VILLAGE NEWSLETTER
January 2017			VOLUME 12, ISSUE 1

Village of Aurora, 456 Main St. Aurora, NY 13026
www.auroranewyork.us
315-364-7293 (office) 315-364-6857 (fax) 315-364-5239 (DPW)
villageclerk@auroranewyork.us 

VILLAGE HOURS
Monday 
Clerk: 4:00pm – 6:00pm 
Code: Enforcement Officer 4:00pm - 6:00pm

Tuesday 
Clerk: – 10:00am – 2:00pm

Thursday 
Treasurer: 9:00am – 1:00pm
Clerk: 11:00am – 5:00pm
Code Enforcement Officer: 3:00pm - 5:00pm
                      
There are no public office hours on Wednesday or Friday

VILLAGE BOARD MEETING SCHEDULE

Community Preservation Panel – First Wednesday
Zoning Board of Appeals – Second Wednesday (as needed)
Village Board of Trustees – Third Wednesday
Planning Board – Fourth Wednesday

Deadline for inclusion on the Village Board of Trustees agenda is 7 days in advance, in writing.  The deadline to file a completed application for CPP and/or Planning Board review is 10 days prior to the meeting.

CELL TOWER PUBLIC HEARING

The Village of Aurora Planning Board is conducting a Public Hearing on January 4, 2016 at 7:00 pm in the Aurora Firehouse meeting room, 456 Main St, Aurora, for the State Environmental Quality Review (SEQR) and Special Use Permit consideration (for Application #16-52 from APC Towers, LLC and Verizon Wireless for a cell phone tower at 170 Main St, on Wells College campus, (Tax Map #193.05-1-1). 

FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS

Water Meter Readings
Twice a year, the DPW records the water meter readings and twice a year we mail out cards and ask home owners to return them (or email) with their readings.  If cards are not returned, or the DPW cannot access the meter, an estimate will be made until an actual read is obtained.  Landlords, if there is a change in tenants, and they are responsible for the water/sewer bill, please notify the village office in order that we may keep our contact information current.

Leaf Pick-Up
Thank you for your patience while the leaf truck was repaired.  The breakdown couldn’t have happened at a worse time, right before a blizzard, and our DPW crew continued with leaves as soon as the snow was cleared.  A special shout out to Ken Kabelac for his assistance during our weather challenges. 
The leaf truck is now stored for the winter and the DPW crew asks that you please bag your leaves for pick-up.  However, the leaf truck will be back this spring for one week only and the dates will be posted on the website and in the bulletin boards.

Winter Maintenance
The DPW does its best in assisting with keeping the sidewalks clear.  However, their priority is the street plowing and it is the home owner’s responsibility to keep sidewalks shoveled adjacent to their property.  Working together we can help maintain safe passage through the village.

Please be aware that if schools are closed due to weather, the village office may be closed as well.  If possible, we will post on the village website if we have to close the office during public hours but, call first (364-7293), in case we are unable to do so.

CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICE

Due to holidays and a mandatory training, the Village Code Enforcement Officer is not available on January 2, 9, and 16.  Please look for alternate hours posted on the village website and in the bulletin boards, or call the office to schedule an appointment.  Patrick will hold his usual office hours on Thursdays from 3:00-5:00.

NEWS FROM THE AURORA-LEDYARD FIRE DISTRICT

The December 13th Fire Commissioner election resulted in a tie for a 4-year position.  Nominees Rob Franklin and Jim Weber have agreed to a run-off election on Tuesday, January 24, 2017 from 6 pm – 9 pm.  Please come out and vote!  
Congratulations to current chairperson, Bill Mullarney, who was elected to his third 5-year term! 
SCHOLARSHIP INFORMATION

Attention SCCS graduating seniors: The Aurora Volunteer Fire Department grants an annual award to students who are active in their local fire departments.  Applications are available in the Southern Cayuga Guidance Office. 

MESSAGE FROM THE MAYOR

Dear Fellow Villagers,

It’s wonderful to see Aurora ending the year once again on a high note – a successful Christmas in Aurora both for business and our non-profits, a well-attended tree lighting, a packed church at the United Ministry for the Children’s Pageant, visits from Santa and his elves, and another Aurora Polar Bear Swim.  Our thanks go out to Aurora Arts and Merchants, Cathy Mullarney and Laura Campbell for leading the carol sing, Claire Morehouse and Marie Taylor for shepherding all our children through the Christmas story, the fire department for looking after Santa, and Nancie Tengi-Saphara for not only getting all those people into the water, but getting them out safely!

All of the village construction has come to a halt for the season.  Lafayette Street is essentially done except for landscaping. The post office plaza is waiting for landscaping, signage, and railings to the park.  It’s wonderful to have the sidewalk once again running through the center of the village.

And speaking of sidewalks, - my yearly reminder – that although the village plows a clear sidewalk path on one side of all village streets, the plow doesn’t do a perfect job.  Anything you can do on your property to clean up after it and cut down on ice would be greatly appreciated.  Think warm.  Just in case that works.

The biggest issue confronting the village at the moment is Wells College’s decision to cease producing drinking water for the village and the college.  It’s highly unusual for an educational institution to be the water supplier for a municipality and the effort required can be better put to fulfilling their educational mission.  As a consequence, the Village is beginning the process of evaluating our needs, looking for funding sources, and finding the best solution for delivering water to everyone in the village at a reasonable cost.  The road to that solution is a long one, and I will keep you up to date along the way.  I also recommend that you visit the Aurora website (auroranewyork.us) and read the minutes of Village Board meetings if you are interested in this issue but unable to attend meetings.  There will be public hearings as the solution becomes clearer and a proposal is on the table. 

And lastly a reminder that the 315 area code is being overlaid with the new code 680 on February 11th.  This will mean that every number has to be dialed with an area code and you will have to add 315 even to local numbers.  They have been warning us about this for about five years and the village board has written letters encouraging a split in the area, rather than an overlay, but we lost that battle.  I guess we’ll get used to it.

Stay warm, get out and see people, enjoy the winter.  With Dorie’s closed for the season and nowhere to meet friends for coffee, take advantage of the Inn’s gracious offer that you can get a cup of coffee or snack at the Market and go on over to the Inn to enjoy it in the bar or the living room by the fire – see you there!          Bonnie