By Ashley M. Casey

Staff Writer

The village of North Syracuse recently was awarded a $50,000 State and Municipal Facilities Program (SAM) grant for improvements to the North Syracuse Community Center. The grant, which is administered by the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York (DASNY), requires a $10,000 match from the village.

The North Syracuse Board of Trustees voted Jan. 12 to approve the $10,000 match.

“We have a wishlist and the money is going to go so far,” Mayor Gary Butterfield said.

Butterfield said the “wishlist” of improvements includes new flooring on the ground level of the community center, updated bathrooms and possibly a new floor in the kitchen.

Teresa Roth, director of parks and recreation, said the community center’s windows will be retrofitted with blown insulation and new caulking as well.

“The main thing is making this building more energy efficient,” she said.

Trash contract to expire this spring

Also at the Jan. 12 meeting, village attorney Scott Chatfield noted that North Syracuse’s trash collection contract with Syracuse Haulers expires May 31.

Chatfield said the village may consider looking into automated trash collection, in which garbage trucks pick up trash with an automated arm. He said the town of Camillus’ trash contract is for automated collection.

“All the major haulers are equipped to handle it,” Chatfield said. “My experience is it doesn’t initially save an awful lot of money to the residents, but it is more efficient — less vehicles on the street, quicker collection.”

Chatfield said automated collection may reduce trash pickup time by a day.

If the village moves to automated collection, the hauler would provide compatible trash containers, but Chatfield said the village and the hauler would have to work out who owns the cans.

“Typically, they have a lifespan that is longer than the term of the contract,” he said.

Commercial trash pickup would have to be negotiated as well, depending on which businesses require a dumpster.