Report on SCIG Town Hall Meeting of December 6th

SIDNEY CENTER IMPROVEMENT GROUP CONTINUES TO MAKE HEADWAY WITH WATERSHED AND WATER QUALITY PROJECTS

Assemblyman Peter Lopez Supports Projects; Next Town Hall Meeting Is January 3

Sidney Center, NY - December 17 - At its Town Hall meeting on
December 6 at the Fire Hall, The Sidney Center Improvement Group (SCIG) has made progress in receiving increasing support from various key constituencies in regards to flooding and water issues for the hamlet.

Assemblyman Peter Lopez joined Wink Hastings from the National Park Service and head of Carr's Creek/Willow Brook Watershed project plus Terry Deuel, Environmental Facilities Corporation as well a specialists from Delaware County Soil and Water who presented a compelling study that clearly showed that the town does not have effective means for managing wastewater.

"A broad range of important issues were covered during the meeting. As the Assembly representative for the community, my goal is to provide tools and insight that can aid the community in achieving its objectives." noted Assemblyman Pete Lopez. "My encouragement to the Sidney Center Improvement Group is that they stay close to their friends and neighbors in the hamlet, share information and encourage grass roots decision-making. Working together I'm sure we can make a positive difference."

Other guests in attendance were Bob Pierce from the Dept. of
Health, Town of Sidney Supervisor Joe Maddalone, Marlene Wilklow,
supervisor of Sidney Planning Board and Scotty Gladstone of the Delaware County Soil and Water District. Overall there were 40 individuals in attendance including a senior representative from the Boy Scouts.

About SCIG
A community activist group in Sidney Center, New York, created in 2005 to deal with a host of issues to improve the hamlet and surrounding areas, such as flood damage and prevention, property taxes, water quality, beautification, and other quality-of-life issues.

For more information about SCIG please visit our community blog -
www.scigny.blogspot.com

CONTACT: Joe Lally at 607-437-9656

A Sidney Center Christmas Event

A few photos from our latest event on December 8, 2007:

Tree lighting, Santa riding in on a Sidney Center 'lighted' firetruck, Santa and Mrs. Clause, Helper elves making Christmas ornaments with the children, Mrs. Clause telling tales of Christmas past to the children.

All photographs taken by Terry Leonard of Sidney Center.

'Precipitation Across US Intensifies Over 50 Years'

"The number of severe rainstorms and heavy snow has grown significantly in the last 60 years in New England and New York...."

To read the complete article from The New York Times, Dec. 5, 2007:

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/05/us/05storms.html

SCIG Receives Recognition and Support from US Department of the Interior's National Park Service

U.S. DEPT. OF INTERIOR’S NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
PROVIDES SUPPORT TO SCIG FOR
“CARR’S CREEK/WILLOW BROOK WATERSHED MANAGEMENT PLAN”

Upcoming Town Hall Meeting -- Thursday, December 6 at Sidney Center Fire Hall, 6:00 PM

November 26, 2007 - Sidney Center, NY -- In its quest to promote awareness for critical environmental issues, The Sidney Center Improvement Group (SCIG) has received recognition from U.S Dept. of the Interior’s National Park Service Northeast Region’s Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance Program (RTCA). RTCA has just announced that it will provide project support for the “Carr's Creek/Willow Brook Watershed Management Plan.” Project Manager Wink Hastings of the National Park Service has begun developing a work plan for next year.

“It is so gratifying to have an important federal agency respond to our issues in our hamlet,” says Joe Lally, Board Chairman of SCIG. “With this wonderful news, we hope to see major changes next year with respect to our flooding and water quality challenges.”

In his letter to SCIG, David Lange, Manager of Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance Program said, “The National Park Service RTCA Program is eager to be a strong partner with SCIG and help it to achieve the goals identified in your application to us. Our mission is to share the benefits of the National Park Service with all Americans and extend its benefits to all communities. “

About RCTA
RTCA staff helps create local, regional, and state networks of parks, rivers, trails, greenways, and open spaces by collaborating with community partners and National Park units in every state. We are eager to work with you to help you accomplish your objectives. We look forward to our partnership and to future on-the-ground results which improve our region by addressing water resources issues and needs, improving community understanding of rivers, and managing land
use in the context of watersheds.

About SCIG
A community activist group in Sidney Center, New York, created in 2005 to deal with a host of issues to improve the hamlet and surrounding areas, such as flood damage and prevention, property taxes, water quality, beautification, and other quality-of-life issues.
For more information about SCIG please visit our community blog - www.scigny.blogspot.com

CONTACT: Joe Lally at 607-437-9656

December 6th SCIG Town Hall Meeting, 6-7:30PM

On December 6, 2007 from 6:00 - 7:30pm, the Sidney
Center Improvement Group will host another town hall
meeting to address Sidney Center's water quality
issues and continue with watershed planning. The
water quality meeting originally scheduled for
11/29/2007 has been cancelled.

