PUBLIC HEARING – Restore NY Grant
The Council for the City of Corning, New York held a public hearing at 6:15 p.m. at Council Chambers, Civic Center Plaza, Corning, New York.
All Councilmembers attended the hearing except Councilmembers Muccini, ReSue, and Hunt. Counting City of Corning employees, seven members of the public attended.
The purpose of the public hearing was to obtain the views of the citizenry an application to the Empire State Development for financial aid under the Restore NY Communities Initiative grant program for the former Steuben County Courthouse Historic Rehabilitation Project.
Background: Steuben County declared the former Steuben County Court House, located at 10 West First Street in Corning, to be surplus property and the County sold it at auction in 2023. Giuseppe and Jennifer Milio bought the property and asked that the City of Corning apply for competitive grant funds available through the Restore NY Communities Initiative to enable renovation of the 12,048 square foot building. The Initiative allows cities to apply for grant funds to support projects that revitalize and stabilize a community.
The Milios will redevelop the building, located within Corning’s Southside Historic District, as seven market rate residential units. The estimated cost of the project is $2,800,000. The estimated Restore NY request is $1,562,272. The Milios will provide the local match for the grant.
The City of Corning has already filed a letter of intent to apply. The city received an eligibility determination and now must put together an application for the funds. Prior to submission of the application, the city must hold a public hearing to obtain public comment on the proposed project.
During the hearing, Hilda Lando, Steuben County Legislator for the City of Corning, voiced her support for the project. There were no other speakers.
The hearing was adjourned at 6:18 p.m.
MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL
The Council for the City of Corning, New York held its regular meeting at 6:30 p.m. at Council Chambers, Civic Center Plaza, Corning, New York.
All Councilmembers attended the meeting except Councilmember Muccini, who is hospitalized. Counting City of Corning employees, eleven members of the public were in the audience.
City Manager’s Message
Manager Ryckman reminded the Council that the City’s Police, Fire and Public Works radios are over 20 years old. Last year the Council authorized the purchase of a new console for the system to keep it running. This alone cost $125,000. The cost of these electronics has been rapidly escalating. Each portable radio is now $5,000.
The good news is that, due to the efforts of the Chief of Police, the city will be receiving a NYS Department of Criminal Justice grant for $196,000 to replace the police department radios. The city will continue to watch the fire and public works department radio situation and explore funding alternatives if they are available.
New Business – Corning Courthouse Historic Rehabilitation Project
and
Historic Landmark Designation for the Building
The Council unanimously:
Authorized the City Manager to apply, under the Restore NY Communities Initiative grant program, for partial funding of the Corning Courthouse Historic Rehabilitation Project involving the property at 10 West First Street, formerly known as the Steuben County Courthouse.
Approved the recommendation of the City of Corning Historic Preservation Commission to name the property at 10 West First Street, formerly known as the Steuben County Courthouse, as a Historic Landmark. The Historic Preservation Commission made its recommendation to the Council after holding a public hearing on April 9, 2024. The report of the Commission is here.
New Business - New Public Hearings on the FY 25 Budget, the Tax Levy limit, and Sewer Rate Increases
May 20, 2024, at 6:00 p.m. in Council chambers at City Hall
Background: The Budget Message and budget document will be available by appointment at the offices of the City Clerk from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The city will make a copy available during library hours at the Southeast Steuben County Library and the city will post the proposed budget on the City of Corning’s website.
The Council unanimously:
Set a public hearing for May 20, 2024, immediately after the Public Hearing on the FY 2025 proposed budget (which will commence at 6:00 p.m.), to hear public comment on Local Law #1 of 2024, which would authorize overriding the tax levy limit set by New York State statute.
Background: If adopted Public Law 1 of 2024 will allow the Council to exceed the tax levy limits IF the Council decides, after completing all processes to adopt the budget, to increase the FY 2025 property tax levy beyond the statutory level which is set by a formula contained in NYS General Municipal Law §3-c.
Set a public hearing on Local Law 2 of 2024 for May 20, 2024, immediately after the Public Hearing on Local Law # 1. The purpose of the hearing is to receive public comments on Local Law #2 to adjust sewer rates beginning on July 1, 2024.
Background: If adopted this Local Law #2 would raise revenues sufficiently to meet the maintenance and capital improvement costs needed to run the City’s sewer system. The proposed new rates are in the PDF below. Current rates can be found at https://ecode360.com/9939196#13503582
New Business – Miscellaneous
The Council unanimously:
Approved the transfer of $800 for Emergency Medical Technician training from the NYS Department of Health to the Travel and Training line item.
Closed East First Street from Conhocton Street to Park Street and closed Conhocton Street from Cluthra Lane to East First Street on May 27, 2024, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. for the American Legion’s 2024 Memorial Day activities.
Authorized the City Manager to accept a grant in an amount not to exceed $18,000 from Steuben County for enhanced STOP-DWI activities and equipment.
Authorized the City Manager to execute an agreement with the New York State Unified Court System for Maintenance and repairs to the City Court facilities for a period starting April 1, 2023, and ending on March 31, 2028.
Background: The State of New York requires cities to furnish and maintain adequate court facilities for use by trial courts of the State. To that end, the City of Corning contracts with the state for cleaning and minor and emergency repairs. The contract sets the rate that the State of New York will compensate the City of Corning for an approved schedule of services up to certain limits.
This is a retroactive agreement due to protracted negotiations with the state concerning the scope of services needed. There will be retroactive payment to the city by the state for the services given in the past year.
Visitor’s Comments
Hilda Lando, Steuben County Legislator representing the City of Corning, reported that:
Changes to DMV office hours for the offices at Hornell, Bath, and Corning/Painted Post were made. These adjustments are due to staff shortages and are in lieu of closing an office.
Due to the success of the program, the county is paying for a second instructor of agriculture to serve the Corning/Painted Post school district.
There is no date set yet for the county’s surplus property auction.
The county has modestly increased tipping fees at the landfill; the first increase in several years.
Drug Takeback Day netted 781 pounds of unneeded medication.
Seventy opioid related overdoses have been reported so far in 2024. There have been no fatalities reported. This is a significant improvement over last year.
Training in Narcan administration has been going well. Several Corning businesses have allowed installation of Narcan boxes on their premises.
The 4-H show, called Summer Showcase, will be held before the Stueben County Fair at a separate facility.
The meeting adjourned at 6:49 p.m.
NOTES
The writer of this report has presented items in an order different than that in which they occurred at the meeting.
The writer has, except as specifically noted, amended, or eliminated comments and attribution for them. Unless quotation marks are used, the comments reported are not verbatim.
For brevity, the writer has not included all items on the agenda of the meeting.
The author has added material for context or clarity and where it is extensive, is labeled “Background.”
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