HomeMy WebLinkAboutTB 2025-03-20 attTB 3-20-25
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TOWN OF DRYDEN
TOWN BOARD MEETING
March 20, 2025
Zoom Hybrid
Present: Supervisor Jason Leifer, Cl Daniel Lamb, Cl Christina Dravis, Cl
Spring Buck
Absent: Cl Leonardo Vargas-Mendez
Elected Officials: Bambi L. Avery, Town Clerk
Other Town Staff: Ray Burger, Planning Director
*Cassie Byrnes, Secretary to the Supervisor
Jules Ravo, Town Justice
Christopher Clauson, Town Justice
Nicole Knapp, Court Clerk
*Indicates attendance via Zoom
Supv Leifer opened the meeting at 6:06 p.m. and board members and audience recited
the pledge of allegiance.
RESOLUTION #66 (2025) – APPROVE MINUTES
Supv Leifer offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption:
RESOLVED, that this Town Board hereby approves the meeting minutes of February 13
and February 20, 2025.
2nd Cl Lamb
Roll Call Vote Cl Buck Yes
Cl Dravis Yes
Cl Lamb Yes
Supv Leifer Yes
PUBLIC HEARING
SITE PLAN AND
SPECIAL USE PERMIT FOR CANNABIS
PROCESSING BUSINESS
478 LOWER CREEK ROAD
Supv Leifer opened the public hearing at 6:08 p.m. Ray Burger explained this is an
industrial site at the corner of Lower Creek Road and Route 13. A cannabis processing
business is proposed in 4800 square feet of the building. There will be no change in the
outward appearance and the applicant will place a lock on the dumpster. This requires a
special use permit in the industrial zone. The property owner and business owner are present.
John Burrus, property owner, and the tenant, Lawrence Ludwig, explained they will be
using 4800 square feet of the building. They will bring raw material that is enclosed and frozen
at Newfield, New York. They will make different products which are not sold on site, but sold
in New York State. They are licensed by the state to do this process. A bike assembly company
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previously occupied the space. The sketch plan was displayed for viewing. A dumpster will be
located just outside and is locked at all times. Casella has a key to take away the trash.
The tenant has hired a compliance team and they now have about 80 pages of standard
operating procedures for management in addition to about 80 more pages of guidance from the
Office of Cannabis Management. There are no nearby residences. With this processing, odor
will not be an issue as they have three 1700 cfm carbon filters, so the air in the facility is
replaced about every one minute. They sell to other stores, and there will be no billboards or
signage. Everything is fresh-frozen in Newfield and moved to Dryden. There will be one or two
small trucks a week in and out of the site.
Cl Lamb said he believes the business fits in that location. They will have 4-5
employees including the owner and his wife.
L Ludwig explained that this is THC cannabis, frozen at the farm using water washing
instead of solvent or hydrocarbons. Almost everything is then used. They are developing
cosmetics, beverages, cannabis extracts and hash. They are conscious operators trying to
maintain the foothold of quality New York cannabis.
The public hearing was closed at 6:22 p.m. The board reviewed the short environmental
assessment form.
RESOLUTION #67 (2025) - NEG SEQR DEC - APPLICATION FOR A SPECIAL USE PERMIT
AND SITE PLAN APPROVAL FOR 478 LOWER CREEK ROAD, TAX PARCEL 42.-1-35.2
Supv Leifer offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption:
WHEREAS,
A. The proposed action involves consideration of the application of John Burrus for Special Use
Permit and Site Plan Approval for office and cannabis product production space for at a
property located at 478 Lower Creek, tax parcel 42.-1-35.2; and
B. The proposed action is an Unlisted Action for which the Town Board of the Town of Dryden
is the lead agency for the purposes of uncoordinated environmental review in connection with
approval by the Town; and
C. The Town Board of the Town of Dryden, in performing the lead agency function for its
independent and uncoordinated environmental review in accordance with Article 8 of SEQRA,
(i) thoroughly reviewed the Environmental Assessment Form (“EAF”), Part I and any and all
other documents prepared and submitted with respect to this proposed action and its
environmental review, (ii) thoroughly analyzed the potential relevant areas of environmental
concern to determine if the proposed action may have a significant adverse impact on the
environment, including the criteria identified in 6 NYCRR §617.7(c), and (iii) completed the
EAF, Part 2.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED AS FOLLOWS:
1. The Town Board of the Town of Dryden, based upon (i) its thorough review of the EAF, Part I
and any and all other documents prepared and submitted with respect to this proposed action
and its environmental review, (ii) its thorough review of the potenti al relevant areas of
environmental concern to determine if the proposed action may have a significant adverse
impact on the environment, including the criteria identified in 6 NYCRR §617.7(c), and (iii) its
completion of the EAF, Part 2, including the reasons noted thereon (which reasons are
incorporated herein as if set forth at length), hereby makes a negative determination of
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environmental significance (“Negative Declaration”) in accordance with SEQR for the above
referenced proposed action, and determines that an Environmental Impact Statement will not
be required; and
2. The Responsible Officer of the Town Board of the Town of Dryden is hereby authorized and
directed to complete and sign as required the determination of significance, confirming the
foregoing Negative Declaration, which fully completed and signed EAF and determination of
significance shall be incorporated by reference in this Resolution.
