Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025-09-17 September 17, 2025 1 REGULAR TOWN BOARD MEETING September 17, 2025 A Regular Meeting of the Lansing Town Board was held at the Town Hall Board Room, 29 Auburn Road, Lansing, NY, and streamed live on YouTube on the above date at 6:30 p.m. The meeting was called to order by Ruth Groff, Supervisor, and opened with the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag. Roll call by Jessica L. Hall, Deputy Town Clerk, showed the following to be PRESENT: Judy Drake, Councilperson Laurie Hemmings, Councilperson Christine Montague, Councilperson Joseph Wetmore, Councilperson Ruth Groff, Supervisor ABSENT: No one absent ALSO PRESENT: Mike Moseley, Highway Superintendent/ Director of Public Works, Mary Ellen Albrecht, Bookkeeper, Patrick Tyrrell, Director of Parks & Recreation, Guy Krogh, Town Counsel, Mike Sigler, Tompkins County Legislature, Kathleen Yen, Village of Lansing Trustee, Bruce Barber, Leo Nakaranuruck, and a few other attendees PRIVILEGE OF THE FLOOR – COMMENTS One resident thanked the Board for their service and expressed hope that a resolution would be passed to finalize the trail policy tonight. They shared the trails are a community project. Significant work, time and energy from various community members and the Recreation Department have been invested in them. They also look forward to establishing a formal relationship between the Friends of the Lansing Center Trail and the Town to clarify responsibilities and roles. DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS REPORT – MICHAEL MOSELEY Submitted the following report to the Town Board and it was included in the meeting packet which was available on Town of Lansing website and as a handout. DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS REPORT SEPTEMBER 2025 NEW DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS BUILDING: • The Town of Lansing continues to collaborate with LeChase on the development of the new Department of Public Works (DPW) building while concurrently conducting its annual road maintenance activities. • Crew members of the DPW completed the paving portion for the materials pad on the north side of campus. Next steps will be moving road materials to the pad as well as contractors putting up fencing. • NT SiteCon continues to remove unsuitable soils while grading and leveling. • Stormwater inspections continue to be underway. • The framing and rebar for the salt barn have been inspected by the Town’s Code Department and CME, and concrete footers have been poured by contractors. ROADS: • Paving was performed on Scofield Road, Atwater Road, Sharon Drive, East Shore Circle and Bush Lane. • Reprofiling was performed on Wilson Road, between Conlon Road and Buck Road, as well as Snushall Road. • Ditching and shoulder improvements were made to enhance drainage. • Several culverts were replaced due to age. September 17, 2025 2 • The road maintenance schedule is currently in progress. This involves a series of planned activities aimed at improving road conditions. The Department of Public Works sincerely appreciates the community’s patience and understanding as project schedules adjust due to unforeseen circumstances. • Roadside mowing operations have commenced to improve the line of sight for drivers. This initiative involves trimming vegetation along the roadways. • Crew members are actively conducting sign maintenance throughout the town to ensure clear and up-to-date roadway guidance for drivers and pedestrians and replacing as needed. WATER AND SEWER MAINTENANCE: • The DPW used the new Vac Truck to excavate a water curb-stop, minimizing restoration and ensuring continued system reliability. • The crew is actively engaged in performing preventive maintenance on water valves. This involves inspecting, cleaning, and testing the valves to ensure they are functioning optimally and to prevent any potential issues that could disrupt water service. INTERMUNICIPAL: • The Town of Newfield assisted with reprofiling of Wilson Road and Snushall Road. • Tompkins County provided trucks to assist in paving the new DPW Materials Pad as well as provided a truck for assistance with shoulder work. • Lansing DPW assisted Tompkins County with hot mix paving for the Conlon Road culvert project. OFFICE: • The Town of Lansing has been working hand in hand with the Village of Lansing and the Village of Cayuga Heights regarding the Intermunicipal Agreement for Sewer District One. MEETINGS ATTENDED BY THE HIGHWAY SUPERINTENDENT/DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS: • Commissioner Meeting with Bolton Point: Responsible for passing resolutions that govern Bolton Point. • Engineering and Operations Meeting with Bolton Point: Responsible for the infrastructure of the municipalities that make up Bolton Point. • Highway Barn Committee: Responsible for working with architects, engineers, and construction managers on the design and development of the new Department of Public Works facility. • Project Review Committee (PRC): Responsible for reviewing and financial planning for the 5-Year Plan for the Town's larger projects. • Water, Sewer, and Stormwater Committee (WSSC): Responsible for evaluating proposals relating to the Town’s water, sewer and stormwater. The goal is financial and engineering analysis. • Virtual Snow and Ice Course: Orr, P.E., discussed why this duty is so critical and gain insights into ways