By Kate Hill

Staff Writer

On Sept. 1, the Village of Cazenovia Board of Trustees adopted a resolution declaring a 2.08-acre strip of village-owned land between the department of public works (DPW) garage and Farnham Street surplus property.

The resolution authorizes Mayor Kurt Wheeler to enter into negotiations for the sale of the unused lands, subject to further approval of any sale by the board.

“The shape of the DPW lot is such that there is a little spur that goes off of it from the DWP garage up the hill to Farnham Street,” said Wheeler. “ . . . Sometimes we dump excess snow from Corwin Street or upper Farnham Street [there.] We just plow it straight into that area and let it melt down the hill. That’s the only thing we ever use it for. If you’re trying to figure out where this parcel is, the top edge of it on Farnham Street says, ‘No parking, snowplow turnaround.’”

The village initially considered adding a secondary access road to the DPW garage, which is currently accessed via Burr Street. However, the strip of land was deemed too steep to provide convenient access from the DPW garage to Farnham Street. No other potential use for the unused lands has been identified.

According to Wheeler, three adjoining property owners approached the village with interest in purchasing the lands.

“[Village Attorney Jim Stokes] recommended that before we initiate anything formal we come to an agreement with them that they would be willing to pay for the cost of the appraisal — so we know what a fair market value is — and they could divide up the costs of the sale price, the survey and the appraisal amongst the three parties,” Wheeler said. “It will take a little while to go through that process . . . I have honestly no idea what the fair market value will be . . . Whatever it is, it will help to plug a few holes in the budget, of which there are many, so the timing is good.”

Wheeler added that if the interested parties are unwilling to cover the costs of the survey and appraisal, the village might drop the matter altogether and “continue with the status quo.”

“If at any point in the process the board feels like [the sale] is not an appropriate course of action, we will have several other steps to change course,” Wheeler concluded.

In other news

The board adopted a resolution to designate the American Legion Post 88, 26 Chenango St., as the poll site for the Sept. 15, 2020 village election, to be held from noon to 9 p.m.

The board also voted to adopt new state rules for records management and preservation and to pass a resolution honoring Elizabeth Digiacomo, who is retiring after eight years of service to the village.

As the director of the Summer Joint Youth Recreation program, the Lakeland Park waterfront, and the community RecDesk, Digiacomo served hundreds of young people and their families from the Village of Cazenovia and the Towns of Cazenovia, Nelson and Fenner.

“Her presence, her love and respect of children, her unfailing concern for their safety and her devotion to Cazenovia will all be missed by the many families she has served, by her colleagues on the village staff and by the residents of the village,” the resolution said.

The community will observe Sept. 11 with a small ceremony at 7 p.m. in Memorial Park on Albany Street. Organized by Project CAFE, the event will be scaled back and will include the use of masks and social distancing to meet New York State guidelines.

The Village of Cazenovia Board of Trustees typically meets on the first Monday of each month at 7 p.m. in the Village Municipal Building, 90 Albany St.

For more information, visit villageofcazenovia.com.