By Phil Blackwell

Cicero’s Parks and Recreation Department has a new leader, someone who has handled the same responsibilities in the nearby village of North Syracuse.

Teresa Roth, at a salary of $66,000 per year, was approved as the department’s new director at the Cicero Town Board’s July 22 meeting.

Supervisor Bill Meyer said that Roth received high marks for her work as North Syracuse’s recreation director, adding that it was good that she was staying in the community.

Councilor Judy Boyke said that, in multiple interviews with Roth, her vast amount of qualifications made her stand out among other candidates, including her certification as a lifeguard.

“I know she is going to be a great fit,” said Boyke.

Roth will start at her new position on Sept. 9 and takes over after the retirement of longtime director Jody Rogers, leading a department which oversees programs that include the Senior Center and the CanTeen located near Cicero-North Syracuse High School.

Also in the parks department, Dawn Maurer, retiring Aug. 20 after 35 years of working for the town, was approved to work 15 hours a week until Sept. 25 as a recreation attendant to help Roth with the transition to newer employees.

Also on the agenda

Steel Sales Inc., based in Sherburne, was approved to install 1,800 feet of drainage pipes for the Darby Farms housing community. Also, an additional $3,200 was okayed from the town to Northeast Beaver & Predator Management for additional removal of nuisance animals.

Storage units

A public hearing held to determine whether to consider a zone change of property between Totman Road and Northern Boulevard in order to build a facility of 12 storage units was held over until the Aug. 12 board meeting.

Residents who lived near the property had voiced their opposition to the project, with one couple saying that tree removal had taken away privacy and security and that this would enhance those conditions.

In his presentation, Alex Wisniewski, representing LJR Engineers, said that, to address these public concerns, a perimeter fence would be built on the facility.

As to opposition expressed in a letter from the North Syracuse Fire Department due to a lack of a water source on the property, Wisniewski said that a public water easement on Totman Road can be used in case of a fire.

Spring Village Apartments

In a separate presentation, developers of the Spring Village Apartments, located next to Northern Onondaga Public Library off Brewerton, announced plans for a second phase of the complex.

The proposal is for 50 apartments, both one and two-bedroom, to be offered to senior citizens along with 15 of them set aside for military veterans.

There is a need for the facility, said developers, because of the popularity of the current apartments, filled to capacity with a wait list of more than 30 potential residents.

Among other issues the Spring Village would need to address would be the removal of a used-car dealership and the possibility of a traffic light off Brewerton Road to Meltzer Court, the road that leads to Cicero Twin Rinks.

The project will still need to go through Cicero’s Planning Board and other regulatory agencies before final approval.