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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2018.12 Newsletter Hello Lansing, how are you today? It has been a very challenging yet productive year for Lansing. Our goal is to provide value to our hardworking taxpayers. Value can be defined as: 1. Providing an extra staff member for the Drop-In Center, so no child is turned away. That cost was under $5,000 per year. Every child is welcome at the Drop-In Center. Problem solved! 2. Constructing six new dugouts through a public/private partnership. Over $50,000 was raised through donations to the Lansing Community Council to purchase materials for this beautiful project. This has been a goal for many years. Project completed! 3. The formation of the new Sewer District #1. The last two attempts for sewer cost the taxpayers over $600,000. This one cost $0! District formed! 4. Improving the electrical supply for Myers Park. Our campers appreciate the extra service. Concern addressed! 5. The formation of Consolidated Water District #4. CWD#4 which is a benefit district to our community has been in the works for over 10 years. It was completed under budget and on time. District completed! 6. Town Center project started. 13.5 acres sold for $25,000 per acre. The developers will also put in the infrastructure (water, electric and road creation). Upon completion, the road will be dedicated to the Town and Lansing has $337,500 more in its account. 7. Created a handicap accessible path at Salt point. 8. Equipment replacement was reviewed with a “business attitude”. Is it most cost effective to lease it, flip it or keep it? Every business decision was carefully considered and justified. 9. An early retirement incentive was established. The result was the retirement of four of our employees, over two years. This resulted in hiring future employees at a lesser salary and benefit package. 10. The elimination of two fulltime positions. These responsibilities were absorbed by other employees, with a “group effort” attitude. It is all about VALUE. Your tax dollars are the last resort not the first. Taking your hard-earned money through the tax process was and will continue to be carefully considered. The Town’s tax liability to its residents is approximately 5% of your total tax bill to live in Lansing. Yet the Town has worked extremely hard to increase the total tax base to offset the projected decrease of $50,000,000 of tax base in four years. $10,000,000 from the Shops of Ithaca (2 years ago), $25,000,000 for the power plant Continued on page 2…. From the Desk of Edward LaVigne The Town Supervisor INSIDE THIS ISSUE From the Desk of the Town Supervisor 1-2 A Note from the Lansing Town Historian 2 From the Town Clerk’s Office 3-4 A Note from Planning/Code Enforcement 5 Rabies Clinic 6 A Note from the Drop-in Center 6 D E CEMBER 2018 We’re on the Web! Visit us at: www.Lansingtown.com Page 2 Continued from page 1 … (last year), $10,000,000 from the power plant (this year) and $5,000,000 from the power plant (next year). The cumulative impact is $140,000,000 of tax base lost in four years. The rate has increased slightly (5 cents per thousand during the last three years). I will never say, “it’s only” a slight increase to you. I will always say, “I am sorry” that your tax rate had to be raised. That attitude of finding VALUE while minimizing taxpayer’s financial responsibility has been and will continue to be my compass as Lansing navigates through these continuing financial challenging years. It has been my pleasure to serve you! Thank you, Ed LaVigne, Lansing Town Supervisor We’re on the Web! Visit us at: www.Lansingtown.com The Fall program presented by the Lansing Historical Association was all about the History of the County Home on the Perry City Road outside of Trumansburg. It began as a "Poor House" for indigents and widows and orphans. Also drunkards, and the insane. John Wertis, the Town of Ulysses historian, was our speaker. The Home gave an Open House in 1963. Mr. and Mrs. Paul Jones, superintendent and matron of the home, were the hosts who guided the 100 guests on a tour through the home, and presided at a coffee hour afterwards. At the time the home had been in operation for 136 years and there were 21 women and 52 men in residence. The men worked in the County Home gardens and the women preserved the food that was grown. The Home closed not so many years after that. When Mr. and Mrs. Jones retired the home was never quite the same. Mr. Jones was a "handy man" who could fix most everything and Mrs. Jones was a nurse. A couple like