Camillus sixth ward town Councilor David Callahan was the target of criticism last week at the March 9 Camillus Town Board meeting as residents questioned the cancellation of an informational meeting and Callahan’s handling of the dissemination of information to ward residents. The March 11 informational meeting was announced at a previous board meeting by Callahan and third ward Counilor Bill Davern and was set to provide third and sixth ward residents with more information regarding the DEC and Honeywell plan to build a Sediment Consolidation Area at Wastebed 13. Callahan said he and Davern had opted to cancel the meeting in favor of holding smaller, more manageable meetings once the town’s newly hired environmental attorney supplied additional information. He added that he was concerned some of the information being distributed regarding the SCA was factually inaccurate, and that previous meetings had been too large — and with emotions running too high — to be productive. At the meeting, Callahan reminded the audience that, although the board had unanimously voted to oppose the plans for the SCA, the final decision may not rest in the board’s hands. “I want my people over here [in the sixth ward] to be educated to the fact that if this thing does go through, that we are truly educated as to what we have to expect and make sure that this stuff is handled properly,” Callahan said. “If we do have to have it, we have to have it the right way.” Davern was absent from the meeting due to a family emergency.
The board set a public hearing for 7 p.m. March 23 to consider prohibiting hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling, or hydrofracking, for the purpose of harvesting natural gas within the town. A meeting was also set for 7 p.m. April 8 in the municipal gymnasium to discuss a proposal to build a residential and retail complex on the Fallon property on West Genesee Street. Correction: the public hearing to address hydrofracking in the town of Camillus is set for March 23, not April 13 as was printed in this week’s Eagle Observer. Marcellus to purchase fire barn
The Marcellus Town Board approved a proposed draft to buy out $495,000 in bonds and accrued interest in order to purchase the Marcellus fire barn from the village, the current owner of the barn. The closing date is set tentatively for Oct. 1, contingent upon public referendum.
Camillus switches to calendar year
The village of Camillus last week became the first village in Onondaga County to operate on a calendar fiscal year. The village board approved the switch Tuesday from the June 1 to May 31 fiscal year in preparation of serious funding cuts coming down the pike. Adjusting the village’s budget year to Jan. 1 to Dec. 31 would better allow the board to structure the operating budget around expected slashes in funding from the state and county. Village clerk Marie Stanczyk said residents would likely only notice the change when they receive a partial-year tax bill for June 1 to Dec. 31, then the first tax bill for the first full calendar year in January. The village will hold a public hearing at 7 p.m. March 30 to allow residents to comment on proposed zoning variations in the business district.