September 2025 Citizen's Report: Corning City Council Meeting

A Citizen’s Report

on

A Meeting of the Corning City Council

September 2, 2025

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 Councilmembers Coccho and Muccini. Counting City of Corning employees, 34 members of the public were in the audience.

Manager’s Message – City of Corning’s Property Values to be Reassessed 

Timeline: 

• There will be a postcard mailing to all property owners on September 15, 2025, announcing the reassessment.

• From October 2025 to mid-January 2026, the assessor’s office will produce property values for the 4,000+ properties in the city based upon comparable real estate transactions occurring since the last assessment.

• The Assessor will issue preliminary assessments on February 1, 2026.

• Property owners can engage the Assessor in an informal review process of initial assessments from February 6, 2026, through at least March 27, 2026.

• On April 1, 2026, the Assessor will formally file the initial assessment role.

• On May 5, property owners can file a formal grievance. The city’s Board of Assessment Review, a five-member administrative review panel, will consider these formal assessment appeals.

• June 1, 2026, the assessor will formally file the final property assessment role, upon which values the City of Corning, Steuben County, and the Corning-Painted Post School District will spread its tax levies.

City Manager Mark Ryckman and Assessor Barbara Roberts explained that a primary goal of property assessment is equality – that is, to assure that when a taxing entity, such as the City Council, or the School Board, or the County Legislature approves a tax levy, properties having similar values will pay a similar amount of taxes. The assessment of property values does not increase the revenue the taxing entity receives; it only spreads the burden of tax levies equally among property owners. In short, if a property’s assessment is higher than what the property is actually worth, that property owner is subsidizing his/her neighbors by paying more taxes than it should. If a property’s assessed value is lower than its actual worth, that owner is paying less than his/her fair share of taxes. Also, having the city, as a whole, assessed at less than 100% market value means that eligible residents will not be able to take full advantage of various exemptions from taxation allowed by law.

The last time the City of Corning reassessed property values was in 2023. This occurred after a delay of nine years from its 2014 assessment. The result of the 2023 assessment was to increase the total city assessed value from approximately $639,000,000 to approximately $808,969,000, a substantial increase. 

City Manager Mark Ryckman said that the reassessment to begin this year (and to be effective in June of 2026), is to start a planned three-year assessment cycle. This kind of cycle will make assessment easier, enable existing staff to do it “in-house,” eliminate the need for an expensive consultant, and make sure that changes in assessed property values, if any, are likely not dramatic.

The City Manager’s and the City Assessor’s entire report to the City Council is at the Reassessment Tab on the top right of City’s website homepage. Clicking this link will get you to the reassessment page. https://cityofcorningny.gov/index.asp?SEC=0354C628-9A54-47F2-9862-452B26C0B5A9   

The city will post on this website page all information that a property owner needs to navigate the assessment process, including necessary forms for appeal.

New Business – Re-appointing City Assessor

The Council unanimously approved the City Manager’s appointment of Barbara L. Roberts as City Assessor for a term of six years ending September 30, 2031.

Background: The primary responsibility of the Assessment Office is to maintain equitable assessments and authorize property tax exemptions throughout the city. The Assessor must administer and certify the assessment roll following law. The Assessor uses the Real Property System developed by the State of New York to maintain the city’s assessment roll and property inventory data. 

In August 2023, the city gave Ms. Roberts a public commendation for conducting an open and fair city-wide reassessment project overcoming the challenges of reassessment, a process often fraught, with a high degree of professionalism and willingness to work extra time to achieve a positive outcome for everyone. The process in 2023 resulted in less than 10% of the city’s property owners filing an appeal of their assessment.

Vistors’ Comments - Steuben County Agreement with ICE

Several residents of the City of Corning appeared to ask questions about the possible communications with or coordination between City of Corning officials (including councilmembers) or employees (including law enforcement staff) and anyone employed by or representing Steuben County officials (including legislators) staff (including the Sheriff’s office) or other employees, regarding the two agreements that Steuben County has signed with the federal Department of Immigration and Customs and Enforcement (ICE). 

One speaker also expressed concern about costs. He claimed that the federal government pays only certain costs of these agreements. The salaries of officers performing ICE duties are not, he said. The fear is that the expanded role of the Steuben County Sherriff’s office will put an increased burden on taxpayers. He requested information about whether and how officials have considered these costs.

Each citizen asked for full disclosure of texts, email communications, notes, and minutes of meetings between the city and the county. Mayor Boland said that the City of Corning will reply to the requests within 10 days.

At this time, Hilda Lando, Steuben County Legislator for the City of Corning voiced her opposition to the Steuben County agreements saying that she was the only legislator to vote against approving them.

