HomeMy WebLinkAbout2012 Enfield-Town-Government-Newsletter-Dec-11-March-12.pdf1
Town of Enfield
168 Enfield Main Road http://townofenfield.org
December 2011- March 2011 Newsletter
Enfield Town Boards
Meetings are held in the
Community Building, 1st floor
Town Board: 2nd Wednesday, 6:45pm
Town Supervisor
Roy Barriere 277-3843
Deputy Supervisor
Debbie Teeter 277-4547
Town Council Members
Ron Clark 592-5901
Chris Hern 256-5033
Jean Owens 273-5682
Debbie Teeter 277-4547
Planning Board: 1st Wednesday, 7pm
Virginia Bryant, co-chair 387-9376
Mike Carpenter, co-chair 277-4204
Ann Chaffee 272-6460
Steve Givin 273-7434
Calvin Rothermich 272-5930
Dan Walker 387-6394
vacant
Town Offices
Town Clerk 273-8256
Alice Linton, Town Clerk
Sue Thompson, Deputy Town Clerk
Town Office/Clerk Hours:
Monday-Thursday, 3 pm - 6 pm
Highway Department 272-6490
Barry Rollins, Highway Superintendent
Town Highway Office Hours:
Monday-Friday: 6 am - 2:30 pm
Town Court 272-0529
Justice Poole: Monday, 5:00 pm
Justice Varricchio: Thursday, 5:00 pm
Code Enforcement Office
Community Building, 2nd floor
Code Enforcement 277-0266
Alan Teeter, Code Enforcement Officer
Code Enforcement Office Hours:
Monday thru Thursday 8:30 - 11 am
Wednesday 5-7 pm
Town Historian
Sue Thompson 272-6412
Enfield Volunteer Fire Company
Art Howser, Chief 272-8757
Roger Lauper, Deputy Chief
County Legislators
Report from the Supervisor
The preliminary budget that was presented to the public back in
October was adopted as the final budget for 2012 at the November Town
Board meeting. Once again, there were some significant increases in
employee benefits, such as compensation insurance and retirement. In order
to keep the levy below the NYS Tax Cap, we needed to make some minor cuts
in services, such as a 10% reduction in Code Enforcement and a 25%
reduction in the Deputy Clerk’s position. Also, there were no salary increases
for 2012. To make a long story short, we managed to keep the levy below the
“Tax Cap” limit, which equals a tax rate increase of 1.28% for the Town taxes.
The new highway facility is within days of completion. More than likely,
by the time you read this, it will be completed. The Open House is scheduled
for Saturday, the 3rd of December, from 11 am to 1 pm. Hopefully you have a
chance to tour this well-constructed facility, and meet some of the contractors
and the Project Manager/Engineer – Chuck Feiszle. A lot of thought went into
this building. I commend the Facilities Committee for all their hard work and
numerous hours of meetings over the past 3 years. The planning for this
project has been going on for far more than 3 years, but once we hired an
Engineer and acquired bond counsel in 2008, things kept moving forward. The
members of the Committee were – Jean Owens, Chair, Denny Hubbell, Frank
Podufalski, Debbie Teeter, and Buddy Rollins. Once again – THANKS!
We’ve reached that time of year once again, where the Town Board
will be changing. At the end of this year, we will be losing Jean Owens and
Ron Clark. Their replacements will be Ann Rider and Vera Howe-Strait. Thank
you, Jean and Ron, for your service to the Community. And as always, I’m
looking forward to building a new working relationship with the new Board.
Over the next few weeks, I will be filling committee positions to present
to the Board for approval, at the Organizational Meeting in January. If you
have an interest in filling any of the positions or would like any information
about the positions that are available, please contact me. The committee
vacancies that we currently have are:
One seat on the Recreation Partnership
One seat on the County Environmental Management Council.
I would also like to take this time to thank everyone for your support in
electing me for another term as the Town Supervisor. We have many
challenges facing us in the upcoming future; one of the biggest challenges is
dealing with the economy. I hope we can continue to grow as a community,
moving forward with infrastructure improvement/replacement plans without
having to increase the tax levy beyond the tax cap limit. I also want to wish
everyone a very happy and safe holiday season.
