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supporting Ukraine Project CAFE members JP Hoak and Cassia Race hand off canned food and medical supplies to their Ukrainian CCS classmate Khrystyna Barna as officers Sophie Clancy and Hannora Race hold the symbolic check for $1,008 to the Red Cross Ukraine Relief Effort raised during their event with the National Honor Society conducted on March 18. Members of Cazenovia’s local Ukrainian-American community are collecting relief supplies each Sunday at Lakeland Park from 2 to 6pm. Medical supplies and canned or dry food are most needed and will be shipped to assist refugees from Ukraine displaced by the ongoing war.
Bids accepted for work on Lakeland Park wall By kate Hill Staff Writer
Submitted photo
Kate Hill
On March 30, residents approved Cazenovia Central School District’s proposed Phase II Capital Project, which involves modifying the physical education, athletics, and community facilities at the Emory Avenue Complex to include a multi-purpose sports stadium and synthetic turf fields.
Turf, stadium plan moves forward Voters approve Phase II Capital Project By kate Hill Staff Writer On March 30, more than two thousand residents of the Cazenovia Central School District (CCSD) flocked to the polls to cast their votes on the district’s $10,713,319 Phase II Capital Project. According to the district, the project is intended to address equity, infrastructure and program needs outside the school buildings by modifying the physical education (PE), sports, and community facilities at the Emory Avenue Complex. “In a small community such as ours, there is arguably no greater resource than a strong school district,” said CCSD Board of Education President Dave Mehlbaum. “Maintaining and modernizing our school facilities is essential to our mission. This project will provide current and future students with adequate facilities for PE and extracurriculars at our main Emory Avenue campus. We are grateful for the support of the community, and it is important that our students get to see it for themselves, as this project is all about the kids.” According to the district’s plan, the Buckley-Volo Stadium field will be transformed into a multi-purpose, synthetic turf field to be used by the PE programs and multiple girls’ and boys’ teams, including field hockey, football, lacrosse, and soccer
(up to 225 ft. x 360 ft.). The stadium will also be outfitted for track and field events. The Upper Field, located behind the stadium, will be modified into a multi-purpose, synthetic turf field that will be used for PE classes, team practices, and competitions. In addition to modified baseball and softball, the upper field will also be marked for field hockey, football, lacrosse, and soccer (up to 190 ft. x360 ft.). “The project is a wonderful opportunity for our kids that will provide physical education spaces to 900 kids a day,” said CCSD Superintendent Christopher DiFulvio. “The project will allow our kids to play and practice right on campus. One of the most exciting parts for kids is the ADA compliance that will provide access for all our students.” CCSD plans to cover most of the project costs using a combination of available State Building Aid (estimated $4,188,192) and $2,410,325 from the district’s capital reserve fund, which is designated for capital improvements. The remaining “local share” ($4,114,802) would be financed through the local tax levy. The estimated average annual increase for taxpayers is $39.54 per $100,000 full assessed home value. Since its introduction, the proposition — particularly the artificial turf aspect of the project — has been a hotly debated
topic, with community members expressing apprehensions regarding the safety of the proposed playing surfaces, the cost of the project, the environmental impacts, the maintenance and life-expectancy of the turf, and the potential for future stadium lighting. Residents voiced their concerns to the district during two public information sessions and a series of four town halls held in Cazenovia, New Woodstock, Fenner, and Nelson. Ultimately, the proposition was approved by a vote of 1,189 to 1,102. “I, as well as all the district residents that have contacted me after the vote, were extremely disappointed in the results, especially since the voters were basically evenly Turf l Page 16
Volume 213, Number 14 The Cazenovia Republican is published weekly by Eagle News. Office of Publication: 35 Albany St., Second Floor, Cazenovia, NY 13035. Periodical Postage Paid at Cazenovia, NY 13035, USPS 095-260. POSTMASTER: Send change of address to Cazenovia Republican, 2501 James St., Suite 100, Syracuse, NY 13206.
Village of Cazenovia
sports news: Boys track set to start 2022 season.
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School news: High school student collects supplies for home country of Ukraine.
On April 4, the Village of Cazenovia Board of Trustees accepted bids from two contractors for the next phase of work on Lakeland Park’s historic stone wall. The village has already completed two phases of repairs on the park’s approximately 150-year-old canal wall. According to Village Mayor Kurt Wheeler, two additional phases are still required. “[This next phase will go from] where we left off on the canal wall all the way around to the corner past the swimming area where we restored [the wall] several years ago,” Wheeler said. The board unanimously voted to accept a $1,022,500 work bid from Expert Building Services, of Cazenovia, to replace the existing stone wall with a poured concrete wall covered with a historic stone veneer. The board also accepted a bid of $128,948.32 from River Rock Dock, of Chittenango, to provide the cofferdams, which are enclosures built within a body of water to allow the enclosed area to be pumped out to create a dry working environment. According to Wheeler, Expert Building Services and River Rock Dock submitted the only bids for the two aspects of the project. “[When we did] the first phase of the canal wall, [the] dewatering was just a constant nightmare,” said Wheeler. “Now that we have done another phase, we have really gotten it down to a science. The nice thing is that the same people who did the previous phases and worked together are the successful bidders for this phase, which is, of course, why they wanted to bid on it; they knew exactly what they were getting into. . . Both companies are extremely professional.” Phase IV of the project, which will likely begin next year, involves repairs to the pier. “That was not as urgent,” explained Wheeler. “It does need some work, but it is not [about] to collapse or anything.” The mayor noted that the village is continuing to work with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to expedite the permitting process so that the work in the swim area can be completed before the summer swim season. “The people at the DEC have been extremely cooperative,” he said. “Obviously, they can’t promise a specific date, but that should be [ready to go] in the near future. It’s kind of top of their list right now, and they are very aware of our timetable and the public benefit of getting an early start.” The hope is to complete the wall that is not near the swim area later in the summer. “We could potentially have to adjust that based on permitting, but that’s what we are asking for,” said Wheeler. The village plans to apply all its American Rescue Plan funds to the project and bond for the remainder of the cost.
In other news
The board held a public hearing regarding its 2022-2023 Tentative Village Budget, which totals $3,265,018.61. According to Wheeler, one of the bigticket items included in the budget is the purchase of a ladder truck for the Cazenovia Fire Department. Village
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Obituaries ������������������ 5
history ������������������������ 7
PennySaver ���������������� 8
letters ������������������������ 6
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