Once the ink dries on a tentative agreement between Auburn and Owasco, the municipalities can hire an inspector to get wet by working the shores of Owasco Lake.
While the city's and the town's lawyers still need to draw up the contract, the two settled on splitting the $60,000 price tag for a water steward. Auburn will fund 85 percent, and Owasco will provide the remaining 15 percent.
The proposal outlines a formula in which residential water customers pay 3 cents for every 100 cubic feet of water. Commercial water users will pay 4 cents per 1,000 cubic feet, Owasco Deputy Supervisor Doug Buchanan said. Buchanan serves as acting supervisor after Merrill C. Badman stepped down earlier this month.
Buchanan estimates this increase will cost an Owasco resident about $4 a year.
“Be that Skaneateles has four watershed inspectors and Owasco is almost at the bottom of the list for water protection and considering New York City has six active reservoirs, and they've been trying to clean up the Hudson River since the 1960s, it's so gracious to see the people of Cayuga County jump in and accomplish what the people of New York City took 55 years to do,” Buchanan said. “And we did it in far less time.”
State Sen. Michael Nozzolio offered a $60,000 grant to fund a steward for the first year, but only if the parties created a steady source of funding for the position.
The inspector's salary is $35,000. The rest will go towards a vehicle, fuel and employee benefits.
Once Cayuga County, Auburn and Owasco sign the contract, they can form a plan, such as creating a committee, to hire someone for the role. Buchanan said they want a college graduate with a strong background in biology.
Buchanan hopes to have someone patrolling the 205 square miles of watershed five days a week by the summer.
Mayor Timothy Lattimore said last week the agreement could open the doors for surrounding towns for other services.
The Cayuga County Civil Service Commission certified the steward position in February.
“Who is going to benefit is not our generation, totally, but our children and their grandchildren with the global warming process that's happening, this is only a minute step that Owasco is going to do,” Buchanan said.
Staff writer Jessica Soule can be reached at 253-5311, ext 267 or
jessica.soule@lee.net
The proposal outlines a formula in which residential water customers pay 3 cents for every 100 cubic feet of water. Commercial water users will pay 4 cents per 1,000 cubic feet, Owasco Deputy Supervisor Doug Buchanan said. Buchanan serves as acting supervisor after Merrill C. Badman stepped down earlier this month.
Buchanan estimates this increase will cost an Owasco resident about $4 a year.
“Be that Skaneateles has four watershed inspectors and Owasco is almost at the bottom of the list for water protection and considering New York City has six active reservoirs, and they've been trying to clean up the Hudson River since the 1960s, it's so gracious to see the people of Cayuga County jump in and accomplish what the people of New York City took 55 years to do,” Buchanan said. “And we did it in far less time.”
State Sen. Michael Nozzolio offered a $60,000 grant to fund a steward for the first year, but only if the parties created a steady source of funding for the position.
The inspector's salary is $35,000. The rest will go towards a vehicle, fuel and employee benefits.
Once Cayuga County, Auburn and Owasco sign the contract, they can form a plan, such as creating a committee, to hire someone for the role. Buchanan said they want a college graduate with a strong background in biology.
Buchanan hopes to have someone patrolling the 205 square miles of watershed five days a week by the summer.
Mayor Timothy Lattimore said last week the agreement could open the doors for surrounding towns for other services.
The Cayuga County Civil Service Commission certified the steward position in February.
“Who is going to benefit is not our generation, totally, but our children and their grandchildren with the global warming process that's happening, this is only a minute step that Owasco is going to do,” Buchanan said.
Staff writer Jessica Soule can be reached at 253-5311, ext 267 or
jessica.soule@lee.net
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