Briefs: Camp Comstock, TCAT reducing service, more

Community gathers at Camp Comstock for open house

The Girl Scouts of NYPENN Pathways (GSNYPENN) Council and Friends of Comstock (FoC) volunteer organization hosted the Camp Comstock Community Open House at the council’s outdoor property located on Cayuga Lake in Ithaca on June 30. Seventy community members and Girl Scout alums and supporters joined representatives for a special event and tour.

Guests were welcomed to the camp by GSNYPENN CEO Julie Dale and FoC Committee Chair Marty Davis. Attendees enjoyed light refreshments while listening to a brief program laying out the close-to-100-year history of Comstock in the local community and proposed plans including a current capital campaign to erect a new 5,000-square-foot multiuse building on the property.

A welcome and brief remarks were presented by Dale; GSNYPENN Director of Development JoAnne Morak; FoC chairs Mary Grainger, Davis and Katie Williams; GSNYPENN History and Archives Committee Chair Rita Chirumbolo Ernstrom; and Tompkins County Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Jennifer Tavares.

Guests were then invited to tour camp, participate in archery and Gaga Ball, sit by the campfire, roast s’mores and have a look at a scale model for a building that will provide much-needed winterized space for Girl Scout members using the property and revenue opportunities for the long-term sustainability of the camp for years to come. It will also allow Comstock to double its present capacity for overnight summer camp.

Several steadfast and dedicated Girl Scout alums are challenging one another and other supporters to make donations to the capital campaign by pledging together an initial $50,000 challenge donation. That means any supporter gifts will double, going twice the distance in jumpstarting the fundraising goal. Additional gifts and pledges are requested to fund the building. Multi-year pledges are also available in addition to several naming opportunities. If funding for the building cannot be raised, all donations will remain designated for Comstock use.

“For many of our Girl Scout members and alums in the greater Ithaca community, Comstock was their first camp experience. And for many of them, Comstock remains their favorite GSNYPENN outdoor property. We hope that through community support of this campaign for a new multiuse building, we can continue Comstock’s legacy and support our mission of helping girls lead for decades more to come,” Dale said.

GSNYPENN and the FoC are asking for the community’s pledge to help invest in Comstock’s legacy and sustainability. Donations can be made online at gsnypenn.org/comstockchallenge or by contacting Morak with any questions about the capital campaign at jmorak@gsnypenn.org or (315) 288-0953.

For those interested in getting involved with the FoC, email friendsofcampcomstock@gmail.com.

GSNYPENN serves girls in grades K through 12 across 26 counties: Allegany, Broome, Cayuga, Chemung, Chenango, Cortland, Delaware, Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, Madison, Oneida, Onondaga, Ontario, Oswego, Otsego, St. Lawrence, Schuyler, Seneca, Steuben, Tioga, Tompkins, Wayne and Yates in New York and Bradford and Tioga in Pennsylvania.

Annual membership is $25; financial assistance is available. Visit gsnypenn.org/join. To become a volunteer, learn more at gsnypenn.org/volunteer. To help make Girl Scouting possible for girls in your community, visit gsnypenn.org/donate.

In this photo: GSNYPENN council and summer camp staff stand next to the scale model of a proposed 5,000-square-foot multiuse building for the Camp Comstock property in Ithaca.

 

TCAT seeking public feedback on proposed service reductions

Persistent labor and parts shortages are forcing TCAT to reduce service for its fall service period Aug. 21, tentatively through Jan. 21.

As with many transit agencies all across the country, TCAT currently has an insufficient number of available bus operators and is experiencing difficulty in recruiting mechanics. International supply chain challenges are also making it difficult for TCAT’s maintenance department to obtain parts to maintain and repair buses.

TCAT’s planners carefully examined all routes and are proposing reductions on low-ridership trips. They are also calling for service cuts to be spread among all routes and route categories and to end service earlier with last trips departing around 11 p.m.

A virtual public hearing is scheduled 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. Aug. 15 to adhere to TCAT’s service reductions policy, which requires public involvement for service reductions of 20% or more in a distinct geographical area or corridor.

