamlet zoning districts, stating that he sees that is contrary to the desire to enable higher density development in the hamlets. After discussion, the board agreed to propose reducing the minimum rear setback in the hamlet neighborhood zone to 25 feet. Further, in the hamlet center zone it is now proposed that there be a 10-foot minimum front setback and no required setback on sides or rear. This change from what was previously proposed could be regarded as “substantive” (i.e. significant), which would require a new public hearing. We decided to do a hearing. It is scheduled for the March 17th meeting, so you have time to take a look at the revised package on the town’s website. Snow and Ice Contract for County Roads The town does winter maintenance of several county roads. We have been doing this for years on a time and material basis, which requires a lot of record keeping for billing purposes. The county has proposed shifting to a flat annual payment to us for th is service instead. The board agreed to approve the contract that will implement the change, retroactive to the beginning of the season last year. We will continue to track time and materials for a while to see if the flat fee averages out similarly to the old way. Credit Card Policy Revamped One of the criticisms we received from the State Comptroller’s Office in their audit of the town is that we were not following our credit card policy. They were correct in so noting. We have never followed that policy. It was adopted early in our use of credit cards, and it was characterized by our bookkeeper as “somewhat aspirational”. We decided to revise to align it with the way we have actually come to use these cards now that we have enough of a history of use to make that possible. The board passed a thoroughly revised policy at the February 3rd meeting. It makes it clear who gets to have a card and who can use it in addition to the cardholder. We have had shared use all along. For example, there is one card for the water district, one for the clerk’s office, and several for the highway department. The policy sets forth who manages the cards, and when they need to be surrendered. All users will need to sign a statement agreeing to abide by the policy. If you would like to see the policy, just ask and the bookkeeper, clerk, or I will be happy to supply it to you. Update on the Water and Wastewater Working Group The group met once and has identified several critical next steps. The proposed sewer system in the preliminary engineering report is unaffordable to residents in the districts that would be created. We need to know whether the DEC will allow us to consider alternatives that were evaluated, not recommended, but are potentially viable. Specifically, could we do a shared leach field with individual septic tanks (Newfield has such a system)? This may or may not be an acceptable substitution because one of the reasons for giving us the Water Quality Improvement Program grant was that the installed system would in fact improve March 2026 Town of Danby, New York 3 water quality compared to individual septic tanks and leach fields. Is replacing failed or failing systems and avoiding potential issues with contaminating wells by nearby septic systems enough of an improvement to make the shared leach field an acceptable substitution? We have asked that exact question. If the answer is yes, then there is more to explore. If no, we may need to give the grant money back and look at other approaches. Succession Planning for Bookkeeper and Assistant to the Supervisor Laura Shawley has been bookkeeper and assistant to the supervisor for 18 years and wants to retire. This is a huge change for us! Over the years, Laura’s duties have expanded greatly and replacing her triggered much discussion. Can any one person succeed her? I don’t think so and the board agrees. Laura has also served as Secretary for the highway department, a position she wants to keep for a while. Handling bill processing is something she had been doing for the clerk’s office, but we hired last year and have returned that function to the town clerk. That leaves bookkeeper and assistant as the rest of the job. I think there is more than enough work to make those positions one full-time position and proposed the same to the board. The board indicated a willingness to enable that, but there is also sentiment that a part-time bookkeeper might be viable depending on interest, with the assistant remaining as a part-time addition. I have agreed to explore the options (these positions are mine to make since they are hired to help me do what I am specifically responsible for as chief financial officer). The process is under way, and I am hopeful that we can converge on a solution to the complex issues. Are you or someone you know a potentially good match for one or both of these positions? Both the Board and I are keen to make the right hire. Contact me if you are interested. One thing is certain: Laura is hard to replace! Notes from the Planner’s Desk Greg Hutnik Grants for Homeowners to Repair their Homes I have received many inquiries about the new round of CDBG (community development block grant) funding that Danby received from New York State’s Office of Community Renewal to help low-moderate income homeowners make necessary repairs to their homes. We are still waiting for the contract from the State and until such time we cannot begin the application