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Town Office Hours: Town Clerk/Collector Monday 9 am–1 pm Wednesday 3–5 pm Saturday 9 am–1 pm Zoning/Code Enforcement Officer Monday 10:30 am-12:30 pm Assessor 2nd Wednesday of the month 1 – 4 pm Town of Scipio P.O. Box 71 Scipio Center NY 13147 (315) 364-5740 email [EMAIL REDACTED] web: co.cayuga.ny.us/scipio Fall 2013 Newsletter Fall Clean Up Day - Sat. Oct. 12 10 am to 4 pm at the Transfer Station. For Scipio residents only. SIGN IN REQUIRED. For large items too big to bag. No truckloads of construction debris. Special Bin for scrap metal. Household trash to be bagged and tagged as usual. No mattresses, tires, refrigerators, freezers, batteries, petroleum products, antifreeze, computers, or electronics No cans unless open and dry. Fall 2013 Rabies Clinic - Sat. Oct. 19 1 to 3 pm at the Highway Garage. Please bring your animal’s most recent rabies certificate. Please bring your cat in a carrier. Courtesy of Dr. Underwood – suggested donation $5.00 per animal. Rabies immunization required: for dogs 6 months & older and cats 3 months & older. Got an Opinion? Don’t forget to VOTE Regular Board Meetings are held at the Town Office on the 2nd Wednesday of each month at 7:00 pm. All visitors are welcome. If you have an item to bring before the board, you may contact the Town Supervisor or Clerk prior to the meeting, but this is not required. Meetings are open to the public. Volunteers wanted: We would love to have a few volunteers to assist with Clean Up day. Please let us know as soon as possible if you can spare a couple of hours to help out. Contact Keith Batman 364-5548, or the Town Office 364-5740, or email [EMAIL REDACTED]. 2013 Electronics Recycling: Anytime during business hours at Auburn Computer & Satellite 72 Genesee St. Auburn. www.CNYDigital.com [PHONE REDACTED] Hazardous Materials Disposal: Saturday Oct. 26 Drop -off event requires registration.. Electronics Recycling Sat, Nov. 16 at Auburn Landfill For more information contact Cornell Co-Op Extension at [PHONE REDACTED]. History Corner The next time you visit your Town Hall, take a moment to look at the photos on display in the Historian’s Corner. You may see some familiar faces! There are also several interesting magazines about New York History available to borrow. Thanks to the generosity of the family, we now have a copy of the 1904 Farm Atlas for Cayuga County and a copy of “Miss Emily,” a wonderful book about Emily Howland written by Mildred Myers. Sandie Stoker Gilliland Transfer Station is open Saturdays 10 – 4 pm. Scipio Residents only. Household trash must be bagged and tagged with stickers at $2.50 each or $12.50 for a packet of 5. These are available from the Town Clerk or Transfer Station Attendant. No charge for recyclables. Recycling guidelines are available at the town office. Make sure you are placing items in the proper receptacle. Town Offices: Highway Garage 364-7754 Town Clerk’s Office 364-5740 Justice Court Office 364-5325 Fax number 364-6802 Website co.cayuga.ny.us/scipio Email [EMAIL REDACTED] Home contacts: Supervisor Keith Batman 364-5548 Council members Leslie Baxter 364-7688 Milene Morfei 364-7384 Greg Rury 246-4025 Gary Whitten 364-8596 Clerk/Tax Collector/Registrar Dodie Rowlands 364-7682 Justice Brian Dugan 364-8782 Court Clerk Deb Kellogg 364-8127 Historian Sandie Stoker Gilliland 253-0461 Highway Superintendent Mark Chamberlain 364-8719 Assessor Heather Garner 806-5500 Animal Control Officer Carl Collier 253-4367 Zoning & Code Enforcement Officer Mick Piechuta 283-0627 3705 State Route 34 PO Box 71 Scipio Center NY 13147 (315) 364-5740 fax (315) 364-6802 website: co.cayuga.ny.us/scipio email: [EMAIL REDACTED] ---PAGE BREAK--- From the Supervisor This is my last newsletter as Supervisor of Scipio. I have decided not to seek a fourth term, instead opting to run for the District 7 (Scipio, Ledyard, Springport) County Legislative seat being vacated by George Fearon. I make this decision with mixed feelings. On the one hand, I enjoyed working with the Town Board, the Highway Department, court, clerk and all the other elected and appointed people who worked hard to make our Town successful. As a team, we have accomplished a great deal: kept taxes down, moved broadband from a hope to implementation, approved a comprehensive plan, moved forward on zoning that will protect our rural qualities and way of life, updated and funded a highway capital equipment replacement plan, and much more. It is a great