June Session Update
June’s Session of the Onondaga County Legislature was busy and beneficial to the people of the county, with some important votes taking place.
Legislators approved Onondaga Community College’s 2023-2024 operating budget. It totals $61,630,855 with the county’s share once again at $9,872,000 - the same amount as last year, which is great as OCC leadership crafted a budget with no local increase despite dwindling student enrollment and the need for millions of dollars in upgrades to campus buildings.
“They have presented, again this year, a flat budget and a budget that is reflective of programs that have been tailored to contemporary needs for this community” says Floor Leader Brian May (1st District). “Adjustments in their management model and how they’re approaching their business moving forward with slightly declining populations and focusing their efforts and resources on the things that our communities need and the young folks and even the adults that utilize OCC, things of value to them in pursuing their career and their lives in general.”
At a budget presentation in May, OCC’s President Dr. Warren Hilton said, “I give credit to our staff and faculty for continuing to make our education at OCC affordable and using taxpayers’ dollars wisely. We’ll continue to do that and we’ll continue to build out academic programs that meet the needs of our community and help us to increase our enrollment.”
Legislators also authorized the issuance of $6,500,000 in bonds to help OCC renovate and modernize learning spaces in campus buildings and help the college tailor spaces for the many new degree programs they are offering, including those training future workers for the Micron development in the Town of Clay.
The Legislature voted in favor of having a public hearing related to the adoption of the Onondaga County Comprehensive Plan. Legislator Timothy Burtis (3rd District) rose and spoke on the plan.
“So SOCPA [Syracuse-Onondaga County Planning Agency] has a developed a plan called Plan Onondaga – or Plan On – and the plan presents a future land use vision map and accompanying thematic goals and strategies to inspire our community. As we all know we’re going to experience quite a development here in the coming months and years to come.”
Click here to learn more about the Onondaga County Comprehensive Plan.
Legislator Burtis says the plan accounts for all agriculture and farmland protection plans within the county, and that it will be reviewed every 10 years. The public hearing is scheduled for July 5, 2023 at 12:55 p.m. at the Legislature’s Chambers.
The aforementioned SOCPA is also being dissolved, following the Legislature’s approval at Session of a local law to do so. It comes months after Syracuse’s Mayor announced his intention for the split. Not to worry – a new county planning department was created under the new local law, and all current county staff will remain on the job.
“This is something that’s been coming and being worked on” says Legislator Burtis, who is Chair of the Legislature’s Planning & Economic Development committee. “Towns and Villages are still going to have access to this planning department and we have a good opportunity here as we walk forward together to have a good planning situation for everyone involved.”
SOCPA’s Director Dan Kwasnowski will remain on the job and says the new planning department will continue to work with and assist the City with planning should they ask for it.
The Legislature also approved the acceptance of grants relating to the 2023 Action Plan. Onondaga County is receiving $3,267,206. Entitlement grants are non-competitive grants received from Housing and Urban Development based on various economic and population factors, and are received in 3 forms: Community Development Block Grants, Home Grant, and Emergency Solutions Grant. This money will be used for various projects which will bring much-needed improvements to different parts of the county.
Legislator Mark Olson (10th District) says he welcomes the grant money, because as Mayor of Fayetteville and a representative to the Village Mayors Association, he’s seen firsthand the good work the money has done in our community. He says, “As a member of the Planning & Economic Development committee, to be able to look at and approve these projects and know what they do, it’s gratifying to know that this money is well spent and helping our community grow and prosper in the areas of our community most in need.”
The Legislature approved a number of transportation related resolutions, including:
Making funds available for use in connection with the New York State Pave-Our-Potholes (POP) Program and the New York State Pave-NY Program
To accept Extreme Winter Recovery funding and additional CHIPS funding from the New York State Department of Transportation
The transfer of an unused portion of County Road 221 in the Town of Geddes to 1200 State Fair Blvd., LLC in consideration of $20,000
Funding for transportation related projects on Onondaga Boulevard and Teall Avenue, as well as Old Liverpool Parkway.
Legislator Debra Cody (5th District) chairs the County Facilities committee and shared some details of the OLP project.
“This will be increasing lanes in some areas, putting in some sidewalks and additional drainage” she said on the floor. “Hopefully it will correspond to a state project on the Parkway.”
The Legislature also approved several critical infrastructure updates at the Onondaga County Department of Water Environment Protection, in relation to work in the Onondaga County Sanitary District:
Phase I of the Ley Creek/Liverpool Force Mains Replacement/Rehabilitation Project and authorization of $25,000,000 in bond funding
The Clarifier and Gallery Asset Renewal Project at Metro Wastewater Treatment Plant and authorization of $69,000,000 in bond funding
The acceptance of nearly $400,000 in state funding was also approved to assist with the digital mapping of every catch basin and pipe within the CNY Storm Water Coalition area.
