A look back on 2024 in our Tompkins County towns 

By Linda Competillo, Kevin L. Smith and Eddie Velazquez 

From environmental fights to new businesses, 2024 was a historic year for the towns of Tompkins County. 

Residents in the town of Ulysses and the village of Trumansburg experienced changes to the local school district’s leadership and financial future, as well as the arrival of promising updates on the future of emergency medical services (EMS) and the fire department.

This year in Lansing was marked by a fight for the environmental conservation of Cayuga Lake’s future as a source of drinking water, a grueling strike at BorgWarner, and the setting in motion of a plan to create a comprehensive trail system for town residents.

Stories out of Dryden ranged from unique businesses opening to a support system for homeless women.

From securing grants, to purchasing and memorializing historical properties, the town of Newfield had its share of standout moments this year.

And so many great things happened in Groton in 2024. It was difficult to choose which stories to highlight, but what follows are a few significant ones, for Groton as well as Lansing, Ulysses, Dryden and Newfield, chosen by our reporters and arranged in chronological order.  

March
Hart: Funding for proposed Trumansburg fire, EMS facility ‘monumentally’ significant

In March, federal officials representing Trumansburg and Ulysses announced that they had secured about $3.5 million in funding that would go toward the potential construction of a new fire/EMS facility or the overhauling of the existing space.

Village officials said that the Trumansburg Volunteer Fire Company and EMS both need new facilities to operate at optimal capacity as demands for these services in the region continue to grow. At the time, they said it could cost up to $6 million to build out a new facility that would add more garage bays for 10 EMS vehicles, as well as new accommodations for growing staff and new equipment. Additionally, the project could include new utilities, access roads and general site improvements, as well as a 22,000-square-foot building that includes garage bays, storage closets, restrooms, a kitchen and a break room, a staff lounge, a conference room, private offices, radio rooms, bunk rooms, decontamination and laundry rooms and locker rooms.

Village Mayor Rordan Hart and Fire Commissioner Marcia Horn said at the time that the $3.5 million secured by the offices of Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, both Democrats from New York, and Rep. Marc Molinaro, a Republican representing the state’s 19th Congressional district, is integral to relocating both services to better facilities.

“The funding is monumentally significant,” Hart said.

April 

Advocates: Light needs to be shed on Cayuga Salt Mine in Lansing

Environmental advocates spearheading the fight for more transparency regarding Cayuga Salt Mine circled April as an important month in their push to secure the safety of the mine and Cayuga Lake.

Cargill, the multinational company that owns and operates the mine, had a mining permit with the State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) that expired April 23. The expiration of the permit came at a time when the company reportedly looked to exit the salt mining business. In 2023, The Deal, a business news site, reported that Cargill was looking to sell the mine, but Cargill has not yet made an official announcement.

A company spokesperson told Tompkins Weekly at the time they would not comment on the reports.

Stephanie Redmond, program manager for the Cayuga Lake Environmental Action Now (CLEAN) advocacy group, said that advocates monitored the expiration of the permit and other recent developments in the interest of preserving the lake, its public utility and other natural features. 

Cayuga Lake and its watershed are the largest in the region, spanning seven counties and covering 860 square miles, with more than 140 streams that flow into the lake. The lake itself supplies drinking water for about 100,000 area residents and supports a robust tourist economy.

DEC environmental regulators eventually cleared the application for a permit modification and renewal in November, prompting a one-month public comment period that ends Dec. 20. Environmental advocates say they want to extend that timeline.

Dryden’s first-ever cannabis dispensary opens

Dryden Dispensary, located at 2207 Dryden Rd. in the town of Dryden, officially opened its doors near the end of April.

Chris Diemand, owner of Diemand Properties in Ithaca, is the landlord and consults with Kevin Cossaboon and Geneva Riley as they go through the process of running the dispensary.

It’s the first-ever cannabis dispensary in Dryden.

“What makes us a little different from these other places is we also have brought our head shop experience into this,” Cossaboon said. “Half of the dispensary is all cannabis; the other half is a smoke shop. It has everything needed for the products available here.”

May 

Groton Jr./Sr. High School awarded grant for college and career readiness 

In 2020, Groton Jr./Sr. High School (GHS) was awarded an Early College High School grant of $825,000 to enhance its college and career readiness program. It was one of eight districts in New York state to be awarded the grant that year, and GHS’s first cohort of 27 students met with great success.

Those 27 students collectively earned over 1,700 college credits through Tompkins Cortland Community College (TC3), and 21 earned an associate degree from TC3, graduating in May at no cost to them. All 27 graduated from GHS in June, with 23 going on to attend college.

Trumansburg voters approve school district budget, ballot propositions

Trumansburg Central School District (TCSD) residents approved the $31.1 million budget for the 2024-25 school year in May, as well as a host of other ballot propositions. Voters also weighed in on two board of education positions that were up for grabs.

Due to declining revenues stemming from weaker enrollment and uncertainty around state funding, administrators implemented cost-cutting measures into the budget, including downsizing staff. The budget passed with 235 “yes” votes and 74 “nos.” 

