Town of Sangerfield Approves Moratorium
The Town of Sangerfield will not allow hydrofracking and natural gas drilling in the town for at least one year. Sangerfield town board members voted 4-1 last week to approve a one-year moratorium on the practice, following suit with just about every other town in Oneida County. The vote followed a one-hour public hearing that brought in at least 25 people, resulting in the largest turnout in many years over a town issue. Some of those attending were from other towns that had passed a moratorium, but the majority of people were from Sangerfield. Everyone who spoke supported the moratorium, said Sylvia Crandall, town clerk. She and town councilwoman Lorena Lenard said the nay vote came from Roger Tanner, who expressed concerns that the town could face litigation over the moratorium. Sangerfield’s one-year clock will start ticking sometime after it is reviewed by town attorney Bill Getman and Oneida County.  For the Complete Article, Click Here to Subscribe!

Waterville Central Weighs
Fingerprinting Of Volunteers
The Waterville Board of Education is considering an expansion of the district’s policy regarding adults who should be fingerprinted when dealing with students. Currently teachers, staff and coaches are required to be fingerprinted, which then allows the district to check criminal records. Last week board members discussed whether to add volunteers as people who should be fingerprinted. Waterville Central School District allows volunteers to come in for a number of reasons. Some adults volunteer to help out for an entire season with a sports team, while others give their time as needed for an event, such as the school musicals or elementary classroom assistance. Other volunteers - mainly parents of students involved - volunteer their time on a field trip or at a school event such as a dance. All adults who volunteer to help a sports team or activities such as the ski clubs or trips made by the WCS Marching Band fill out a volunteer application that must be approved by the school board. Parents who come in to the schools to help in a classroom or with the musicals or other events do not fill out the form. Board members said they are not trying to quash the enthusiasm of people volunteering to help, which they said often is needed, but want to make sure children are protected. For the Complete Article, Click Here to Subscribe!

Winning Photos
The United Nations declared 2011 to be the International Year of Forests to raise awareness on issues of sustainable management, conservation and sustainable development of all types of forests. In honor of this, the New York state Department of Environmental Conservation sponsored a Celebrating New York's Forests photo contest. The agency received more than 530 photos. Among the semi-finalist contestants was Deansboro farmer and grazing advocate Troy Bishopp. His winning entries were On the Towpath and Hand Split Locust Fence.

New Sign
The Marshall Historical Society erected a historical marker on Route 315 near Oriskany Creek. It marks the site of the Deansville Cheese Factory in operation from 1886-1902. The installation was done by Historical Society members Lawrence Gilley and Francis Lallier, supervised by Society president Dorothy McConnell. Assistance with the project was received from Howard West, Steve Lollman and Harry Lenz. Carol Gilley took the photo.

Village of Waterville
In March John Brouillette, co-owner with his brother Wayne of the bank building in Waterville, spoke at the annual meeting of Access Federal Credit Union. Brouillette said he received a lot of compliments for his almost five-year lease with Access’ Waterville branch. Three weeks later, he received a call saying Access would be vacating the premises as of June 30. “They had a great relationship with us and liked it here,’’ Brouillette told the Waterville Village Board last week. “But it all comes down to dollars and cents.’’ After five years in the village, Access will leave next month and for the first time in decades, the village will be without a financial institution. But while Access is giving up on Waterville, the Brouillettes said they are not. They are marketing the property to commercial banks and are open to idea to use the second floor for some other business enterprise. For the Complete Article, Click Here to Subscribe!
 

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