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        Public Hearing at Town Hall on 2/23 at 6pm 02/05/2012
         
        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 of Meeting and Special Election 12/30/2011
         
        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

         
        Rabies Activity in County 12/28/2011
         
        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
         
        Columbus Community Christmas Caroling 12/07/2011
         
            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

         
        Application for New Wells for AgroFarma 11/22/2011
         
        Agro Farma has filed an application from the Susquehanna River Basin Commission to withdraw more than 1.5 million gallons daily from its three on-site wells; see: http://www.srbc.net/wrp/Details.aspx?ID=7931&num=2011-094. 
         
        Public Hearing December 7th 11/22/2011
         
        A Public Hearing has been scheduled by the County of Chenango Industrial Development Agency for Wednesday, December 7, 2011 at 6:00 p.m. at the Town of Columbus Town Hall building with regard to Agro-Farma, Inc. (Company) facilities expansion project and to grant the Company financial assistance for the project.

        Additional information may be obtained or comments submitted prior to the public hearing by contacting the Agency’s Executive Director, Steve Craig by phone at (607) 33401404, by email at scraig@chenanony.org or by mail at Chenango County Industrial Development Agency, the Eaton Center, 19 Eaton Ave., Norwich, NY 13815.

        Also, please be further advised that the Agency has scheduled a special meeting of its board to be held on December 8, 2011 at 8:00 a.m., at The Eaton Center, 19 Eaton Avenue, Norwich New York, for purposes of entertaining a motion whether or not to adopt a resolution agreeing to undertake the proposed project and whether or not to grant the requested financial assistance, in whole or in part, for the proposed project.

         
        Site Plan Review Law 11/13/2011
         
        The Columbus Town Board and Planning Board will be discussing the Site Plan Review Law. A draft copy of this law can be viewed at
        http://www.columbusny.us/uploads/2/9/7/7/2977434/site_plan_review_law_9-09_doc_revised_8-19-11.pdf
         Please feel free to attend the meeting on Thursday night, Nov 17th at 7pm at the Town Hall.

         
        Town Budget Meeting 10/24/2011
         
        Notice: Town budget meeting, Wednesday, October 26th at 6PM at the Town Court.

         
        Sample Ballot for the November Election 10/20/2011
         
         To see a sample ballot for the November election http://www.co.chenango.ny.us/Elections/sample-ballots/2011-General/Columbus.pdf

         
        Agenda for Town Board Meeting 11/13 at 7pm Town Hall 10/11/2011
         

        October 13, 2011

        CALL TO ORDER    

        INVOCATION  

        PLEDGE

        BOARD OF HEALTH:  

        APPROVAL OF MINUTES: 

        Speakers:
        Insurance representative Kathy Walker

        COMMUNICATIONS: Cty 41 contract, fire contracts 

        COMMITTEES REPORTS:

        Planning Board – Road Preservation, Site Plan, Sanitation Law updates

        Finance –

        Park –  

        Highway –

        Building/Grounds -

        Informational Services-                                                                

         OLD BUSINESS:

        1. Ambulance district formation resolution
        2. Local Law #2-2011
         
        NEW BUSINESS:

        1.       Tentative Budget 2012 (discussion for preliminary)

         

         

        REQUESTS

         

        REVIEW OF EXPENDITURES

        A.      GENERAL FUND:

        B.      HIGHWAY FUND:

         

        ADJOURNMENT:

         
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