2nd Cl Leifer
Roll Call Vote Cl Buck Yes
Cl Dravis Yes
Cl Lamb Yes
Supv Leifer Yes
Conditions recommended by the Planning Board have been incorporated in the
resolution approving the application.
RESOLUTION #68 (2025) - Site Plan and Special Use Permit for an at 478 Lower Creek
Road, Tax Parcel 42.-1-35.2
Supv Leifer offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption:
WHEREAS,
A. John Burruss of JC Leasing LLC has applied for a Special Use Permit (SUP) and site plan
approval to locate an office and cannabis product production space at 478 Lower Creek
Road, Tax Parcel 42.-1-35.2; and
B. An application, sketch plan, and short EAF have been submitted, and
C. The Town Planning Department considers the application complete and in conformance
with the requirements of the Code of the Town of Dryden (Code) §270-8.3, §270-11 and
§270-12, and
D. The Town Planning Board reviewed this application at their February 20, 2025 meeting
and recommended approval, provided a locked dumpster was added to the site plan, and
E. The applicant added a locked dumpster to the site plan on March 4, 2025, and
F.The Tompkins County Planning Department has reviewed the application pursuant §239
–l, -m, and –n of the New York State General Municipal Law and determined that the
proposed action will have no significant county-wide or inter-community impacts, and
G. A public hearing was held on March 20, 2025 with public comments registered in the
meeting minutes and considered by this board, and
H. The Stormwater Management Officer reviewed the proposal and concluded that no
Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) is required, and
I. Pursuant to the New York State Environmental Quality Review Act (“SEQRA”) and its
implementing regulations at 6 NYCRR Part 617, the Town Board of the Town of Dryden
has, on March 20, 2025, made a negative determination of environmental significance, afte r
having reviewed and accepted as adequate the Short Environmental Assessment Form
Parts 1, 2, and 3, and
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J. The Town Board has reviewed this application relative to the considerations and
standards found in Code §270-13.3 for Industry/Manufacturing Uses, §270-11 for site plan
review and §270-12 for Special Use Permit.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED AS FOLLOWS:
1. The Town Board approves the sketch plan documents, submitted with the application
dated January 28, 2025, as amended on March 4, 2025 as site plan for 478 Lower Creek
Road.
2. The Town Board hereby finds that the considerations for approval of the requested
Special Use Permit listed in Code Section 270 -12 have been met, specifically that:
a. The proposed use is compatible with the other permitted uses in the Light Industrial
District as industrial/manufacturing is allowed with a Special Use Permit (SUP) in this
district and is located along Route 13 in an area near other commercial businesses;
b. The proposed use is compatible with adjoining properties and with the natural and
manmade environment, as this proposal is for office and cannabis product production
space adjacent to the Route 13 right-of-way and in a stretch lined with commercial
buildings;
c. Parking, vehicular circulation, and infrastructure for the proposed use is adequate.
Project creates less parking demand than the previous use; access and utilities are
found on the lot;
d. The overall impact on the site and its surroundings considering Code §270-13.3:
proposed use will not produce conditions that are noxious, offensive or hazardous to the
health, safety or general welfare of the community, a special use permit may be approved
… No odors, vibration or glare will be evident at a point more than 150 feet from the
source of said odor, vibration or light., or any other nuisances has been considered and
found to be negligible. Impact concerns are primarily escaping odor, and this i s assured
by the applicant to be neutralized by indoor air quality equipment.
e. Restrictions and/or conditions on design of structures or operation of the use necessary
to ensure compatibility with the surrounding uses have been incorporated into the site
plan;
f. The project complies with the requirements for site plan review and conforms to the
Town’s Commercial Design Guidelines to the maximum extent practicable.
3. The Town Board, finding that the applicant is in compliance with all other provisions of
the Code and other applicable ordinances, approves this Site Plan and Special Use Permit
for the office and cannabis product production space at 478 Lower Creek Road with the
Town of Dryden Standard Conditions of Approval as amended August 14, 2008.
2nd Cl Lamb
Roll Call Vote Cl Buck Yes
Cl Dravis Yes
Cl Lamb Yes
Supv Leifer Yes
DISCUSSION/ACTION ITEMS
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Set Court Senior Clerk Salary – Cl Dravis said the justices have requested a salary of
$62,000. The human resources committee has discussed options including what was
requested and a couple of ways to increase the salary over the next few years. She noted that
she believed the job description needs to be updated as the position includes things not listed
in the job description and she is willing to help with that. She recommended going with the
requested amount.
The board discussed whether a new employee should come in at the previous salary
earned by a person who has been in the position for an extended period of time or at a reduced
salary. Justices Ravo and Clauson both spoke of the training that Nicole has had from the
retired senior clerk, the experience she brings with her, the state mandates and laws that need
to be followed with respect to money, reports and state audits, and th eir desire to retain her for
an extended period of time.
