What were the biggest stories of the last year? We’ve narrowed it down to these 10 picks, in chronological order:
Board approves sale of ice rink
The Lysander Town Board voted to sell the Radisson ice rink for $600,000 to the Greater Baldwinsville Ice Arena, a non-profit organization. The unanimous vote came with no discussion between board members and few questions raised by residents who attended the meeting.
“These people have been running [the rink] for the last 12 years and they’re willing to pay the price that we put on it after we had the evaluation made and after talking to one or two other possible buyers,” Supervisor John Salisbury said. “This is the best deal.”
The town purchased the Lysander Radisson Community Arena, located at 2725 W. Entry Road, in 2002 after voters approved the sale in a permissive referendum. Consequently, the YMCA leased the building and then subleased the rink side of the facility to the GBIA.
The rink has continued to cause issues for the town; the GBIA was never able to obtain financing and thus could not purchase the rink. In September, the board voted to take back control of the rink.
In October, the town hired a consultant to manage the rink and continued to debate its future, as the rink needs at least $50,000 in repairs.
Clarke wins mayoral election
Trustee incumbent Dick Clarke was voted in as mayor by village residents March 18 to replace outgoing mayor Joe Saraceni.
Clarke, 67, has lived in the village for 56 years. He worked for 36 years as a reporter for the Syracuse Herald Journal/Post-Standard before retiring in 2007. In 2009, he was elected to the Baldwinsville Village Board as a trustee, and has served on various committees over the past five years.
“I was very excited,” Clarke said of the win. “We — my family and friends — worked very hard to get the word out. The decisive victory made me feel the message about my dedication to the village and the role my experience will play got out to the residents. I was overcome with pride to feel the confidence so many people place in me.”
McNamara teacher killed in I-690 accident
A beloved Baldwinsville teacher was killed April 24 in a freak accident that occurred on I-690, just a couple hundred feet from the Jones Road exit in Van Buren.
Jennifer Miles, 33, was traveling westbound when a wheel fell off a boat trailer, bounced over the median and struck the roof of her 2013 Kia Sportage. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Two rear passengers, both children, ages 1 and 4 and safely secured in car seats, were treated for minor injuries.
Nevada J. West III, 62, of Liverpool, was driving eastbound in a 1999 Ford van pulling a boat trailer with rear dually wheels, two on each side, when one came off the axle. The wheel crossed over both lanes, through the median and eventually into the westbound lane before landing on top of Miles’ car. The wheel continued about 100 feet after it bounced off her roof before resting on the other side of the guardrail on the westbound side.
West did not realize what had taken place, said State Trooper Jack Keller. Another driver had noticed the malfunction, drove up alongside him, convinced him to stop and advised him that he lost a wheel.
He drove to the scene and stayed until the state police arrived. A trooper whom Keller spoke with said West was visibly shaken.
“To say he was devastated would be an understatement,” Keller said.
The trailer West was driving was uninspected and unregistered, both violations.
Miles worked in the Baldwinsville Central School District as a fourth grade teacher at McNamara Elementary School.
“When I talk about genuine people, Jen was the most genuine person you would ever want to meet,” said Superintendent Jeanne Dangle. “She was happy about everything … her husband, her children and she had what she believed was her dream job. She was the kindest person that I’ve ever met.”
Group home proposal riles residents
More than 75 people turned out for what became a heated informational meeting that the Lysander Town Board held to learn more about a community residence at 3494 Doyle Road. The home, run by Toomey Residential and Community Services, serves boys ages 7 to 13 with severe mental health and or behavioral issues.
Attorney John Klucsik, of Gilberti Stinziano Heintz and Smith Law Firm, acted as legal counsel for the town and moderator throughout the meeting. A panel of four representatives for the nonprofit organization attempted to give a presentation about their facility and its program. They were interrupted multiple times by angry residents demanding why they hadn’t heard about the proposed group home when it was first introduced to Lysander officials in a certified letter delivered 13 months ago.
Supervisor John Salisbury admitted he received the letter and walked it down to the codes department, but when he had found out from codes that nothing had happened with the property, he said he forgot about it, as did the codes department.
