MsKreed

12 hours ago, Chris said:

Somehow, who voted how surprises me very little.

For sure!

Saglibene made some good points. I do think what they've accomplished (term limits, etc) has been positive...and should give them a sense of pride.....but it's tacky to assign a dollar number for their achievements while raising the tax levy. 

For what?? An extra $10-12 bucks a week?

The amount of the raises seem like a trivial "reward" for the negative vibe they're sending. It really seems petty to "stand their ground" over.

Legislator salary of $17,591 will increase to $18,119. ($528)

Majority & Minority leader will increase from $20,369 to $20,979. ($610)

The Vice Chairman’s salary will increase from $21,597 to $22,245. ($648)

The Chairman’s salary will increase from $42,217 to $43,484. ($1267)

Just now, Ann said:

The higher your salary the better your State pension.

Yes...and it occurred to me that many of the ones voting to keep the raises in the budget are the same ones who opposed term limits (and will not have as many more years to boost their incomes as they'd hoped).  

The Full Legislature Meeting to vote on the Budget was tonight (Video HERE) .

Legislator McCarthy made a motion to Amend the budget (to eliminate the legislators' pay raise).  Sadly, that motion failed.

AYE Votes (to eliminate raise): Morse, Saglibene, Donovan, Palmer, Pickering, Chalk, McCarthy

Nay (keeping raise in the budget): Sweet, Brennan, Margeson, Burin, Stermer, Drake, Smith, Strange

PS: If you watch the video, stay tuned after the voting for a very nice farewell for retiring Budget Director Steve Hoover.

2 hours ago, Chris said:

We watched this on Disney+ yesterday.

Overall I’d say I enjoyed it. I think the action scenes were a little overdone. About 2/3 of the way through I thought another one was coming and might have tapped out ( and finish the movie later ) but it didn’t. The ending wasn’t quite as predictable as I thought it was going to be. 

It was a nice way to send Indy out, and I hope they let the franchise be from here on out. Theres only one Indiana Jones, and he’s now retired. 

I also watched this on Disney+ yesterday. 

I agree, it was enjoyable overall with a good ensemble of characters that represented the Indy franchise well. 

3 hours ago, Chris said:

It would be.

Newsom has vehemently denied he’s running a shadow campaign, but I can’t see any other reason to engage like this. I definitely have no clue why Desantis would think it was a good idea. 

I figured the common reason both of them were doing it was because they both love to hear themselves talk.

Thank you @Lawana Morse

I truly hope that the IDA provide the transparency and accountability that we all expect and deserve.  Including a past accounting of their use of taxpayer money to give the Legislature and the public a full context. 

Okay, we can all agree that the misguided decision to “invest” $1.25 million into the (then) “City of Elmira’s” hockey arena was made by county Legislators who have all since ‘left the building’.  Even in 1999, that decision was not without controversy (I believe a 10-5 vote).

However, a number of our current legislators were in office by the time the last "private" owner (current Aviation Director, Tom Freeman) occupied the Arena.

All of the Legislators who have currently held four or more terms of office voted for a 25yr commitment (2014 – 2039) to provide $103,000/yr of Room Tax Revenue to the IDA for the Arena....as well as in 2016 when the IDA made the decision to “assume temporary ownership” of the Arena and the Legislature voted to also funnel $1 million in Casella funds to the IDA’s acquisition of the Arena.   

(That 25yr Room Tax commitment makes one wonder just how “temporary” the arrangement was intended to be. We’re 10 years [over $1 million] into it with another 15 years [1.5 million] to go.) 

And in the last 2 years... the $875k in ARP funds.

I can’t be certain that other county tax money hasn’t been spent (it’s quite likely I’m unaware of some). But those I’ve noted amount to over $2.9 million paid to the IDA in last 7 years.....and another $1.5 million committed through 2039.

Room tax (2014-2024) $103,000x 10yrs:  $1.03 million

Casella funds (June 2016): $1 million

ARP funds: $875,000

Still promised, Room tax (2025-2039) $103,000x 15yrs: $1.545 million

And then there is whatever Donner may or may not have deposited into that wonderful “capital” account that the latest (Nov 2021) IDA lease required. That agreement was made under the current IDA leadership – no passing the buck to “past actors” who mismanaged the situation.