Last, but not least, don’t forget to visit our new and improved website -
http://townofenfield.org/content. Please take time to visit the website for
meeting minutes, committee reports, agendas, etc… Our Town Board
meetings are normally held on the 2nd Wednesday of every month, starting at
6:45 pm. As always, if you have any questions or concerns about any Town
issues, please contact any of the Town Board members.
Respectfully,
Roy Barriere, Town Supervisor
Dave McKenna
Enfield/Newfield
564-7243, dmckenna@tompkins-co.org
Jim Dennis
Enfield/Ulysses
387-4058, jpd821@yahoo.com
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From the Highway Superintendent
Lots of rain (as you know) got us behind for the summer season, but we
just finished our summer projects in the nick of time. As with weather like this
there is a lot of juggling with vendors, new problem areas, and once you get
behind with a crew of 6 guys (including myself) that's all we've got, we can’t call
in reinforcements, so we continue to do the best we can to catch up. However,
some of what I would have liked to achieve this summer, couldn't get done. I try
to prioritize - as all roads are important, and as much as I would like to do
everything, sometimes that's not possible.
The biggest projects we completed were; repaved the last mile of
Harvey Hill, paved the last mile of Fish Road, and as a bonus 1/2 mile of Enfield
Center West and Hubbell Drive were stoned and oiled/paved. The bridge on
East Enfield Center road was replaced and repaved, making it possible for the
fire trucks to now make use of this route.
A resident asked a question that I think was a great question, Why do
you scrape the roads bare? What you refer to as scraping the roads bare, I think
what you are referring to is cutting shoulders. The road is ideally crowned the
highest point being the middle with a 3% slope toward the ditch. Why we cut
shoulders is the edge of the road has to be lower than the road so the water will
drain into the ditches instead of staying on the roads. We try to cut them at a 3%
to 6% slope, so the water sheds off the road and shoulder, instead of making
small streams, which would In fact erode the edge of the road. As you can also
imagine water on the road causes freezing ice, and hydroplaning. During the
winter months we use sand. This sand is also the reason we need to cut
shoulders more often. The grass will grow back in time.
Winter plans are trimming back the bush & trees. If any of the traffic
driving down the road is being hit by trees/brush, that is our cue to trim. This is
to maintain sight distance and safety. If you have spots you are concerned
about, please call the Highway Department and we will get there as soon as we
can. Our right-a-way is approximately 24 foot from the center of the road. And
we will be ditching when possible, and of course snow plowing!
Once again it is my honor to serve the town of Enfield for two more
years and I thank you for your confidence and votes. As we approach the winter
months remember speed is almost always a factor in winter time accidents, so
keep it slow, take your time and arrive safe. See you on the Roads!
Buddy Rollins Sr.
Enfield Highway Superintendent
News from Code Enforcement
With the end of the year upon
us, it’s interesting to look back over
a year that started out as a slow
building year in Enfield but is ending
with a flurry of activity.
Through the summer, the
number of building permits issued
was down quite a bit from previous
years. Perhaps due to a mild
November, numbers are suddenly
up - and although we still might not
equal previous year’s numbers, it
will be close. At this point we have
seven new homes built or in the
process of construction at an
estimated value of nearly 2 million
dollars and a total value of taxable
improvements in Enfield of just over
3 million dollars.
With winter knocking at our door
it's a good time to check your
heating appliances to make sure
they are ready for the heating
season. Whether you heat with oil,
propane or a solid fuel it’s always a
good idea to have your system
checked and cleaned or serviced to
avoid a problem in the middle of
winter. Also, a reminder: if you are
thinking about installing a new
heating appliance, give me a call
and I can let you know if a permit is
required. With any new solid fuel
appliance a permit is required and,
once inspected, I issue a Certificate
of Compliance which should be sent
to your homeowner’s insurance
company. I can also inspect existing
solid fuel appliances if needed for
your homeowners policy.
