URGENT: Seneca Falls Board Pulls Another Fast One

The Town of Seneca Falls has scheduled to bring back a vote on its Host Community Agreement with Seneca Meadows Landfill at tonight's Board meeting starting with a Public Hearing on the Town's Comprehensive Plan at 6:00 pm, 130 Ovid St, Seneca Falls, NY 13148-2300, United States.

So this is an important meeting: both the Draft Comprehensive Plan outlining the Town's future vision, along with a new agreement to accept money from the landfill will be voted on tonight.

PLEASE plan to attend if you can, and SPEAK during the "Priviledge of the Floor" portion of the meeting, urging that the Board NOT approve the Host Community Agreement. Also during the hearing on the Comprehensive Plan, please urge the Board to wait to vote on the draft, and to make the language STRONGER about closing the landfill.  The public has spoken out and expressed that  their vision for the future of Seneca Falls does NOT include continued operation of the landfill- and the plan's language should adequately convey the wishes of the people.


The news also just broke in the Finger Lakes Times:

SENECA FALLS — There are several major topics on the Oct. 3 Town Board agenda.

The board meets at 6 p.m. in the Municipal Building.

The session will begin with a public hearing on the draft of the town comprehensive plan unveiled in September. It was prepared by a local 14-member steering committee working with consultants from MRB Group of Rochester.

The plan outlines current conditions, the planning process, vision and planning principles, priority policy areas of residential retention and advancement, economic development and fiscal security, preservation and enhancement of the natural and built environment, plans for arts and culture promotion, community vibrancy, relations with the Cayuga Nation, financing for the present and future and strategies for dealing with the SMI landfill.

It also includes a chapter on future land use.

The landfill will be the topic of remarks scheduled from Paul Kelsey, and possibly others, during public comment.

Under old business, the agenda includes the reintroduction of a motion tabled at the September meeting to authorize Supervisor Mike Ferrara to sign a Memorandum Of Understanding with SMI. The MOU details a significant increase in financial support by SMI to the town — $140 million over 15 years — and environmental steps SMI pledges to take if the town does not oppose SMI’s pending application to the state Department of Environmental Conservation for a permit to expand the Route 414 landfill.

Under new business, the agenda calls for resolutions to review parts II and III of the Environmental Assessment Form for the comprehensive plan, a determination of a finding of no significant negative impact, and adoption of the comprehensive plan. All are expected to generate considerable debate.

In addition, the board is scheduled to get a tentative 2024 town budget from Ferrara and town Manager Peter Soscia, followed by motions to set a public hearing date and schedule budget work sessions.