That provision “guaranteed” a minimum of $125k per year from Arena revenues (with promises that it would likely be at least twice that amount). How much had Donner put into that ‘kitty’ in the 20 months before the lease was terminated? And where is that money? If that amount is anything less that a quarter million dollars....can we have some explanation from Margeson/Roman why they abjectly failed to hold Donner to that agreement (and some justification on why/how we should trust them now?

42 minutes ago, Ann said:

I did hear on a news show that Disney stock went from $201 per share last year to $95 or so per share now.  

I saw that their stock had dropped. 

I find it ironic that they have been making a huge effort to expand to international markets while simultaneously creating more Woke content that is rejected, even in the US.....and even more unpopular in other cultures. 

2 hours ago, Chris said:

Soooo... would she be alright if the rest of us took this to mean there's no need to jump through all the hoops to possess one with a permit? Or is this just more special treatment for the criminals?

Good point. 

It seems like her philosophy is based on the same argument not to "presume that everyone who enters the country illegally intends to commit other offenses."

If the determination was just a couple weeks ago, then it's still possible that he'll be filing one of his lawsuits. 

22 hours ago, Zapp Brannigan said:

I think the noise complaints were a bunch of bull. I picked my daughter up from practice there multiple times while music events were happening and it was not loud at all

I have seen other patrons of the L make this same comment....and you in particular aren't one to lie about your observation. And yet there are records that many of the neighbors did hear noise often enough to report it to different officials on multiple occasions. 

Neighbors of the L, on record, publicly giving their names and addresses. Not (as some seem to want us to believe)....the Town fabricating vague anonymous accusations as part of an agenda to drive the L out. 

Both seem sincere and I have trouble trying to reconcile that.  Makes me wonder if the sound carries more in one direction, or if the noise was bad for certain events and not as bad at others? 

The way some of Bunce and friends piling on WETM deny there were ever any valid complaints, you'd think there was just some orange guy on the Town Board or the news channel saying: "You know,some people say there's a lot noise.  The noise is tremendous. Many many people have said to me that it's a noisy place. Very very noisy place" 

10 hours ago, Adam said:

so am i to understand, the group of "professionals" has yet to be identified?

I stand corrected. I found this list of names from August .

I missed it and hadn't heard any names since Margeson had discussed it in June.

So with Margerson still being the "spokesperson" in the most recent interview, I guess I figured they are laying low. 

1 hour ago, Hal said:

What Mr Margeson “ Needs to understand “ is , we as the Owners …( Chemung County Taxpayers ) are just about sick and tired of the same old crap coming from the CCIDA ! We the Owners … yes remember us ? We have waited too long for a return on Our investment, now its time to quit with the blame passing onto former operators , they each in their turn were touted as the best in the business , but here we are with the same millstone around our necks that was foisted on us year ago by the City because they couldn’t make it work either ! 

This idea really does seem to escape them.

The elected Legislature appointed the IDA, and now the IDA appointed a “group of experts” that they have yet to name in public.

Perhaps the taxpayer “owners” would feel more at ease if we could have some dialogue and communication with whomever this anonymous group is that is running the Arena and spending our money?

Quote

"[We have] the youth [hockey] programs, [a] junior hockey program, and we also have a professional group. We're in the process of taking the old practice rink and putting turf on that. We're looking to bring in lacrosse, soccer, [any] athletic event. It'll be another income stream this facility has never had before," said Margeson.

What a forward thinking plan!!

Thank goodness we now have this particular group of people on the IDA board that has put together a group that can come up with ideas that no one has thought of before.

I could absolutely visualize an indoor community like that.  A few coffee shops and restaurants, Wegman’s and a CVS or Walgreens that residents could walk to year-round. For years, seniors (and other “mall walkers”) have been taking advantage of the climate controlled space.....the idea of living right there and having businesses that fit the demographic could be a perfect environment. 

But when I look at the “financial conditions” noted in earlier posts, it seems that whatever rent that Arnot Realty is charging now is too high to keep current business tenants, but also total rent revenue isn't enough to cover adequate maintenance.  So, between the residential rent and from the businesses that would complete the “indoor community”......the Mall (landlord) would need to pull in more than their current revenue.