process. In the meantime, however, I am adding homeowners to the waitlist. If you need repairs to your home, please reach out to me to be added to the waitlist. There is a simple pre-application you can fill out and return to me. Once the program is rolled out, there will be a formal application process. We anticipate the funding will assist 14 homeowners. Though not everyone who applies will be awarded funding, your registration on the waitlist will strengthen Danby’s future chances of receiving funding. Lastly, I issued a request for proposals (RFP) from firms or consultants to manage the grant and deliver the program for the town. The due date for proposals to be submitted is March 13 at noon. More information about the RFP is available on the Town’s website under “Hot Topics.” Similar grants to the Town of Danby have been managed by Cortland-based Thoma Development Consultants since 2022, but we will see if others propose to manage it for this round. Planning Board After a few months of drought for development applications, the Planning Board reviewed two March 2026 Town of Danby, New York 4 minor subdivision proposals at their February 18 meeting. The first was for a two-lot subdivision of an 11-acre vacant property on Danby Road with a tax parcel ID of 7.-1-25.1. The property is in the Low Density Residential Zone, which requires two acres per new lot and a minimum road frontage of 200 feet. Both lots as proposed will meet these requirements. The second subdivision proposal is to subdivide the 56-acre property at 133 Jersey Hill Road into two lots: one lot being approximately 20 acres and the other approximately 36 acres. Both lots as proposed meet the dimensional requirements of the Rural 1 Zone District, which requires a minimum of 10 acres per lot and a minimum lot depth of 800 feet. The Planning Board scheduled two public hearings for March 18 at 7:00 PM at the Danby Town Hall to consider approval of both subdivisions. Board of Zoning Appeals The Board of Zoning Appeals reviewed an area variance application on February 24 for the property at 430 Troy Road. The request is to reduce the setback from the side property line for a ground-mounted solar array from the required 50 feet to 28 feet. The zoning regulations require that ground mounted solar arrays meet the same setbacks as principal buildings for the underlying zone district. In this case, the property is in the Low-Density Residential Zone District, which requires 50 feet from side property lines for principal buildings. If the BZA deems the application complete, a public hearing to consider the request will likely be scheduled for March 25 at 7:00 PM at the Danby Town Hall. Conservation Advisory Council Margaret Corbit The Danby Conservation Advisory Council (CAC) met on Tuesday, February 10 at 7 pm. The Chair presented several document templates for review: a report form for yearly monitoring; a summary sheet that includes the most important features and restrictions of the property under easement and a review of the general restrictions applied to all easements; and an annual notes document in which the monitor will record any observations and/or issues for each specific year. These will be customized for each easement and stored in its folder. The aim is to have a consistent record and to make it easy for a new person to take over monitoring. We reviewed the status of easements currently under negotiation. And we clarified a naming convention for recording purposes. If you want information on an existing easement, it will be listed under the name of the current property owner with previous owners, including the original donor, listed in parentheses. Jonathan Zisk presented a data sheet example that can be used by potential easement donors to explore any possible tax benefits resulting from their donation. We will link this on the CAC main page along with the existing links to state and federal tax abatement guidelines. Our new member, Pacific Austin, asked how CAC provides input to the Town on issues such as solar farm development and data centers. While the CAC is an advisory group, the Town has guidelines for involving us in reviewing any proposed activities. For example, we developed a report on best practices in rural solar farm installation for use in discussions with the owners of the Norbut site. Our next meeting is on March 10 at 7 pm in the Town Hall. Community members are welcome to attend in hybrid fashion or in person and a link for Zoom will be posted on the Calendar. March 2026 Town of Danby, New York 5 Danby Youth Programs Jorin Clougherty Rural Youth Services provides free programming to Danby residents in 4th- 8th grade. To sign up, visit: https://bit.ly/danbyrys Programs will run March 2nd – April 24th Questions? Contact Program Manager Jorin Clougherty at jc3842@cornell.edu Explore Ithaca Tuesdays, 3:30 – 6:00pm (6th – 8th grade) After all day in a classroom, are you ready to get outside? We'll be walking from Boynton Middle School every week to a different location in Ithaca. Plan to ride the carousel at Stewart Park, enjoy ice cream at Purity, and even hop in a van to visit local museums. The goal is to have a fun afternoon while exploring places in Ithaca you may not have explored yet! Dungeons & Dragons / Magic the Gathering Wednesdays, 3:30 – 6:00pm (6th – 8th grade) Join this afterschool club to play TTRPGs and board games. Join a campaign or start your own! New