There was discussion on what the salary range for the position might be posted at if
there wasn’t someone to promote into the role. The justices indicated it might be in the range
of $60,000 to $75,000. Nicole spoke of her increased responsibilities and duties. Some
municipalities have established a starting salary for positions with additional amounts
awarded for experience and longevity, and the board indicated an interest in developing a
broader retention system. Cl Dravis said there has been a seamless transition between the
newly appointed senior court clerk and the retiring clerk.
After further discussion about budget implications and historical differences in salary
between the court clerk and senior court clerk position, the board passed the following
resolution. (Cl Buck left the room for an emergency call.)
RESOLUTION #69 (2025) – SET SALARY FOR SENIOR COURT CLERK
Supv Leifer offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption:
RESOLVED, that this Town Board sets the annual salary for Senior Court Clerk at
$61,000.00 effective with the pay period that begins March 30, 2025.
2nd Cl Dravis
Roll Call Vote Cl Dravis Yes
Cl Lamb Yes
Supv Leifer Yes
The job description for Senior Court Clerk will be revised.
PLANNING DEPARTMENT
Ray Burger reported that he has submitted the monthly report for this department. He
noted that they are able to track project cost estimated by the applicant, and the total value of
the 339 building permits issued in 2024 was at $27,000,000.00 That value does include such
things as landscaping, appliances or interior remodeling that doesn’t involve structural
changes. They will continue to track this year to year.
There is a vacancy on the Zoning Board of Appeals that needs to be filled. There is an
alternate so there will be a quorum. Applicants should be detail oriented and have the ability
to understand statutes.
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ANNOUNCEMENT
Cl Dravis said every year during Women’s History Month, Assemblywoman Anna Kelles
requests nominations for women of distinction. Two Dryden residents, Sis Johnson and Alice
Green, were nominated and will be recognized at a reception at Anna Kelles’ office and featured
on her social media pages. There will be a feature in our newsletter.
DISCUSSION/ACTION ITEMS
Resolution Opposing Proposed Cuts to Housing in Congressional Budget – Cl Lamb
tried to get feedback from those who worked on this resolution and did not hear back.
Whatever they were advocating for has already passed and been signed into law. The
Continuing Resolution has already been passed. Cl Lamb said he is not a fan of sending
resolutions to federal representatives if it is too late and if it is not specific enough.
Feasibility Study for Rail Trail Phase Three – The Rail Trail Task Force has asked the
Town Board to authorize finding not to exceed $10,000 for a feasibility study of alternatives to
complete Phase Three of the Dryden Rail Trail. The town would be reimbursed by a grant from
the Ithaca Tompkins County Transportation Council.
RESOLUTION #70 (2025) – AUTHORIZE FUNDING FOR FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR
ALTERNATIVES FOR PHASE THREE OF THE DRYDEN RAIL TRAIL
Supv Leifer offered the following resolution and asked for its resolution:
RESOLVED, that this Town Board hereby authorizes the expenditure of an amount not
to exceed $10,000 for a feasibility study of three alternatives to complete the rail trail from
Pinckney Road to Johnson Road, and the town will be reimbursed by grant proceeds from the
Ithaca Tompkins County Transportation Council.
2nd Cl Lamb
Roll Call Vote Cl Buck Yes
Cl Dravis Yes
Cl Lamb Yes
Supv Leifer Yes
Authorize Article 78 Proceeding – Supv Leifer explained that the Town had received
and responded to a freedom of information request from the attorney for the Etna Volunteer
Fire Department. The town submitted a freedom of information to the Etna Fire Department
and has received no response. The town attorney has sent a good faith letter, but they are way
past the time to acknowledge or respond to the request. Supv Leifer asked for authorization to
allow the town attorney to file an Article 78 proceedin g should they decide that it is in the
town’s best interest.
RESOLUTION #71 (2025) – AUTHORIZE ARTICLE 78 PROCEEDING
Supv Leifer offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption:
RESOLVED, that this Town Board hereby authorizes the Town Supervisor to direct the
town attorney, after consultation, to file an Article 78 proceeding against the Etna Volunteer
Fire Department should the department not respond to the town’s freedom of information
request.
2nd Cl Dravis
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Roll Call Vote Cl Buck Yes
Cl Dravis Yes
Cl Lamb Yes
Supv Leifer Yes
Borger Station Annual Report – Berkshire Hathaway makes a report each April
regarding activities at the Borger Station. It was scheduled for April 17.
Enumerated Unlicensed Dog Fees – The fee is currently $10 per dog found to be
unlicensed during enumeration. Increasing that to $20 will help ensure the town covers the
expense of enumeration. The following proposed local law was introduced and the public
hearing set for April 10 at 6:30 p.m.
A LOCAL LAW AMENDING SECTION 105-9(H) REGARDING ENUMERATED UNLICENSED
DOG FEES
Be it enacted by the Town Board of the Town of Dryden as follows:
Section 1. Section 105-9(H) of the Code of the Town of Dryden shall be amended to read as
follows:
Additional fee for enumerated unlicensed dog. In addition to the license and other fees provided
for herein, the owner of a dog identified as unlicensed during a dog enumeration shall be charged
an additional fee of $20 at the time of licensing. All such additional fees under this subsection
shall be used to pay the expenses incurred by the town during such enumeration.