Now is also a good time to
check/clean and replace the
batteries in your smoke detectors
and CO detectors. When you are
replacing batteries it's a good idea
to vacuum them, as they tend to
build up dust over time. If you have
any questions about what detectors
are required or where they should
be installed please give me a call.
Lastly, with only one person in
the Code Office, you may find the
office unstaffed during posted hours
due to a needed inspection. I return
phone messages as quickly as
possible, so just give me a call if
you have trouble catching up with
me or need something in a hurry.
Alan Teeter, Enfield Code Officer
Highlights from County Government
Legislature Backs Legislation to Implement Phased State Takeover of
Medicaid Costs: The Legislature urged passage of proposed State legislation
that would implement a multi-year State takeover of the local share of Medicaid
over the next eight years. State Medicaid is the number one mandate facing
counties and is costing Tompkins County property taxpayers $11.6 million in
2011. If the State takes over Medicaid, County property taxes could be reduced
by more than 28%, which would be about a $300 reduction for the average
county taxpayer. The measure maintains the State could fund such a takeover
through program reforms, state-derived savings, and other spending controls.
Legislature Adopts 2012 County Budget: After two-and-a-half months of
budget deliberations the Tompkins County Legislature adopted the County’s
2012 budget and its capital program for the next five years. The adopted budget
is identical to the amended tentative budget approved by legislators previously.
It increases the County tax levy by 3.99% and the countywide average tax rate
by 3.1% to $6.67 per thousand. The levy increase is just over 1% above the
2.92% level that would be required to fall within the state property tax cap. The
core of the budget contains 24 fewer staff positions, making 68 fewer County
positions since 2009, but sustains crucial programs during a time of ongoing
economic downturn. The tax change on a $160,000 home $31.85
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News from the Enfield Town Clerk’s Office
Many residents have asked us if we will be moving our office to the new
facility that has just been completed. For now, we will be remaining at our
current location – 168 Enfield Main Road.
Although we don’t like to bring up this topic – it is almost tax season
once again. Tax bills will be going out in the mail the last week of December
and taxes without penalties will be collected between January 1 and January
31. We will have additional hours during the month of January as follows:
Mondays 3-6
Tuesdays 9-12 and 3-6
Wednesdays 3-6
Thursdays 9-12 and 3-6
Saturdays 9-12
During the months of February and March you can still pay your taxes
in Enfield, but our office hours will be Monday through Thursday from 3-6 p.m. If
these hours don’t work for you, please give us a call at 273-8256 and we’ll be
glad to accommodate your work schedule.
One final reminder – if you own a dog in the Town of Enfield, town law
requires the dog to be licensed. A form for licensing your dog can be found on
the town website, www.townofenfield.org, or you can contact our office at 273-
8256 and we’ll mail you a form.
Wishing everyone a restful and happy holiday season,
Alice Linton, Enfield Town Clerk
Sue Thompson, Enfield Deputy Town Clerk
Helpful County Web Sites
(all begin with http://www.)
Government: co.tompkins.ny.us
Legislature: tompkins-co.org/legislature
Assessment: tompkins-co.org/
assessment
Board of Elections: tompkins-co.org/
boe
Clerk: tompkins-co.org/clerk
Health Department: tompkins-co.org/
health
Highway Department: tompkins-co.org/
highway
Solid Waste: recycletompkins.org
Enfield Town Historian
Sue Thompson
The fall has passed uneventfully
for our Municipal Historians group.
We are moving ahead with the
Religious Structures of Tompkins
County book.
I attended an Association of
Public Historians of NYS (APHNYS)
District meeting on November 5. We
met at the Roberson Museum in
Binghamton. The group is currently
working on a project collecting
information on Historical Markers in
New York State. They have finished
the project for the Hudson Valley
area and will be posting the
information on http://
www.aphnys.org/. The Museum has
a great display on the Civil War for
Broome and surrounding counties.