players are always welcome – no experience required! Builder’s Brigade Thursdays, 2:30pm – 5:00pm (4th & 5th grade) What shall we build today? Everything from Legos to snow forts to ice cream sundaes. If you like to learn, play, and craft, then this is the place for you! This program will culminate in a group entry to the 1st Annual Cardboard Boat Race, as part of the 4-H Duck Race on April 25th. Participation at the Duck Race is encouraged, but not required for participants in this program. Primitive Pursuits Fridays, 2:30pm – 5:00pm (4th & 5th grade) This unique collaboration between 4-H Danby RYS and Primitive Pursuits is designed to give participants hands-on experience with outdoor activities and earth skills based on the gifts that Dotson Park and the natural world have to offer. Shelter building, atlatls, exploring and more - join us for the adventures! Please note that this is an all-outdoor, all-weather program - spending time in the rain, mud, wind, and sunshine builds confidence and resilience! Danby Seniors Pat Phelps The March meeting of the Danby Seniors will be at the Danby Community Church on Thursday, March 5 at noon. Please bring a generous dish to pass with a serving utensil and your own table service. Coffee and lemonade are provided. New members are always welcome! Interested in getting the Danby Town News in your inbox? You’re not alone! This newsletter is a critical part of keeping Danby informed about local government matters, and getting an email can be more convenient . Keep your eyes out for an update, possibly in next month’s newsletter! The newsletter is also available online at danby.ny.gov/current -town- newsletter. If you’d like to opt-out from physical mailings, please email townnews@danby.ny.gov along with your address. March 2026 Town of Danby, New York 6 Danby Community Groups Danby Community Library Contact: Cindy Parlett library@danby.ny.gov Open Tue 1-3pm, Thu & 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 And Park (DCAP) Website: dotsonpark.org dotsonpark@gmail.com Thu 12/7 at 7pm Danby Rural Cemetery Contact: Sharon Boda Sharonboda@gmail.com West Danby Community Association (WDCA) Contact: Pat Curran pc21@cornell.edu Danby Seniors Contact: Pat Phelps patriciaphelps2.0@ gmail.com Luncheons: 1st Thur at noon Danby Tosspots (Open Alcoholics Anonymous Meeting) Wed 7pm – virtual Please note that there is a new Zoom link for this meeting! Danby Library News Cindy Parlett Meet Charles Todd, one of the popular authors in our library. Charles Todd is a pen name used by the American authors, Charles and Caroline Todd, best- selling mother and son writing team. They wrote together from 1994 until Caroline's death in 2021 at the age of 86. In that time, they wrote 24 novels in the Ian Rutledge series and thirteen in the Bess Crawford series. The novels are set in WWI England. Ian Rutledge is a Scotland Yard detective with PTSD. After the 10th Ian Rutledge novel they started a second series featuring Bess Crawford, a WWI nurse. Charles completed the last 2 books they were working on when Caroline died, and he plans to continue both series on his own. We currently have 18 Charles Todd books, with several in each series. March 2026 Town of Danby, New York 7 Monthly Meeting Schedule At-A-Glance Group Day Date Time Call-in by Phone Meeting ID Town Board* Tues 3/3 6:00pm 1-929-205-6099 864 5365 2513 920558 WDWD Wed 3/4 5:00pm In person West Danby Fire station CAC* Tue 3/10 7:00pm 1-929-205-6099 835 4940 5296 879507 FD Tue 3/10 6:30pm In person Danby Fire Station DYC Thur 3/12 7:30pm Online- kshanks@tompkins-co.org Town Board* Tues 3/17 6:00pm 1-929-205-6099 833 9755 8154 114604 PB* Wed 3/18 7:00pm 1-646-876-9923 822 5277 6582 BZA* Tue TBD 7:00pm TBD 817 1432 4705 398041 FD Tue 3/24 6:30pm 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: Kelly Maher planningboard@danby.ny.gov Meets: 3rd Wednesday at 7pm Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) Chair: Earl Hicks bza@danby.ny.gov Meets: 4th Tuesday, as needed Conservation Advisory Council (CAC) Co-Chairs: Anne Klingensmith Jonathan Zisk cac@danby.ny.gov Meets: 2nd Tuesday at 7pm Danby Youth Commission (DYC) Contact: Patty Van de Bogart pvandebogartftc@gmail.com Meets: 2nd Thursday at 7:30pm Fire District (FD) Secretary: Sharon Gaden, secretary@danbyfiredistrict.org danby.ny.gov/depts/danby-fire-district Meets: 2nd & 4th Tuesdays at 6:30pm 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 March 2026 Town of Danby, New York 8 Town Officials Town Supervisor Joel Gagnon supervisor@danby.ny.gov Town Board Meets 1st Tues and 3rd Tues Leslie Connors Mariah Dillon Zachary Larkins Mark Pruce townboard@danby.ny.gov Town Clerk Deputy Town Clerk Hours: Mon–Fri 11am–4pm Blake Savoy Cindy Katz clerkoffice@danby.ny.gov 607-277-4788 opt. 2 Highway Superintendent Deputy Highway Superintendent Hours: Mon–Thu 6am–4:30pm Keith Shipman highway@danby.ny.gov Jack Shawley 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 planner@danby.ny.gov Code Enforcement Hours: Mon-Fri by appointment Steve Cortright code@danby.ny.gov Documents/ Historian Mary Ann Barr mbarr@danby.ny.gov Bookkeeper Laura Shawley lshawley@danby.ny.gov Danby, New York From: 1830 Danby Road Ithaca, NY 14850 PRST STD U.S. Postage Paid Permit No.428 Ithaca, NY 14850 Phone: 607-277-4788 https://danby.ny.gov Welcome to the Danby Town News! Questions? Email us at townnews@danby.ny.gov March 2026 Town of Danby, New York 9