Section 2. Remainder.
Except as hereinabove amended, the remainder of the Code of the Town of Dryden shall remain
in full force and effect.
Section 3. Separability.
The provisions of this Local Law are separable and if any provision, clause, sentence, subsection,
word or part thereof is held illegal, invalid, unconstitutional, or inapplicable to any person or
circumstance, such illegality, invalidity or unconstitutionality, or inapplicability shall not affect
or impair any of the remaining provisions, clauses, sentences, subsections, words, or parts of
this local law or their application to other persons or circumstances. It is hereby declared to be
the legislative intent that this local law would have been adopted if such illegal, invalid, or
unconstitutional provision, clause, sentence, subsection, word or part had not been included
therein, and as if such person or circumstance, to which the local law or part thereo f is held
inapplicable, had been specifically exempt therefrom.
Section 4. Effective Date.
This Local Law shall take effect immediately upon filing with the New York State Secretary of
State in accordance with Section 27 of the Municipal Home Rule Law.
ADVISORY BOARD UPDATES
Affordable Housing – The town board has discussed the resolution the committee sent.
Conservation Board – The primary focus of their meeting was an effort to support the
Climate Smart Task Force in getting silver certification by doing land valuing of parcels the
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town has identified as important for protection. Unfortunately, the Climate Smart Task Force
has found other ways to get the points, but it was a good conversation.
Climate Smart Task Force – There was no March meeting. Alice Green, Gina Cassidy,
and Jerry Sheng from Cornell Cooperative Extension have determined that the only thing the
task force needs to do to receive CSC Silver Certification is to document all of our
accomplishments by April 11 and they are working on that.
Planning Board – They discussed taking the next steps forward with the zoning rewrite
and get the scope of work and budget quote so they can bring a request to the Town Board to
move forward with hiring a consultant to do Phase 1 of the update. The Planning Board voted
to ask the Town Board to approve hiring Community Planning and Environmental Associates
for that task (received this afternoon). There was a lengthy discussion to be sure the proposal
captured what the Planning Board is looking for and then how to move forward and what the
roles and responsibilities of the Planning Board would be.
RESOLUTION #72 (2025) – ADOPT SCOPE OF WORK FROM COMMUNITY PLANNING AND
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATES FOR PHASE 1 UPDATE TO TOWN OF DRYDEN ZONING
AND SUBDIVISION LAW
Supv Leifer offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption:
RESOLVED, that this Town Board hereby adopts the scope of work from Community
Planning and Environmental Associates for Phase 1 Update to Town of Dryden Zoning and
Subdivision dated March 3, 2025, as a service contract and the Town Supervisor is authorized
to execute any related documents.
2nd Cl Lamb
Roll Call Vote Cl Buck Yes
Cl Dravis Yes
Cl Lamb Yes
Supv Leifer Yes
Rail Trail Task Force – They did not meet. Everything needed for the Route 13 bridge
has been sent to DOT and they are waiting for DOT to say the application is complete and the
project can be sent out for bid. (The same situation as the Freese Road bridge.)
Ag Committee – The Planning Board zoning workshop session was discussed. The
committee is concerned that their comments will not be incorporated in the zoning update.
DRYC – They talked about replacement of the playground at Dryden Lake. Supv Leifer
said some new grant opportunities were made available just this week. There was also
discussion about wanting to bring a proposal to the board about the purchase of certain
properties that may be available for sale to be used for recreation space. The committee has
met with the consultant to talk about what the town wanted, but Supv Leifer has not seen any
yet.
CITIZENS PRIVILEGE
None
DRYDEN FIBER
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Dave Makar presented his report for February that has been updated to reflect activity
into March. He reported he had a kickoff call with Vantage Point a few days after signing the
contract with them, and ten days later they had a team in Dryden and are still on site
evaluating what we have in place so far. They have made a big impact already with five teams
working on the project. They are auditing our permits and auditing the financials, and are
looking to see that the proposal to the state for the MIP grant and what Hunt prepared is lined
up for 2025. There is about a 10% contingency built in the program. The cost of everything is
going up, and tariffs may increase the total cost of the project.
The grant disbursement agreement has been received for the MIP grant and it is being
reviewed for cost alignment, timing, and locations. They are currently holding off on the first
reimbursement request based on results of the audit being conducted by Vantage Point.
Dryden Fiber is now able to serve 29.6% of the parcels in Dryden. Almost the entirety
of the village of Dryden is now covered. In February fifty-six customers were added.
Windstream had an outage at 3 p.m. on February 25th and no one knew it had
happened. We have two service providers, and a process is in place so that when one goes
down, the other will automatically pick up, and the customers are not affected.
USDA had a tour of our facilities on February 26th and following that they wired
over the $624,614.00 for the ARC grant.
