NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Town of Columbus has completed the Annual Financial Report for the period beginning Jan 1, 2011 through Dec. 31, 2011 and that this report has been filed in my office where it is available as a public record by all interested persons.

Brenda Weidman

Town Clerk

Town of Columbus

March 17, 2012

6:30 for the Sanitation Law, and  7:30 for the Road Preservation Law.

Both Laws can be viewed on the Regulations and Ordinances page.

The Chenango County Industrial Development Agency has reserved the Columbus Town Hall for Feb. 23, starting at 6 p.m. for a public hearing on a request from NYSEG for a sales tax exemption on the electric transmission line the firm wants to build in Columbus and Sherburne.

NYSEG Chenango County Transmission Project

New York State Electric and Gas Corporation (“NYSEG”) proposes to construct the Chenango

County Transmission Project (the “CCTP” or “Project”) to enhance regional reliability and to

meet the increasing demand for electricity in the Chenango County service area, particularly by

Agro-Farma, Inc. (“Agro-Farma”).

Project Applicant: New York State Electric & Gas Corporation

Contact: Dennis Bender, Project Manager

Request: Sales and Use Tax Exemption estimated benefit of approximately $650,000, on materials purchases of $3.9 million, and taxable contract purchases of $4.2 million.

Total Investment: $13,800,061 including new construction, renovation, equipment, installation, engineering fees, and overhead. Project is to be self-financed, with significant funding for the line being paid by Agro-Farma, Inc.

Purpose: Agro-Farma has indicated that financial assistance to reduce the costs of this project is an essential component of their decision to continue expanding their operations in Chenango County. The project is necessary because it enhances regional reliability and meets the increasing demand for electricity in the Chenango County service area, particularly by Agro-Farma, Inc. in connection with its expansion activities. The existing transmission and substation facilities are incapable of providing an adequate single contingency supply to the anticipated demand at the project. The current system’s capacity is 6 megavolt amperes with Agro-Farma using almost all of that power. As a consequence, no additional load growth can be served in the Chenango County service area until this project is complete, which is expected to increase capacity to 25 mva’s. Upon completion of the Agro-Farma project, demand is anticipated to reach 12 mva’s and could reach 20 mva’s. Thus, in order for the expansion to occur, together with the related job growth, the project is necessary.

Projected job creation: 50 temporary construction jobs will be created, with wages of approximately $1.1 million.

Related job creation/retention: Per previous Agro-Farma request, an additional 106 full time permanent positions are expected to be created at Agro-Farm in the next two years. Additionally, Agro-Farma will be retaining 823 jobs.

Project Scope:

Please see attached Project Overview as provided in the SEQRA Environmental Assessment Form, as well as Figures 1 and 2 which demonstrate the proposed route of the T line. (on the Town Board page)

Anticipated Property Tax Increase: It has been projected by NYSEG that between $276,000 and $414,000 an additional property taxes annually will be paid to the appropriate towns, schools, and Chenango County.

NOTICE TO THE TAX PAYERS OF THE TOWN OF COLUMBUS

THERE WILL BE AN INFORMATIONAL MEETING AND SPECIAL ELECTION

REGARDING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN AMBULANCE DISTRICT FOR THE TOWN OF COLUMBUS.

 

A special Informational Meeting about the Columbus Ambulance District will be held on January 9, 2012 at 7:00 PM at the Columbus Town Hall.  Please come with your questions.

A Special Election on the referendum to establish the Columbus Ambulance District will be held on Tuesday, January 24, 2012 by paper ballot.  The vote will be held at the Columbus Town Hall between the hours of 12:00 Noon EST to 8:00 p.m. 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

·         The “Ambulance District” should not be confused with the “Ambulance Service”.  An Ambulance District will allow you to see how much you pay for EMS right on your property tax bill.

This amount is now part of your Fire Tax, and if the Ambulance District vote is passed, you will see the amount for Fire and EMS separated.

·         The establishment of the ambulance district is for the purpose of collecting taxes for ambulance services only.  The result of the district is that every taxpayer will pay the same tax rate over the entire town for ambulance services.