to prepare for this coming winter. • Comptrollers Meeting in regard to Competition and Procurement. Mike also shared: Thanks to his staff. They put forth an outstanding effort while juggling the demands of normal operations, emergencies, shared services, and construction of the new DPW building and campus. The forms are being constructed for the salt barn. The new vac truck was utilized today for a valve repair on Hillcrest. It was very beneficial having it at the site. PARKS AND RECREATION REPORT – PATRICK TYRRELL Submitted the following report to the Town Board and it was included in the meeting packet which was available on Town of Lansing website and as a handout. September 17, 2025 3 September 2025 Town Board Report RECREATION: • Current programs include boys and girls flag football, small fry football, cheerleading, soccer, chess lessons, horseback riding, Watercats swimming, YogaChi, Strength and Stretch, Cardio Step, adult volleyball, and adult swim. • Lansing Rec Cheerleaders will perform at the Lansing Elementary Back to School night on September 17th. • We have hosted 4 Varsity Soccer games this month. • After the recent dry spell, mowing has now resumed to normal, twice a week. • Sobus Field is expected to be open the last week of September, and we hope to have a few football games scheduled there for October. • Our team has painted two new accessible parking spots in the ballfield parking lot to better accommodate our guests. • IC and Cornell Club softball teams will be using our softball field over the next couple of months. PARKS: • Suicide Prevention Walk was September 6th and was a huge success. • Veteran’s Watch Fire is this Friday the 19th at 7pm in Myers Park. • As of September 1st, we are no longer charging admission or launch fees at Myers Park for the remainder of the season (Final day was Labor Day). • Camping in Myers Park remains open until Columbus Day. • We replaced a couple of trees in Ludlowville Park. • We have added several new valves and boxes to our water system at Myers Park to better isolate portions in case of a leak. TRAILS: • NYS DOT completed the new flashing crosswalk signs to the trails/sidewalk on Auburn Road last week. TOWN HALL/COMMUNITY CENTER: • The RFP for the Community Center and Schoolhouse roof projects is being re- posted. • Air conditioning at the Community Center continues to be an issue. We hope we don’t have issues with the heating system. • Internet service has been poor in the Town Hall. Spectrum was replacing the line in front of the Town Hall last week. Thank you to our Department of Public Works for loaning equipment to our department. I would like to thank my staff for doing a tremendous job this summer, from the programs and camps to maintenance of all our properties they have gone above and beyond in some incredibly stressful times. It does not go unrecognized by the community. This is only a very brief overview of what the Parks & Recreation department does, if you have questions or would like to meet with me one on one, please let me know. DIRECTOR OF PLANNING REPORT – JOHN ZEPKO No report. September 17, 2025 4 TOWN CLERK REPORT – DEBBIE MUNSON No report. LANSING COMMUNITY LIBRARY REPORT – ANNIE JOHNSON Submitted the following report to the Town Board and it was included in the meeting packet which was available on Town of Lansing website and as a handout. TOWN BOARD UPDATES FROM THE LANSING COMMUNITY LIBRARY September 2025 1. Don’t forget that if the library is closed, you still have access to Libby, Hoopla, and Kanopy! 2. The library continues to provide free delivery to Woodsedge. The library also has a mobile wireless hotspot available for check out. The Wi-Fi is not password protected. The community is welcome to park in the lot to access the Internet. 3. Learn to play American Mah Jongg every Wednesday at 10:00 am. 4. The library has an Empire Pass and a pass to the Museum of the Earth available for check out. Board games, puzzles, story time kits, and STEAM kits are also available. 5. The Library now offers free period products using an Aunt Flow dispenser. Unfortunately, we are no longer able to supply free COVID tests. We can help residents contact the USPS to get free tests in the mail. 6. Chair Yoga is offered every Monday at 10:00 am (new time!). 7. Learn T’ai Chi on Fridays at 10:30 am. 8. There is a year-round book sale at the Library. 9. Story times for the month: School, buses and yellow! 9/11, Interrupting Chicken 9/18, and Stars on 9/25 - all at 10:30 am 10. Join us on 9/17 at 7 pm for “LIFE magazine and the work of Margaret Bourke White”. 11. The Cookie Contest was a success, thanks to all who participated! 12. The next adult book club will be 9/16 at 7 pm; the book is “Such a Fun Age”. 13. The Friends are planning the Costumes and Cocktails fundraiser on October 18th at the Sciencenter. Keep an eye out for ticket sales! LANSING YOUTH SERVICES REPORT – RICK ALVORD Submitted the following report to the Town Board and it was included in the meeting packet which was available on Town of Lansing website and as a handout. Lansing Youth Services Town Board Report September 2025 Lake Life: Lake Life kicked off our Summer Skies with a super busy week. This program was combined with youth from Newfield and the Joint Youth Commission. Daily activities included landscape art, fishing, swimming, birding, kayaking, basketball, and even a trip on the Floating Classroom! The group had regular conversations about lake health, stream health, bird migration and the importance of Myers Point in monitoring these systems. The kayaks were used daily and provided good opportunities to explore around both points. 