The March 2013 letter was from Toomey Residential notifying the town of the project. The town had 40 days to support or oppose the project, or offer an alternate site within the town of Lysander. No action by the town was taken.
In addition to the residents’ fury with the board, they expressed multiple concerns about the project ranging from decrease in property value and an increase in taxes to safety, crime and security. Some people who spoke expressed empathy for the struggling families, however, they still felt uncomfortable having this type of program in their neighborhood.
Toomey Residential Executive Director Judith D’Amore said they had been seeking a site to relocate to for the past three or four years. They couldn’t return to the former location due to extensive, costly structural damage and their stay at Elmcrest Children’s Center in Syracuse was just temporary.
Toomey Residential and Community Services ultimately purchased the 2.75-acre property from Nancy Abbott for $70,000. The lot was already subdivided and zoned RA-40 to handle this type of facility.
The Children’s Community Residence that is expected to relocate from its former site on Mather Street in Syracuse to Doyle Road in Lysander serves boys ages 7 to 13 (average age is 10) who are mentally and or behaviorally dysfunctional. The program offers a therapeutic environment that focuses on improving self-esteem, self-management of behavior and skill development. Their stay is voluntary and temporary, averaging about eight to 12 months. The proposed home will have the capacity to house up to eight boys, each with his own bedroom, though Toomey Residential representatives say they rarely reach the maximum, instead averaging six children at a time. Family involvement is encouraged and most often takes place at the child’s home and not at the facility.
The facility is staffed 24/7. It has a fenced-in playground in the backyard and an open layout inside. Children are supervised in the home, outside in the yard and in community settings.
Additionally, children will attend school either in the Baldwinsville Central School District or at a day treatment program for children with mental health diagnoses.
Dell removed as FOIL officer
In 2012, the Lysander Town Board removed the responsibility as Freedom of Information (FOIL) officer from Town Clerk Lisa Dell, a position typically held by the town clerk. Though councilors Bob Geraci and Diamond urged other board members to vote in favor of reappointing Dell as the Freedom of Information (FOIL) officer, the resolution was defeated 3-2, with Salisbury, Shimer and Reeves voting no. When Dell asked why the responsibility was taken from her in the first place, Salisbury and Reeves refused to answer.
“We can’t discuss the reason why FOIL was taken away because it was discussed in executive session,” Reeves said.
Salisbury said he wouldn’t address it in a public meeting.
Dell later spoke out that she believed issues dating back to 2012 are what motivated Salisbury to appoint another FOIL officer. She said she and the deputy clerk had written a letter to the supervisor expressing their fear of a certain individual, who she did not name, as it related to workplace violence.
“It should be noted this individual is a friend/associate of Councilor Reeves, Supervisor Salisbury and Councilor Shimer and worked on their campaigns,” Dell said. “Approximately two weeks later, I received a FOIL request from this individual requesting a copy of mine and the deputy clerk’s letter to the supervisor. When I received this request, I was greatly concerned because obviously someone on the board at that time told that individual about our concerns at the workplace.”
Dell then consulted with town attorney Anthony P. Rivizzigno as well as the Committee on Open Government and it was determined the letter was not subject to disclosure and considered an intra-agency document.
Subsequently, similar incidences occurred which led to more FOIL requests from the same individual.
“This is why I feel I was removed as FOIL officer,” Dell said.
Salisbury said he would not respond to most of what Dell said.
Former B’ville superintendent succumbs to cancer
Former Baldwinsville superintendent Jeanne Dangle, 59, died Aug. 29 after a long battle with cancer.
Dangle, who served as superintendent for 11 years, announced in October that she would retire at the end of the 2013-14 school year, a year before her contract expired. Her last day was July 1.
“It is with great sadness that the Baldwinsville Central School District shares some very sad news,” said Dr. David Hamilton, who was hired in June to replace Dangle.
