December 12-18, 2016 Keeping You Connected TOMPKINS WEEKLY Locally Owned & Operated TompkinsWeekly.com Vol. 11, No. 42 Tompkins County legislators will SIGNS OF THE SEASON get raises in 2018 By Kelsey O’Connor The Ithaca Voice ITHACA – Beginning in 2018, Tompkins County legislators will earn the county’s living wage. A resolution passed last week by an 8-6 margin to raise legislators’ salary from $19,075 to $21,400. Legislators spent more than an hour and a half debating the issue. The terms for current legislators will be up in 2017, and the raise will be in effect from 2018-2021. The living wage in Tompkins County, as calculated by Alternatives Federal Credit Union in 2015 is $13.77 per hour for an employee whose job includes benefits. Photo by Kristy Montana / Tompkins Weekly Advocates for legislators earning A view of a house in Trumansburg lit up for the holidays. a living wage said the increase would increase diversity and allow more people to be able to run for the position. Legislators against the increase argued that they have a job Floral Avenue Community Garden raising funds with few requirements – legislators must live in the district and be of By Eric Banford voting age. Others also argued that Tompkins Weekly part of legislators’ service should be volunteer. ITHACA – The first two Legislature Chairperson growing seasons at the Floral Avenue Mike Lane, D-Dryden, also said Community Gardens have been a Tompkins County legislators make great success, with many neighbors “significantly” more than other enjoying the bounty of vegetables legislators in the region. they were able to grow there. Anna Kelles, D-Ithaca, said if But the severe drought of the legislators earned a living wage, it 2016 growing season made it clear would open the door for diversity. that the current setup for providing Kelles did not agree that the position water for the garden plots is should be volunteer. inadequate, so a fundraising drive by “That is a position that someone Cornell Cooperative Extension of can take if they have enough wealth Tompkins County is underway to pay to volunteer their time,” Kelles said. for a rainwater harvesting system. “And people who do not have that The Floral Avenue Community Continued on page 12 Garden is located on the western edge of the Cayuga inlet, just south of Route 79. It was established ALSO IN THIS ISSUE in 2014 in response to a need Spotlight on ... Family for a community garden to serve residents of Ithaca’s West End who Reading Partnership page 2 were unable to access the Ithaca Community Gardens several miles Tompkins County hosts away. A grant from the United housing summit page 3 Way of Tompkins County funded the purchase of fencing material, a Eye on Ag Getting to know shed, hoses and hand tools needed Photo by Christine Shin to create and maintain the garden, Graceful Gardens page 4 A young gardener holds a large sized beet harvested from the Floral Avenue while staff and volunteers from Community Garden last summer. Cooperative Extension helped Lansing grads reflect on soccer recruit neighborhood residents, the garden was providing fresh distance of the site. careers in H.S., college page 5 break ground, establish the plots and produce for 20 families, many of Providing water for the garden provide basic gardening instruction. whom live in the low-to-moderate plots has become an unexpected Discovery Trail weekend to Beginning and experienced income apartments – including challenge, however. The City of gardeners from the neighborhood highlight members page 8 Cedar Creek, Towerview and West quickly signed up for garden plots Village – that are within easy walking and, by the end of this past summer, Continued on page 12 Season’sSeason’s GreetgsGreetgs N EWS Spotlight on ... Family Reading Partnership By Rob Montana your organization faces? Tompkins Weekly KM: There are many distractions for families that compete with being on-profit organizations able to spend time reading together. are plentiful throughout Screen time is a big one. Any activity Tompkins County, and make where kids are passively watching a big impact in our communities. offers a very limited learning N experience compared to one where Despite their contributions, area non- profits can sometimes go unnoticed a child is actively engaged. Whether or unknown. In an effort to shine a playing a game, walking outside, spotlight on those who are making a doing daily tasks, or sharing a book, difference in our county, Tompkins a child’s experience will be richer Weekly will be showcasing these when done together with someone organizations on a regular basis. else. When an adult reads aloud to a This week we are highlighting child, the child can learn more than Family Reading Partnership, and just what the story