group of people. On the other hand, I see much that I can offer to County government as part of that team and look forward to continued service in a new role, assuming of course I am elected!! I am not the only one leaving. Judith “Dodie” Rowlands is retiring as Town Clerk after years (I won’t say how many) of service to the Town. Hers will be hard shoes to fill, but we all wish whoever wins the November election for clerk success in the attempt. There will be some adjustments no doubt as the new Clerk settles in and learns the job, but together all will go smoothly, I know. Perhaps the two most important challenges facing us in the next year are the ongoing financial and staffing issues of Southern Cayuga Instant Aid and what these mean for ensuring the provision of emergency service to our Town and implementation of a new series of zoning regulations that will make our comprehensive plan more than a report sitting on a shelf. Both of these have significant implications for our Town and both deserve your attention. If you are able, I encourage you to communicate your concerns and ideas to the Board and Supervisor. As I leave office, I am grateful for the opportunity to serve the Town, grateful for a great group of people with whom to work, and grateful that we were able to get so much done. Still a Scipio resident, I look forward to remaining active in Town affairs and to supporting the new Supervisor and Board. Thank you all for the opportunity you gave me. – Keith Batman From the Town Assessor Beginning October 1st Heather Garner will be the Town of Scipio Assessor. Many of you already know me from the Assessment Office in Genoa, Ledyard or Venice. For others I am a new face. Either way, I look forward to meeting with you in the upcoming months in the Town of Scipio. I may do things a little differently than what you may have experienced in the past, but please know; it is my goal to make things as fair and simplified for EVERYONE as possible. It is almost time for exemption renewals. MARCH 1st is the DEADLINE for all exemption applications. MANY exemptions MUST be renewed annually in order to continue receiving them. So, please pay attention to your mail. If you own your home AND it is your primary residence, make sure you apply for a STAR exemption. If you will be 65 years old or older BEFORE December 31, 2014 you may be eligible for ENHANCED STAR. If you own more than 10 acres of land used for agricultural purposes you may be eligible for an AGRICULTURAL exemption, or if you are disabled with low-income you may apply for the disability exemption. BASIC STAR REGISTRATION: For those who are already receiving a BASIC star exemption. Pay attention to the letter you received in the mail from New York State Tax and Finance, BE SURE TO RESPOND. You must follow the directions. Call the hotline or go on-line by December 31st. in order to keep your Basic Star Exemption. Stop in the Scipio Town Office this autumn and say Hi. Wednesdays 1-4 on October 9th, November 13th, or December 11th. You are more than welcome to reach me by phone at [PHONE REDACTED] or email [EMAIL REDACTED] and as always, you may mail correspondence or applications to Heather Garner, Scipio Assessor, PO BOX 71, Scipio Center, NY 13147 Opendore Update As you drive through Sherwood in the next few weeks, you will witness changes at Opendore. Phase One of a two-phased project will remove badly deteriorated portions of the building, and the remaining north portions of the structure will be stabilized, enclosed, and protected with a new roof. The Howland Stone Store Museum (HSSM) started five years ago to determine our direction using guidance of an ad hoc committee, consultation with the state and national historic preservation communities, and extensive evaluation of numerous options. Opendore is a historically significant building worthy of preservation, but half of the house is badly deteriorated to the point of being a public hazard and eyesore. An individual owner using this building as a private residence could demolish the building, burying contaminated materials on the property or trucking such materials to any local landfill. State law requires that all other parties must deal with these materials through hazardous material contractors with disposal in designated landfills, greatly increasing the demolition cost to possibly as much as $200,000. Estimated cost for a new building ranges between $800,000 and $1 million, in addition to the $200,000 for demolition of