Background:  According to an August 24, 2025 article appearing in USA Today, Steuben County Sheriff Jim Allard signed two agreements in July for Immigration and Customs Enforcement to authorize and train members of his staff to perform ICE duties at the Steuben County jail and to question and arrest other people suspected of illegally being in the U.S.  These agreements are known as 287(g) agreements for the section of federal law that authorized them.

ICE offers three different types of agreements, with varying levels of local involvement. The most limited form is the “warrant service officer” model, which gives jail personnel the power to serve or execute immigration warrants on people wanted by ICE who are about to be released from jail.  This is one of the agreements that Sheriff Allard signed.

In addition to serving warrants in jail, Steuben County has agreed to play more active enforcement roles, through what is known as ICE’s “task force model.” According to this agreement, County officers and deputies trained for ICE work may stop, question and arrest anyone they suspect of an immigration violation. 

Vistors’ Comments - PFAS Drinking Water Limits and 

Hazardous waste in Dennison Park

A citizen claims the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) found that the City of Corning’s drinking water supply contains more carcinogenic “forever chemicals” known as PFAS than the EPA considers acceptable. She asked how long the City of Corning has known of this and whether it has plans in place to remediate the drinking water supply. If it does not have plans, she wants to know why.

This same citizen expressed concern for the recent report that the New York State Department of Environmental Control (DEC) found various compounds that the speaker claims are known carcinogens on city property, peculiarly Denison Park. Again, she asked how long the City of Corning has known of this and whether it has plans in place to remediate the park. If it does not have plans, she wants to know why.

Mayor Boland said that the City of Corning will reply to the requests within 10 days.

Background: According to an article appearing in the September 2, 2025, edition of the Star Gazette, DEC added Denison Park and the Corning City Fire Department land to the registry of Inactive Hazardous Waste Disposal Sites within the New York State Superfund Program.

The program identifies, investigates, and cleans up sites where the disposal of hazardous waste may present a significant threat to public health and/or the environment. Here’s why the Corning sites are now on the list:

Corning City Fire Department: The DEC detected metals and semi-volatile organic compounds in soil at levels that exceed applicable standards, criteria, and guidance. Sediment samples, taken from locations along the Chemung River riverbank, also reported metals at levels that exceed applicable standards, criteria, and guidance. The DEC found groundwater contaminated with boron at levels that exceed NYSDEC groundwater standards and guidance values. The DEC also observed glass manufacturing waste material, including ash, brick, and/or glass at the site. 

If people disturb the soil, the potential exists for exposure to site-related contaminants through direct contact. 

Denison Park: The DEC found groundwater contaminated with metals and semivolatile organic compounds at levels exceeding applicable standards, criteria, and guidance. The DEC also observed glass manufacturing waste material, including ash, brick, and/or glass at the site. 

If people disturb the soil and any stockpiled materials related to intrusive work, the potential exists for exposure to site-related contaminants through direct contact.

As to Both Sites: The DEC recommends more investigation to further define the nature and extent of contamination on and off the site, as well as to evaluate associated current and potential human exposures. 

The DEC promises to keep citizens informed throughout the investigation and cleanup of the site. 

New Business – Accepting an Engineering Planning Grant 

The Council unanimously accepted a planning grant from the State of New York for $50,000. The grant’s purpose is to fund an engineering evaluation of the city’s sanitary sewer lines.

New Business – Authorizing participation in a 

County-wide Law Enforcement Records Management 

The Council unanimously authorized the City Manager to execute an intermunicipal agreement with Steuben County for a county-wide law enforcement records management system.

Background: According to an article appearing on WENY, Steuben County received a $600,000 grant for creation of a central records management system that would combine all law enforcement systems into one.

"Right now, Corning PD has their system, stand-alone. Hornell PD has a system that’s stand-alone. Bath has [its] system [which is] stand-alone. Hammondsport, Canesteo, Cohocton, Wayland, Addison, Painted Post, they’re all stand-alone systems and they don’t talk. They don’t communicate. The idea is to get one records management system that ties in with the CAT system and 911, so that all of that data’s going into one place. Then, the crime analysis center can also access that data to mine it [in] real-time when a major crime or a major incident [is] going on," said Sheriff Allard.

Sheriff Allard added, "It’s going to make us all more efficient, it’s going to make us effective ... That’s going to allow us around the county to share all of that arrest warrant, etc. information between every agency and ... When there is a major investigation, all of that information is in one place and when the DA’s office needs information for prosecution, discovery, it’s all in one location. That’s going to be a huge benefit for all of us across the county."

