Ovid Library Expanding into New Spaces

Except for a pile of bricks sitting behind the library and a few outside projects, the major components of the capital project to restore, expand and update the Edith B. Ford Memorial Library in Ovid are complete.

The project got board approval in late 2006 and began fundraising in the summer of 2007, said Barbara Gerlach, treasurer of the library’s board of trustees.

“It’s totally amazing what’s gotten done in two years, we wouldn’t have believed it ourselves,” she said.

Ovid Considers Right to Farm Law

The Town of Ovid Board of Trustees is looking at a “right to farm” law that protects farmers’ rights and establishes a dispute committee to resolve issues between neighbors.

Chris Verrill, a planning board member, first brought the law to the town board in August 2008, said David Dresser, town supervisor. It was referred to the planning board for approval and has been sent to several county boards for review.

“The town board has consulted with the Agricultural Enhancement Board and has sent the proposal to the Seneca County planning board and just received this month their recommendation for approval,” Dresser said.

Trumansburg Village Plans Second Water Plant

The Village of Trumansburg Board of Trustees approved the suggestion of John Hrubos, deputy mayor, to have C.T. Male Associates create an engineering proposal for a potential water filtration facility that would draw water from Cayuga Lake.

The filtration plant looks like the most likely option for the village’s second water source, something that has been mandated by the county health department. The proposal will cost the village $10,800 and the overall project would likely cost between $500,000 and $1 million, Hrubos said.

Writers’ Group Enlivens Library

On Sunday afternoon at the Ulysses Philomathic Library a boy was “bitten” by a couch cushion while retrieving a baseball, a man got his fortune told with complete accuracy and another man had his foot amputated after an accident in a train yard.

Three members of the Ulysses Writers’ Group read from their short stories at the library’s first Sunday Afternoon Speaker Series of 2009. The group’s other three members will read on Sunday, January 25.

Mary Blake formed the writers group when she moved to the area about four and a half years ago. At one point the group had eight members but has since settled down to six writers.

Berggren Steps in as Interim Highway Super

There’s a new man organizing the snow plows and taking care of the roads in the Town of Newfield. Glenn Casterline, former Highway Superintendent, resigned at the end of 2008 and Kevin Berggren was appointed as the new Deputy Superintendent. Berggrem will be acting superintendent until someone is hired.

Newfield Mobile Home Park Violating Codes

The Town of Newfield Board of Trustees is prepared to take the owners of Newfield Estates Mobile Home Park to court if code violations are not corrected by mid-January. Harry Wright, code enforcement officer, approached the board at its meeting on January 8 to report that a final notice had been sent to the owner of the park and that the next step is to have the court enforce action.

Wright explained to board members that the new owner of the park lives out of state and has never seen the property. The man had employed an on-site manager who left the area without notifying the owner, Wright said. The board’s main concern is road maintenance in the park. Unplowed and unsalted roads make it difficult for vehicles to pass and the board is concerned that emergency vehicles may not be able to reach a time sensitive situation.