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Post-Standard,
The (Syracuse, NY) January 15, 2004
SKANEATELES AND SPAFFORD NEED APPROVAL FROM COUNTY LEGISLATURE. Jerry Rosen Staff writer Skaneateles and
Spafford will have to get exemptions from the Onondaga County
Legislature before either Marcellus' Limeledge water district or a
proposed tri-town water district can move ahead.
Marcellus Town Attorney Michael Cogswell said the exemption is
needed because neither of those two towns is part of the Metropolitan
Water Board system. The long-delayed Limeledge District overlaps into Skaneateles, and
Spafford is one of the three towns, along with Marcellus and
Otisco, trying to get a water district built.
"Spafford and Skaneateles stayed out of the assessment
district and now it's back to bite them," said new Marcellus Supervisor
Thomas Lathrop.
Spafford appears to have a bigger problem. Lathrop said the
source of its water is in danger of not meeting health standards.
But that also makes the town a key player in the proposed district
because it likely would be eligible for a grant that would lower the cost
of the proposed district to a level that the state comptroller's office
might accept.
The comptroller's ceiling price for each household in such
districts rose to $621 a year over the life of any bonds issued.
County Legislator James Murphy is trying to arrange a meeting with
legislators to work out a deal, Cogswell said. The attorney said he hoped
that would take place within two weeks.
Limeledge is not eligible for aid and Cogswell said that even at
the new level, "without grant money, Limeledge's cost appears to be
prohibitive because it's got to go to bid, rather than contract directly
with OCWA."
It is another comptroller's ruling that prevents towns from
contracting directly with the Onondaga County Water Authority.
Cogswell said OCWA could build the district for more than $1
million less than it would take to bid the project. He said bidding would
raise the household cost to nearly $1,000 a year.
"The bid requirement runs at loggerheads into the district, even
though it could save taxpayers substantial money," Cogswell said.
"We can't afford $1,000," said resident Vince Murphy as he asked if
writing to anyone might help.
Legislation to get around the comptroller's ruling remains stuck in
committee in the state Assembly, Cogswell said.
"Other districts are going to want it. It's out of our control,"
Cogswell said. "We've just got to keep pushing."
Hearing set for ambulance district
The board set a public hearing for its meeting Feb. 9 to consider
creating a townwide ambulance district.
That would complete the town's assuming control of the Marcellus
Area Volunteer Emergency Service, which had been under village control as
part of the fire department.
Cogswell told the board that it has until April 1 to form the
district in time for it to go on the 2005 tax bills.
In other business
Heating pipes addressed: Board members approved spending more than
$1,500 to change the iron pipes in the town building's aging heating
system to copper. The system had begun leaking during the recent cold
snap, Lathrop said.
Bingham appointed: Michelle Bingham was named to fill a vacancy on
the town's zoning board of appeals.
The town's planning and zoning board membership currently overlaps
and the boards meet concurrently.
Although town board members are considering splitting the boards,
the zoning board needed to fill the vacancy.
Overbilling found: The board authorized Lathrop to accept an
unexpected $2,000 check from Computel Consultants, which has been
reviewing overbillings by New York State Electric and Gas for Marcellus
and numerous other municipalities for street lighting.
The check settles up to July 2000. The company is reviewing billing
since then.
Lathrop named: Board members named Lathrop as the town's delegate
to the Association of Towns annual meeting in New York City Feb. 14 to
18. Copyright, 2004, The
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