Cohocton taxes to go down 30%... again
//

By Bob Clark
The Evening Tribune
Wed Sep 24, 2008, 02:30 PM EDT
Story Tools: Email This Print This
Atlanta, N.Y. -
Cohocton town officials are looking at another double-digit tax cut this year.
While the budget is in its workshop phase for the Town of Cohocton, Supervisor Jack Zigenfus is pleased with how the budget is shaping up.
Zigenfus presented the town board with a draft budget at Monday night’s meeting, with a 30-percent tax cut — for the second year in a row.
The town is expecting $937,500 from First Wind by Jan. 2, 2009 as part of a community host agreement. The agreement, Zigenfus said, came as the town negotiated with the company over a proposed a 50-turbine wind power system.
As some other towns are looking at cuts or higher taxes next year, Zigenfus said the payments have been a significant boost to Cohocton.
“We’re not in that position (of), ‘where do we cut? Where do we cut?’” he said. “In my proposed budget, I didn’t cut anything.”
Zigenfus did not have specifics on exactly what the budget totals will be for this year, but he said taxes will be cut, funding for current initiatives will be kept in place and some money from the payment will be put away into savings.
To get the budget ready, the board will host a budget workshop at 9 a.m. Saturday in the town hall.
In 2007, the town was scheduled to receive a total of $725,000 from UPC Wind, which was renamed First Wind. The town’s tax levy for 2008 dropped from $226,000 to $158,000, with the remainder picked up by the fees and agreements with First Wind.
A public hearing on the budget will be hosted by the board at its next regular board meeting, scheduled for Oct. 20, followed by the budget’s approval.
In other business, the board hosted a public hearing on a proposed adult entertainment zoning law.
According to Zigenfus, there will be certain sections of the town where adult entertainment businesses will not be allowed, including residential areas, in downtown areas or near churches.

Loading commenting interface...

Comments (3)


notcool
17 hours ago

Top of Form
Bottom of Form
Wow, a 30% tax cut. I wonder if all those who opposed the windmills are refusing to accept this tax cut? I may move to Cohocton!!!!! Wooh Hooh!


steuben-native
13 hours ago
Top of Form
Bottom of Form

I say let's put someone from COHOCTON on the ticket for Sheriff in November!!!! There's some wonderful creative thinking going on up there! I'm all behind Dave Cole/Jim Waight--big-time--but...these Cohocton folks know their stuff!


gregoryhodges
4 hours ago
Top of Form
Bottom of Form
As an electrical engineer and as a graduate of Cohocton in 1992, I have had the opportunity to work with doing research for Virginia and the Department of Defense in studying the feasibility of offshore wind power. Renewable energy has a lot of great benefits but like anything else there are some downsides to it too. However, in today's geo-political environment it is very important invest in domestic produced power generation especially in sources of power which its fuel costs is virtually free. The fact that Cohocton has allowed the wind turbines make me very proud of my hometown.

Back
Turbines Get the Green Light in Cohocton (VIDEO)
Laura Hutchinson

September 18, 2008

COHOCTON-- An advocacy group in Cohocton tried to stop First Wind from turning on 50 turbines in their community. The turbines in Cohocton are 420-feet tall; they're the largest in the country and have the ability to power 54,000 homes. While there are neighbors against them, the landowners with them on their property say they're happy with them. “You’ve got to start somewhere with energy, you cant just depend on foreign oil all the time,” landowner, Susan Schwingel said. Susan and Doug Schwingel have 4 of the 50 wind turbines on their property. They say First Wind, the company that built the structures, gave them more than just an energy producer. “We got a nice new field road out of this, we had one like everyone has, farmer roads with bumps and potholes, now we have almost a super highway,” Susan added. They say the structures are huge, but only take up a small parcel of land. “Next year we're going to be able to plant right up to them, we're not going to loose any ground and it seems like its going to work pretty good,” Doug said. Town Supervisor Jack Zigenfus says he knows members of his community are against the wind project, but regardless, everyone is now saving money. “We were able to reduce taxes by 30% which is almost unheard of in this economic climate,” Zigenfus said. He says he's proposing to do it again next year. That's because of a financial agreement that will bring in $20 million dollars over the next 20 years. Something he says is great for the town and the environment. “The wind just blows and we need to capitalize on that and other natural resources,” Zigenfus added. NYSEG still needs to get the turbines connected to the grid. They are expected to turn them on by mid-November. Members of the advocacy group, Cohocton Wind Watch” didn't want to speak with us on camera. They are meeting next week to discuss a possible appeal. We will have the very latest.
Click To Play

Lawsuits blown away: Steuben judge dismisses Cohocton Wind Watch efforts to halt $230 million First Wind project

By Lynn Brennan
Two windmills are reflected in a puddle at the top of Pine Hill Road in Cohocton Tuesday afternoon.

