June Legislative Report

Budget Award

I’d like to congratulate our Budget Department on receiving the Government Finance Officers

Association's Distinguished Budget Presentation Award. The award reflects our County budget’s transparency, clarity and relevance. 

Although credit for this achievement belongs to the executive branch, I’d like to think that continued pressure from the Legislature over many, many years for more and better information has acted as a stimulus to the efforts of our Chief Financial Officer Joe Mareane and his budgetary crew.

 Photo by Sofi Magnusson 

Onondaga Lake

These plants will prevent overflows of raw sewage from city sewers into Onondaga Creek—then on to Onondaga Lake—during all but the most extreme wet weather events. During periods of high water flow, the plants initially treat and store sewage, releasing it for treatment at the Metro plant when water flows subside.

Under the agreement, two similar but smaller projects can also proceed that will prevent sewage overflows into Harbor Brook, which flows into the southwest corner of Onondaga Lake.

This work has been controversial in some quarters.   However, I think the 18-1 vote in favor of the agreement shows that we in the Legislature understood that the County is under a federal court order to do the work and that a clean-up of Onondaga Lake requires the clean-up of Onondaga Creek. Moreover, under the deal, the County has agreed to provide $15 million in neighborhoods around the facilities to mitigate any disruptions, to replace lost parking and to finish the Creek Walk. 

Grass or Turf?

This appears to be an issue of great interest to my North Side constituents, especially. Should the County replace the worn AstroTurf at Alliance Bank Stadium with an improved artificial surface or natural grass.   Earlier this month the County Executive withdrew a proposal to install artificial turf, to allow more time for a decision. I do not know when the Executive will bring forward his new recommendation.

Meanwhile, you can count me in the real grass camp. 

I recognize that when the stadium was planned and authorized the County promised to make it a multi-use facility, and that the possibility of multiple uses is enhanced by the use of artificial surface. But I think we need to recognize and accommodate the fact that stadium usage has evolved strongly toward baseball and away from other things. To me, recognizing this fact requires us to configure the stadium for its primary use.

UPDATE:  No sooner was this item posted, than County Executive Nick Pirro called a press conference to discuss the future of the field at Alliance Bank Stadium.  At that Friday, June 22, press conference, the County Exeuctive announced that he will propose to replace the worn Astro Turf with natural grass.  A report on the announcement can be found here blog.syracuse.com/news/2007/06/pirro_to_address_alliance_stad.html in The Post-Standard.

OCC

The Education and Libraries Committee, which I chair, and the Ways and Means Committee held a joint meeting on June 12 to review the 2007-2008 OCC Budget and Capital Improvement Plan. 

A public hearing on the proposal was held on Friday, June 15. The college’s budget proposal will be voted on by the full Legislature on Tuesday, July 3. I expect easy approval.

Photo by Sofi Magnusson

Library

Also at the its meeting, the Education and Libraries Committee approved accepting three grants of funds for the Onondaga County Public Library. The first is for $42,000 to construct a restroom in the children’s area of the downtown library. The second is for $45,000 to construct a wheelchair ramp at the Paine Branch Library in Eastwood. The third is for $89,000 for replacement windows and a wheelchair ramp at the White Branch Library on Butternut Street.