Jon Koeng, then the TCSD business administrator, said at a May 7 public hearing that the biggest increases to the budget were around $2 million in salaries, health insurance, retirement and special education costs. 

To plug financial gaps in the budget and plan for potential future financial hardships, the district implemented numerous cost-saving measures, including slashing around 16 staff positions.

June

Groton’s Doeing, Milliman, Shurtleff and Whitaker receive emergency response award

The Tompkins County Department of Emergency Response presented its second annual EMS (Emergency Medical Services) Awards as part of the 50th anniversary of National EMS Week in May. 

Among those honored were Joe Doeing, Joe Milliman, Lee Shurtleff and Matt Whitaker of Groton Fire & Ambulance, who were named the EMS Crew of the Year for their quick actions when a patient, Mike Elster of Groton, went into cardiac arrest.

Elster was transported to Cayuga Medical Center, where he was in the intensive care unit for three days. After his release, he had to complete 12 weeks of cardio rehab. His heart sustained so much damage that it will never be back to normal, but thanks to the professionalism of these four EMS providers, Elster’s life returned to being as normal as possible.  

Friends remember Bob Beck of Dryden 

Robert “Bob” Beck passed away on June 14 following a brief illness.

From 2015 to this year, Beck anchored the Dryden Rail Trail project and led the task force that came along with it. 

Dan Lamb, Dryden town deputy supervisor, said the rail trail project — a 14-mile, multi-use trail that runs through Dryden and connects to the East Ithaca Recreation Way — will “go on for decades” due to Beck’s leadership.

“Bob had deep roots in the Dryden community, and he knew every inch of the rail trail corridor,” said Alice Green, a close friend. “He has given us the groundwork and the example, and we are dedicated to making a reality of his vision to complete the trail across Dryden, truly connecting communities.”

July 

Town board move to explore ‘Lansing Greenway’ multi-use trail project

Lansing and its 2024 Parks, Recreation, and Trails Working Group set in motion in July the creation of a multi-use trail dubbed the Lansing Greenway. The project, town officials say, will connect some of the staples of family life in the town, as well as encourage residents to enjoy the town’s scenic nature views.

The trail would be located away from major roadways in the town to encourage residents of all ages to safely navigate largely rural Lansing. The Greenway would also encourage residents to bike and walk along the trail on their way to landmarks like the town’s center, the Lansing Central School District campus, Myers Park and Salt Point.

Steve Lauzun, the working group’s chair, presented plans for the potential Greenway trail at the town board’s June 26 meeting. Lauzun said that the trail could strengthen the town’s commitment to being a family-friendly place. 

“They just have a lot of benefits,” Lauzun said of the Greenway and similar trails. “They promote physical activity; they get people moving, getting out of their cars. They are a much safer way to move around, especially on bikes.”

August 

‘1883 Barn’ purchased by local developer

In August, Seth Adams, owner and manager of Warner’s Way Real Property Services, LLC in the town of Enfield, shared with the public that he purchased the barn at 2981 Elmira Rd. in Newfield, which was previously in the Tompkins County tax foreclosure auction in June.

Known as the “1883 Barn,” the structure was originally constructed that year as a hay barn in the farmland of Pony Hollow by farmer Isaac Osmun. It was worked on by John Smartwood, a master carpenter from Horseheads.

Adams has three possible options for the barn: 

• Adaptive reuse as mixed-use
• Restore the barn using New York State barn credit, which allows for agricultural use only
• Relocate and reconstruct the barn on a “more suitable site”

Adams’ next steps for the barn will be determined soon.

Newfield school district superintendent to retire

In August, Eric Hartz, an educator for more than 30 years, announced he is set to retire as the Newfield Central School District (CSD) superintendent following the 2024-25 school year.

“It’s just time,” Hartz said. “Newfield has been amazing, and it’s been great to work here. It’s my choice to go, and that’s the way it should be.”

In October 2017, Hartz was hired as the middle school principal at Newfield CSD. Hartz stepped into the superintendent role in 2020. He is currently in his fifth year at the helm.

“I wanted to see kids be successful,” Hartz said. “It’s fun, especially when you’ve been in a district for a long time.”

Tortoise finds his way home 

One of the most heartwarming stories of the year was about Joy Foster’s 15-year-old pet African spurred tortoise, Ishkibble (Ish). He escaped from his home on July 3.

The Fosters walked for hours looking for him. They got the word out on social media for help, and they employed both a professional rescue searcher with a bloodhound and a thermal drone, but it was a distant neighbor who spotted Ish one month to the day later, on Aug. 4. Ish was very dirty and covered with mud but had not a mark on him and no injuries, and Foster was thrilled.

September 

Union members at BorgWarner enter second week of strike in the village of Lansing

In September, union workers at BorgWarner in Lansing organized a multi-week strike, hoping to gain economic concessions from the auto parts manufacturer and overall better working conditions. The strike ended on Sept. 22 after the workers, represented by Teamsters Local 317, and the company reached a collective bargaining agreement. 

Teamsters representatives, who represent the 700 workers at the Lansing plant, said that they wanted the company to show workers due respect, following years of concessions made by workers during bargaining that yielded insufficient long-term gains for the rank and file. 