·         The approval of the district does not approve the purchase of any equipment or ambulances.  It does not choose what services to use.     It does allow the Town to contract for services.

·         This vote on whether to establish an ambulance district does not allow for the amount of tax dollars to be collected. The tax revenues to be collected will still need to be established and approved each year by the Town Board as part of the Town budget process as it does now.

 “Ambulance district”  -   Under Town Law articles 12 or 12-A, a town may establish ambulance districts to provide emergency medical service, general ambulance service or a combination of such services within the boundaries of the district. Once an ambulance district is established, the board is authorized, inter alia, to contract on behalf of the district with one or more qualified organizations for the operation, maintenance and repair of emergency medical service or ambulance vehicles, and for the furnishing of pre-hospital emergency treatment

 

Town Law, §§202(3) and 202-a(1) provide that the costs of establishment and operation and maintenance of an ambulance district "shall" be assessed against the properties within the district on an ad valorem basis. Pursuant to Town Law, §198(10-f)(b), however, the town board is also authorized to fix a schedule of fees or charges to be paid by persons requesting use of ambulance district facilities, provide for the collection of such fees and charges, or formulate rules and regulations for the collection thereof by the entities furnishing services under contract. This provision authorizes the town to charge fees on a per call basis to users of the district's ambulance services

"Ambulance Service" is defined by Article 30 of the New York State Public Health Law as: "an individual, partnership, association, corporation, municipality or any legal or public entity or subdivision thereof engaged in providing emergency medical care and transportation of sick or injured persons by motor vehicle, aircraft or other forms of transportation to, from, or between hospitals or other health care facilities".

VOTING QUALIFICATIONS

1.         YOU MUST BE 18 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER

2.         YOU MUST BE A PROPERTY, DEEDED LAND OWNER OF TAXABLE REAL PROPERTY.  A HUSBAND AND WIFE MAY EACH HAVE A VOTE IF THE PROPERTY IS OWNED “BY THE ENTIRETY’’

3.         YOU ARE ENTITLED TO ONE VOTE, NO MATTER HOW MANY PARCELS YOU MAY OWN

4.         A CORPORATION, LLC, ETC. IS ENTITLED TO ONE VOTE, IF THE PROPERTY IS TAXABLE

Chenango County Public Health Advisory

 

Rabies activity has been reported in the Norwich area. Since December 12th upwards of six potentially rabid skunks have been identified and removed from the east side of the city.

 

To protect yourself, your family, and your pets please take the following precautions:

·       Vaccinate your pets for rabies! Pet dogs & cats should be up-to-date on

rabies vaccinations & dogs should be wearing current license tags on their

collar. For information on rabies vaccination for your pets, please call your

local veterinarian or Chenango County Environmental Health at 607-337-1673

·       If your pet has interaction with any rabies suspect animal DO NOT handle your pet. If you must attend to you pet where gloves, long sleeves and use extreme caution. You can be exposed to rabies from lingering saliva on a pet’s fur. The pet should be isolated and the saliva allowed to dry, this will kill the virus.

·       Keep pets on a leash when outside a fenced yard!

·       Enjoy wildlife from a distance! Do not attempt to feed, approach, or touch

wild animals. Do NOT kill healthy appearing animals merely due to this

warning. If you see a wild mammal acting abnormally* in this area, report it to Chenango County Environmental Health at 607-337-1673.

·       Do NOT trap and relocate skunks! Doing so spreads rabies to other areas. If you have a nuisance animal contact a professional wildlife control agent.

·       If you or a loved-one is bitten by an animal, wash the exposed site immediately with soap and water & seek medical care. Be sure to report the bite to public health officials.

*Note: Rabid animals may show no fear of people and may even seem friendly. Rabid bats typically fall to the ground where they become accessible to kids and pets. For more information about rabies please call Chenango County Environmental Health at 607-337-1673

    When

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

    Time

6:00pm until 7:30pm

· Where

Columbus Town Hall ...Front Porch & Lawn  

·      Description

Welcome Everyone! Come Join in and Sing your heart out!
Good Old Fashioned Christmas Caroling!
Hot Chocolate and Cookies to follow