AUBURN - Auburn city councilor Bob Hunter wants to make it clear that the city's explorations into becoming a public utility will not be simple and unencumbered.
At last week's meeting the city council approved a resolution for the Auburn Municipal Power Agency to put out a request for qualifications that would begin the process of performing a study determining how feasible it would be for Auburn to become a municipal utility.
Hunter questioned then how the city would pay for costs involved with becoming a public utility, including legal and acquisition costs. Mayor Tim Lattimore noted then that the village of Solvay receives about $16 million in revenues, making any costs worthwhile.
On Thursday, Hunter, who researched the figures for Solvay, said the village actually receives about $19 million in revenues. But once operating and other expenses are subtracted, the net income is only about $1.38 million, which is not transferable to the general fund, he said.
Hunter said the perception may have come across last week that the city could potentially receive $19 million in revenue.
“That's not the case,” he said. Hunter said he was concerned that public perception may develop that “this is as easy as pie what we're going to do.”
Lattimore said even if the city didn't receive that much in revenue, the citizens would still save substantially on energy rates if the city became a public utility.
“The citizens (in Solvay) definitely see a benefit in their household budget,” Lattimore said.
Councilor David Dempsey said it's important to explore the complexities of the process rather than making broad statements about the benefits of public power.
“I think everybody thinks it's a great idea, it's just how we're going to do it,” Dempsey said. “We need the nuts and the bolts, everything else just sounds good.”
The last municipality to become a public utility was Massena in 1983. Dempsey said if it was an easy process, every municipality would be doing it. But Lattimore disagreed.
“I think it just takes the courage to do it,” Lattimore said.
The city has sent out eight requests for qualifications to find a consultant to perform the preliminary study.
In other business:
- Peter Sigona of Auburn told the council he felt he was the target of selective enforcement by the city's code enforcement office after he was cited for having concrete blocks in his yard.
Corporation Counsel Thomas Leone told him the city has made plans to crack down more heavily on property owners who have objects in the public right of way, the area between the sidewalk and the curb. It is against city ordinance to have items in that area.
“We were already talking about that,” Leone said. “You will find there will be uniform enforcement.”
In the next few weeks, Leone said the city would start a campaign to alert people to remove items in public areas.
- Members of Citizens Respectful of Wildlife, a pro-crow group in Auburn, asked for council's support in the group's push to turn the crows into an eco-tourism draw for the city.
Joe Sarnicola said if the city invested a little more money in efforts to clean up bird droppings downtown, people might be able to focus on the positive aspects of the crows.
“If we only see them as creators of bird droppings, our expectations of them can only be negative,” he said.
The group said the birds could attract wildlife watchers and scientists interested in studying them. Already, two professors are planning on studying the impact that the city's lighting has on the crow roosts.
- Councilors heard a first reading of Local Law No. 2, which would re-designate certain areas within Auburn as an Empire Zone. A change in the state law required the changes be made. The council will vote on the law in two weeks after holding a public hearing on the matter.
Staff writer Anne Gleason can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 248 or at anne.gleason@lee.net
Hunter questioned then how the city would pay for costs involved with becoming a public utility, including legal and acquisition costs. Mayor Tim Lattimore noted then that the village of Solvay receives about $16 million in revenues, making any costs worthwhile.
On Thursday, Hunter, who researched the figures for Solvay, said the village actually receives about $19 million in revenues. But once operating and other expenses are subtracted, the net income is only about $1.38 million, which is not transferable to the general fund, he said.
Hunter said the perception may have come across last week that the city could potentially receive $19 million in revenue.
“That's not the case,” he said. Hunter said he was concerned that public perception may develop that “this is as easy as pie what we're going to do.”
Lattimore said even if the city didn't receive that much in revenue, the citizens would still save substantially on energy rates if the city became a public utility.
“The citizens (in Solvay) definitely see a benefit in their household budget,” Lattimore said.
Councilor David Dempsey said it's important to explore the complexities of the process rather than making broad statements about the benefits of public power.
“I think everybody thinks it's a great idea, it's just how we're going to do it,” Dempsey said. “We need the nuts and the bolts, everything else just sounds good.”
The last municipality to become a public utility was Massena in 1983. Dempsey said if it was an easy process, every municipality would be doing it. But Lattimore disagreed.
“I think it just takes the courage to do it,” Lattimore said.
The city has sent out eight requests for qualifications to find a consultant to perform the preliminary study.
In other business:
- Peter Sigona of Auburn told the council he felt he was the target of selective enforcement by the city's code enforcement office after he was cited for having concrete blocks in his yard.
Corporation Counsel Thomas Leone told him the city has made plans to crack down more heavily on property owners who have objects in the public right of way, the area between the sidewalk and the curb. It is against city ordinance to have items in that area.
“We were already talking about that,” Leone said. “You will find there will be uniform enforcement.”
In the next few weeks, Leone said the city would start a campaign to alert people to remove items in public areas.
- Members of Citizens Respectful of Wildlife, a pro-crow group in Auburn, asked for council's support in the group's push to turn the crows into an eco-tourism draw for the city.
Joe Sarnicola said if the city invested a little more money in efforts to clean up bird droppings downtown, people might be able to focus on the positive aspects of the crows.
“If we only see them as creators of bird droppings, our expectations of them can only be negative,” he said.
The group said the birds could attract wildlife watchers and scientists interested in studying them. Already, two professors are planning on studying the impact that the city's lighting has on the crow roosts.
- Councilors heard a first reading of Local Law No. 2, which would re-designate certain areas within Auburn as an Empire Zone. A change in the state law required the changes be made. The council will vote on the law in two weeks after holding a public hearing on the matter.
Staff writer Anne Gleason can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 248 or at anne.gleason@lee.net
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