And not all of the space could be revenue generating. Because in addition to commercial businesses like restaurants, hair salons, grocery, pharmacy, etc.....a truly “self-contained community” should have some “free” (included in the rent) amenities and activities like a community rec center, etc.

It does look like some US malls have undertaken this type of conversion in the past few years ( HERE). So Lycoming isn’t unique for the US. My concerns are affordability and long-term viability from a profitability standpoint. Others, modelled after the Dutch Model you spoke of (mentioned HERE) are more institutional senior care (i.e. non-profit facilities). 

That’s why I’d like to see examples that have been successful....and what that looked like. Can they, keep rent reasonably priced for residents and businesses....while still providing reliable maintenance and offering some entertainment/amenities free of charge? Or will taxpayer subsidies be needed to keep the place affordable?

I remember the “hotel concept” that the IDA was ready to support, but don’t recall one with housing.

It does seem like there’s an endless swarm of “developers”....always eager to push whatever [insert current up-and-coming “vision” that will transform communities] idea onto Chambers of Commerce and local funding streams.  

The imaginative new ideas are great, but it’s prudent to consider how “new” they are. Before Arnot Mall was built, indoor malls had been on the rise across the country for a decade, with thousands showing proven success.

Reading the Lycoming story, I don’t see them citing examples where the type of conversion they’re proposing has been built, let alone any that have thrived.

The former Lycoming Mall?

Yikes.  That shut down fast once the anchor stores started pulling out. 

Knowing that makes the final decline the Arnot Mall seem more imminent than I might have expected. 

I’m not familiar with the “Marketing Agent” who posted that nonsense and not clear on his role in the “team”.

It’s unfortunate if his business will lose some revenue because the Church has decided not to work out something to continue the L operations by submitting a plan and appropriate requests to the Town.  But he and Adam are the ones who have both chosen not to address the Town or the news stations.  

Too bad that the entertainment and marketing “professionals” can’t behave like adults.

It sad to see them trying to inflame their fanatics to direct their outrage to manufactured “villains”....instead of acknowledging the issues and announcing what their plan is to address the matter.

As I noted when this topic first cme up..... The L was up and running for over a year before the C&D order was issued. It's clear that members of the Town Board had to be aware that concerts and events were happening. But the C&D was only issued after multiple neighbors showed up at a Town meeting to register noise complaints.....and then discussion at that meeting "evolved" into debate and public scrutiny of the zoning and religious vs commercial businesses.

So honestly, it feels like the Town had tried pretty hard to “look the other way” and not investigate or question the commercial nature of the L operations. And if they’d kept the volume down a bit, the Town may not have been pressured into explaining to residents why they were allowing it.

I'd seen the 11-11:30 pm Sunday (5th) reports, but nothing about the Saturday afternoon. 

I'm around 10 miles from Merka and while the humans here didn't hear/feel anything on Saturday (4th)....my dog went into her trembling, panting, racing heart behavior that t-storms, nearby fireworks, guns etc cause.  I had a hard time even getting her to take her sedative treats. We figured there was possibly gunfire far off that we were tuning and was more faint for us that the pup. If she was feeling low wave from distant explosions reverberating, it would make sense. 

Further to that point, the Saturday social media post shows curiosity but not enough concern for anyone to call about it until it happened late at night. 

27 minutes ago, KarenK said:

We are so used to the Tannerite they blow up around here that no one even pays attention anymore.  That in itself is concerning.

So many rural folks being basically desensitized to “recreational” explosives a good point, that hadn’t occurred to me. Makes one wonder if the first explosion that started the investigation could have gone unreported if it had been an earlier time of day.

Quote

The investigation into Hilliard started after residents in the Town of Veteran reported the sound of at least one explosion around 11 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 5. Police confirmed that a response was made to the area, but nothing was found during the search.

On Nov. 6, an explosive device was found by a town employee on Merka Road in Veteran. Police say the device could have been detonated from at least 6000ft away, and that it was the only device found on Merka Road.

1 hour ago, LocalSportsGuy said:

Thank god the police found this guy. If this went off, this could have been really bad. National Coverage level bad. 

I know people on Sandbank Road in Erin not far from the gravel pit where the explosives were detonated by officials.  The half dozen explosions that took place each represented about 15-20% of the total.....and shook houses to the degree of "rattling dishes" at quite a distance. 