says by observing, asked Katrina Morse, assistant questioning and comparing. director for the non-profit, some They learn new words, ideas, and questions about the organization. perspectives. Tompkins Weekly: What is your TW: What is something people do mission? not know about your organization? Katrina Morse: Our mission KM: Some people may not know is to create a “culture of literacy” in that we have a new executive director, our community – meaning that we Aly Evans, who began June 1 of want everyone to know about and this year. Aly is full of enthusiasm believe in the amazing benefits of and vision for Family Reading reading aloud to young children. Our Partnership’s future. We look forward dream is that our entire community to meeting the needs of young – everyone! – supports families in families in deeper ways–helping making reading aloud a special and to connect children to the joy of expected part of everyday family books in our ever-changing societal life. We want to assure that every Photo provided by Family Reading Partnership structures. child grows up with an abundance Because we partner with so many of words, a comfort with books, and Children peruse the selections at one of the Family Reading Partnership’s others in our community, people 53 Bright Red Bookshelves that are spread throughout the community. the love of an adult who believes in may not realize that Family Reading and supports that child, setting him Partnership is a small not-for- like doctors, nurses, home visitors or her on the path to be a life-long profit that is independent of other TW: How do you fulfill that and teachers, who already have learner. organizations in the area. We aren’t mission? established relationships with a part any school district, library KM: We use families, give a new book to families or literacy organization. We have Organization: Family Reading Partnership existing community when young children are at key a small but dedicated staff and use Founded: 1997 networks to give points in their development. Hearing community networks to have a big books and read- your doctor or teacher say that Address: 54 Gunderman Road, Ithaca reach. aloud support reading to your child is essential People also may not know that Phone: (607) 277-8602 to families with makes a big impact on a family. every single child in Tompkins Website: www.familyreading.org young children. So, professionals TW: What are the biggest challenges Continued on page 13 Thoughtful gifts ff everyone on your list! Bing On The Holidays TRUMANSBURG Vintage & New Farmhouse Decf LIQUOR Serving the Community Since 1938 Open Monday-ursday 9:30 am - 9 pm Friday-Saturday 9:30 am - 10 pm Sunday Noon- 8 pm 414 N. Meadow Street (Next to Ithaca Bakery) 607-387-7151 Open 10-6 Mon-Sat, Sundays 11-3 ‘til Christmas 55 East Main St., Rt. 96, Trumansburg 607.379.6654 MarmaladeMercantile.com 2 TOMPKINS WEEKLY December 12-18, 2016 N EWS History of Tompkins County No Place to Call Home Tompkins County summit panel: ‘Why is new housing so hard to build?’ By Brian Crandall reasons. The Ithaca Voice “I can rattle off a list – taxes, construction costs, lack of large- ITHACA – “Why is new scale builders (economies of scale),” housing so hard to build?” he said. “More recently, the cost of That was the question that led off ground...the rising cost of land in the the morning panel at the Tompkins city.” County Housing Summit. While According to Todd Fox, of Visum it seems like a simple question, the Development, land in Collegetown answer was anything but. can go for as much as $30 million “Development is a per acre. With those extreme land multidisciplinary, multifaceted costs, lucrative student housing ends endeavor,” said Sue Cosentini of up being the only financially feasible New Earth Living. “As a developer, option. He also spoke of neighbor you have to reconcile sentiments oppositions and the recent battle over with regulations. A home has to be 201 College Avenue, which by his affordable, and something that people estimate, the delays cost him upwards want to live in.” of $500,000. As Cosentini explained, David Weinstein of the Varna construction costs are “insanely Community Association offered a high.” There’s a lack of skilled counter. tradespeople in Ithaca, she said, and “To some people, I represent Photo provided by The History Center in Tompkins County unlike the days of old, cash-strapped one of the problems. I get we need municipalities expect developers more housing units,” he said. “But to build the infrastructure for their it is essential that neighborhoods Holiday decorations are lighted in this view of Ithaca, looking east, on the 100 projects, raising the development are allowed to have a strong voice in block of East State Street, circa 1950.