April 22, 2008

Dryden Police leaving Freeville

The April 16th issue of the Dryden Courier leads with an article on the end of Village of Dryden police covering the Village of Freeville. Freeville had been paying $42,000 a year, but according to Dryden Mayor Reba Taylor, "Their taxes are going way up next year. They simply won't be able to afford us any more." I haven't seen anything from Freeville on taxes, but maybe news on that will surface. (The Dryden police log in the paper doesn't list anything for Freeville.)

The strange part, though, is that there's no mention at all in the article of cuts to the Dryden Police department. You'd think that a $42,000 cut would mean a reduction in the department that suffered it, and maybe it happened, but I don't see it.

There's one last bit I'd like to point out. Mayor Taylor crows at the end about how "Most of the budget work was done during a board work session, which Taylor said was open to and attended by some of the public. Trustees and village resident Mike Lane all had a part, she said." That's the nicest face she can put on it - she routinely delivers the budget after election time, and prepares it herself beforehand. The Village of Dryden budget is hardly a showcase of open government.

There's an update on the Tuttle House, next to the new Town Hall, which seems doomed to demolition because of its asbestos siding. The Town bought it for the land, but the house itself has proven impossible even to give away. Between the asbestos and the need to move the house, no buyers emerged. Demolition will cost between $16,000 and $25,000, largely thanks to the asbestos, while renovation would cost around $119,000.

Inside, there's an interview with Sandy Sherwood, the Dryden Elementary School principal who's moving up to become superintendent.

On the opinion page, it looks like Finger Lakes Newspapers, the publishers of the Courier, have decided that "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em", and set up a blog-based online presence. Right now the detailed articles are pretty Trumansburg-centric, but hopefully that will broaden.

Also on the opinion page, regular Dryden columnist Kelly Horrocks looks at conservation and alternative energy education possibilities, noting wind but also pointing out Dryden's abundance of cow manure. Her conclusion sounds promising to me:

It has been said that Americans always do the right thing, once they have exhausted every other possibility. Maybe, with our support, our schools could take the lead by modeling how there are ways to become fiscally sound and environmentally conscious. Not only would it take the bit out of the spring budget vote, it would create and upcoming generation of economically aware and environmentally responsive students.

Getting there will be difficult, I fear, but that's the right direction to head.

In sports, there's a report of the young Dryden lacrosse team's loss to Maine-Endwell, and Matt Colbert of the Dryden Baseball team is an Athlete of the Week for a game against Union Springs with four shut-out innings, eight strikeouts, 2-for-4 batting with three RBIs, including a key RBI near the end of the 14-13 Dryden win.

There's an article on how the Town is looking for alternatives to the SPCA for animal control, as the cost keeps climbing rapidly, and another article on Groton's provider, Country Acre Pet Services in Homer.

There's an announcement of tomorrow's Nedyrd Food Cooperative talk, presented by the Dryden Town Historical Society at Dryden Village Hall, 16 South Street, at 7:00pm.

Dairy Day will be having an amateur photo contest, under the theme "Fly Your Flag for Dairy." Photos should be sent to Elsie Gutchess, 19 E. Main Street, Dryden, NY 13053 by June 6th, and should have your name, phone, age division (12 and under; 13-19; adults 20+), and category (vintage photo, contemporary photo, computer-enhanced photo) on the back of the photo.

In Anecdotes & Brevities, Harry Weldon explores Dryden's pioneer days, telling the story of Lyman Hurd, who settled in Willow Glen in 1800.

Posted by simon at April 22, 2008 8:02 AM in , , , ,
Note on photos