“Jeanne Dangle, our recently retired superintendent of schools, passed away after a courageous battle with cancer. As the sharing of this type of information can be difficult, those that were close to Jeanne would ask that you remember her dedication and commitment to increasing educational opportunities for Baldwinsville’s students and to celebrate the many successes of our school district under her leadership,” Hamilton said. “Jeanne was passionate about teaching, learning and leading the Baldwinsville Central School District to premier status in Central New York and across the entire state. While the loss of Jeanne has saddened the Baldwinsville Central School District community, we want to recognize and thank her for her 11 years of service. In closing, please keep Jeanne’s family and friends in your thoughts during this very difficult time.”
Tri-County Mall demolition begins
The site of the former Tri-County Mall property on Downer Street is being demolished in preparation for a 442-unit luxury apartment complex. The redevelopment comes after years of stalled plans for the site, which has sat vacant since a 2008 demolition plan fell through. Demolition began Sept. 15.
Morgan Management of Rochester plans to construct a 17-building apartment complex, similar to its Rivers Pointe development in Clay. Each building will contain 26 one-, two- or three-bedroom units ranging from 850 to 1,400 square feet in size. Monthly rent is expected to be about $1 per square foot.
“There’s been talk for a long time about different people buying it and doing some work on it, and it never materialized,” Baldwinsville Mayor Dick Clarke said. “Now, it’s finally happening.”
In addition to the 442 apartments, Morgan Management’s complex will include a clubhouse with a pool, a maintenance/storage building and a restaurant. There will also be private parking lots and garages for the tenants.
Previously, the Tri-County Mall was home to the popular Tri-County Mall Theater, which showed discount movies from 1974 to 2007. The mall’s final tenant, the indoor baseball and softball training facility Perfect Practice, left in 2008.
Clarke said Baldwinsville is a prime location for young professionals because of its proximity to Route 690 and the Thruway. His hope is that the influx of new residents will attract more business to Baldwinsville.
Syracuse YMCA gives $1 million to Northwest Family Y
Five hundred people RSVP’d to the Northwest Family YMCA’s preview party on the site of the Y’s future home on River Road Oct. 4. Throngs of people braved chilly, wet weather to crowd into tents packed with neon-clad YMCA volunteers handing out fliers about the new facility, healthy snacks and water bottles.
With construction well underway as of May of this year, the Northwest Family YMCA (NWFY) is set to open in spring 2015. At 100,000 square feet, it will be the largest YMCA in the greater Syracuse area. The cost of the project totals $20 million, $6 million of which will come from fundraising.
Sandy Baker, co-chair of the NWFY’s capital campaign, announced at the preview party that the Metro Board and Trustees of the Greater Syracuse YMCA will be donating $1 million toward the construction.
“It’s an ambitious goal, but there are so many people who care,” Baker said. “If you’re as excited as I am, you know that we can do it.”
It’s been a long time coming for the NFWY to get to this point. There has been talk for 15 years about a new Baldwinsville-area YMCA, which currently operates out of the Lysander Radisson Community Arena.
After years of stalled plans, the Lysander Planning Board approved the NFWY’s site plan in July of last year. The complex will feature an aquatic center with three pools, a turf field, a large community room, art and music rooms, family lockers and changing areas, a center for cancer survivors and more.
Lysander debates changing minutes
Members of the Lysander Town Board are at odds over a proposal to alter the makeup of its minutes, the official record of what happened at board meetings.
At the town board’s work session preceding its Dec. 1 meeting, Councilor Melinda Shimer suggested the minutes be simplified and only include resolutions and formal votes. Shimer’s suggestion would eliminate board member discussion and public comments from the minutes.
“It can get cumbersome to do minutes. It’s a lot of work for [Town Clerk Lisa Dell], and it’s a lot of work for us,” Shimer said.
The proposal drew the ire of board members and residents alike, as the next board meeting turned into a screaming match between Supervisor John Salisbury and Lysander Republican Committee Chairman Mike Bishoff.
“It’s apparent, based on your past actions and the past actions of Councilor [Andy] Reeves and Councilor Shimer, you obviously have an axe to grind against the town clerk,” Bishoff said.
“You’re out of order,” Salisbury said.
“No, you are out of order,” Bishoff replied.
At press time, the board had not put forth a resolution regarding the minutes.