March updates show a slowdown in construction. This will continue until a reset plan
is in place. We don’t want to go in a rapid pace in a new direction.
There was an outage on March 16th for 115 minutes. Initially it was due to the
windstorm that caused the loss of our First Light connection. We then identified that our
configurations in case this happened were not all correct. Our minimum allowed down time
per month is 120 minutes. In this instance after doing diagnostics, they were able to do a
switch that will revert service to whichever service is not down.
The map on Dryden Fiber has been updated. There will be weekly meetings Vantage
every Wednesday. There is a focus on bringing service to multiple dwelling units and Vantage
has one person dedicated to making that happen.
The board moved to executive session at 8:08 p.m. to discuss potential litigation. Supv
Leifer stated no decisions would be made tonight. They came back to regular session at 9:04
p.m.
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 9:05 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Bambi L. Avery
Town Clerk
DRYDEN FIBER
MONTHLY REPORT
for FEBRUARY 2025
TOWN OF DRYDEN BROADBAND COMMITTEE MEETING on March 7th, 2025
And
DRYDEN TOWN BOARD on March 20th, 2025
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY –3/20/2025
▪We've signed an agreement with Vantage Point Solutions for Engineering Services (2/13/25)
▪Vantage Point Activity
o Feb. 23rd-Mar.20th –In-person onsite audit of Dryden Fiber network
o Feb. 28th –Preliminary report and request for 10 -14 day construction stoppage during deeper evaluation
and potential design changes
o Also: Permit Review (existing permits and MIP project going forward); Design review (KMZ files); Website
▪The Municipal Infrastructure Program (MIP)Updates:
o GDA Budget and Locations List is being reviewed: cost alignment, timing, and locations (cell towers)
o A signed GDA allows us to begin to submit milestone details (construction), receipts and cancelled checks
(proof of payment) and request reimbursements from CAO: Holding on first reimbursement request
▪We are now able to serve 1,729 parcels (29.6% of the Town of Dryden)
o Feb. 24th: Added 56 locations on W. Main St.; Hilton; Goodrich; Monroe; and Hill Crest (13 pre -registerd)
▪We have 336 paying customers (+42 in Feb.);We had 65 in-bound requests in February
▪2/25/25 -Windstream outage at 3pm, equipment in a remote cabinet for Windstream had an issue.
Our network automatically moved over to FirstLight.
▪2/28/25 -Grants Receivable -ARC: $624,614.00
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY –3/20/2025
▪March 1-20 Updates:
o There's a slowdown in construction as we do a complete reset
o March 16th Outage –115 minutes due to windstorm, loss of FirstLight connection, and
configurations. Note: Minimum allowed outage per month is 120 minutes.
o Community Connections 3/29/25 at Dryden Neptune Fire Department
o We've removed 35 locations from the network, Baker Hill Road and parts of Mount Pleasant
Road
▪This directly impacts two customers
o We've terminated our first subscriber for lack of payment. They signed up last November
and missed three months of paymnet. We turned off their service.
o We've launched the updated map at DrydenFiber.com
▪Coming Up:
o Weekly Meetings with Vantage Point (Wednesdays)
o MDU Planning and Support (we have at least 8 Multiple Dwelling Units with prospects)
Draft Goals for
2025 –2/1/2025
▪As of 3/1/25, we have
336 customers live on the
platform
▪Current estimates:
o 65 more each month 2025
o 1017 total by 12/31/25
Month New Goal Actual
December 65 240 240
Jan 1-15 32 272 272
Jan 16-31 30 302 294
February 65 367 336
March 65 432
April 65 497
May 65 562
June 65 627
July 65 692
August 65 757
September 65 822
October 65 887
November 65 952
December 65 1017
Project Highlights
Project Name:Dryden Fiber Expansion
for Towns of Dryden and Caroline
Applicant and Partner(s):Town of
Dryden dba, Dryden Fiber and Town of
Caroline
Construction Miles (Fiber): 124.6
Total Locations Served:2,674
ConnectALL Grant Amount:$ 8,995,979.00
Local Contribution:$ 906,321.00
Total Project Investment: $9,902,300.00
MIP Scoreboard
Months to go:
10~
----------
150~
(6.6%)
MIP Miles Completed
210
----------
2,735
(7.6%)
# of Parcels Reached
X
----------
471
(X%)
# of Unserved Reached
X
----------
74
(X%)
# of Underserved Reached
34
----------
400
(8.5%)
# of MIP Installs
22
--------
30
(73%)
Team Reports
▪Customer Base – Amanda, Town of Dryden Bookkeeper
▪Construction Permitting Updates – On Hold
▪Construction Implementation Updates – Exec. Dir.,Syracuse
Utilities,Lightspeed
▪Installations – Clarity Connect, Netegrity, Gleamon
▪Sales Operations – Gleamon
▪Finance – Amanda,Town of Dryden Bookkeeper
▪Customer Service - Netegrity
▪Marketing – Exec. Dir. Dave Makar
▪Facilities and Grounds - Department of Public Works
Customer Base
As of March 1st, 2025 (billing date is 1st of month)
Speed
Number of
Subscriptions
Billed Monthly
Revenue
Net Change
from Prior
month
Average Monthly
Revenue
Residential
Silver ($45)400 Mbps 258 11,610 34
Gold ($75)700 Mbps 32 2,400 1
Platinum ($90)1 Gbps 28 2,520 5
Static IP ($20)1 20
Total Residential Customers 318 $16,550 40 $52.04
Commerical
Standard ($75)500 Mbps 14 1,050 2
Preferred ($150)1 Gbps 3 450
Enhanced ($250)2 Gbps 1 250
Total Commerical Customers 18 1,750 2 $97.22
Total of ALL Customers 336 $18,300 $54.46
Items of Note:
1.Highland/Hilton/Goodrich now live!
