Municipal board reviews proposed building plans

    PENN YAN—The Penn Yan Municipal Board held a special meeting Friday, Aug. 10 to discuss infrastructure solutions for proposed development of the former Penn Yan Marine site and surrounding area.
    Director of Public Works Brent Bodine said there was an agreement at the committee level to develop infrastructure that accommodates all development in the area, not just specifically at the marine site. Bodine said while servicing the area with electricity would be easily done, the sewer is the main concern. Bodine’s plans included the possibility of adding a pump station at the end of Hicks Street somewhere along village owned property to help accommodate the proposed development.
    Bodine said there is also interest in installing a 500 foot long sewer across the fireman’s field as well as an extension of the sewer across Hicks Street. He also said it may not be necessary to install another pump station at all, being the lay of the land is relatively flat and may be able to service Waddel and Hicks Streets with a gravity sewer. Bodine said he is comfortable with the estimates, and that at this point, the board has to agree they have covered all of their bases for the needs of the area.
    “Regardless of what happens to the property, the infrastructure needs to be developed for any of it to happen,” Chairman Romulus French said.
    The board also discussed options for the payment structure of this work, saying the infrastructure is something that needs to be shared. Bodine said that looking at bids, Yates County and Milo have verbally committed to the project, and that the only entity not involved at this point is the school. This still raised some concern over how the new developments will impact the utility rates for the entire community.
    “Where I’m really conflicted is with the grandiose idea that everybody is going to help with this, but to what degree?” board member Daniel Banach said. “The impact on the village will be higher electrical rates, and that’s one of the perks of living in the village is the low electric rates. We seriously have to take a look at all this.”
    Banach discussed the possibility of creating a Penn Yan Marine municipal district to avoid increasing rates in the village. French said it was discussed, but he has no idea if it is possible to have a water district for three or four entities. Bodine said if it is possible, it would allow them to defer from sharing the costs across the board and make it less of a burden on the village.
    The only action taken by the board during the meeting was a unanimous agreement to accept a grant offer of no greater than $985,537, in commitment to proceed with the waste water treatment project in the village. The next municipal board meeting is Thursday, Aug. 16 at 8:30 a.m. in the village hall.