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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTB Minutes 1978-08-11 TOWN OF ITHACA REGULAR BOARD MEETING September 11 , 1978 - 7 : 30 p . m . National Cash Register Company - Cafeteria PRESENT : Noel Desch , Supervisor Andrew W . McElwee , Councilman Robert N . Powers , Councilman Catherine Valentino , Councilwoman Shirley Raffensperger , Councilwoman Gust L . Freeman , Jr . , Councilman ALSO PRESENT : Lawrence P . Fabbroni , Town Engineer/Building Inspector Robert Bonnell , Assistant to Town Engineer James V . Buyoucos , Town Attorney Nancy M . Fuller , Deputy Town Clerk Gertrude H . Bergen , Deputy Town Clerk Beverly Livesay , County Representative Robert Parkin , Highway Superintendent Robert Andree , Jr . , East Hill Texaco Arthur L . Berkey , 128 Christopher Circle Mark Beathan , W . King Road Margaret Bracewell 225 Stone Quarry Road Nancy Cartland , 226 - 236 Stone Quarry Road Beverly Coe , 381 Stone Quarry Road Wayne Coe , 381 Stone Quarry Road Charles G . Crawford , 226 Stone Quarry Road Florence Crawford , 226 Stone Quarry Road Evelyn Daniels , 220 Stone Quarry Road Teri Einfeldt , 236 Stone Quarry Road Peter Hillman , 370 Stone Quarry Road Mr . and Mrs . John Huff , 389 Stone Quarry Road Mary J . Farrell , 205 Stone Quarry Road Mildred Keiffer , 253 Stone Quarry Road Mr . and Mrs . Paul Kelsey , 379 Stone Quarry Road Daniel and Doris McCord , 218 Stone Quarry Road Anthony Schultz , 270 Pennsylvania . Avenue William Shipman , 375 Stone Quarry Road Nancy Trautmann , 235 Forest Home Drive Representatives of the Media : Joel Meltzer , WTKO %±B SENT : Victor Del Rosso , Councilman REPORTS OF TOWN OFFICIALS Town Supervisor " This is the fifth meeting of nine regular Town Board meetings held this year that the Town Board has met out in the community . It is the first meeting we have held at an industrial facility and the second on South Hill , the first being at the Cod - dington Road Community Center . 1ST Town Board Minutes - 2 - September 11 , 1978 " As the agenda indicates we are getting more into the budget preparation process . We started about six weeks earlier this year , partially to educate me , but primarily to encourage discussions among the staff , Town Board and now over the next two months the Townspeople . More on this later in the report . Coy Glen Gravel Mining " There is a resurgence of gravel extraction on the South side of the Glen on the basis of a temporary permit issued by the Department of Environmental Conservation . Consideration is being given to the issuance of a three -year permit and the public has until October 1 to submit comments . The Town applied for and was granted an extension on this review and we now have the appli - cation materials , including the reclamation plans . These are avail - able at the Town Office for public inspection . We urge everyone who is interested in seeing the large wound on West Hill now re - opened and extended to write their sentiments to DEC . In my view , the granting of such an application will not only further destroy the ecological balance in the area but seriously devalue properties adjoining the Glen and the gravel pit . Agricultural District No . 6 " The County has held the necessary public hearings and will Proceed with the legal steps involved with formation of the District . In the case of property within the Town of Ithaca , the Town Board achieved its objective of including only viable agricultural land within the District and all property owners to be included received a full packet of information prior to the hearings . This is a solid example of cooperation between the Town and the County governments . Conduct of Town Board Meetings " If there is no objection from the Town Board , I will direct the Town Clerk to purchase a flag for placement in our Town Hall Board Room and starting with our meeting on October 5 , I will open the meeting with the Pledge of Allegiance . Lucente Drainage " In the September 8 issue of the Ithaca Journal , there was an extensive article concerning water run- off from South Hill into the property of Mr . Donald Lucente . " It is very easy to lay the blame for increased water on upstream property owners . At the same time , upstream property owners can suggest that downstream results are not their worry . " The. Town of Ithaca did not have review authority over the Route 96 plans when the highway was widened several years ago . The amount of paved area that was added far exceeds any changes on the Ithaca College Campus , many of which the Town did not have review authority over . " My first question to Mr . Lucente is . Who designed the storm sewer through his property and on what basis ? That person or agency is responsible to use proper design criteria . " The Town of Ithaca has accomplished a considerable amount of drainage improvement work and the City/Town engineer work closely together . This is perhaps another area for joint commission activity and could be tiEd ' to the effort now going into the sanitary sewer and treatment plant effort . Town Board Minutes - 3 September 11 , 1978 Ithaca Gun Company " I am encouraged by the possibilities that may come out of the Friday meeting of the Tompkins County Industrial Develop- ment Corporation . I would like the Town Board to go on record in support of their efforts and , further , to express our desire to assist in every way possible to assure that this industry stays in Ithaca , including tax incentives , zoning considerations , utility