See all planned route changes for fall service at tinyurl.com/2bdsf82h. Those with proposed reductions meeting the policy’s 20% threshold and requiring public input are as follows:

– Route 82 (Cornell Campus): Reduces frequency to every 30 minutes from every 15 minutes.
– Route 90 (Cornell Campus): Service ends earlier. Last trip departs Seneca Street at 10:38 p.m. and from Robert Purcell Community Center at 10:57 p.m.
– Route 11 (IC/South Hill/Commons): Weekday service runs hourly all day. Eliminates most extra half-hour trips during morning and afternoon peaks have been cut. Last trip departs Green Street at 9:05 p.m. Saturday: Service ends earlier. Last trip departs Green Street at 10:25 p.m. Sunday: First (9:08 a.m.) trip cut.
– Route 13 (Fall Creek/Commons): Eliminates several trips due to linked trips being cut. (Note: riders in Northside and Fall Creek neighborhoods can use Route 17.)
– Route 20 (Enfield/Commons): Eliminates Sunday service. On weekdays, eliminates the 10 a.m. trip departing Green Street and the 10:28 a.m. trip departing Enfield.
– Route 92 (Cornell Campus): Monday through Saturday: Service ends earlier. Last trip departs from Hasbrouck at 10:30 p.m. and from Schwartz Center for Performing Arts at 10:46 p.m. Saturday and Sunday: Service starts later in the morning. First trip departs Hasbrouck at 10 a.m. and from Schwartz CPA at 10:16 a.m.

Please note that any reductions on low-frequency route may show a disproportionately large percent change.

“TCAT and the entire transit industry are grappling with unprecedented worker shortages and are making the painful decisions in order to sustain and maintain reliability with the service we can provide,” said TCAT General Manager Scot Vanderpool. “We apologize to our riders and promise that, while we await supply chains to return to normal, we are not letting up on recruitment efforts that we began ramping up several months ago. As always, our aim is to offer optimal levels of service as intended for all of our customers.”

TCAT will begin collecting all feedback immediately or proposals for routes 11, 13, 20, 82, 90 and 92, which with then be forwarded to the entire TCAT Board of Directors to consider well before the virtual public hearing on Zoom (tinyurl.com/27jqj7pn).

The public also may address in writing any comments about the proposed service reductions to the TCAT Board Secretary/Treasurer Frank Proto at the following address: c/o TCAT, 737 Willow Ave., Ithaca NY, 14850. Or email tcat@tcatmail.com (please write “2022 Fall Service Reductions” in the subject line). Any written comments will be immediately passed along to the entire TCAT Board of Directors and made part of the public record.

Please contact TCAT for more information and at least five business days in advance to request accessibility accommodations: (607) 277-9388, ext. 560, or email at tcat@tcatmail.com (and write “2022 Fall Service Reductions” in the subject line). Please see FAQs and check for updates on TCAT’s public feedback page,
tinyurl.com/227qqbmw.

TCAT is also urging the public to view or refer job seekers to its careers page. To learn more about how the transit industry is coping with staff shortages, see the article from the Transit Workforce Center at tinyurl.com/228fome9.

TCAT, Inc. (Tompkins Consolidated Area Transit, Inc.) is a not-for-profit corporation that provides public transportation for Tompkins County. For more information about TCAT, please visit tcatbus.com or call (607) 277-RIDE.

 

Town of Ithaca to launch OpenGov for administration

Starting Monday, the Town of Ithaca launched OpenGov, its new municipal administration software (homepage shown above).

OpenGov will allow users to initiate and complete multiple types of transactions with the town through a Resident Portal and track their progress.

This move to a cloud-based system brings with it increased flexibility and portability. Staff will be able to enter information and push out information in the office or out in the field. Residents and contractors will be able to communicate with administration more efficiently through email embedded in the program that will keep those messages attached to the service they belong to.

Users will be able to fill out applications and upload information on their timetable, which is not always necessarily the town’s office hours.

Once you establish a Viewpoint user account on OpenGov, other benefits of the system will include not having to repeat a lot of the data entry usually associated with online permitting and application processes, access to online payment options and the ability to look at the status of many of the permitting the town provides.