13 youth served. Cardboard Boat Building: Cardboard Boat Building never disappoints, and experiences are fresh every year. Using boats from the marina as inspiration, students made/built September 17, 2025 5 cardboard boats to test float on the final day. The group learned a lot about problem solving after testing their model boats and the results were amazing! While several boats failed, the students had lots of fun! One boat filled with supports, held three people! 11 youth served. Iron Chef: Iron chef returned with summer with a lot of practice at Myers Park before heading to the 4-H Fair to compete in Jr. Iron Chef. The group made banana pancakes, omelets, and quesadillas. The competition went well with one Lansing team winning! This year had challenging “mystery” ingredients, cilantro and Spam. When the group wasn’t competing, they learned to make friction fires, cooked hot dogs and s’mores, and made doughnuts on the fire! 10 youth served. RYS Summer Olympics: Back for a second year, six municipalities gathered together for lots of teambuilding and friendly competitions. Students completed a “circuit” of team building activities, and competed in a scavenger hunt, basketball, archery, ultimate frisbee and more. Swimming in the afternoons to cool down was appreciated, and participants loved the daily catered lunches! 10 youth served. Sky’s The Limit: This ever-popular program was action packed. The week kicked off with a visit to the Cornell Spacecraft and Planetary Imaging Facility (SPIF) for a tour of how light is used to determine what elements are on other planets. The group also visited the Cornell Lab of Ornithology for bird watching, exploring the exhibits, and a special tour of the Ithaca International Airport. The group also visited the National Soaring Museum where they learned about the history of flight and “Sail Planes”, then it was off to Tanglewood Nature preserve to see animals and feed/observe the fish and turtles. The final day was “launch day” for rockets! 10 youth served. Get Lost!: With this program focusing on “lost proofing” and survival skills, Hammond Hill State Forest provided ample opportunities to test a lot of these skills. The group practiced navigation off trail, how to locate a natural spring, how to make a sun compass, the importance of always being aware of your surroundings to navigate back to your starting point, what to do if you really are lost, and safety tips for being in the wilderness. On the final day, one student caught a trout (that was in a drying up pool) and cooked it on the campfire! A first for this program! 10 youth served. Youth Employment: Youth employees were super busy this summer! Several worked with our Lansing Youth Services Summer Skies programs, which provided a full work day experience, many of whom this was their first exposure to longer days. Four assisted with the Rural Youth Services Summer Olympics, where they were critical in helping the week go super smoothly. Youth Employees at the Lansing Library also continued their work and feedback given was that they were great at helping each other, and even coordinated the covering of most of their shifts. One new eighth grader (now in high school), who has been eager to work, will begin as a Lansing Youth Services assistant this fall. TOMPKINS COUNTY LEGISLATOR REPORT – MIKE SIGLER Reviewed the report below and submitted it to the Town Clerk. Tompkins County Legislator Michael Sigler September 2025 Hello and thank you for having me again. I want to thank Communication Director Monica Savage whose County reports I draw from liberally. Tompkins County will establish its Code Blue shelter at the County-owned 227 Cherry Street location to prepare for the first freezing nights of this winter. The legislature approved the resolution last night. The County’s main priority is to provide shelter when temperatures fall below 32 degrees with wind chill and this was the only location we could accomplish that, within the next month and a half. I suggested we use last year’s Code Blue location, the former KeyBank building. It is slated for deconstruction later this fall. I believe we could have postponed that, taking September 17, 2025 6 down one of the other building’s first, but that’s not an avenue the legislature wanted to pursue. Another concept contemplated co-locating the county’s Code Blue shelter with the City of Ithaca’s planned Navigation Hub at the former Burger King site on Route 13. While it would have been costly with renovations estimated at $600,000-$750,000, including floodplain mitigation, water service upgrade, HVAC, plumbing, fire alarm system, and restroom and shower installation, the main concern was that it would not be ready until deep into winter. We will be revisiting the collaboration with the city for the 2026 winter Code Blue season. Using the Cherry Street site as a Code Blue shelter for this winter season will not delay or hinder the construction of the planned purpose-built emergency shelter. The County is pursuing state grant funding to help offset construction costs and, following a request for qualifications process, has selected Volunteers of America Upstate New York (VOA) to partner in the development