2.All other construction and splicing is on hold pending audit and potential redesign
Next Two Weeks
1.Audit and Assessment
2.Vantage Point Kick-off Session with Construction team (Syracuse Utilites, Lightspeed
Address Availability Updates
(As of March 1st, 2025)
Coverage Parcels Households
New (March 1, 2025)+56 +56
Total w/ coverage 1,729 1,624
Total 5,832 6,036
Coverage %29.6% (+1%)*27% (+1%)*
New Fiber Aerial Underground
New (January 1, 2024)+8 miles +.2 mile
Total 47.25 miles 26.7 miles
Installations
As of March 1st, 2025 (billing date is 1st of month)
▪December Install Summary
o Number of installations completed this month: 42
o Number of installations pending (as of February 1st): 32
o Installation blockers / questions:
▪Frozen ground: leaving on ground and completing install post-thaw
▪DLX (2 customers): Yellow Barn neighborhood
Financial Reporting
as of February 28, 2025
Revenue and Expenses Balance Sheet
Feb-25 2025 to date 2021 to 2024 February 28, 2025
Revenue Assets
Customer
Subscriptions 16,475.00 30,600.00 62,500.45 Cash 2,508,412.98
Grants and ARPA
funds 1,278,067.17 Accounts Receivable 1,063.50
Other Revenue
Sources 2,925.65 2,925.65 233,326.49 Grants Receivable - ARC 624,614.00
Total 19,400.65 33,525.65 1,340,567.62 Grants Receivable - MIP 703,128.80
Total Assets 3,837,219.28
Expenses
Construction 558,506.60 819,846.60 8,710,189.87 Liabilities
Installation 92,647.17 92,647.17 687,482.12 Accounts Payable (est)350,000.00
Operations 11,880.76 23,761.52 306,365.23 BAN 9,460,000.00
Total 663,034.53 936,255.29 9,704,037.21 Loan from Town 235,705.64
Total Liabilities 10,045,705.64
Sales Operations
As of March 1, 2025 (billing date is 1st of month)
▪Worked with Syracuse Utilities and Clarity Connect and Graybar to make sure we have inventory stock
to continue moving forward with the project
▪Multi-Use Development –working on getting agreements with Mobile home parks throughout the town
•1062 Dryden Road (Pineridge / Wawak) - TBD based on Ciena and Engineering Support
•Lower Creek Park (Etna); Wood Rd Park (Wood Road, Etna) met with owner Karel Westerling onsite and we have a tentative plan
to access the park and the tenants
•Little Creek Manufactured Home Community – North Rd./Village of Dryden These folks have signed an agreement, but we will need
to wait til spring to proceed
•Mott Road – Have had multiple conversations with the owner Reggie Blomfield-Brown He is open and ready to have us serve his
Park. Just wants to meet for assurance and he is currently south
•8 Library St - 4 tenants waiting for approval from the landlord to have service. Agreement was sent but it is a board of directors
▪Renters – We now have 25 signed agreements and 13 more that are pending
▪Prospects - We had 42 new installs and 32 scheduled. Also 30 signups that have been contacted and we are waiting for
a response
▪Met with Bill Ackroyd of the Dryden Fire and Ambulance
Item Description
Quantity
on hand
(1/28/25)
Re-order
Threshold
Lead
Time
(weeks)
Notes
Ciena ONUs Ciena devices needed for each customer
at their home
480 (6)50 6 We are installing 50 per
month. Growth plan has
us reaching 75 per month
NIDs NIDs needed for each customer at their
home to transition the Drop cable to the
Prem cable
305 (29)50 X See above for installs per
month
Plume Devices Optional Wi-Fi Routers for each customer 133 (15)35 X See above, note: 75% of
customers take a plume
device
Drop Cables
(25ft-199ft)
Used by installation team from MST to
NID.
21 (9)10 2 See above for installs per
month
Drop Cables
(200ft+)
Used by installation team from MST to
NID.
149 (9)50 4 See above for installs per
month
Prem Cables
(100ft)
Used by installation team from NID to
ONU inside home.
300 (9)50 See above for installs per
month
Prem Cables
(25ft & 50ft)
Used by installation team from NID to
ONU inside home.