the old. No state funding is available for any new construction. Our planned revitalization project costs total $800,000, supported by $600,000 in state historic preservation grants. This $600,000 will come to our community rather than supporting historic preservation projects elsewhere in NYS. Our Strategic Plan shows HSSM needs more space for meetings, exhibits, and storage along with adequate climate control and security to house our significant collection of materials related to Sherwood’s involvement in the national stories of abolitionism, education, and woman’s rights. The cobblestone building will continue to be an exhibit space, but it cannot be expanded nor provide amenities such as public restrooms, parking, and handicap accessibility. Other facilities such as the Sherwood School were not viable. The Opendore project will meet our needs while preserving a significant historic structure. Visit www.howlandstonestore.org to learn more. HSSM must share Sherwood’s amazing story and meet our legal obligations to protect and preserve our collection in an expanded facility with needed amenities. Most especially, we desire to be a good neighbor, to be a responsible and attractive presence in the hamlet of Sherwood. Volunteer Fire Department As the nights are increasingly becoming colder, we will all be reaching for our thermostats, have your furnace serviced before you need it. Now is a good time of year to check all of the batteries in your smoke detectors along with carbon monoxide detectors before turning on the furnaces. Carbon Monoxide (CO) is a “silent killer”, because it is colorless, odorless, tasteless and non- irritating, and it is the leading poison killer in the United States. In New York, more than 200 people are hospitalized each year with CO poisoning. Carbon Monoxide is a gas that is produced by burning fuel sources. If there are extended of time that an individual is exposed to CO, will occur. Some of the of carbon monoxide poisoning are; headaches, weakness, dizziness and nausea. On October 6th we will be hosting our annual Sportsman’s Raffle and Pancake breakfast. Tickets for the raffle are available through members of the fire department, and will also be available the day of the breakfast. At the all you can eat pancake breakfast we serve; pancakes, French toast, eggs, sausage, milk, juice and coffee. All of the members of the fire department have been very busy. In the last month we have fought three fires, along with our regular training every Monday night. Recently we have received a few new members, who are eager to learn and assist. The fire department is always in need of additional members, both active firefighters and social members. Social members normally assist at fundraisers adding additional personnel. The Scipio Fire Fighters would like to remind everyone that the school buses are back on the road, and you need to be cautious when driving. Be sure not to pass a stopped school bus, and when you see flashing lights please ensure that there are not any children near the road before proceeding. Fire Prevention Week is October 6-12; we will be involved in demonstration on the 11th at the elementary school. Practice your fire drills from your own home, and talk to your children regarding the importance of fire safety. - The Scipio Firefighters Town Court Cell phone and texting fines are very expensive and carry 5 points on your license. Pull off the road before you dial or text. For hunters, with deer season approaching, read and understand all the rules in the handbook. Avoid DEC fines – ignorance of the rules is no excuse. Be a good sportsman. As always check registration stickers, inspection stickers, and make sure car insurance is intact; fines for lapses are extreme and avoidable. Remember with winter approaching be courteous to our road crews. They are working hard to keep us safe. So let’s return our appreciation by keeping road crews safe. Drive safe speeds and keep safe distances, and avoid tickets. - Justice Brian Dugan & Court Clerk Deb Kellogg Town Clerk/Collector I am retiring this year, as Keith mentioned, and just wanted to say I have enjoyed serving the residents of Scipio as clerk/collector, and know that you will support my successor and the new administration. Thanks! - Dodie Rowlands Protecting Children A Free Presentation at The Scipio Fire Department Monday November 11th 6:30 PM Learn how to stop sexual abuse For more information, please contact: Rhonda Zahn [PHONE REDACTED] ext 303