//

By Bob Clark
The Evening Tribune
Wed Sep 17, 2008, 01:14 PM EDT
Story Tools: Email This Print This
Bath, N.Y. -
Cohocton town officials are breathing a sigh of relief today after three legal challenges to the $230 million wind turbine development in the town have been dismissed.
Steuben County Supreme Court Judge Marianne Furfure sided with Cohocton town officials, developer First Wind and leaseholders Tuesday morning, dismissing three lawsuits filed by local advocacy group Cohocton Wind Watch to halt work on the 50-turbine wind development in the town.
According to Cohocton town Supervisor Jack Zigenfus, Furfure made her ruling from the bench. No written copy of the decision was available Tuesday afternoon, according to employees at the Steuben County Supreme Court Clerk’s office.
“She just dismissed it without comment,” he said.
Zigenfus said the decision was made based on three points:
l CWW failed to file an injunction against the town and First Wind to halt the development.
l The town’s oversight and approval of the project followed all applicable laws.
l The $230 million project is almost completed, and the impact to the local economy and governments would be great.
“The town board members are just elated over Judge Furfure’s decision,” he said, adding he hopes the decision will help “pave the way for future wind development in Steuben County.”
The three lawsuits were the latest filed against the town over the wind development. CWW previously sued the town over Local Law No. 1 and No. 2 of 2006, but both cases were previously dismissed by Furfure.
The three lawsuits dismissed Tuesday were initially filed Aug. 30, 2007. The suits attempted to have the issuance of First Wind’s special use permit overturned on 13 points, including the town board and planning board did not follow the appropriate laws for granting the permit, failed to insure the safety of the community and violated the state Open Meeting Law by holding “secret” meetings.
According to Zigenfus, one lawsuit over the project — between the Naples Central School District and the Steuben County Industrial Development Agency — still remains.
“That’s just they (the school) think they should get more money,” Zigenfus said.
Naples school officials filed the lawsuit against SCIDA and First Wind over the Payment in Lieu of Taxes agreement approved by SCIDA, First Wind, and other agencies, but the school district was not involved in crafting it. Three of the project’s 50 turbines are located in the Naples school district.
Cohocton Wind Watch leaders Jim and Judy Hall did not comment when reached by phone Tuesday and this morning, saying they were on the other line and the calls would be returned.
Zigenfus said he does not expect an appeal from the group to be successful.
“Personally, I think the way it was done (Furfure's ruling),” he said, “I would guess that they would be foolishly wasting their money.”
“They had their day in court,” he continued. “Basically, they lost ... they need to get over it. It’s time to move on.”

Wind lawsuits against Cohocton project dismissed

//

By Bob Clark
The Evening Tribune
Tue Sep 16, 2008, 04:00 PM EDT
Story Tools: Email This Print This
Bath, N.Y. -
A legal roadblock attempting to sideline wind development in Cohocton was dismissed Tuesday morning.
Steuben County Supreme Court Judge Marianne Furfure sided with Cohocton town officials, wind development company First Wind and leaseholders Tuesday morning, dismissing three lawsuits filed by Cohocton Wind Watch to overturn the special use permits that allowed the 50-turbine project to be built.
According to Cohocton town Supervisor Jack Zigenfus, Furfure made her ruling from the bench. No written copy of the decision was available Tuesday afternoon, according to employees at the Steuben County Supreme Court Clerk’s office.
A complete story will appear in Wednesday's edition of The Evening Tribune.

September 16, 2008–


The hearing for a motion from First Wind to dismiss the Article 78 proceedings, brought by CWW supporters, challenging their special use permits for the Cohocton Wind Project took place this morning at the Supreme Court in Steuben County. Attorney, Ruth Leistensnider appeared before Judge Furfure to argue First Wind's case and the judge dismissed the proceedings from the bench.