of the future purpose-built emergency shelter with the goal of VOA operating the new emergency shelter. The County is in active discussions with VOA about also operating the Code Blue shelter this season. Budget deliberations began with the presentation of the County Administrator’s recommended budget, which takes into account the impact of increasing costs for mandates, labor, healthcare, capital investments, and emergency shelter. Uncertainties about the economy and sales tax revenue, and a shrinking fund balance, add to the challenges the County faces in its fiscal planning. The recommended 2026 operating budget is $240 million. The initial estimated $11 million budget gap has been reduced to roughly $2.5 million. The recommended tax levy is $57 million, which is the amount of money the County needs to raise from property taxes to fund the budget. This amounts to a 4.5% tax levy increase, which would have a $37 impact on the owner of a median-priced home ($300,000). The tax rate per $1,000 of assessed property value would increase by 2.6% to $4.92. I will be working to reduce this to get the tax rate to zero increase. Planned capital projects for 2026 include airport and bridge projects, fleet management, highway maintenance and equipment replacement, facilities restoration, the Center of Government, Information Technology Services, and Recycling & Materials Management infrastructure upgrades, as well as funding for debt service. There will be a public forum on September 30 at the legislative chambers at 5:30 PM. At the September 2nd Downtown Facilities Special Committee meeting, HOLT Architects and Fisher Associates presented design updates for the Center of Government. To make way for the Center of Government project, the former Key Bank Building, the Professional Building, and the Annex C Building are slated for deconstruction (in that order) later this fall. We are still looking at other options and I’ll be taking a tour of empty office space on the commons next week. CONSENT AGENDA a. MOTION AMENDING TOWN OF LANSING EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK, TO ADDRESS § 802 VACATION LEAVE CARRY-OVER AND PAY-OUT RULES FOR TOWN EMPLOYEES MOTION M25-25 MOTION AMENDING TOWN OF LANSING EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK, TO ADDRESS § 802 VACATION LEAVE CARRY-OVER AND PAY-OUT RULES FOR TOWN EMPLOYEES Motion to approve the following amendment to § 802 of the Town of Lansing Employee Handbook, entitled “Vacation Leave”, section entitled “Carry-over”, with the effective date of such amendment deemed to be September 18, 2025, with such amended § 802 section “Carry-over”, to now be wholly replaced to read as follows: September 17, 2025 7 802 Vacation Leave Carry-over and Pay-out – Unused vacation leave, up to a maximum of forty hours, may at the option of the employee, either be carried over into a subsequent calendar year, or they may receive cash payment. Employees must declare their option on or before December 1st of each calendar year. All remaining vacation hours in excess of 40 hours will be automatically paid out on the last paycheck of the calendar year. The Town Board may provide an exception to this rule in the event of any extraordinary unanticipated circumstances. The Town Board may refer any matter to any then existing Personnel Committee or Human Resources for recommendation. Any exception must be presented to the Town Board and approved no later than the regular December Town Board meeting. b. RESOLUTION TO OFFER THE GREATER TOMPKINS COUNTY MUNICIPAL HEALTH INSURANCE CONSORTIUM’S PLATINUM PPO PLAN OPTION EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2026 RESOLUTION 25-108 RESOLUTION TO OFFER THE GREATER TOMPKINS COUNTY MUNICIPAL HEALTH INSURANCE CONSORTIUM’S PLATINUM PPO PLAN OPTION EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2026 WHEREAS, the Town of Lansing currently offers employee and retiree health insurance coverage through the Greater Tompkins County Municipal Health Insurance Consortium; WHEREAS, the Town of Lansing currently offers one plan option being the Consortium’s “PPO 15 Plan”; and WHEREAS, the Consortium’s “Platinum PPO Plan” has been reviewed and determined to provide a comparable level of benefits to the “PPO 15 Plan”; and WHEREAS, offering the “Platinum PPO Plan” results in savings to employees through lower cost-sharing and savings to the Town through reduced premium costs; and WHEREAS, the Town of Lansing is committed to maintaining high-quality health coverage for its employees while also ensuring responsible stewardship of taxpayer funds; now therefore be it RESOLVED, that effective January 1, 2026, the Town of Lansing shall offer the Greater Tompkins County Municipal Health Insurance Consortium’s “Platinum PPO Plan” as a voluntary alternative enrollment option for all eligible existing employees and eligible retirees; and be it further RESOLVED, that once an employee or retiree elects to leave the “PPO 15 Plan” and enroll in the “Platinum PPO Plan”, they shall not be permitted to return to the “PPO 15 Plan” at any time thereafter; and be it further RESOLVED, that effective January 1, 2026, all new hires of the Town of Lansing and all new enrollees to the Town health insurance, shall be enrolled in the “Platinum PPO Plan” as the sole health insurance option offered; and be it further RESOLVED, that the Town Supervisor is hereby authorized to sign the New Plan Addition