The strike came after the previous contract lapsed on Sept. 8. After that, the company and union negotiators presented membership with two different temporary agreements. Twice, workers soundly rejected the potential new contract. After a contract was approved by workers on Sept. 21, the strike ended the next day.

At the time, John Cometti, a business agent with Local 317, said that workers hoped to secure better wages and better control over their paid time off and to restore other time-off benefits largely axed in company proposals. He noted that workers were at a breaking point, especially because the company announced last year it would be looking to cut 300 jobs by 2026. 

Local resident opens yarn shop in the village

Chris Cushman, who’s lived in Dryden since 2021 with her husband, Matthew, and their three children, opened Connected Stitches Yarn & Fiber Shop on Sept. 14.

The shop offers a wide variety of yarns — crochet cotton, chunky and bulky wools made locally and even wool socks curated in the Finger Lakes region. The shop also provides needle felting supplies, pottery, jewelry and a variety of gift items.

“The community response has been super positive, so it’s all about getting my sea legs with running a business,” Cushman said. “It’s always about learning to navigate all the moving parts of a small business.”

Cushman explained the reason behind the shop’s name, “Connected Stitches.”

“Our tagline is to ‘connect with your local fiber community.’ I believe fiber arts can connect people,” Cushman said.

Trumansburg school district continues superintendent search

TCSD moved forward with its search for a new superintendent.

The search came after Superintendent Kimberly Bell announced in September that she was retiring. Her last day will be Jan. 10, 2025. 

“After 13 years of the honor and privilege to lead and serve this district alongside you, I have made the difficult decision to transition into retirement,” Bell wrote in a letter to district parents. “While I truly love the work, the people, and this wonderful community, my family is embarking on new life adventures that I deeply wish to be part of.”

The district’s board of education accepted Bell’s retirement at its Sept. 17 meeting. 

“We would like to congratulate [Bell] on her upcoming plans for retirement and appreciate the 30 years of service she has given to New York State public education,” the board wrote in a letter to parents. “We are grateful for the work she has done for Trumansburg over the last 13 years. Her dedication, leadership and vision will have a lasting impact on our students and school community. We wish her well as she transitions into retirement and all of her future endeavors. We look forward to continuing to work with [Bell] over the coming months as we search for her replacement.”

To conduct the search for a new superintendent, TCSD enlisted the help of 

Tompkins-Seneca-Tioga (TST) BOCES District Superintendent and CEO Lily Talcott as a consultant. 

On Dec. 10, the district announced that Charles O. DIckerson High School Principal Megan Conaway had been appointed TCSD superintendent. Conaway will begin her new position on Jan. 11, 2025.

November

Town receives grant for water district upgrades

After six long years, in November the town of Newfield finally received a $4.2 million Water Infrastructure Improvement Act (WIIA) grant through the New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation (EFC) to upgrade the water district.

The grant funding will allow the town to replace two pumps and the pipes connected to the water district located at Pine Circle. Town Supervisor Mike Allinger said that the facility hasn’t had major improvements since the water district was built in the early 1970s.

Based on experience and timing, Allinger hopes the water district project will get underway in spring 2027.

“We know it’s going to be a long process, but we are very excited to be moving forward,” Allinger said.

Historical marker unveiled at preserved schoolhouse

Also in November, the Kellogg’s Corners schoolhouse, located on the front lawn of the Newfield CSD on Main Street, has officially been memorialized by a historical marker — thanks to grant funding from William G. Pomeroy Foundation.

The schoolhouse, originally located at the corner of Vankirk Road and Kellogg’s Corners in Newfield, is the third structure that was built between the early 1800s and around 1883. Construction of the current schoolhouse was completed in 1887.

The schoolhouse was one of 21 schoolhouses in town in the 1800s. The current schoolhouse, which closed in 1939, was a prominent piece of the town for 52 years.

New owner to restore Groton Hotel 

Christine (Chris) Clare Brennan became the new owner of the Groton Hotel (GH) when she purchased it at auction on June 24, and it’s hard to say whether she or the Groton community is more thrilled about it!

Brennan was part of a group of people who restarted the Groton Community and Business Association and a member of the New York Forward grant committee. In both groups, there was a focus on what was going to happen to the GH, and Brennan is delighted to be restoring it to its former glory.

Many in the community have been speculating on just when the GH will be open for business. Brennan said that the plan is to open the bar and restaurant first. It will be called Eddy Brennan’s Tavern, named after Chris’ late husband.

Groton on the Inside appears every week in Tompkins Weekly. Submit story ideas to editorial@vizellamedia.com or text or call Linda at 607-227-4922. 

December

Second Wind opens Dryden House for Women

Second Wind Cottages, a nonprofit organization currently operating 18 cottages in Newfield for formerly homeless men, officially opened the Dryden House for Women.

The Dryden House, located at 35 W. Main St. in the village of Dryden, will provide the same support for homeless women. It also gives women a chance to reunite with children they’ve lost due to homelessness.

“It’s so exciting,” said Deb Wilke, a Second Wind board member and the homeless crisis alleviation coordinator. “It’s something that’s so needed in Tompkins County, especially for women who do have their children.”