extensions with Federal aid , etc . We are prepared to meet at any time to pursue this effort . I would like to write to Mr . Cutting to make the Corporation aware of our interest and concern . ( The Supervisor read letters regarding appointment to the Economic Advisory Council and a letter from County Representative Livesay regarding ambulance service . ) Stone Quarry Road Water Needs " Although this summer was not one of severe drought , the residents on Stone Quarry Road have had to haul water most of the summer . I have had several calls from residents in the area and have urged them to make their sentiments known . " I believe the time has come for the Town Board to deter - mine the economic feasibility of providing public water to all or a part of this area . " The first step is to write to each property owner to specifically find out their interests and desires . " It may be possible to extend water from West King Road to as far as the cemetery but the density beyond that point is quite low . " Sewer service is out of the question . " Supervisor Desch opened the floor to comments from the residents in the Stone Quarry Road area . Beverly Coe , 381 Stone Quarry Road , said they have had no water at all ; that they are fortunate to have a 1 , 000 gallon holding tank which is filled from a nearby pond ; they cannot drink the water . She said they have taken the precaution of adding chlor - ine to the water . Mrs . Coe brought in a sample of the water in a bottle to illustrate her point ( a jar of murky , gray water ) . Mrs . Coe said she was ready to sell her house but cannot without water . One of the residents said they bought their property twenty years ago and they were told then that in two or three years there would be water . But there is no water yet and they have been patient long enough . They stated they could not sell the property without water . Therefore , they felt they should have a reduction in taxes , since they cannot sell the property nor can they live on it either . Mark Beathan , 344 King Road West , said he had lived in the area for thirty years . The lack of water there is well known . He said there has not been sufficient exploration for water and that the Town could help in that . He said he did not think there was any point in extending water from West King Road to the cemetery . He said there is no reason why the whole Town should pay to serve water to the area when at the time they acquired the land the people knew there was insufficient water . Mrs . Coe said she did not know about the water shortage in the area when she moved to Ithaca from Syracuse . Hwy./.,�,: T 11 V Town Board Minutes - 4 - September 11 , 1978 John Bracewell , 225 Stone Quarry Road , said that whether it was the fault of the buyer or not , not all of them were aware of the problem at the time they purchased their property . He suggested they may have even been an effort on the part of some realtors to conceal the facts in order to sell the property . With respect to extension of water , Supervisor Desch said it is a matter of relative cost . It is something that each individual would have to respond to . Teri Einfeldt , 236 Stone Quarry Road , said they were aware of the water problem but not the severity of it . She said they have been trucking water in from Lodi at $ 25 a truckload . Supervisor Desch asked the residents if they were concerned about growth which might occur if water were brought to the area . This did not appear to concern the residents . Mildred Keiffer , 253 Stone Quarry Road , said that when she bought the property she was told there was plenty of water there . The Board agreed that Supervisor Desch should write a letter to the residents of the area indicating the cost of water service to various homes . Councilwoman Raffensperger reminded that Lozier Engineers at one time had looked into the matter of water service for the Stone Quarry Road area . Those figures are still available . Supervisor Desch said he would be in touch with the residents by letter within the next week . One of the residents asked if there were any chance of getting Federal or State aid . Supervisor Desch said not on water extension . He said collector sewers qualify but water extensions do not . The Supervisor said that all funding sources had been in - vestigated and that nothing is available . Town Attorney Buyoucos said it should be noted for the sake of the record that about 15 or 20 years ago the Town Board did look into the matter of water ser - vice to Stone Quarry Road . There was a meeting about it in the area . Lozier Engineers , Inc . made a study of it and reported that it was not economically feasible at that time . Supervisor Desch continued his report : Budget Reports " Tonight we start another example of fiscal management reporting . . A financial status report on the Town budget has been given to each Board member . This is based on the new double entry bookkeeping structure and will be done monthly . The way we have organized it will make it easy to put together each month . I urge each Board member to take the time to look at the books . Mrs . Schoffner has done an outstanding job on a very complex account system and now it is a relatively simple matter of keeping up to date . " FALL CLEAN -UP DAY Motion by Supervisor Desch , seconded by Councilman Powers , .RESOLVED , that Fall Clean - up Day for the Town of Ithaca will be on October 23 , 1978 . ( Powers , Raffensperger , Freeman , Valentino , McElwee , and Desch voting Aye . Nays - none )