MONTEZUMA - The Montezuma Planning Board is trying to regain its sea legs, but it's still wobbling along.
The Montezuma Town Board met Tuesday night with its planning board still intact.
Most of the planning board members were at the meeting, waiting to see if the town board would approve their appointments for seven-year terms.
But the matter was once again postponed.
The town board went into executive session to discuss planning board tenure as well as other matters, but when it came out of the session, Town Supervisor William S. Saroodis announced that no decision could be made until all planning board members had submitted certificates showing they had attended training classes.
Four hours are required per year for members to keep abreast of the regulations.
Saroodis said only four of the seven members had handed in their certificates, but planning board chairman Joe Verdi had brought his to hand in.
Gwen Ellinwood said she had submitted hers earlier in the year, but no one apparently could locate the filing cabinet that it was supposed to be in.
The third person, Joe Perotta, was in Florida and is not expected to return until June.
Only one member of the planning board appears to have put in all four hours, chairman Verdi. All the rest only have two hours, Saroodis said.
The town board said it would have a decision by the next meeting on May 19.
Verdi asked the board what goals or objectives it wanted to see on the subdivision laws and whether it wanted the planning board to investigate a moratorium for CAFO (Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation) farming.
Saroodis said the town should have subdivisions and would fall back on the state parameters.
“We can't just go after CAFOs,” Saroodis said. “If you want a moratorium, we'll moratorium everything.”
Verdi said that planning board member John Malenick would do the legwork to check moratorium issues but wanted input from the town board about how it felt.
The board was open to the suggestion of having a moratorium provided Malenick did the research.
The planning board lost two meetings over a period of two months while the town sorted out legal aspects of appointing a new board as a result of its decision to dismiss the planning board at its Jan. 15 meeting.
After postponing the issue at its Feb.19 meeting, the town board agreed in March to allow the planning board to meet.
It held an executive session at the end of that meeting to discuss the planning board.
On April 1, the planning board met to refocus on its comprehensive plan, which included revitalizing its zoning code and subdivision regulations.
Saroodis had also called for certificates as evidence of training, which the planning board also discussed.
The planning board had addressed a proposed CAFO pig farm on the property of Richard Snyder until its meetings were interrupted.
The CAFO was opposed by Environmentally Concerned Citizens of Montezuma, a group of residents headed by Dan Randolph, who provided the planning board with information on CAFOs and the process of applying for permits before an ordinance could be written.
Randolph was primarily concerned with health and safety issues, although a broader application of his efforts would be the environmental impact of corporate farming.
The issue of a potential biodiesel facility in Montezuma was also being addressed by the planning board.
Cayuga County Legislator David Axton was present at Tuesday night's town board meeting and said that the biodiesel project is being discussed at the county level, as well.
He promised to let the planning board know if that issue would move forward.
Axton said that people have been working hard to pull the biodiesel project together. They have had financial backers from two financial groups interested in investing, but at the last minute one group pulled out. The project is anticipated to cost more than $100 million.
These were non-public meetings held informally with the county, according to Axton, and involve financial issues.
“Once it gets through the county level, there will be a breakthrough,” Axton said. “A biodiesel plant would definitely impact the town of Montezuma.”
Staff writer Kathleen Barran can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 238 or kathleen.barran@lee.net
Most of the planning board members were at the meeting, waiting to see if the town board would approve their appointments for seven-year terms.
But the matter was once again postponed.
The town board went into executive session to discuss planning board tenure as well as other matters, but when it came out of the session, Town Supervisor William S. Saroodis announced that no decision could be made until all planning board members had submitted certificates showing they had attended training classes.
Four hours are required per year for members to keep abreast of the regulations.
Saroodis said only four of the seven members had handed in their certificates, but planning board chairman Joe Verdi had brought his to hand in.
Gwen Ellinwood said she had submitted hers earlier in the year, but no one apparently could locate the filing cabinet that it was supposed to be in.
The third person, Joe Perotta, was in Florida and is not expected to return until June.
Only one member of the planning board appears to have put in all four hours, chairman Verdi. All the rest only have two hours, Saroodis said.
The town board said it would have a decision by the next meeting on May 19.
Verdi asked the board what goals or objectives it wanted to see on the subdivision laws and whether it wanted the planning board to investigate a moratorium for CAFO (Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation) farming.
Saroodis said the town should have subdivisions and would fall back on the state parameters.
“We can't just go after CAFOs,” Saroodis said. “If you want a moratorium, we'll moratorium everything.”
Verdi said that planning board member John Malenick would do the legwork to check moratorium issues but wanted input from the town board about how it felt.
The board was open to the suggestion of having a moratorium provided Malenick did the research.
The planning board lost two meetings over a period of two months while the town sorted out legal aspects of appointing a new board as a result of its decision to dismiss the planning board at its Jan. 15 meeting.
After postponing the issue at its Feb.19 meeting, the town board agreed in March to allow the planning board to meet.
It held an executive session at the end of that meeting to discuss the planning board.
On April 1, the planning board met to refocus on its comprehensive plan, which included revitalizing its zoning code and subdivision regulations.
Saroodis had also called for certificates as evidence of training, which the planning board also discussed.
The planning board had addressed a proposed CAFO pig farm on the property of Richard Snyder until its meetings were interrupted.
The CAFO was opposed by Environmentally Concerned Citizens of Montezuma, a group of residents headed by Dan Randolph, who provided the planning board with information on CAFOs and the process of applying for permits before an ordinance could be written.
Randolph was primarily concerned with health and safety issues, although a broader application of his efforts would be the environmental impact of corporate farming.
The issue of a potential biodiesel facility in Montezuma was also being addressed by the planning board.
Cayuga County Legislator David Axton was present at Tuesday night's town board meeting and said that the biodiesel project is being discussed at the county level, as well.
He promised to let the planning board know if that issue would move forward.
Axton said that people have been working hard to pull the biodiesel project together. They have had financial backers from two financial groups interested in investing, but at the last minute one group pulled out. The project is anticipated to cost more than $100 million.
These were non-public meetings held informally with the county, according to Axton, and involve financial issues.
“Once it gets through the county level, there will be a breakthrough,” Axton said. “A biodiesel plant would definitely impact the town of Montezuma.”
Staff writer Kathleen Barran can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 238 or kathleen.barran@lee.net
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