The Marcellus Village Board authorized Mayor John Curtin to sign the purchase and sale agreement of the Marcellus Fire Hall to the town of Marcellus for $755,000 at its meeting Feb. 28. The transaction is expected to be finalized before April 1.
The Marcellus Town Board approved a bond resolution for the Marcellus Fire Hall in early January. The resolution shortened the remaining time on the bond from seven years to five – which amounts to a savings of $30,000 for the town over the five years. A five-year bond is not subject to referendum and does not require a public hearing.
“The whole legal structure has changed from a village fire company that contracted with the town to a fire protection district that the town manages,” Marcellus Town Supervisor Dan Ross explained.
The Marcellus Fire Department separated itself from the village to seek town governance in 2005. Curtin said the mayor at the time, Fred Eisenberg, stated that if the town was going to take over the fire department, then the building should go with it.
“In other words, the town would assume full legal and financial responsibility for it,” Curtin said. “That required special state legislation, because technically, a town cannot own a fire house.”
Special legislation allowing a town to own a fire department was acquired in 2009, but the town has been paying for the building since the change in governance in 2005.
The village board also approved a resolution a refunding Bond Resolution that calls in and redeems before April 1 the bonds for the Marcellus Fire Hall.
Board seeking public input for budget
Curtin said the financial situation for next year is dire, especially if Gov. Cuomo’s 2 percent tax cap is imposed.
“This would mean layoffs, and services would be cut severely,” he said. “Plans are being made for an increase in village taxes and departments have been told to cut at least 10 percent from next year’s budgets. I do not know if that will be sufficient.”
Trustee Mary Jo Paul said she is not afraid of making tough decisions, but would like to have input from village taxpayers.
“I’d be very happy to take phone calls from residents, but I don’t want to hear just the negative,” she said. “I also would like to hear from some of the taxpayers what they really like, what services they would like to see kept, in light of the fact that we will have to make some severe cuts.”
Input on the village’s budget should be directed to Trustee Paul, who can be reached at 673-4432 or by e-mail at [email protected].
Village’s snow budget ‘almost exhausted’
The board approved the transfer of $2,500 from snow removal (contractual) to snow removal (personal services).
“Our snow removal budget is almost exhausted,” Curtin said.
Michael Plumpton, a resident of North Street, expressed concerns about private snow plow drivers leaving snow on the sidewalks.
“I know the village plows the sidewalk, but when somebody has their driveway plowed,” the plow drivers are leaving on the sidewalk, he said. “Whose job is it to remove it? The homeowners? The plow driver?”
“Well they never should have done it in the first place,” Curtin responded. “And the snowplow drivers have been sent letters that they’re not to do that.”
Plumpton said he walks into the village and around Orange and Maple streets quite often.
“There have been a couple of times I’ve had to walk on the street and I don’t particularly care to … I’ve curtailed my walking quite a bit this winter,” he said.
He was also concerned that residents with snow blowers were leaving snow on the sidewalk.
“If you’re gonna blow it out on the sidewalk, you take your snow blower and blow it off the sidewalk, I think,” he said.
Board approves $31,000 dredging of Coon’s Pond
The board approved a proposal by Bat Con Inc. for $31,000 to complete a dredging operation at Coon’s Pond on Flower Lane, a drainage situation that continues to create a serious flooding problem.
“Here an accumulation of silt and debris over the years continues to cause the pond to fill up and flood backyards at several locations on Flower Lane and the Village needs to address this situation before the spring,” Curtin said.
Curtin said the sale of the village reservoir, which took place on Feb. 15, would probably be used to pay for the cost of the Coon’s Pond dredging.
Board hires MRB to build composting facility
The board approved an engineering proposal submitted by MRB Engineering Group for $99,700 for design and construction of a new composting facility at the Waste Water Treatment Plant. The facility will allow village operators to turn wastewater sludge into Class A compost.
Village of Marcellus operators Greg Crysler and Ryan Riefler first initiated plans for the project due to concerns over the future of the wastewater treatment plant, as options for dumping sludge are running out. The village currently has its sludge hauled to Seneca Meadows Landfill.
“I live 30 miles away from Seneca Meadows Landfill and it is now affecting the horizon,” said Jim Bower, New York Rural trainer/technician, during a Marcellus Village Board workshop meeting in November.
Last month the board approved two bonds, totaling $551,250, to help pay for the project.
Olde Home Days Committee in session
The Olde Home Days Committee continues to meet at 7 p.m. the first Thursday of every month at village hall. To become involved with the parade planning process, call Town Councilor Kevin O’Hara at 440-1041.