Undersheriff McNelis believes the current RMS at the Steuben Co. Sheriff's Office is seven years old and other records management systems are up to 20/25 years old.

"[Some of] the systems they're using now are obsolete/outdated and are coming to an end of service life. The technology just improves leaps and bounds every year and every year you wait, the further behind you get. Hopefully, in the next year, we can be up and running fully integrated with a 911 system, which also increases efficiency," said Undersheriff McNelis.

According to City Manager Ryckman, the City of Corning’s records management system dates to 1998. Except for a software upgrade in 2007, the 1998 system is the one used today. The antiquated system came up during the Police Reform Study when the concern was that, because of the system, the city could not be as transparent as it wants and should be. 

The city has been talking about upgrading this system for 15 years. The City Council budgeted $50,000 to replace it, but it soon became clear that the city could not do it for that amount. So, the investigation looked for a county-wide system, one in which all the county’s law enforcement entities could cooperate and take part. Steuben County looked for and obtained the grant and the result is a modern retention and retrieval system for every law enforcement entity in the county.

New Business - Authorizing an Agreement 

About Unpaid Water and Sewer Charges

The Council unanimously approved an intermunicipal agreement with the Town of Corning, the Village of Painted Post, and the Village of South Corning for the collection of unpaid water and sewer service charges. 

City Manager Ryckman explained that some of these homes have been attached to the City of Corning’s water and sewer system for decades. Under this agreement the municipalities which are the taxing entities for these properties can attach the past-due bills to the property’s tax bill and collect it. Without this agreement, the city has no efficient means to collect if these homes become delinquent.

New Business – Approving Resolutions Pertaining to the 

Improvement of the City’s Water and Wastewater Facilities.

The Council adopted two resolutions for the construction of improvements to the city’s water and wastewater facilities. These improvements include replacing water main pipes, Houghton Plot hydrant and valve replacements, Water Well #9 disinfection equipment upgrades, sewer main pipe improvements, and replacement of the boilers at the wastewater treatment plant. 

The first resolution declared that this project met a state law exception from further environmental review. That is, the project only maintains, repairs, or replaces facilities but does not male substantial change to an existing structure; or the project only replaces, reconstructs, or rehabilitates facilities of the same kind on the same site.

The second resolution authorized the issuance of $1,982,000 in bonds to pay for the project.

There is no federal money available for this project now. Normally, the city would issue a long-term bond to pay for this. The useful life of the improvements is 40 years, so the bond could be that long. But the city, to improve its bond rating (and thus lower the interest it must pay to bond holders) has been more aggressive in setting bond repayment schedules. It might, in this case, use 20 or 30 years instead of 40 years. This strategy has moved the city from A-3 to A-1 in Moody’s bond ratings. 

However, there is a possibility that Congress will authorize federal funds for the project in the coming session. Mr. Ryckman decided that the city would first issue a short-term general obligation bond, backed by the full faith and credit of the city, but paid for by the revenue of the plants. If the city does not receive federal funds, the city will roll this bond into a long-term bond.

Visitors’ Comments – County Business

Hilda Lando, Steuben County Legislator for the City of Corning:

• Thanked the city for partnering with the county on a county-wide law enforcement records management system. 

• Announced that bidding for the county’s online real property tax auction begins at noon, Wednesday, Sept. 3 and ends on Wednesday, Sept. 10. 

• Only one councilmember, Diane Telehany, submitted a list of property potentially eligible for the County’s Land Bank, a process that reviews property for possible demolition or improvement.  

Background: The Steuben County Land Bank Corporation is a nonprofit corporation formed to help communities within Steuben County address the issues of blight caused by vacant, abandoned, condemned, and foreclosed properties. 

Included in this auction is the historic, 14,432 square foot Frank B. Hower Scottish Rite Cathedral at 146 Walnut Street. It is one of over 120 properties available.

A $50 minimum bid is required. Bidders information and other useful data is here: https://www.steubencountyny.gov/335/Tax-Auction 

• One-third of Steuben County residents are on Medicaid. Three county legislators sent a letter to the President expressing opposition to cuts and changes in the program. She was one.

• Over the long holiday there were 12 overdoses reported in the county. None were fatal. There could have been more which were unreported.

The meeting adjourned at 7:41 p.m.

NOTES

• The writer of this report has presented items in an order different than the order at the meeting. 

• The writer has, except as specifically noted, amended, or cut comments and attribution for them. Unless the writer uses quotation marks anything reported is not verbatim.

• For brevity, the writer has not included all items on the agenda of the meeting. 

• The writer has added material for context or clarity and where it is extensive, is in italics and labeled “Background.”