Thank you for donating
To the editor:
Dear community residents,
Thank you for so generously donating food for the Mail Carriers Food Drive to benefit our local Pantry. Currently we feed about 100 families a month and this drive was very helpful.
A big thank you to the mail carriers as well who picked up the food and delivered it to us.
The Skaneateles Ecumenical Pantry Board
Skaneateles
Concerns with Learning center Proposal
To the editor:
I am writing to add my family’s voice to the growing chorus of village and town residents opposed to building a “learning center” on the Stella Maris site.
We oppose this center for several reasons, including the radical rezoning of the Stella Maris property from its current A-1 residential zone to “Public Lands.” As detailed in previous letters to the editor, changing Stella Maris’ zoning from the strictest to the least strict will set a dangerous precedent, which could be disastrous not only for this particular property, but for the village as a whole.
Second, the continued lack of transparency on the project’s scope, timeline and funding greatly concerns us. Despite repeated requests and inquiries from different citizens, the Skaneateles Library’s board and the Project Bookends team have failed to provide detailed, substantive and definitive answers to questions regarding the funding and cost to demolish the existing structure and then design, build, operate and maintain the new one. The board has also failed to conduct any rigorous, third-party research on how the new learning center may impact the environment, traffic and safety.
Before making an informed, thoughtful decision on this monumental zoning change, Skaneateles tax payers and our elected officials need and deserve greater transparency, not to mention a comprehensive plan on what this project specifically is and is not. Instead, Project Bookends wants us to blindly “greenlight” this zoning change based on a vague, high-level concept, with any citizen immediately labeled as “ungrateful” for opposing such a generous gift. And as generous as this gift may be, it’s likely the donor personally benefited from this donation by substantially lowering—perhaps by millions of dollars—his capital gains taxes in 2015.
Next, my family and I take great issue with the inevitable tax increase this project will trigger as well as Project Bookend’s failure to own this fact. Their vague, non-answer answers on this front are maddening. Currently, the library board is advocating for a much larger facility, but they haven’t admitted that—like with the Fayetteville library—the Skaneateles taxpayer will obviously be saddled with paying for this larger operating budget, which will include substantial increases in: Salaries, health insurance and retirement plans of any additional employees, utilities, building and grounds maintenance, technology, supplies and programming
Finally, we have grave concerns about the increase in traffic, which will negatively impact the ENTIRE village. Currently, during the summer months and in December, traffic from the village routinely backs all the way up to Onondaga Street and sometimes even further east. Now, imagine the traffic during the Sidewalk Sale or the Antique Boat Show when the new “learning center” is also offering programming? Traffic will easily back up to the traffic light at East Lake Road, forcing even more local drivers to use the “back streets” of East Elizabeth, Leitch, Academy and East Streets. With this scenario, not only does the increased congestion and air pollution negatively impact the homeowners on East Genesee, but also those on these side streets as well as Lakeview Circle.
For these reasons as well as others not detailed here—including if a community with less than 8,000 residents can support such a center over the long term, the inevitable decrease in property values for the neighbors on the north side of East Genesee Street and the light pollution from the oversized parking lot—we respectfully, but also ardently oppose Project Bookends.
Todd and Ellen Donovan
Skaneateles
Voice your concerns to library board
To the editor:
It is our understanding that in the near future, the 13 trustees of the Skaneateles Library Board will be voting on a proposal to move the
Library & Barrow Gallery to a new large facility in a currently A-1 residential neighborhood.
On May 18, 2016, the day after the passing of the $350,000.00 library tax levy, to be used for SLA operating expenses only, you as Skaneateles Library Board Trustees took on the responsibility of accountability to the tax payers of the district.
This being said, every Board member needs to recognize the consequences, both short and long term, for an affirmative vote on this proposed project.
- You will be responsible for unprecedented rezoning of low density residential property to high density public land in the heart of our village.
- You will be responsible for possible school district tax increases to support the operating budget of this large facility, with resulting increased
burden to tax payers. Who will pay for these costs if the community does not pass the library budget request?
Note: The enlarged Fayetteville Library made every effort to keep operating costs in keeping with tax dollars but unfortunately, as referenced in the Syracuse paper, those residents are looking at a 4-6 percent tax increase.
- You will be responsible for traffic congestion in a residentially zoned neighborhood in the heart of the village.
- You will be responsible for the future of the present historic library building.
You, the Skaneateles Library board have the enormous power to either alter or preserve the very precious character of Skaneateles.
We do question the objectivity of the Library Board.
This proposal for a Learning Center is being presented by Project Bookends Committee, which all of you, except one are a member. We believe that you could best serve the Skaneateles community by recusing yourselves from Project Bookends and execute your duties as an independent board with direct responsibility to the Skaneateles taxpayers.
Only then can you unbiasedly consider both the pros and cons of this proposal from the Soderberg family, taking into consideration the desires of the community at large as well.
We urge members of our Skaneateles School District community to contact the Library Board members with your questions and concerns regarding Project Bookends proposal for a Learning Center as well as the option to leave Skaneateles Library and Barrows Gallery where it stands.
Jean McGlynn
Skaneateles
A beautiful surprise
To the editor:
Hurray, hurray the first of May.
Growing up in the ‘60s as children we always delivered a small bouquet to each neighbor.
Imagine my surprise when opening up my door at Gateway — a beautiful handmade flower was on each doorknob.
On behalf of the residents of Gateway we would like to express to whomever delivered these flowers, a huge thank you! You brightened our day!
Susan Winters
Skaneateles
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