360 (29)50 See above for installs per
month
Customer Service
As of March 1st, 2025 (billing date is 1st of month)
Helpdesk Call Report February 2025
•Bandwidth Complaint (Speed Concerns)
•0
•Billing Related Call
•4
•Downed Drop (Damaged Service Line)
•0
•Email (Calls related to email difficulties)
•0
•No Connectivity
•4
•ONT / Power Cycle (Calls related to the
ONT where unplugging or rebooting
equipment was necessary)
•2
•Other / Unrelated (Calls looking for
unrelated departments or information)
•22
•Outage
•0
•Install Orders / Create Service
•35
•Router Issue
•2
•PC / Laptop Issue
•0
•Sporadic Connection
•0
•Streaming Related Issue
•0
•User Error / Education
•38
•Wireless
•2
Sum: 109
Note:
Install Orders denote an
incoming install scheduling
request – not a completed install
One caller can generate
numerous tickets for a single
issue (i.e. calls in 5x for same
problem)
Support@drydenfiber.com
607-391-3500 (direct support
number)
User Error / Education:
User Error / Education:
Service inquiry (non-green)
Hardware Q's
Range Extenders
Customer Service
Customer "A" called in in early February because her internet wasn't
working. We ran some thorough troubleshooting, she appeared fine
in Ciena, but she still couldn't get online. The customer informed me
that her Deco router had no lights on it. I asked the customer to try a
different outlet and still the Deco wouldn't come on. The customer
said her personal equipment must have failed and needed to be
replaced.
She was pleased that we were able to pinpoint the problem so
quickly and were able to guide her to a solution.
Customer Service
Customer "B" called the help desk saying she just got installed with
Dryden Fiber recently. She was claiming she wasn't provided a WiFi
password, but right off the bat I could tell this was confusion / user
error. We went through her WiFi settings on (what she called a
tablet) before we both realized it wasn't a tablet, but a relatively new
Lenovo laptop. The device was asking for a PIN (request which can
sometimes come up in Windows Wi -Fi settings) and I had the
customer click on "switch to password mode" to use her Plume WPA
key. She was able to follow directions over the phone and
connected her Lenovo Laptop to the network which made her very
happy.
Her problem was solved, and she thanked me and ended the call.
Customer Service
I received a call on a Saturday evening from a new customer,
Customer "C" , who was experiencing issues with her computer.
She had recently had Dryden Fiber installed and was concerned
that her internet wasn’t working. After checking the network, I
confirmed it was functioning properly. Through a brief conversation, I
determined that her computer had locked up. We tried several
troubleshooting steps, but ultimately, we had to force a shutdown.
Once the PC restarted, everything was back to normal, and Donna
was able to continue working without any further issues.
Customer Service
We received an email from Customer "D" showing that the Dryden Fiber
Network via the Plume was down. His screenshot on his phone showed the
WiFi Network had no service. I investigated and determined that the Plume
was online and working properly, and I saw 17 devices in his house
connected without a problem. I responded to his email to let him know that
service appeared to be working, perhaps the issue is related to the phone
itself or some other matter. I requested he call in to the Help Desk to further
discuss the issue so that we could explore deeper. However, "D" responded
later informing us that a Generator Company he uses had come out recently
and installed their own Wireless Access Point for the Generator to get online.
He was able to resolve it by unplugging the Router and AP and plugging them
back in again.
I followed up suggesting if he has further issues, he may want to contact the
Generator company to come back as they may have misconfigured their AP.
Customer Service
The Help Desk received a call from Customer "E" regarding sporadic connectivity on his
Dryden Fiber WiFi. He was not maintaining a stable connection and the connection would
drop out shortly after a power cycle. He also hooked up an old router he had which
experienced the same symptoms – connectivity would drop out shortly after it booted up. I
investigated the issue and noticed that the Plume Pod was connecting to its ethernet
backhaul at 100MB instead of the expected 1000MB. This indicated a faulty (or old)
Ethernet Cable. Other than that, the Pod itself appeared to be online with devices
connected to it and the internet was working. I called Mr. Miller to discuss this deeper and
he seemed to be completely aware of the cable issue that I brought up. He was aware that
the ethernet cables that were run under the house are old CAT5 cables and need to be
updated. The Pod was originally hooked up in the Garage and he noticed it stopped
broadcasting out there, so he moved it indoors to the living room which is where the old
cables are used. After finding out the Pod was in a garage originally, I investigated the
operating conditions and discovered they are rated for 0C -32C. We believe that the very
cold weather at the time was the culprit for why the Pod stopped broadcasting in the
Garage – however Mr. Miller plans on updating his CAT5 cables in the spring as he prefers
to have the Pod located in the Living Room.
Mr. Miller was happy for the call back and that we were able to pinpoint the problem areas.
Customer Service
We received a call at the Help Desk from Customer "F" explaining that the internet was down. I
investigated this and discovered that the ONU was indeed offline and not working – and that it
had been offline for 17 Days. The customer explained they had been using Spectrum since the
installation but were now migrating over to Dryden only to find out that the connection isn’t
working.
