From the Newark Valley Mayor

Mayor Jim Tornatore, Newark Valley, N.Y.

Dear Editor,

Your Mayor and Trustees are pleased to announce the promotion of Pamela Benthin to Clerk / Treasurer and Jessica Moore to Deputy Clerk / Treasurer effective Dec. 31, 2018.  We wish Mertie Pozzi and husband Chris many years of enjoyment with retirement. I believe Mertie’s family will make sure that she is not bored. Our front office will be staffed by our most recent hire, Miriam Benson.  

Calendar year 2018 project completions were numerous – Demolition of the abandoned Ladder Factory on Clinton Street and the complete streetlight conversion to LED. Now, we await the “Restore New York” ($500K) and “NYS SAM” ($80K) payback of those projects. We are renewing the BAN from our financing at NBT until the reimbursement is complete. The taxpayer cost for demolition was $50K and LED conversion was significantly less than our projection of $26K.  

Recently, we received Municipal Building funding award of $100K for complete window, sill restoration of this circa 1886 NYS Historic structure. We have begun discussion with Architectural Firm Crawford & Stearns and we believe this will be complete in calendar year 2019. This project ($230K) is fully funded by the NYS Historic Preservation award of $100K, NYS SAM grant award of $30K and taxpayer funded reserve of $100K.  

In the most recent 18 years your Village has received grant awards in excess of $3.6 million dollars covering infrastructure, public safety and quality of life: water reservoir, well, distribution system and water meters, factory demolition, municipal building restoration and renovation, Whig Street sidewalk, bike and skate park, Trout Ponds playground equipment, strategic planning for flood mitigation, a solarized education program, music in the park and untold more.  

The raised beds for the Community Garden have been installed. Soon, sometime in late spring, you will see the outcome from all of this. Our thanks go to the Volunteers of Owego Rotary and to our Newark Valley School educators and agriculture students. It is so fun to see the future.  

Our FEMA project-funding request is awaiting a hopeful award. Slossan Creek and Cook Hill hydrology ($46K) study that will tell us proper way to mitigate much of the flooding on Brooke and Main Street. Your Village has hired Hunt Engineers for this very important research. This report will tell us the land and infrastructure maneuvers to reduce these occurrences. We will then search for funding for that very expensive project. One Brooke Street homeowner is requesting Village ‘buy out’ of their property for an eventual green space. We will update from time to time.    

A housing study for Villages of Newark Valley, Owego and Waverly funded by Tioga County REAP (Rural Economic Area Partnership) has secured funding to develop housing and community investment models. The long-term objective is to retain workforce, create pathways to home ownership while addressing the needs of our aging population. Most importantly making community cores and neighborhoods more attractive to current and prospective residents.  

Your Mayor created a committee of local contractors, multifamily landlords, and School District personnel, Real Estate Salesperson, Tioga County Economic Development, Mayor and one Trustee. You may see our consultants visiting our neighborhoods, taking photographs and doing streetscape assessments. Please know; this is part of our work and a first step toward strengthening and revitalizing our Village. We will report as time goes by.    

Scott Parmalee filled a recent Trustee vacancy. Many know Scott as a resident and former Newark Valley School Board Member. Scott brings knowledge and initiative to our Board and we thank him for his interest.   

The Winter Season is half over and we wish you all safe passage to warmer weather here in the Valley.  

Sincerely,

Jim Tornatore

Newark Valley Mayor

Be the first to comment on "From the Newark Valley Mayor"

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published.


*