The meeting of December 6th will include presentations
from a number of experts. Terry Deuel with the
Environmental Services Corporation will present the
results of the wastewater survey conducted within the
hamlet. Bob Pierce with the Dept of Health will
discuss the results of the water testing of homes in
Sidney Center. Larry Day with Delaware County Soil
and Water Conservation will present information
concerning wastewater management. Wink Hastings with
the National Park Service will continue with the
visioning process that he initiated during the town
hall meeting on November 7th. Scotty Gladstone from
Delaware County Soil and Water Conservation will be on
hand to address various aspects of stream repair and
maintenance.

Input from the community is very important so that the
Sidney Center Improvement Group continues to pursue
only those changes desired by the homeowners these
projects directly affect.

For more information, please call Joe Lally at
607-437-9656.

Sidney Center Launches Watershed Project

THE SIDNEY CENTER IMPROVEMENT GROUP LAUNCHES "WATERSHED PROJECT," A FLOOD PREVENTION PROGRAM TO PROTECT PROPERTY, STREAMS AND WILDLIFE

PRESS RELEASE: Sidney Center - November 6, 2007

The Sidney Center Improvement Group will host a town hall meeting regarding the on-going water and flood issues - The Watershed Project - on Wednesday, November 7th at 6:00pm at the Sidney Center Fire Hall.

"This will be a 'visioning' event to identify what we want to see with respect to protecting our property, the streams, and wildlife that make-up the watershed," comments Joe Lally, President of The Sidney Center Improvement Group.

Representatives from the National Park Service,Dept. of Environmental Conservation, Delaware County Soil and Water Conservation, the Upper Susquehanna Coalition, Town of Sidney Planning Board, and other agencies have been invited to assist with this process.

This past August a meeting took place in Sidney Center that resulted in a vote to expand the watershed to include not only Willow Brook and the section of Carr's Creek in Sidney Center but the entire Carr's Creek which empties into the Susquehanna River.

"The Watershed Project" is taking a comprehensive approach to addressing stream repair and maintenance so that the risk of devastating flooding in the future will be minimized," says Lally. "With proper management from state and local services the destruction caused by the flooding can be mitigated. Less destruction means less cost to property owners, less cost to taxpayers, and more importantly -- no loss of life."

CONTACT: Joe Lally at 607-437-9656

Update: Debrief and Follow Up Conference Call on 8.23 Town Hall Meeting

A conference call from 2:00-3:00 pm was scheduled as a debriefing and to create an action plan item list for completing the Comprehensive Sidney Center Watershed Project. The Project encompasses Carr's Creek, Willow Brook, all tributaries, and wetland sites.

Participants included:

Joe Lally
Wink Hastings
Terry Deuel
Jim Curatolo
Jeremy Waddell
Peter Lopez
Scotty Gladstone
Jeff Strassenburg
Amy Guise
Bob Pierce

Sidney Center Town Hall Meeting on Flood and Water Issues

THE SIDNEY CENTER IMPROVEMENT GROUP HOSTS MEETING WITH NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, UPPER SUSQUEHANNA COALITION, DC SOIL AND WATER, PLUS REPRESENTATIVES FROM ASSEMBLYMAN PETE LOPEZ'S OFFICE

WHAT: The Sidney Center Improvement Group is hosting another Town Hall meeting

WHEN: Thursday, August 23, 6:00 -7:30pm

WHERE: Sidney Center Fire Hall on Main Street

WHO: Wink Hastings of the National Park Service, who is based in Annapolis, Va., will attend along with representatives from the Upper Susquehanna Coalition, the DC Soil and Water group, the Department of Environmental Control, New York State Department of Health, NRCS, and the office of Assemblyman Pete Lopez.

PURPOSE: To address the on-going flood mitigation and water quality efforts to date.

This meeting will address the following:

• Developing a comprehensive flood mitigation plan for Carr's Creek and Willow Brook
• Implementation of this plan
• Funding the project
• Water quality issues related to the project

CONTACT:
Joe Lally, Chairman of the Board
The Sidney Center Improvement Group
scigny@gmail.com

Sidney Center Improvement Group Blog

The first meeting of concerned citizens of Sidney Center was this Visioning Workshop held at the Fire Hall, April 2006, which led to the formation of the Sidney Center Improvement Group.


....and, some recent community activities: Sidney Center was the recipient of a grant to beautify Main Street see article;members of the community planted flower boxes; The Sidney Center Explorers.