Instead of informing people entering the town of Fenner that “town zoning laws are now in force,” Supervisor Russ Carey would like the town to erect new signs that are more welcoming to visitors. As such, at the board’s Dec. 11 regular meeting Carey has asked both the Fenner Town Board and the public to consider and submit suggestions for the possible look and wording of the new signs.
“I’d love to see something warm and friendly,” Carey said.
Carey previously mentioned this idea at the board’s November meeting, and, at the end of the Dec. 11 meeting, opened up the topic for discussion by both the board and the members of the public in the audience.
Carey said there are currently 14 signs on town boundary roads, and Town Highway Superintendent Frank Hyatt said he priced possible new signs at $80 each, with graphics. He said that under state law all signs must be reflective and fluorescent, which increases the price somewhat.
Some sign image ideas discussed at the meeting included Fenner’s use of green energy and specifically its well-known windmills; Councilor Hank Stoker also suggested the backs of each sign thank people for visiting the town. The board discussed forming a committee comprised of town board members, planning board members and residents to consider sign ideas, but then agreed instead to just ask anyone with ideas to contact the board or the town clerk and share their thoughts.
Contact information for town officials can be found on the town’s website at townoffenner.com, or people can call Town Clerk Joanne Buyea at 655-2705 with sign ideas.
The Dec. 11 meeting was also the last official meeting for Carey and for Councilor Hank Stoker, both of whom decided not to run for reelection in the November town election. Carey has been supervisor for the past 18 years and Stoker has been a councilor for the past 20 years.
During the public comment period of the meeting, resident Carl Snow, who ran but was defeated for town supervisor in the November election, thanked both Carey and Stoker for their service to the town.
Carey said he appreciated the sentiment and the cooperation and engagement of town residents on town business, “and I hope people keep coming to the meetings.”
Stoker said, “I’ve enjoyed working on this board a lot over the past 20 years; it’s been a great experience. I’ll miss it, but it was time for me to be done.”
Also at the meeting, the board:
—Unanimously approved a resolution to reduce the number of members of the town Board of Assessment review from four to three. The board previously reduced the board from five to four members this past August as part of its long-term plan to make the body a three-member board. Fenner was the only town in the county whose board of assessment review had five members, and there have been two vacancies which the town has had difficulty filling.
—Unanimously approved a resolution in favor of reducing the speed limit from 55 to 45 miles-per-hour on Nelson Road from Cody’s corners to Christenson corners. The approved resolution, along with a speed zone request form, will now be forwarded to Madison County officials for approval.
—Heard from Carey that the town has received more than $25,000 in emergency funding reimbursement from FEMA for infrastructure repairs necessitated by the July flooding that occurred in Central New York. The town highway department already completed all the necessary repair work from the flooding, so the funding will reimburse the town for money already spent.
—Approved a deal with resident Jim Christenson to resolve zoning issues regarding Christenson’s building at the corner of Nelson and Peterboro roads. The board approved the agreement on a 3-1 vote, with Councilor Hank Stoker voting no and Councilor William Wester absent.
—Heard from Carey that the board’s next regularly scheduled meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 8, will be both the year-end meeting and the reorganizational meeting in which the recently elected board members and supervisor will be sworn in to office. Carey said that Supervisor-elect Dave Jones will run the meeting, but he, Carey, will be present if the board has any questions about 2013 town business.
Jason Emerson is editor of the Cazenovia Republican. He can be reached at [email protected].