Form and notify the Greater Tompkins County Municipal Health Insurance Consortium of the addition of the “Platinum PPO Plan” for Town employees, with the goal of transitioning all employees and retirees into the “Platinum PPO Plan” within the next three years. c. RESOLUTION TO AWARD THE BID FOR THE TOWN OF LANSING ZONING UPDATE PROJECT TO COLLIERS ENGINEERING & DESIGN September 17, 2025 8 RESOLUTON 25-109 RESOLUTION TO AWARD THE BID FOR THE TOWN OF LANSING ZONING UPDATE PROJECT TO COLLIERS ENGINEERING & DESIGN The following Resolution was duly presented for consideration by the Town Board: WHEREAS, the Town of Lansing Town Board (hereinafter referred to as Town Board) intends to rewrite its zoning code to align with community values and sustainability principles, as outlined in its 2018 Comprehensive Plan; and WHEREAS, the Town of Lansing accepted a Smart Growth grant from New York State Department of State with a budget of $111,112, with a local match of ten percent ($11,112); and WHEREAS, the Town of Lansing complied with the New York State grant requirements of Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprises (MWBE) inclusion in the bid process; and WHEREAS, the only bid received was from Colliers Engineering & Design, with a Base Bid of $111,000, and the Colliers team meets the MWBE grant requirements; and WHEREAS, upon consideration of the foregoing premises and the scope and progress of the Project to date, the Town Board of the Town of Lansing has hereby RESOLVED, that the Town Board accepts the low bidder, Colliers Engineering & Design, in the amount of $111,000; and be it further RESOLVED, that the Supervisor of the Town of Lansing be authorized to sign the Notice of Award and execute all Contract Documents associated with this Contract. d. RESOLUTION AMENDING ORGANIZATIONAL RESOLUTION 25-04, ISSUING OF ACCESSIBLE PARKING PERMITS RESOLUTION 25-110 RESOLUTION AMENDING ORGANIZATIONAL RESOLUTION 25-04, ISSUING OF ACCESSIBLE PARKING PERMITS The following Resolution was duly presented for consideration by the Town Board: WHEREAS, at its regular January meeting, the Town Board approved Organization Resolution 25-04 authorizing specific positions to issue accessible parking permits to town residents; and WHEREAS, at the August 20, 2025 meeting, the Town Board approved the Civil Service Position Listing and Office Classification System for the town, as well as updated titles of the two current Information Aide positions in the Town Clerks Office, which are now titled Administrative Assistant I and Administrative Assistant III; and WHEREAS, the Town Clerk is restructuring her office for efficiency and to align with the newly approved civil service position listing, and WHEREAS, upon due deliberation thereupon, the Town Board of the Town of Lansing has hereby; RESOLVED, that Organizational Resolution 25-04 be and hereby is wholly replaced to read as follows: “RESOLVED, that the Town Clerk, Deputy Town Clerk, Part-Time Administrative Assistant I and Full-Time Administrative Assistant III in the Clerk’s Office are authorized to issue Accessible Parking Permits.” September 17, 2025 9 e. RESOLUTION HIRING ELIZABETH PARKER AS ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT I FOR THE TOWN CLERK’S OFFICE RESOLUTION 25-111 RESOLUTION HIRING ELIZABETH PARKER AS ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT I FOR THE TOWN CLERK’S OFFICE The following Resolution was duly presented for consideration by the Town Board: WHEREAS, to address staffing and training needs of the town, the town has a need to hire an Administrative Assistant I position in the Town Clerk’s Office; and WHEREAS, Elizabeth Parker has been identified as a qualified candidate to fill such position; and WHEREAS, the Town Clerk’s Office has recommended that Elizabeth Parker be hired as an Administrative Assistant I in the Town Clerk’s Office, so upon due consideration and deliberation by the Town of Lansing Town Board, now therefore be it RESOLVED as follows: 1. Effective September 18, 2025, Elizabeth Parker is hereby appointed as an Administrative Assistant I, with the same Town perquisites and benefits as are available to all employees of the town and to such position. This position will be in the non-competitive class under the New York Hiring for Emergency Limited Placement Statewide (NY HELPS) program. At such time as the NY HELPS program concludes, these appointments will convert to a competitive classification. 2. This appointment is a part-time appointment at 20 hours per week. 3. The hourly wage is hereby set and approved at $19.00 per hour. 4. The probationary period for such appointment is hereby set at 52 weeks. 