The Ciena ONU was powered up and had lights on, but the XGS light was Red indicating no
fiber signal. I asked them look outside at the drop – suspected perhaps the weather had
caused a problem outdoors and broke the cable – but they couldn’t see any damage.
This required a dispatch by Clarity Connect to restore service, so I moved this over as a Repair
Escalation. When Clarity arrived on -site Noah was able to immediately detect the issue – after
installation, the customer had wrapped up the “slack” fiber that was in the house and taped it
tightly with electrical tape to then move it out of sight. Unfortunately, bending the fiber in this
manner breaks it, which is why the ONU was offline. Noah had to splice in a new fiber cable to
replace the broken cable.
After this was complete the service restored and the customer was able to connect to the WiFi
successfully.
Marketing
As of March 1st, 2025 (billing date is 1st of month)
9/1/23 12/1/23 3/1/24 6/1/24 9/1/24 10/1/24 11/1/24 12/1/24 1/1/25 2/1/25 3/1/25
Total Under
Contract
22 28 (+6)
Sept-Nov
32 (+4)
Dec-Feb
44 (+12)
Mar-May
91 (+47)
Jun-Aug
126
(+35)
Sept.
165
(+39)
Oct.
180
(+15)
Nov.
245
(+65)
Dec.
294
(+49)
Jan.
336
(+42)
Feb.
Requests
(since 1/1/23)
174
(+11)
274
(+100)
363
(+89)
429
(+66)
638
(+209)
681
(+43)
760
(+79)
875
(+115)
999
(+124)
1152
(+153)
1217
(+65)
Available 38 44**TBD 87 172 (+85)197 (+25)241 (+44)292 (+51)341 (+49)392 (+51)425 (+33)
Not Available 136 226 TBD 342 466 484 515 579 658 760 792
Serviceable Live 76.3%72%TBD 51%
(44/87)
53%
(91/172)
64%
(126/197)
68%
(165/241)
62%
180/292
72%
245/341
75%
294/392
79%
336 / 425
Website Visits 8/25-9/7 11/17-11/30 2/1-2/29 5/1-5/31 8/1-31 9/1-30 10/1-31 11/1-30 12/1-31 1/1-1/31 2/1-2/28
Users 226 140 392 516 661 713 808 801 945 1k 866
New Users 211 115 346 471 567 619 727 707 852 880 760
Sessions 324 194 617 739 1104 1110 1424 1281 1444 1741 1323
Engagement
(secs.)
0m 46s 42s 1m 30s 58 s 1m 13s 1m 10s 1m 25s 1 m 21s 1 m 20 s 1 m 28 s 1m 14s
APPENDIX A
Meeting Schedule
▪Dryden Fiber Public Broadband Committee – Public reporting on project
o 1st and 3rd Friday morning, 10:30am-11:30am (except July and August, 2nd and 4th
Friday morning)
▪Dryden Fiber Operations Team Meeting – Construction and Install Collaboration
o Every other Wednesday, 10am-11:15am
▪Dryden Fiber MIP Status Call – Meet with Connect All Office to stay on track
o Every Tuesday, 1pm-1:45pm
▪Dryden Fiber MIP Steering Committee – Implementation of the Grant
o Monthly (Town of Dryden, Town of Caroline)
▪Dryden Fiber Policy Committee – Advise and Recommend on Policy
o Monthly
Financial Reporting
Review of Construction Costs from beginning of project
Subcontractors (Syr. Util., Lghtspd, etc.), 50%Equipment Purchases, 28%
Professional Fees (Leg.,
Eng., etc.), 13%
Permit and Pole
Applications, 5%
Loan
interest,
2%
Misc
Constru
ction
Exp, 1%
Construction Costs 1/1/21 to 12/31/24
Subcontractors (Syr. Util., Lghtspd, etc.)
Equipment Purchases
Professional Fees (Leg., Eng., etc.)
Permit and Pole Applications
Loan interest
Misc Construction Exp
MIP Scoreboard
Months to go:
10~
----------
150~
(6.6%)
MIP Miles Completed
210
----------
2,735
(7.6%)
# of Parcels Reached
X
----------
382
(X%)
Unserved
Caroline
X
----------
56
(X%)
Underserved
Caroline
34
----------
400
(8.5%)
# of MIP Installs
22
--------
30
(73%)
X
----------
89
(X%)
Unserved
Dryden
X
----------
18
(X%)
Underserved
Dryden
Permitting Steps
1.Final Design Edits = Survey has occurred and Prelim in is design edits
2.Prelim Sent = Sent to Hunt to review/approve and then to NYSEG/Frontier to review
3.Final NYSEG Design Sent = NYSEG reviewing final design before sending the Final Make Ready Package
4.Telco Recon = Telco Review prelim design
5.Frontier Billing Outstanding = Frontier awaiting payment to proceed
6.RFB = Request for Bid sent to contractors
7.MR Construction = Make Ready Contruction - Moves are in progress
Other Statuses (from slide 8):
▪Attached – definition...
▪Elec make-ready in process – definition...
▪Telco make-ready in process – definition...
▪Final ELEC Design Input – definition...