I filled a request from Texas to
take pictures of the Curry, Murray
and Willis family grave markers in
the Rolfe and Hayts Cemetery. I am
now looking for information on David
Vail (Vale). He was in Newfield in
1830 and 1840 according to the
Federal Census. He died in
September 1849 in Enfield, 1850
Federal Census. The family found a
reference to him in the “Vail
Genealogy from Descendants of
Jeremiah Vail” dying in Huron
County Ohio on September 28,
1849. However, no census records
for him in Ohio were found. I have
not located his burial site here. Does
anyone have any information on this
family?
Don’t forget to stop in at the
Town Hall and pick up your house
history packet to start recording the
history of your house. I will be happy
to help you get started on this
project.
What’s on the Town’s Web Site, Anyway?
Enfield’s Deputy Town Clerk, Sue Thompson, was recognized as the
Town's Volunteer of the Month in October, and one of the much-appreciated
tasks she tends to is managing the Town’s web site. Sue is very thorough and
efficient with this task, and as a result, we have a very up-to-date and
comprehensive web site. Here’s what you’ll find:
· A Homepage with upcoming events, Town office locations and contact information
· Boards and committees membership and member contact information
· Minutes and agendas from Town Board meetings and committees
· The Town Business Directory
· A Calendar of Community Events
· Information and links for Town cemeteries
· A listing of and information about community groups and churches
· Extensive information on Dog Licensing and related law
· Link to the Enfield Elementary School homepage and the Enfield School Alumni page
· Election District information
· Emergency Management information including links to the Enfield Volunteer Fire
Company, TompkinsReady, and Homeland Security
· Wonderful information about and links for the Town's history
· Information about some of the Town and County laws and related permits, including
Dog Control, Building Permits, Mass Gatherings, Open Burning, Cemetery Policies
and Procedures, Wind Energy, and Town board meeting guidelines.
· Legal Advertisements
· A comprehensive NEWS section
· The Town and Community newsletters
· Information and links for area parks and recreation
· Volunteer of the Month recognition
· Youth programming information
See anything that intrigues you? Then sit down and visit the web site at
www.townofenfield.org - you’ll find lots of helpful information!
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Dates to Remember
December
7 Planning Board Meeting
Community Building, 7 pm
7 Volunteer of the Month
nominations due
14 Town Board Meeting
Community Building, 6:45 pm
January
4 Planning Board Meeting
Community Building, 7 pm
4 Volunteer of the Month
nominations due
11 Town Board Meeting
Community Building, 6:45 pm
February
1 Planning Board Meeting
Community Building, 7 pm
1 Volunteer of the Month
nominations due
8 Town Board Meeting
Community Building, 6:45 pm
March
7 Planning Board Meeting
Community Building, 7 pm
7 Volunteer of the Month
nominations due
14 Town Board Meeting
Community Building, 6:45 pm
Town of Enfield
168 Enfield Main Road
Ithaca NY 14850
The Enfield Community Center is available for Enfield community events and activities. To reserve space,
or report a problem with the facility, contact Chris Hern at 256-5033.
Volunteer Recognition
Volunteerism runs strong in the Enfield Community; here’s a “Thank You” to our
most recent Volunteers of the Month:
September 2011: Jim McConkey
For his many years of thoughtful and considered service on the Enfield Town Planning
Board and for his dedication and devotion to the community.
October 2011: Sue Thompson
For her tireless, yet enthusiastic, efforts as Town Historian and Town Webmaster and
many years of service to the community in general, including at the elementary school
and at community events.
Do you know someone who goes above and beyond for our community? Submit
a letter of nomination for Volunteer of the Month to Roy Barriere at the Town Hall by
the first Wednesday of each month for consideration.
Town's Business Directory Update
Sue Thompson, Deputy Town Clerk, would like to update the Town's
Business Directory for the Town web page. She will start with the list from the 2006
Town of Enfield Business Directory, which is currently available on the Town web site:
www.townofenfield.org
Please take a look at this document to review your listing, if it is there, and
call or e-mail Sue (272-6412, sdt1@cornell.edu) with any changes, or with information
for a new listing. Include your business name, address, e-mail, phone number, and a
short description of your business.