Meeting in Lyons held discussing dissolving their village

Posted at: 09/25/2012 11:38 PM | Updated at: 09/25/2012 11:51 PM
By: Lynette Adams | WHEC.com

Since even before taking office, Governor Andrew Cuomo has talked about way to streamline state and local governments, consolidate services and create more efficiencies.

On Tuesday night, a meeting in Lyons centered on dissolving their village and letting the town of Lyons take over.

Lyons will join a long list of villages in the state and even the City of Batavia that has looked into possibility or are studying the issue right now.

On our way to Lyons, News10NBC stopped in Seneca Falls since residents there voted to dissolve the village.

200 and more residents think it's the right decision.

News10NBC has heard this debate before. It happened just a few miles down the thruway in Seneca Falls.

It's been 8 months since the residents of Seneca Falls voted to dissolve their village. The town took over all of the village services.

On Tuesday, Town Clerk Nicolletta Greer told News10NBC there are still some adjustments and growing pains. For example, the town inherited the water and sewar department, something it did not have before.

She says, "DEC has notified the town that we have some violations at the sewar plant. Naturally we have to take care of those violations."

The town also inherited a police force and large cemetery. All village employees had to reapply for their jobs with the town... at lower salaries.

Some residents News10NBC spoke with say water rates have gone up and trash pick up is unpredictable. But Greer says in time, the dissolution will be good for everyone in the area.

Greer says, "We're making it work... we're making it work. We're doing fine."

Back in Lyons on Tuesday night, people like Tyrone and Sherie Smith Hutchinson came to hear what the dissolution could mean for them.

Sherie says, "Truthfully from what he's saying, we're not going to save. Because if we get rid of everything and we have to create a police department or a fire department our town taxes are going to go up."

Tyrone Hutchinson, a Lyons Resident, says, "What is savings, what is savings. If my children matter to me am I really saving if they're not safe."

But others say if the village isn't dissolved, people won't be able to afford the taxes.

John Salone, former Mayor of Lyons, says, "To me the bottom line is what is it going to save the taxpayer? We're all here trying to save our homes. Right now were at a constitutional tax limit in the village of Lyons. Well, we can go higher because they voted to surpass it, but where does it stop?"

Lyons residents will vote on a referendum in November to dissolve the village. News10NBC is told there will be more informational meetings like Tuesday night's before that time comes.

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