Mike LaFlair – 2nd Ward Councilor

There is a great article involving our local volunteer first responders.  There is also a corresponding recruitment drive at our local Fire Departmants on April 21-22 at all local departments. 

Onondaga County — It was a routine medical call. An elderly man — not breathing, unconscious and unresponsive. Paramedics did all they could and were bringing the man from his home, with the man’s wife by his side. She leaned down and whispered, “I’ll meet you there. I love you.”

A smile spread across the man’s face, responsive only to the love of his life. It was the most obvious smile,” said Erich Nägeli, a Fairmount volunteer firefighter and EMT. “Here’s this guy, with no pulse, completely unresponsive to us. And he smiles. When that guy smiled for his wife, I broke down crying.”

Calls like that stick with emergency crews, Nägeli said, and have been a concrete reason why many men and women continue to volunteer their time for their local fire departments.

The public will soon get a chance to find out what the local departments are doing, and why they volunteer their time. The state-wide recruitment drive, Recruit NY, will be held April 21 and 22 at the tail end of National Firefighter Week. Nearly all departments will open their doors to anyone interested in learning more about how the departments operate or how to apply to be a member. The program aims to bring fresh faces to the departments and to showcase what local departments are doing.

The majority of fire departments in Onondaga County are 100 percent volunteer, said George Davenport, a Manlius resident and chairman of the recruitment committee for the Fireman’s Association of the State of New York. Davenport first started Recruit NY in Onondaga County, where 52 of the 57 departments in the county participated. FASNY has since taken the drive statewide.

By Amanda Seef

This years parade will take place on Monday, May 28th and start in the Village of Camillus at 9:30.  There will be a brief ceremony to honor all of our Veteran’s earlier that morning starting at 7:45 am at the Town Hall on W. Genesee St.

This is a great, low cost event that can be enjoyed by the entire family that you do not want to miss.

Robert Fyle, Chairman ZBA

 Re: McCall application (Fine Arts Education Center)

Dear Bob, 

     I am writing to state my support of the proposed applicant’s Special Use Permit for a Fine Arts Educational Center.  I need not remind anyone of the difficulty that exists in finding an appropriate adaptive reuse for a former church.  There are just too few opportunities to put this type of structure back to a net revenue generator.  This also prevents the property from falling into further disrepair, creating an eyesore as well as a creative nuisance and thus depressing the entire area’s property values.  The Town Board (Councilor Griffo was absent) and police Chief Winn all have voiced unanimous support to this venture. 

     My main concern was the impact on the neighborhood.  Granting a Special Use Permit covers this concern as the permit lies with the proposal and not the property.  This protects the community from any future entities that could simply slide in for their own purposes and be a detriment to their surroundings.  The operators will be living on site and as an entity that will be seeking out potential customers I am more than confident that the aesthetics of the property will enhance the Warners’ neighborhood integrity.

 Regards,

 Michael W. La Flair

Please note – Item #1 under Public Hearings is in the 2nd Ward.  I have a letter of Support written under the previous entry.

Public Hearings

1.   Douglas & Stephanie McCall   TM#: 005.-03-08.1

6429 Newport Road    Warners, NY 13164

Special Use Permit:  Proposed fine arts & education center (P-7) requires a ‘Special Use Permit’ within an LBO district.

2.   Americu Credit Union     TM#: 040.-01-12.1

5214 West Genesee Street    Camillus, NY 13031

Area Variance: As per Town of Camillus Code Enforcement office an application for three variances necessary:

 1)     Article VIII, Sec. 802 – Signs shall be located on same site as use.

2)     Article VIII, Sec. 805 – Sign exceeds 3 sqft.

3)     Sign cannot bear advertising matter

New Business

1.  Samuel B. Rameas   TM#: 029.-01-17.1                                                 

5705 West Genesee Street      Camillus, NY 13031

Area Variance: Required setback is 15’, owner wants to reduce set back to 2’, requiring a 13’ variance.

Decisions:

1.   Douglas & Stephanie McCall    TM#: 005.-03-08.1

6429 Newport Road   Warners, NY 13164

Special Use Permit:  Proposed fine arts & education center (P-7) requires a ‘Special Use Permit’ within an LBO district.

2.   Americu Credit Union TM#: 040.-01-12.1

5214 West Genesee Street  Camillus, NY 13031

Area Variance: As per Town of Camillus Code Enforcement office an application for three variances necessary:

1)Article VIII, Sec. 802 – Signs shall be located on same site as use.

2)Article VIII, Sec. 805 – Sign exceeds 3 sqft.

3)Sign cannot bear advertising matter.

The Personnel Committee will meet to discuss the recent resignation of an officer.  Once the Finance Committee agenda is set I will post.

I am happy to report that this item on this past weeks agenda was unanimously defeated.  The proposal was to enact a local law to effectively double the current regulations.  The EPA has oversight on this issue and regulates not only the safety of these systems but also the zoning on where they can be placed on a property.  I feel that we are already over-regulated as it is.  To add insult to injury the proposal would have also cost the applicant $150.00 for the privilege of the “Special Use permit” to operate such a machine.

From Chief Winn:  On Tuesday April 10, 2012 at 1900 hrs at the Town Board meeting I will be recognizing  Officer Jay Pollard as he has been selected as the Camillus Police Officer of The Year. Several other awards will also be presented.

From Chief Winn of the Camillus Police Department:  The Town of Camillus Police Department is one of eleven winning police department in this year’s New York State Law Enforcement Challenge Program.

 The comprehensive application submitted by Captain Rotunno and Sergeant Joe Farella is reflective of the excellent work each of you do every day regarding traffic enforcement, crash reduction and the promotion of highway safety.

Captain Rotunno, Sergeant Farella and I will honorably accept this award on behalf of all of the members of the Camillus Police Department. The Awards recognition ceremony will take place in Albany New York on April 19, 2012.