Had it all gone off at once in that apartment, the damage would have certainly been significant well beyond the (lethal) perimeter that was blocked off from Franklin to Broad streets. 

I really hope the local media is able to stay on top of the story so we find out the details of his plan/intent, and it doesn't "disappear" from public record with a plea bargain. 

1 hour ago, Chris said:

What kills me about this is a “confirmation bias” of sorts from the public. It may as well say: “We realize they used a loophole to avoid paying taxes and conducting business like everyone else has to, but we liked this place so it’s okay.”

I agree, for a lot of people there’s an instinctive compulsion to defend and rationalize things we enjoy.  Like the Arena, it seems like fans of The L are dismissing/justifying the factual issues of tax status, zoning and business permits. 

And some are sticking to their guns that the noise complaints were an excuse that the Town just made up to go after them.

25 minutes ago, LocalSportsGuy said:

So to basically confirm what was already reported "The L" is no more. 

So the rumors, rumors and more rumors were......factual reports?

PepsiCo is responsible. 

Because Nestle, The Coca-Cola Company, and Kraft Heinz don’t produce and package beverages and snack foods “that mostly come in plastic containers meant to be thrown away or recycled once they are empty.

And we have some special concern about the Buffalo River. Because the the PepsiCo litter somehow doesn't turn up in the Hudson and every other river in the state?

Seems oddly specific. Thanks for your diligence, Tish.

I do find some humour in the thought that we likely have some wackadoodle neighbours in NYS who are so afflicted with “green psychosis” that they will try to rationalise this waste of taxpayer money and cheer this virtue signaling.

2 minutes ago, Adam said:

i thought they previously approved the 875k and this round was an additional 500k?

I had originally thought that....but the way it was outlined to me is this:

$375 was paid out last year. Then $500k was listed as part of the Executive's "ARP Plan"......which was voted on and approved by the Legislature and included in the 2023 Budget. (Bringing the total to $875k, that I assumed was done and paid).

However, actually transferring funds for each project in the "ARP Plan" requires its own "final" voting process (first in the Budget Committee and then the full Legislature). So only the first $375k was all that had been fully approved, and paid out to the IDA until now.  

The Fairgrounds Building project was also listed as part of the Executive's "ARP Plan" in the budget, but will go through the vote process again when the time comes for it to be paid out. 

57 minutes ago, Chris said:

I haven't had time to watch the meeting. How many voted to fund the arena and for how much?

Resolution 23-568 to transfer of the $500k that had been added to the budget in December was unanimously passed by the (10) legislators who voted. Donovan, Pickering and Stermer were absent from the meeting; Chalk and Margeson recused themselves from voting.

This brings the total ARP funds paid to IDA for the Arena to $875k.

Before the roll call vote, Morse (who has expressed reservations about the IDA on several projects) thanked Mr. Margeson and ‘others’ for answering her many questions and going over the Business Plan during ‘many discussions’. She said she is pleased with what she’s hearing and supports “changing the mindset from hockey to a Community Center and doing more that our community can be involved in; there’s more potential here”.

I look forward to the IDA openly and transparently sharing that Business Plan with the public.

1 hour ago, LocalSportsGuy said:

I mean I don't know if you guys noticed but Comic-Con brought in a lot of business for the Food Courts this weekend. They were jammed packed on Saturday and even busy on Sunday.

Dang, didn’t hear/see anything advertised about that.  I'm glad they had a good turnout.

1 hour ago, LocalSportsGuy said:

Big events in the event center could bring in extra business. The mall needs to fully reinvent themselves.

Absolutely. Not just in the "event center".....but all through the Mall to encourage window shopping (which leads to actual shopping).

And they need to get away from the mindset of trying to generate profits directly from the events.

If they return to the concept that the events can be a wash (or even carry some cost to the Mall management), then the traffic will result in their tenants being profitable enough to warrant the premium rents.

That is exactly what drew the crowds that made the individual businesses (and The Mall) thrive in the past as seen in THIS Album. 

If they don’t make some changes, it will continue to bleed tenants and something other than a Mall (and hopefully not just another vacant behemoth) will need to takes its place.