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.

The Cortland-based company designed Groton’s water filtration plant, which Hrubos and Mayor Marty Petrovic toured. The potential plant would give Trumansburg the ability to sell water to surrounding municipalities since the facility would be able to process more water than the village would need.

If the village decides to pursue the filtration plant option it would still need to open contract bidding to the public after the C.T. Male’s design is complete. Hrubos said the project would take about two years to complete.

After a report from Ed Hetherington, building and code enforcement officer, the board decided to charge $25 for operating permits beginning June 1. Any location serving food, drinks or alcohol now needs an operating permit, including churches. The board debated whether to charge bed and breakfasts but decided the establishments qualify since Hetherington has been issuing them permits. Currently, the village has about 16 businesses that require operating permits.

The Trumansburg Central School District and the Town of Ulysses have not responded to the village’s proposed contract for police presence at school events and court. Petrovic does not anticipate an issue with the contract, which increases the price of police presence, but stressed that the school and town need to respond soon or the board will have to take action.

The Trumansburg Fire Company did not receive a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant this year but Jason Fulton, fire chief, is continuing to apply for other grants, he told the board. The company expects to receive its new truck in late July or early August. There has been no interest in the company’s old truck, which is for sale.

In response to several recent burglaries in the area the police department is working on getting portable surveillance cameras to set up in problem areas. Tom Ferretti, police chief, said the cameras could be used to deter vandalism and domestic abuse as well as burglaries. The department is also looking into repairing a portable alarm.

Tammy McMillen, treasure, sent a memo to all village departments telling them to hold spending as much as possible. McMillen said tight financial situations in the village are typical during this time of year and the situation should ease when surrounding municipalities pay their fire contract fees next month.

The board ended the meeting with a brief discussion about its upcoming budget process. Members decided to ask departments to begin working on budgets now and to keep requests as trim as possible. Because of the financial situation of the state all budgets are tight but the village’s sales tax revenue has dropped by 11 percent, according to the latest county report. The drop has board members concerned.

A public hearing regarding the site plan for the Tompkins County Trust Company expansion and addition is scheduled for January 22. The company hopes to add a drive-through ATM to its property. The plans are still in preliminary stages and need to be approved by the village board before any construction begins.

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