From the supervisor: Spring has finally sprung

By Janet Aaron

Skaneateles Town Supervisor

Spring has finally arrived, and the beauty of the community is further enhanced by all the flowering trees and flowers. It’s the time of year when days are longer and yet there never seems to be enough time to get everything done. From working in the yard to attending our kids and grandkids school and sporting events, the days just go by way too quickly.

The town departments are gearing up for the spring and summer seasons. The plows have been taken off of the highway trucks and the lawnmowers are busy at the Parks Department. But as we think of the better weather that is coming our way we know that our beautiful Skaneateles Lake will be in the center of it all.

So you may ask, what exactly is going on with Skaneateles Lake? Will we have another Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB)?

This is not an easy question to answer but what I can tell you is that there have been many meetings that have been held over the winter focusing on just that.   These meetings have included Skaneateles Lake Association, the Town and Village of Skaneateles, the City of Syracuse, Onondaga County Soil and Water Conservation District, the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation and Central NY Regional Planning and Development Board.

On June 6 we hope you will attend an informational meeting that Shannon Fabiani from Cornell Cooperative Extension of Onondaga County in partnership with the Town of Skaneateles and Skaneateles Lake Association is holding at the Skaneateles High School Auditorium.

The event starts at 7 p.m. and all are welcome. Not only will there be information on what is being done, but there will be a presentation from HAB expert Dr. Tim Davis from Bowling Green University  and a Q & A session with panelists who are working directly to protect the lake and watershed. We hope that you will attend this great informational meeting.

This is a busy time for our Parks Department as they try to catch up after a late spring arrival.

A new and exciting event has been added this year   Tickets have been reserved for matinee shows at the Merry Go Round Playhouse in Auburn with free transportation will be provided through Laker Limo.  Already Mama Mia has sold out, but tickets are still available for Anne of Green Gables – Wednesday, July 18 at 2 p.m. and Holiday Inn – Wednesday, Aug. 8 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $42. Contact Sue Murphy at 315-727-9320 or the Town Clerk’s Office at 315-685-3473

Thinking about what the kids will do this summer? Sign them up for the PlayDay program offered from 9 to 1 p.m. with options for before and after programs that will keep your kids active this summer and off all their devices.

This summer the town is working on a boat washing station at the Mandana Parking Lot.

This Boat Washing Station was funded by the Onondaga County Legislature. Skaneateles Lake Association provides the funding and support for stewards at each boat launching site on Skaneateles Lake.

They will inspect boats and if necessary, require them to go to the boat washing station to be cleaned in order to meet the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation requirement that all boats must be clean, drained and dry before entering NYS lakes.

While some may find this inconvenient, the priority is our lake. We want to stop invasive species from entering our lake. When boats want to launch on our lake that have been on other lakes, they may unknowingly be carrying invasive species.

Town and Village of Skaneateles taxpayers who use the Mandana Boat Launch will be able to park free at the Mandana Parking Lot.  You will need to either display your Transfer Station Permit or obtain a resident sticker from the Town Clerk’s Office to place on your car.

Non-residents will be charged $20 per day for boat and trailer or $10 per day for just a vehicle. Payment can be made by credit card online before or when you arrive at the parking lot. Non-resident season passes can be obtained at the Town Clerk’s Office for $200 for a vehicle and trailer or $100 vehicle only.

We had a wonderful Hamlet Meeting in Shepard Settlement last week.  It was a perfect night weather-wise and we had the best turnout of all our Hamlet Meetings to date.  That community is very close knit and they love their beautiful area.  We hope that they will soon receive internet service with Spectrum and that the mining community will always be cognizant of the residential community they impact.

Today, I attended a ribbon cutting at Hill Rom for their expansion. While we all had concerns about whether they would continue operations here, the expansion is great news for our community. The economic impact adds jobs. I am always so proud to point out at any medical facility or doctor’s office I visit, that Welch Allyn products are made in my home town. Thank you Hill Rom for your commitment to our community.

Our first summer holiday is coming up. I hope everyone enjoys Memorial Day and remembers that since the earliest ceremonies in small American towns following the Civil War, we have gathered on Memorial Day to honor and remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our nation. As in those early days of laying wreaths and placing flags, our national day of remembrance is often felt most deeply among the families and communities who have personally lost friends and loved ones. To those families I send my heartfelt sympathy.