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3705 State Route 34 P.O. Box 71 Scipio Center, NY 13147 (315) 364-5740 Fax (315) 364-6802 website:co.cayuga.ny.us/scipio email: [EMAIL REDACTED] Clerk Hours Monday 9 am–1 pm Wednesday 2 pm–5 pm Saturday 9 am–12 pm Assessor Hours by appointment (315) 806-5500 Zoning Officer Hours Monday 10:30 am – 12:30 pm Supervisor Hours by appointment (315) 730-3638 Town of Scipio P.O. Box 71 Scipio Center NY 13147 (315) 364-5740 Email: [EMAIL REDACTED] Spring 2017 Town Office Highway Garage (315) 364-7754 Clerk’s Office (315) 364-5740 Fax number (315) 364-6802 Supervisor Gary Mutchler (315) 730-3638 Council members Howard Nelson (315) 730-2962 Mark Ferrari (716) 870-3380 Leslie Baxter (315) 237-1292 Gary Whitten (315) 364-8596 Justice Brian Dugan (315) 364-5325 leave message Town Clerk/Tax Collector Tom Olenych (315) 364-8816 Deputy Registrar / Town Clerk Dodie Rowlands (315) 364-7682 Historian Dodie Rowlands (315) 364-7682 Highway Superintendent Mark Chamberlain (315) 364-8719 Assessor Heather Garner (315) 806-5500 Animal Control Officer Carl Collier (315) 253-4367 Zoning & Code Enforcement Officer Mick Piechuta (315) 283-0627 Transfer Station Attendant DJ Grady (315) 224-1817 Website co.cayuga.ny.us/scipio Email [EMAIL REDACTED] Newsletter is on the Scipio website. If you would like to receive a paper copy by mail, please contact the Town Clerk. As always, we welcome comments and feedback. Write, email, call, or stop in during clerk’s hours (Mon. 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM, Wed. 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM & Sat. 9:00 AM – 12:00 noon). Shopping Local: Shopping local not only supports local businesses, but local government as well. Sales tax revenues are very important to towns and counties, helping to pay for the services local government provides. Shopping in other counties and on-line reduces tax revenues significantly. Spring Clean Up Day: Saturday May 6th, 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, or batteries. Call 255-1183 for disposal of hazardous materials. Rabies Clinic: Dr. Tyson Benson of the Homestead Large Animal Clinic will again be administering rabies shots at the town offices. The date will be Saturday May 6th. from 10:00 AM until 1:00 PM. and the cost is $10.00. Spay and neuter services: In addition to Dr. Benson’s services the town has been contacted by Tracey Stevens DVM, CVA of Integrated Veterinary Services who will offer low cost spay and neuter services. The fees for her procedures are as follows: Dog Spay $105.00, Dog Neuter $95.00, Cat Spay $75.00, Cat Neuter $55.00 and Rabies/Distemper Vaccinations $10.00 each. To set up an appointment she can be reached at [EMAIL REDACTED]. (preferred) or by phone at (315) 730-3934. From Town Supervisor Gary Mutchler: It is with joy that I serve you as your town supervisor. I work with a great group of people in many different aspects of our town. I want to mention a few, but do not feel that I do not value your services if I forget to mention you. First of all I want to thank Mark Chamberlain and his highway crew for their service in maintaining our roads. As of this writing, on March 12th, we have not had many major storms, other than the one on Monday prior to Thanksgiving. However our crews have been out many times in the early morning hours, plowing and sanding those nuisance snows. As we often joke in Scipio, “If you don’t like the weather wait a few minutes and it will change”. Likewise, there are differences within the town between the east and the west boundaries. Nevertheless the crew is out there taking good care of our roads. And I can say, that in traveling around the county, they do one of the best jobs possible Thanks guys! Our fire company does an excellent job in serving our community as well. Whether it is fighting a fire, directing traffic, rescuing dogs, training our fire personnel, or raising funds so our taxes do not go up, these dedicated people are always willing to serve The many officials in our town, be it our Code Enforcement Officer, bookkeeper, historian, transfer station attendant, town clerk, town justice, court clerk or town board members, are willing to serve the town’s residents. Again thanks. It has been a joy to work on the town’s finances as well. Last year we were able to pave an additional one mile of Sherwood Road that was not in the town’s budget, as well as purchase a new tractor and mower while staying more than $4,000.00 ahead of our expenses. By purchasing the mower it will greatly reduce the use of our NH tractor and boom thereby extending the service life of this equipment. This year, on May 15th, the town plans to begin paving nearly