By the time this makes print it will be 2017! It seems winter will make an appearance this year as the snow storms are already making up for last year’s absence.
As I enter my 22nd year in town government and longer in local politics, I want to thank all of you for the support, criticisms, and friendship along the way. No one can be successful without the help and support of others. I often quote Clarence the “angel” from “It’s A Wonderful Life”, “No man is a failure who has friends!” I hope I continue to earn that support and friendship over the next year.
The New Year, 2017, promises to be another challenging year as we continue with our final projects resulting from the 2011 flood. We received the FEMA funding to move forward with the remaining Apalachin sewage treatment plant mitigation. That will include moving electrical panels to the second floor as well as moving administrative offices to the town hall campus. Several other upgrades will be completed as well. The Main Street well house is up and running and a fence was installed surrounding it.
Highway expended 1.4 million dollars on various asphalt road repairs in 2016. The department was also able to reclaim 20 thousand tons of asphalt and crushed over 15 thousand tons of creek gravel. It is anticipated that in 2017 the department will work on eliminating dirt roads in the town.
The Planning and Zoning Department was busy taking reservations for Hickories Park’s pavilions the first working day of the year and expect the same in 2017.
Building permits for new single-family homes remained stagnant. While there has been little commercial activity in the town, we welcome Visions to Apalachin, the conversion of an old barn off Route 434 to a distillery, Upstate Shredding has added “Micro Fines” to their facility for recycling, there will be a new Perkins Restaurant located at the Comfort Inn on Rt. 434, and a new vehicle repair facility is slated to open on 17C across from Tioga Gardens. Hopefully as the economy eventually improves so will additional development in the town.
The Parks Department had a busy and successful year. Camping revenue reached its highest level on record. Camping and pavilion rates will remain at the same level as in 2016. There were some upgrades to the park, including paving, electrical and pavilion improvements. This year we anticipate a re-dedicating of the amphitheater, as we will be receiving the grant money for the new facility. We will have our regular concert series in conjunction Tioga County Council on the Arts. I also hope to add a “drive in” night at Hickories! I am looking into a Christmas / Holiday event at the Hickories as well. (Don’t tell the board, they get nervous when I come up with ideas!)
The dog park has turned into a great venue run by dedicated volunteers who have kept it up and lived up to their promises. I cannot say enough about their dedication and the venue they have maintained for your pets with very minimal issues, if any. If you can volunteer some time or make a donation to help maintain the park, Owego Dog Owners Group (ODOG) would be grateful for your generosity.
The Town of Owego’s 9-11 Memorial was the highlight of the year and personally the highlight of my public service. I cannot count the supportive messages nationwide for the project and the remembrance and honor of over 3,000 fallen fellow citizens, including local resident Derek Statkevicus. I hope you have had a chance to visit the memorial and if not I encourage you to do so. There are a few more additions to be completed in 2017. The fundraising committee is still accepting donations (visit townofowego.com for details).
This year’s budget came in with a zero percent increase. The department heads and employees have worked hard over the past few years balancing limited funds, flood projects, rising costs and maintaining services. That combined with some reimbursement from FEMA for projects, the town was able to keep taxes down. This budget includes upgrading our financial programming and budgeting software. We will be increasing safety and security for employees and visitors as well. We hope to move to an increased paperless operation and better communication during emergencies by phasing in iPads for the town board.
Lastly, some new things to look for in 2017. Construction of the town’s new, shared facility will begin in late spring. This project will locate most town operations in one location and out of the flood plain, a savings of taxes at the federal, state and local level. At some point in the first half of the year, the town will begin to accept debit/credit card payments. Look for more information in the upcoming months. We also will have installed a drop box with a time stamp to drop payments off after business hours. The rules to comply with town code and tax laws will be posted on site and on the Town website. This will be operational in the next week or two.
The Town has had many calls and complaints regarding the operation of street lights over the years. The town will be addressing the lights within our jurisdiction (approximately 600) in 2017, which includes an LED conversion project. The payback over time will bring savings to the taxpayers and those who reside in lighting districts. There is a potential of some outside funding for this project, which will shorten the payback period and bring savings to the consumer quicker. Look for details on that in 2017.
The town will also be researching a Community Choice Aggregation Program, which can potentially save NYSEG customers money on their electric bills. There are going to be several meetings and correspondence in the coming months to explain this program. Please make every attempt to learn about this project and attend meetings when scheduled. Information will be forthcoming.
I would be remiss if I did not mention the retirement of Town Clerk, Michael Zimmer. Mike has been a dedicated Town servant and advocate for the Town not only locally, but at the State level as well. His love of dogs and service to the public will always be remembered. We wish you good luck and may you enjoy a healthy and happy retirement. The town board appointed Deputy Town Clerk, Mary Kennedy to the position of Town Clerk. She will run for that office in November 2017.
As you can see, we are busy here at the town! My goal over the last couple years has been to try to keep the town on the forefront of technology, service and operational efficiency. No one is an expert on all these matters but when surrounded by talented board members, department heads and employees, things move forward in a positive direction. I have been very blessed to have such individuals around me. I hope you all had a Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday. May 2017 be full of happiness, health and good times for you and your families.
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