COUNTY SPEEDS UP JAIL RENOVATION STUDY
Tompkins County is reaching the end of its ability to use New York State Commission of Corrections variances to meet overcrowding problems at its jail. The Legislature unanimously approved $800,000 in bonded funds to complete a design study and perform the first steps leading to renovation of the County's Public Safety Building. Jacobs Facilities, Inc. will be paid up to $228,000 to complete a design study for the building by the end of this year. The remainder of the funding will go toward development of a final architectural design. The 16-year-old building on Warren Road in the Town of Lansing houses the Sheriff's administrative and road patrol offices, as well as the jail. Many deficiencies in the building, other than limited cell capacity, have been identified. The jail is currently able to hold up to 103 inmates. Without variances, the capacity will drop to 73. The state has threatened to withdraw the variances unless the County makes significant progress toward expansion. Contact: Peter Penniman, Chair, Budget & Capital Committee, 387-3928, 387-5897; Barbara Blanchard, Chair, Public Safety Committee, 277-1374.

SECOND QUARTER SALES TAX BACK ON TRACK
Tompkins County Finance Director David Squires announced that he has received the sales tax receipts for the second quarter of 2003. A total of $8,567,597 was received, as compared to $8,326,989 for the same time period in 2002. The County's portion of the tax revenues has not been calculated yet, but Squires estimated that the amount will match what the County has budgeted. Squires noted that being on target is an improvement over the first quarter of 2003, when the revenues were 2 percent down. Squires added, however, that sales tax revenues in the past several years have typically "far exceeded" the budgeted amount. Contact: Finance Director David Squires, 274-5545.

COUNTY ANTI-SMOKING LAW FINDS BACKING
The Tompkins County Legislature has set a hearing date for a local law that mirrors New York State's second-hand smoke ban. An effort led by Michael Lane (D, Dryden) produced an 8 to 5 majority vote, after failing two weeks ago. Supporters of the local law believe that it will protect against a possible weakening of the state law to eliminate second-hand smoke exposure in most workplaces. The hearing was set for 5:30 p.m. August 5 in the Tompkins County Courthouse. A copy of the draft law may be obtained from the Legislature office, 274-5434. Contacts: Michael Lane, 844-8440; Martha Robinson, Chair, Health & Human Services Committee, 272-0584.

LEGISLATURE OKAYS MEMO OF UNDERSTANDING WITH D.O.T. ON RELOCATED FACILITY
The Tompkins County Legislature unanimously approved a memorandum of understanding between the County and the NYS Department of Transportation (DOT) to move two DOT road repair facilities to one central location. The memorandum outlines an agreement to relocate DOT road maintenance facilities from Third Street in Ithaca and Route 281 in Cortland to a new facility in Tompkins County just north of the Village of Dryden. The County has worked to arrange the relocation, which will free up a waterfront parcel in Ithaca for more appropriate development. Senator James Seward has earmarked $3 million in Senate funds for the new facility, and the DOT has committed $800,000 for the project. The question of how water will be supplied to the facility involves annexation of the parcel to the Village of Dryden and has yet to be resolved by the boards of the Village and Town of Dryden. Contact: Barbara Blanchard, Chair, Communications Capital Projects Committee, 277-1374; Edward Marx, Planning Commissioner, 274-5560.

COUNTY PLANS TO REDUCE ITS GREENHOUSE GASES BY 20 PERCENT
The Tompkins County Legislature agreed by a vote of 10 to 3 to adopt a plan to cut 20 percent of the greenhouse gases produced by the government's buildings and vehicles by 2008. The plan follows a 2001 study, supported by the International Council on Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI), that shows that 1.2 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions are attributable to the entire Tompkins County community. County government's portion is estimated to be 0.5 percent of the total. To meet its reduction target, the County must cut 1,435 tons of emissions. It can do most of this, the plan recommends, by looking at its primary source of air pollution - building energy use. Solar panels installed on the roof of the Tompkins County Public Library in 2000 have given the County a head start, and a recent energy audit points the way to more energy-savings. Taitum Engineering, of Ithaca, has outlined a variety of improvements in lighting, ventilation, and temperature controls that can be accomplished at little or no cost. The County has budgeted $50,000 for the low-cost improvements, many of which are already underway. The emissions reduction plan also recommends keeping the County's vehicle fleet up-to-date and well-maintained, reducing use, and purchasing fuel efficient or clean energy vehicles in the future. The emissions reduction plan is part of ICLEI's Cities for Climate Change program. Its adoption marks the third step in a long-term County project to show leadership in improving air quality. Voting in opposition to the plan were Frank Proto (R, Caroline and Danby); Thomas Todd (R, Lansing); and George Totman (R, Groton). Contacts: Heather Filiberto, Planning Department, 274-5560; Michael Lane, Chair, Planning, Development and Environmental Quality Committee, 844-8440.
 
 

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