two miles of road on Cork Street and finish the last half mile on Sherwood Road. This paving greatly improves the roads over the traditional oil and chipping. Additionally we as a town have joined the Greater Tompkins County Municipal Health Insurance Consortium for the town employee’s health insurance. Since the town pays 90% of the premiums this has allowed us to provide comparable insurance while reducing the town’s annual expenses by more than $19,000.00. I will continue to attend the fire district’s commissioners meetings as we follow the September 13, 2016 public hearing recommendation, to determine the value of each fire company’s assets as well as conduct an audit of the district’s finances, before the town board moves to form a new fire district. Spring 2017 Transfer Station open Saturdays 10 am – 4 pm. Scipio residents only. Household trash must be bagged and tagged - $2.50 per bagful. Tags available from Attendant or Town Clerk. No charge for recyclables. Please place items in the proper bin and break down cardboard boxes. See below for new summer hours. If you’ve got a little time to help your fellow townspeople on Clean-Up Day, please contact: Howard Nelson at 730-2962, Gary Mutchler at 730-3638, or Town Clerk Tom Olenych at 364-5740. Or email [EMAIL REDACTED]. You’ll be helping others and get to talk to various board members in a relaxed setting. THANKS to all who have helped in the past. We’re on the web! h ttp : / /co.cayuga.ny.us / s c i p i o Electronic recycling: Anytime during business hours at Auburn Computer and satellite 74 Genesee St Auburn. www.CNYDigital.com 315-255- 6808. ---PAGE BREAK--- Please note that spring cleanup day is on Saturday May 6th. from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Anyone wanting to volunteer for a few hours on clean up day please contact the town offices at (315) 364-5740 and leave your name, number and a good time to call you back. Also the town has decided to have the transfer station open Wednesday evenings from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM beginning May 10th. and ending the end of September so people going away for the weekend can get to the transfer station before they go away. As always I am more than happy to discuss any issues you man have regarding the town. My e-mail address is [EMAIL REDACTED] or call me at (315) 730-3638. From Mick Piechuta / Code Enforcement and Zoning: In October the International Building Code went into effect. Some rules changed and some did not. The major change was the Energy Conservation Code. This code is about heat loss, insulation. air movement and other items. If you are considering any new construction requiring a permit these new codes need to be addressed. We have also started work on the Violations of the NYS Preventative Maintenance Code. Most residents that are in violation are working to comply but there is still a lot of work to be done. If you have any comments or questions please call me at (315) 364-5740, the town offices, or (315) 283-0627. From Mark Chamberlain / Highway Superintendent: Aside from dealing with the normal winter/snow related issues we are now gearing up for the warmer weather. We have a lot of ditching to be do so we have started a list of town residents who are in need of ditch work If you would like to add your name to the list you can call the town barn, (315) 364-7754, and leave me your name, your address, and your location and I will get back to you. Thank you, Mark Chamberlain From Dodie Rowlands / Town Historian: My name is Dodie Rowlands and I would like to introduce myself as the newly appointed Scipio Town Historian. While my full-time residence in the Town of Scipio only goes back 45 years or so my family connections to the town go back more than 150 years so I value Scipio and it’s residents, past, present and future. Some of you may know me already as I served as Scipio Town Clerk from 2000 to 2013. Through the efforts of Sandie Stoker Gilliland, Scipio Town Historian from 2004 to 2015, a “History Corner”, including displays and information about Scipio’s history, was created and set up at the town offices. This History Corner is open during regular town clerk hours and I encourage all to stop over and learn more about Scipio’s history. I do not have scheduled office hours but would be happy to meet with anyone by appointment, my number is (315) 364-7682 and my e-mail address, how I prefer to be contacted, is [EMAIL REDACTED]. I am looking forward to exploring the past and learning more about Scipio’s history. From Heather Garner / Town Assessor: Assessment office hours for March and April are by appointment only If you would like to schedule an office appointment or a home visit