5. The Town Personnel Officer be and hereby is authorized to make such changes to the Town’s employment and civil service rosters and file required civil service forms to place into immediate effect such changes and these resolutions, including the filing of form MSD 428, if required. f. RESOLUTION APPROVING AUDIT AND SUPERVISOR’S REPORT RESOLUTION 25-112 RESOLUTION APPROVING AUDIT AND SUPERVISOR’S REPORT The Supervisor submitted her monthly report for the month of August 2025, to all Board Members and to the Town Clerk. The Supervisor’s Report was reviewed by Councilperson Joseph Wetmore. The bills were reviewed by Councilperson Judy Drake and Councilperson Joseph Wetmore. The Supervisor’s Report be approved as submitted and the Bookkeeper or the Accountant is hereby authorized to pay the following bills. CONSOLIDATED ABSTRACT # 009 September 17, 2025 10 g. CONSENT AGENDA MOTION M25-25 AND RESOLUTIONS 25-108 – 25-112 RESOLUTION 25-113 CONSENT AGENDA MOTION M25-25 AND RESOLUTIONS 25-108 – 25-112 WHEREAS, upon due deliberation thereupon, the Town Board of the Town of Lansing has hereby RESOLVED, that the Consent Agenda Motion M25-25 and Resolutions 25-108 – 25-112, are hereby approved as presented, and The question of the adoption of such proposed Consent Agenda Motion and Resolutions were duly motioned by Councilperson Judy Drake, duly seconded by Councilperson Joseph Wetmore, and put to a roll call vote with the following results: Councilperson Judy Drake – Aye Councilperson Laurie Hemmings – Aye Councilperson Christine Montague – Aye Councilperson Joseph Wetmore – Aye Supervisor Ruth Groff – Aye Accordingly, the foregoing Resolutions were approved, carried, and duly adopted on September 17, 2025. RESOLUTION REJECTING ALL BIDS AND AUTHORIZING RE-BIDDING OF TOWN OF LANSING 2025 ROOF REPLACEMENT PROJECT RESOLUTION 25-114 RESOLUTION REJECTING ALL BIDS AND AUTHORIZING RE-BIDDING OF TOWN OF LANSING 2025 ROOF REPLACEMENT PROJECT The following Resolution was duly presented for consideration by the Town Board: WHEREAS, in July 2025 the Town Engineer completed the project specifications and developed bid documents for public bidding, for the “Town of Lansing 2025 Roof Replacement Project” which consists of the replacement of the roofs of the Town’s Community Center and School House; and WHEREAS, official notice to bidders was published in the Town’s official newspaper on July 30, 2025 with bids due on August 14, 2025; and September 17, 2025 11 WHEREAS, three (3) bids were received and the low bidder submitted a formal letter to the Town Clerk withdrawing their bid due to a material and substantial mistake in their total base bid price; and WHEREAS, one of the three bids was received by the Town Clerk after the required time to submit bids and was thus deemed rejected, and WHEREAS, the total base bid price received from the remaining eligible bidder exceeds the funds available for this project it is recommended by the Town Engineer that all bids be rejected, which right was specifically reserved in the RFP, and that the project be re-bid through the competitive RFP process; and WHEREAS, upon due deliberation thereupon, the Town Board of the Town of Lansing has hereby RESOLVED, that all bids be and hereby are rejected, that the Town Engineer is directed to issue a new RFP for the re-bidding of this project. The question of the adoption of such proposed Resolution was duly motioned by Councilperson Joseph Wetmore duly seconded by Councilperson Laurie Hemmings, and put to a roll call vote with the following results: Councilperson Judy Drake – Aye Councilperson Laurie Hemmings – Aye Councilperson Christine Montague – Aye Councilperson Joseph Wetmore – Aye Supervisor Ruth Groff – Aye Accordingly, the foregoing Resolution was approved, carried, and duly adopted on September 17, 2025. RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE TOWN OF LANSING SUPERVISOR TO SIGN MUNICIPAL COALITION LETTER IN OPPOSITION TO NYSDEC- PROPOSED ITHACA AREA WASTEWATER TREATMENT FACILITY PERMIT MODIFICATIONS, AND IN SUPPORT OF STATE INVESTMENT IN WATER QUALITY MITIGATIONS IDENTIFIED IN THE “CAYUGA LAKE TOTAL MAXIMUM DAILY LOAD FOR PHOSPHORUS.” Councilperson Joseph Wetmore asked for background on the letter and how it was circulated to the various municipalities. Supervisor Ruth Groff shared she received it from Rich DePaolo from Town of Ithaca. The Board invited Town Engineer Dave Herrick to share some technical background. The Ithaca Wastewater Treatment Facility has been mandated to modify their facility by NYSDEC. A major point against the mandate is that the data supporting the need for the overhaul cited by the NYSDEC is reportedly 15 years old and focused only on the area right around the treatment facility. It was shared that there should be a larger watershed- based assessment and understanding of the sources of concern. It is also viewed that the mandate would potentially create financial hardship. RESOLUTION 25-115 RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE TOWN OF LANSING SUPERVISOR TO SIGN MUNICIPAL COALITION LETTER IN OPPOSITION TO NYSDEC- PROPOSED ITHACA AREA WASTEWATER TREATMENT FACILITY PERMIT MODIFICATIONS, AND IN SUPPORT OF STATE INVESTMENT IN WATER QUALITY MITIGATIONS IDENTIFIED IN THE “CAYUGA LAKE TOTAL MAXIMUM DAILY LOAD FOR PHOSPHORUS.” The following Resolution was duly presented for consideration by the Town Board: WHEREAS, the Ithaca Area Wastewater Treatment Facility (IAWWTF), located at the south end of Cayuga Lake, is a 13.1 million gallons-per-day-capacity treatment plant September 17, 2025 12 owned and operated by the City of Ithaca, the Town of Ithaca and the Town of Dryden; and, WHEREAS, The Town of Lansing indirectly utilizes treatment at IAWWTF, through an agreement with the Village of Cayuga Heights and, WHEREAS, IAWWTF owners are currently engaged in the planning phase of a multi-year capital improvement project (CIP), focusing on the modernization and replacement of aged and failing infrastructure, with out-of-pocket costs divided among owners and passed through to non-owner-users, including the Town of Lansing, via independently negotiated agreements based on