that does not come along very often. Also, Social Security and other help for the aged made the County Home unnecessary. It made for a very educational and enjoyable evening, with some in the audience speaking the parts of the people who lived there. At the Lansing Historical Association, we try to be at the archives building every Saturday morning (10:00 till 12:00) for people to come in and do research and visit. We are also available by appointment. We welcome groups and individuals to visit the schoolhouse. Just call and make an appointment. Girls Scouts, Boy Scouts, Home Schoolers, 4-H, Lansing Central School classes and anyone with interest in our early one-room schools. Just give Louise a call at 607-533-4514. The Spring program will be held the fourth Thursday in April; speaker to be announced. Wishing everyone an old-fashioned Merry Christmas and an historic New Year. By: Louise Bement A Note from the Lansing Town Historian Page 3 ATTENTION LANSING TAX PAYERS Your 2019 Town and County Tax bills will be mailed by December 31, 2018. If you do not receive your bill by January 7th, please contact our office at (607) 533-4142, or email townclerk@lansingtown.com, as you are still responsible for your taxes even if you do not receive a bill. If you have an escrow account and receive your bill in the mail, please get the bill to your bank as soon as possible, so they can process it. Tax Bills may also be found on the Town of Lansing Website at: http://www.lansingtown.com/departments/clerk/taxglance-lookup. Full Payment Options: • Full payment by January 31st without penalty • Full payment by February 28th with a 1% penalty • Full payment by April 1st with a 2% + $1 penalty Installment Option (Not Available After January 31st): • First installment to Lansing Receiver of Taxes by January 31st with a 2.5% service charge • Second installment to Tompkins County by July 1st Payment Information: By Mail: Lansing Receiver of Taxes Attn: Deborah Munson PO Box 186 Lansing, NY 14882 Make checks payable to Lansing Receiver of Taxes - No Postdated Checks We will accept a postmark date for payment, but please be aware if you pay by “bill pay” through your bank the envelopes do not have a postmark, and therefore they will be processed on the date received. • In Person: Lansing Town Hall, 29 Auburn Road Office Hours: Monday - Thursday 7:30am - 4:00pm, Fridays 7:30am - Noon Friday January 25th 7:30am - 4:00pm, Saturday January 26th 8:00am – Noon Closed Holidays Continued on page 4…. Town Clerk’s Office Debbie Munson Town Clerk Laura Nemecek Deputy Town Clerk We’re on the Web! Visit us at: www.Lansingtown.com Page 4 We’re on the Web! Visit us at: www.Lansingtown.com If you would like to receive this newsletter electronically, please email Charmagne at crumgay@lansingtown.com. Continued from page 3… There is a 24-hour drop box located in the Town Hall Foyer on the left as you enter. • Online at: http://www.lansingtown.com/departments/clerk/taxglance-lookup Our credit card provider charges a 2.75% convenience fee. (If the bill is $64 or less the convenience fee is $1.75) E-Checks will be charged a convenience fee based on the amount. Amount Fee $1,999.99 and less $2.50 $2,000 - $3,999.99 $5.00 $4,000 - $5,999.99 $7.50 $6,000 - $7,999.99 $10.00 $8,000 - $9,999.99 $12.50 Over $10,000 $2.50 per increments of $2,000 DOG ENUMERATION WILL BE CONDUCTED BY THE TOWN CLERK’S OFFICE AND DOG ENUMERATOR REL ENTERPRISES OF DRYDEN TO AVOID AN ADDITIONAL FEE OF $15.00 PLEASE LICENSE YOUR DOG BY FEBRUARY 28, 2019 Per New York State Agriculture and Markets Law every dog owned or harbored in NYS for longer than 30 days and over 4 months old must be licensed in the town they reside in. • A valid Rabies Certificate is required • If spayed or neutered, a Veterinarian’s Certificate is required • Fee for Licensing a Spayed/Neutered Dog $15.00 • Fee for Licensing an Unspayed/Unneutered Dog $25.00 You may license your dog by mail, in person, or use the 24-hour drop box in the Town Hall Foyer, 29 Auburn Road, Lansing. Dog license forms may be found at http://www.lansingtown.com/departments/clerk/dog- licencing-control. We accept cash, check or credit card (small convenience fee applies). Please make check payable to Lansing Town Clerk and mail to PO Box 186, Lansing, NY 14882. Please call (607) 533-4142 with any questions. Page 5 A Note from Planning Department/Code Enforcement Office Home Fire Safety Tips for the Holidays The holidays wouldn’t be complete without decorations such as Christmas trees, lights and accessories, etc. These decorations make the season more enjoyable, but