for an interior and exterior review you can contact me at (315) 806-5500. Assessment totals are available for your convenience at www.cayugacounty.us/realproperty. All STAR Exemption applications and renewals for the 2017 Assessment Roll were due by March 1, 2017. All applications submitted after March 1, 2017 and on March 1, 2018 or prior will be for the next year. Grievance Day for the Town of Scipio will be on Thursday June 1, 2017 from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM. Applications to grieve the assessed value of your property are available at www.tax.ny.gov or you may pick up an application at the town offices. You must complete the application and provide the Board of Assessment Review with evidence that supports what you feel your assessment should be. Be sure to include comparable properties which have “sold” recently, a current sales listing if on the market, an appraisal completed in the last 5 years, photos, or any other supporting documentation. Do you have any questions about the NEW HOMEOWNERS STAR REBATE check? If you do you can visit www.tax.ny.gov/star or call NYS Taxation & Finance at (518) 457-2036 to sign up or find out more. Thank you, Heather Garner From the Scipio Volunteer Fire Department: Happy Spring from the Scipio Volunteer Fire Department. Recently the members of the fire department have been busy attending training for EMS and Fire Services to help us better protect the community. Don’t forget to come out for our annual Mother’s Day “All You Can Eat” pancake breakfast on Sunday May 14th. from 7:00 AM until noon and be sure to keep a look out for our chicken BBQ’s in the Spring and throughout the summer. As the weather warms and the road conditions improve please keep an eye out for school buses and children playing near our roadways and streets. Have you checked the batteries in your smoke detectors lately? If you have not now is the time to do so. Lastly we would like to say we appreciate your continued support and we hope to see you soon at one of our many functions. From the Scipio Rural Cemetery Association: The trustees of the Scipio Rural Cemetery Association wish to thank those who sent donations to the cemetery recently. It will help cover some of the yearly expenses of maintaining our town cemetery. This cemetery is the final resting place of Civil War, World War I, World War II, Korean and Vietnam veterans as well as many other town residents who have served their country in other conflicts, not to mention many of the town’s earliest settlers. Donations can be sent to the Association Secretary, William O’Keefe, 2755 Center Road, Scipio Center, NY 13147. If you would like to select your final resting place and save your family from making that decision please feel free to call our secretary at (315) 364-7756 to make an appointment to meet him at the cemetery. Again thank you for your interest and support of our local cemetery. The trustees of the Scipio Rural Cemetery Association. From the transfer station / Spring Clean Up Day: Spring Clean Up Day will take place on Saturday May 6th. from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Special dumpsters will be available for assorted debris, old furniture, scrap metal and all those items that have been cluttering your barns, basements, garages and sheds. No electronics, chemicals or tires will be accepted. These items should be brought to appropriate drop-off days sponsored by Cayuga County or BOCES. Household trash will be handled as always with each trash bag requiring an orange sticker and each bag being deposited in the compactor outside the attendant’s office. Stickers can be purchased from the transfer station attendant or from the town clerk at the town offices. Individual stickers can be purchased for $2.50 per sticker or for $12.50 for a sheet of five stickers. Anyone interested in helping out for a couple of hours on clean up day please contact Howard Nelson at (315) 730-2962. Summer hours: For the convenience of town residents the transfer station will be open extra hours on Wednesdays from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM starting on May 10th. and going through the end of September. Saturday hours will remain the same. From Tom Olenych / Scipio Town Clerk: In the past few years the NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation has passed laws regarding and regulating the burning of trash. Anyone wishing to know more about these laws and regulations can pick up a copy at the town offices during normal town clerk hours or on line at “regulations-nys dept. of environment and conservation” / regulations / part 211 General Provisions and or part 215 Open Fires. From Keith Batman / County Legislator: We had a busy year with challenges to water quality in both Owasco and Cayuga Lakes. Toxins in Owasco Lake and in the drinking water of Auburn and Owasco; an infestation of the very dangerous invasive plant, Hydrilla, in Cayuga Lake; nutrient run off issues; the updating of the Owasco Lake Watershed Management Plan; and many other activities have served to underscore the importance of water to all of us… not surprising since we are the Finger Lakes…but something we often take for granted. Our focus and efforts will continue in this important area. On a positive note we held property tax increases in the county budget below 1% while developing a budget that will be balanced at the end of the year for operational costs. And this was done despite the fact that the state imposed additional costs on the county through new mandated and unfunded program expenses in the range of $400,000.00 - $500,000.00. Credit goes to the department heads and budget managers in the county who took the charge of finding ways to do more with less seriously. However, as we look ahead there is a limit to what we can do unless there is a change in the approach state and federal governments take to reimburse the costs of their mandated programs, or a change in how we do business. Since I see no likelihood the state and federal governments will reverse their trends of pushing down to localities, we are left to find new ways to cut our costs without reducing services. A major initiative being undertaken to accomplish this is an organization-wide examination and rethinking of how county government is structured: who reports to whom, how our departments are structured, and who shares space and work. The intent is to look at our operations in ways to work together and better. This is a long term challenge but one I think will result in efficiencies and reduced costs and a challenge which we are going to confront this year! As always, please call or email if you have concerns, kudos or input of any kind. I can be reached at [EMAIL REDACTED] or by calling (315) 253-1273 or (315) 294-8070. From Southern Cayuga Instant Aid: SCIA continues to increase both ambulance crew availability and level of care provided, resulting in outstanding service. Our official commitment to our towns is to provide ambulance service no less than 12 hours per day. For some years now we had been routinely staffing to cover 18 hours a day. Most recently, with the help of careful scheduling and many hours of overnight volunteer staffing, we have been providing 24/7 around the clock service. SCIA has consistently responded with a staffed ambulance rig for every single call, at any hour, since September 2016. We are becoming known in the local Emergency Medical Services community for this consistency. One of our key goals over the past few years has been to increase our coverage at the “Advanced LIfe Support” (paramedic) level. In 2015, we handled 79.8% of our transports with SCIA crews, while receiving ALS assistance from other providers (on board our ambulance rig) for the remainder. In 2016, we increased that figure to 84.9%. For January and February 2017 we had our own ALS qualified personnel on board so often that 90.7% of transports were handled fully by SCIA crews. This means faster service and better medical outcomes. Just a few more numbers for you: in 2016 we handled 380 calls resulting in 237 patient transports, up from 332 and 223 in 2015. The SCIA board has appointed Wendy Hoose, our chief of operations and a highly qualified paramedic and nurse, to take on the additional functions of Executive Director. She replaces Cindy Wilcox who left to take an exciting new job opportunity in Tompkins County this past November. We want to thank both ladies for their outstanding, life-saving contributions and commitment to SCIA. We also want to thank or wonderful crew and we thank the residents of the Town of Scipio for their continued support. Disposal of Electronics and tires events: Electronics will be on May 13, 2017 at BOCES in Auburn from 9:00 AM until 1:00 PM. This includes confidential document shredding as well as the recycling of propane cylinders, small Freon appliances and 4 foot and 8 foot fluorescent bulbs. Picture tube TVs and CRT monitors will also be taken but a donation is strongly encouraged. Tires will be on June 24, 2017 at Soil & Water from 8:30 AM until 12:00 PM. The fee for car tires and pick-up truck tires is $1.50 per tire. Regular Town Board meetings are held at the Town Office on the 2nd Wednesday of each month at 7:00 pm. All visitors are invited to attend. If you have an item to bring to the board, you may contact the Town Supervisor or Clerk so that it may be placed on the agenda.