usage; and, WHEREAS, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) is proposing discharge permit modifications to include limits for ammonia and nitrite, which can be harmful to aquatic life in high concentrations; and, WHEREAS, the aforementioned modifications are being considered solely based on modeling and have not been corroborated by ambient water quality and biological monitoring near the IAWWTF discharge or elsewhere in the southern Cayuga Lake waterbody segment; and, WHEREAS, the membrane bioreactor technology required to meet the proposed permit limit for nitrite would add 100 million dollars to the cost of the original CIP, which would impose an enormous, unsustainable, and unjustifiable financial burden on ratepayers in the stakeholder municipalities, including the Town of Lansing, for the indefinite future and would achieve limited, if any, environmental benefit; now therefore be it RESOLVED, that the Town Board of the Town of Lansing, having reviewed the attached letter authored on behalf of the six municipal signatories to the 2003 Intermunicipal Wastewater Agreement, supports the positions and recommendations articulated therein, and authorizes the Town Supervisor to sign in representation of this body. The question of the adoption of such proposed Resolution was duly motioned by Councilperson Judy Drake duly seconded by Councilperson Laurie Hemmings, and put to a roll call vote with the following results: Councilperson Judy Drake – Aye Councilperson Laurie Hemmings – Aye Councilperson Christine Montague – Aye Councilperson Joseph Wetmore – Aye Supervisor Ruth Groff – Aye Accordingly, the foregoing Resolution was approved, carried, and duly adopted on September 17, 2025. DEPUTY TOWN CLERK PRESENTS THE TENATIVE 2026 TOWN OF LANSING BUDGET Deputy Town Clerk Jessica Hall presented the Tentative 2026 Town of Lansing budget to the Town Board. Hard copies of the budget were handed to Town Board Members and the Supervisors Office will e-mail budget to Town Board. Meeting on September 24, 2025 to review, modify and put changes in writing. BOARD MEMBER REPORTS Judy Drake No report. Laurie Hemmings No report. Christine Montague No report. September 17, 2025 13 Joseph Wetmore Submitted the following report to the Town Board and it was included in the meeting packet which was available on the Town of Lansing website and as a handout. Joseph Wetmore Town Board Member Report September 2025 Parks, Recreation, and Trails Working Group Monday, August 25⋅9:30 – 10:30am *Myers Road Greenway-Updates from T.G. Miller *Greenway Trail Comprehensive Plan-Review of project timeline *Town Center Phase 1 Feasibility Study-Review project timeline *Discussion about current state of Lansing Center Trail-send to Town Board approximation of what has been approved and what the current trail network looks like Operations & Code Revision Committee Monthly Meeting Wednesday, August 27⋅10:00am – 12:00pm *Discussion to coordinate plan for ZAC (Zoning Advisory Committee) *Board charges from August 20th TB meeting: Noise Law Industrial Regulations *Recommended to accept the proposal that was submitted by Colliers Cayuga Lake Watershed Intermunicipal Organization (CWIO) Wednesday, August 27⋅3:00 – 5:00pm The were two presentations: The first discussed foam related to harmful algae blooms (HABs), its unexpected interaction with “forever chemicals”, and a new foam reporting tool. The second presentation focused on the unique and complicated hydrology of the Seneca- Cayuga Canal between Seneca and Cayuga Lakes. It’s water quality issues, the possible impact on the south end of Cayuga Lake, and barriers to implementing best management practices will be discussed. CWIO received notice from the NYS DEC that Cargill has been granted a 5-year permit extension that also allows for additional water storage capacity. Lansing Zoning Advisory Committee Tuesday, September 2⋅3:00 – 4:00pm We met with the members of the new committee and gave an outline of the process and described what we expected from them. Monthly Check-In | Lansing Smart Growth Zoning Update (C1003123) Wednesday, September 3⋅10:30 – 11:30am We went over where we are in fulfilling our steps in the zoning process. We reported that we have formed our committee and a contractor chosen. The State is pleased with our progress. September 17, 2025 14 Solar Farm Tour Wednesday, September 3⋅6:00 – 7:00pm The tour took place at the Solar 1 facility, 212 Ferguson Rd., parallel to Rte. 13 just off Irish Settlement Rd. We were told the process of how this solar installation went through the planning process with an emphasis on how the farmer was able to integrate sheep farming under the panels, giving specific examples of how the plan could be modified to make it easier to farm. He explained his ongoing process to maximize the yield from under the panels. Operations & Code Revision Committee Monthly Meeting Friday, September 5⋅10:30am – 12:30pm Met with John Steinmetz and Molly Gaudioso and talked about the upcoming contract between the town and Colliers Engineering & Design for the Zoning update. Office of Renewable Energy Siting and Electric Transmission Meeting Wednesday, September 10⋅12:00 – 1:00pm We met with officials from the New York State Office of Renewable Energy Siting and Electric Transmission (ORES) to discuss the Yellow Barn Solar facility now that it has received its final permit and moves towards construction. Discussion Points: *Overview of