not being cautious when using them can lead to unwanted situations. Residential fires during the holiday season are more frequent than any other time of the year. The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) reports more than double the number of fires on Christmas Day than on any other day of the year. Following these tips will help keep your home safe during the holiday season: • Whether you choose a real or artificial tree the good news is they rarely catch fire. But always remember to keep a real tree well-watered and away from any heat sources (fireplaces, space heaters, radiators, etc.) and never use candles on or near the trees. • If using candles, burn them in a proper holder, on sturdy surfaces away from children and pets. Keep candles at least a foot away from decorations, wrapping paper and anything that can burn and always place candles where they cannot be knocked over. Make sure you extinguish candles before leaving the house or going to sleep. • Only use holiday lights that have been tested for safety, identified by the UL label from Underwriters Laboratories. Check each set of lights for broken or cracked sockets, frayed or bare wires and loose connections. Throw away any unsafe light strings and extension cords that show signs of wear or damage. Do not overload electrical outlets or circuits. • Protect your kids and pets from holiday decorations that can be mistaken for snacks. Keep small ornaments and decorations that tend to break easily or have removable parts out of reach. Remember that mistletoe, poinsettia and holly berries are toxic. • According to the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA), cooking is the number one cause of holiday fires. Never leave food unattended when cooking. You should also keep a kitchen fire extinguisher that’s rated for all types of fires. • If your home has a fireplace, have the chimney inspected and cleaned before using. Use a protective screen around the fireplace to prevent embers from reaching the floor or carpet and other materials. Never use flammable liquids to start a fire in the fireplace. Burn only seasoned wood and do not burn wrapping paper in the fireplace (which could ignite suddenly and cause a flash fire). • If you use a space heater, plug directly into an electrical outlet, not into an extension cord. Give it lots of room—three feet minimum around all sides. Replace old space heaters with newer models that turn off automatically when tipped or overheating. • Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors. To keep your family safe from smoke, fire, and carbon monoxide: it’s important to install smoke detectors on each floor level and in each bedroom and carbon monoxide alarms on every floor level, especially near bedrooms (replace the batteries twice a year, when you change the clocks). In the event of a fire or the presence of carbon monoxide gas, the alarm will sound and give you time to get out of your house safely. For the best protection, interconnect all the alarms throughout the house, so when one goes off they all go off. Combination smoke and carbon monoxide alarms are available, as well as wireless alarms. Have them and make sure they are working properly. Happy Holidays and be safe. From the Code Enforcement / Planning Department We’re on the Web! Visit us at: www.Lansingtown.com Page 6 Held on Halloween morning this year, the Lansing Drop-In Center had another successful day of trick-or-treating! Always very popular, this is done annually and has been a tradition for many years. Decked out in their costumes, the kids parade over to the Town Hall to trick-or-treat at each of the offices, where staff are handing out treats. We then come together for a big picture, which is always an adventure with 24 or more children under the age of five, but the outcome is so worth it with all those smiling faces! Pictured here: our 2018 attendees along with Town Supervisor, Ed LaVigne. Behind the camera are all the parent volunteers and Drop-In staff who help the children navigate the trick-or-treating morning safely. We had a very Happy Halloween! A Note from Dixie Franklin, Drop-In Center Coordinator We’re on the Web! Visit us at: www.Lansingtown.com Town of Lansing PO Box 186, 29 Auburn Rd Lansing, NY 14882 Phone: (607) 533-8896 Fax: (607) 533-3507 E-Mail: crumgay@lansingtown.com Office Hours: Monday – Thursday 7:30 am - 4:00 pm Friday 7:30 am – 12:00 pm Town Board Meetings: 3rd Wednesday of the Month at 6:30 pm Planning Board Meetings: 2nd & 4th Monday of the Month at 6:30 pm ZBA Meetings: 3rd Tuesday of the Month at 6:30 pm