“This money will benefit all of us in Onondaga County in the long-run” says Legislator Julie Abbott (6th District), who chairs the Legislature’s Environmental Protection committee. “It pertains to our water quality, the systems we already have in place for treating it and how storm water runoff is handled. Having safe and accessible access to drinking water is critical for all of us, most especially our children.”
The grant money totals $396,000 and is from New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Non-Agricultural Nonpoint Source Planning and MS4 Mapping Grant Program for the Protection and Restoration of Water.
An important part of being a Legislator is being a voice for those in your district and supporting projects that will benefit them, and Legislator Colleen Gunnip (4th District) was able to do that at the June Session. “I was happy to sponsor funding this month for two important infrastructure projects in my district” she says. “First the Old Liverpool Road project will help the residents and traveling public in this area with road improvements including drainage and sidewalks. The second project was the Ley Creek Transfer Station improvements to make sure our sanitary sewer systems our operating properly.”
Perhaps the longest and most intense discussion was related to the acquisition of two parcels of land. Located at 439 and 451 Solar Street in the City of Syracuse, this area is the preferred location on which a public aquarium would be constructed and operated. The property is currently owned by COR Solar Street II Company, LLC and COR Solar Street IV Company, LLC who have agreed to sell the property to the County for the amount of $1,713,000.00.
Legislator Cody reminded her colleagues on the governing body no new money is involved with this purchase – it comes from the $85 million approved last year. She also spoke about the comprehensive State Environmental Quality Review Act review, commonly called SEQRA.
“The SEQRA built on previous environmental assessments of those parcels over the past several years” she said. “This is budgeted money for the acquisition of this land based on market analysis and is a fair price to pay for this next step in the development of the aquarium.”
A number of other Legislators also rose and spoke on the floor, including Legislator Cody Kelly (14th District). “Last year, we obviously allocated a sum of money to build an aquarium as a sustainable source of revenue to allow us to provide essential services without cutting deeper into the taxpayer dime and as far as I’m concerned, we built a project to fit the price tag, not the other way around.”
Legislator Richard McCarron (11th District) said, “I think what we need to look at today is if the value of the land is worth what we’re paying for it and as somebody who’s been in real estate for 13 years, I believe that it is.”
Legislators from the other side of the aisle think the price is too high. In 2012, when the property was transferred by the City to COR, the land was assessed at just $100,000 an acre, with COR’s promise to develop it. That never happened. But Legislator Julie Abbott rebuffed the other side with, “When something big is coming like the aquarium, which has already been approved by this body, then it would make total sense it would be worth [$1,713,000.00] and then if you read the documents that we are sent and pay attention, COR put 1.4 million dollars in environmental remediation on that site. $1.4 million. So it isn’t fair or accurate to say nothing else was invested in that land.”
Legislature Chairman James Rowley (2nd District) agrees the price is fair. “Property in the City of Syracuse is assessed at 61% of the full market value, and if you look at the tax bill or apply the equalization rate to the assessed value, you get a fair market value of almost $2.254 million dollars” he said. “So, based on the assessment, fair market value and what we’re paying for, we are underpaying really by about half a million dollars.”
GOLD SEAL: STUDENTS FROM SKANEATELES CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT
At June Session, Legislator Julie Abbott honored the members, coaches and parents of Skaneateles Central School District’s Odyssey of the Mind team.
In May, four teams from the district competed at the World Finals of the program, through which students learn how to develop skills and self-confidence which will carry over to all areas of their lives. At the competition, team members presented their solution to a predefined long-term problem that often takes many months to complete. Creativity, writing, design, construction, and theatrical performance are all part of it. In the end, two of the Skaneateles teams placed in the top 5, an amazing achievement.
Team St. Claire/Kowalski took fourth place, Team Brooks/Bringas came in fifth place, with Team Barnes/Moro and Team Viashampayan finishing in the top half of teams competing. Earning the right to be part of this competition didn’t come easily. The teams spent months competing at various levels before earning the right to go to the World Finals.
“This accomplishment is nothing short of amazing” says Legislator Abbott. “For students to compete and win locally, regionally, on the state level and then at the World Finals, is just fantastic and really shows what a person can do if they put their mind behind it. These young people are our future leaders and it’s great to see them work together and creatively solve problems. I’m so proud of our Skaneateles students! Way to go kids!”
The World Finals competition was held in Michigan and featured 60+ teams from 11 different countries.