ORES post-permit process *Role of ORES and NYS Department of Public Service (DPS) staff *Compliance filings and Notice to Proceed *Modifications *Project status *Town’s access to our Document Matter Management (DMM) system *Discussion of Issues Commonly Involving Town Input *Host Community Agreement *Road Use Agreements and Traffic Control Plan *PILOT Agreement *Stormwater *Noise *Visual *Public Safety *Code compliance *Town’s communication with permittee *Town’s communication with ORES staff Owasco Lake Watershed Management Council, Inc. Tuesday, September 16⋅10:00am – 12:30pm *Director’s Summary – Adam Effler *Hunting property permissions – Ed Wagner *Treasurer’s Audit and Finance Report – July and August Financials Approval *Lake Level Report – John West *NYSDEC FL Hub Update – Gabriel Yurdon *Owasco Watershed Lake Association Update *Watershed Inspection Monthly Report – Jesse Lloyd Ruth Groff Intermunicipal Wastewater Transportation & Treatment Agreement (IMA) Supervisor Ruth Groff distributed copies of the red-lined IMA between the Town, the Village of Cayuga Heights and the Village of Lansing to Board members for their review. Any input or questions should be directed to her within the next week, as she intends to present and negotiate soon. This redline version is the 2019 agreement with the major September 17, 2025 15 updates being to the billing basis and shifting from an arbitration system to a mediation system for resolving disputes. WORK SESSION MEETING ITEMS OF DISCUSSION Proposed Moratorium There was no discussion among Board members regarding the proposed moratorium. The Board approved setting a public hearing at the September 24, 2025, Town Board meeting. The hearing notice along with the law will be posted on the Town’s website tomorrow morning. Trails Update The updated policy adds basic procedures regarding who approves and supervises the trail system. It is designed to maintain a through connection, serve as a recreation hub, and connect other trails, with the understanding that while individual trails may change, the trail itself will remain. Future adjustments are expected with an upcoming master plan, which could result in changes in loops or routing as other trails connect. The Board is comfortable with the policy and moved forward with adopting it. MOTION ADOPTING UPDATED LANSING CENTER TRAILS POLICY MOTION M25-26 MOTION ADOPTING UPDATED LANSING CENTER TRAILS POLICY Councilperson Joseph Wetmore moved to adopt the updated Lansing Center Trail Policy, as presented at the meeting. Councilperson Laurie Hemmings seconded the motion. All in Favor – 5 Opposed – 0 Councilperson Joseph Wetmore requested the updated policy be distributed to the trails committee and consultants. Following approval of the policy, Supervisor Ruth Groff advised Director of Parks & Recreation Patrick Tyrrell that he could reopen the Conlon Road Loop of the trail tomorrow morning. Agreements with Volunteer Groups Town Counsel Guy Krogh has been in contact with the three volunteer groups that will require agreements, which are The Lansing Historical Association, Friends of Salt Point and Friends of Lansing Center Trails. The purpose is to formalize relationships and ensure proper coverage for the Town when private non-profits are entering and using Town property and facilities. It is important to be sure the Town is insured and its assets are protected. The goal is to have them in place by 2026. Board of Ethics Committee Questions/Suggestions Following the September Board of Ethics meeting, Chairperson Jamie Ferris reached out to the Town Board and requested input on allowing electronic signatures on the disclosure statements and developing ethics training for staff and volunteers. There was a discussion pertaining to electronic signatures and whether the Town has a policy regarding accepting them. No one is aware of an existing policy. Town Counsel Guy Krogh will provide a snapshot of what New York State law requires for an electronic signature. It is the Board’s preference to adhere to state law rather than attempting to create a Town policy. September 17, 2025 16 Regarding the question of providing ethics training, no final decision was made by the Board. It was suggested to discuss the training at a department head meeting and discuss the time commitment required for staff training and the types of content they would like to see. The Board of Ethics is looking for guidance before their December 4th meeting. MOTION TO ENTER EXECUTIVE SESSION Supervisor Ruth Groff moved to ENTER EXECUTIVE SESSION TO DISCUSS MEDICAL, FINANCIAL, CREDIT OR EMPLOYMENT HISTORY OF A PARTICULAR PERSON/CORPORATION, OR MATTERS LEADING TO SAID DISMISSAL, REMOVAL, PROMOTION, APPOINTMENT, EMPLOYMENT, DISCIPLINE, DEMOTION, OR SUSPENSION AT 7:23 PM. Councilperson Joseph Wetmore seconded the motion. All in Favor – 5 Opposed – 0 MOTION TO EXIT EXECUTIVE SESSION Councilperson Judy Drake moved to EXIT EXECUTIVE SESSION AT 8:15 PM. Councilperson Joseph Wetmore seconded the motion. All in Favor – 5 Opposed – 0 MOTION TO ADJOURN MEETING Councilperson Joseph Wetmore moved to ADJOURN THE MEETING AT 8:16 PM. Supervisor Ruth Groff seconded the motion. All in Favor – 5 Opposed – 0 Minutes taken and executed by the Deputy Town Clerk. Minutes beginning with Executive Session were taken by Guy Krogh, Town Counsel and executed by the Deputy Town Clerk. Respectfully submitted, Jessica L. Hall Deputy Town Clerk