“We look forward to rolling this out and helping you navigate this powerful tool to increase efficiency and transparency for all,” the town said in a release.
Call with any questions at (607) 273-1721, option 3.

Concurrently with OpenGov’s launch, the town completely revised and updated its website. Visit the website at town.ithaca.ny.us to view all the changes.

After almost a year of design and planning, the website went live July 18 with a fresh look and improved user-friendly layout and search tools. This new and improved website includes information on what is going on in the town, interesting history links to each department and their services, detailed information on major projects, legislation and more.

 

Collaboration will advance cardiac health through AI

Employing artificial intelligence to help improve outcomes for people with cardiovascular disease is the focus of a three-year, $15 million collaboration among Cornell Tech, the Cornell Ann S. Bowers College of Computing and Information Science (Cornell Bowers CIS) and NewYork-Presbyterian, with physicians from its affiliated medical schools Weill Cornell Medicine and Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons (Columbia University VP&S).

The Cardiovascular AI Initiative, to be funded by NewYork-Presbyterian, was launched this summer in a virtual meeting featuring approximately 40 representatives from the institutions.

“AI is poised to fundamentally transform outcomes in cardiovascular health care by providing doctors with better models for diagnosis and risk prediction in heart disease,” said Kavita Bala, professor of computer science and dean of Cornell Bowers CIS. “This unique collaboration between Cornell’s world-leading experts in machine learning and AI and outstanding cardiologists and clinicians from NewYork-Presbyterian, Weill Cornell Medicine and Columbia will drive this next wave of innovation for long-lasting impact on cardiovascular health care.”

Dr. Steven J. Corwin, president and CEO of NewYork-Presbyterian, shared his appreciation for the partnership.

“NewYork-Presbyterian is thrilled to be joining forces with Cornell Tech and Cornell Bowers CIS to harness advanced technology and develop insights into the prediction and prevention of heart disease to benefit our patients,” he said. “Together with our world-class physicians from Weill Cornell Medicine and Columbia, we can transform the way health care is delivered.”

The collaboration aims to improve heart failure treatment, as well as predict and prevent heart failure. Researchers from Cornell Tech and Cornell Bowers CIS, along with physicians from Weill Cornell Medicine and Columbia University VP&S, will use AI and machine learning to examine data from NewYork-Presbyterian in an effort to detect patterns that will help physicians predict who will develop heart failure, inform care decisions and tailor treatments for their patients.

“Artificial intelligence and technology are changing our society and the way we practice medicine,” said Dr. Nir Uriel, director of advanced heart failure and cardiac transplantation at NewYork-Presbyterian, an adjunct professor of medicine in the Greenberg Division of Cardiology at Weill Cornell Medicine and a professor of medicine in the Division of Cardiology at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons.

For more information, view the full Cornell Chronicle story at tinyurl.com/2cgeky4r.

 

Common Council accepts public safety report, adopts actions

On July 6, the City of Ithaca Common Council approved two resolutions related to city-specific Reimagining Public Safety plans.

A resolution passed accepting the report of the Reimagining Public Safety Working Group and adopting the following actions:

– Establish a civilian leadership position, with authority designated by the mayor, to oversee the city’s public safety response systems
– Establish an ad-hoc public safety committee
– Require community-centered training for both armed and unarmed first responders
– Supply improved technology for community safety efforts
– Implement improved data collection and public reporting of such data

The resolution would also commit Common Council to implementing those portions of the report with continued public input and further discussion by Common Council. Common Council also thanked the working group co-leads Eric Rosario and Karen Yearwood, participating working group members, consultants and technical advisors for their work and contributions.

The second approved resolution will establish a deputy chief of staff for public safety, reaffirming Common Council’s support for civilian leadership in the city’s public safety departments, one of the elements of the report.

This follows conversation at several previous City Council meetings and is in lieu of the commissioner position, which would require a public referendum. The resolution directs the acting mayor to work with the city’s Human Resources Department to establish a job description and ensure that funds for the position would be in the 2023 budget, as well as establish an evaluation period for civilian oversight.

Common Council also resolved to implement any additional necessary reforms to ensure adequate and effective civilian oversight of the city’s public safety responsibilities.

For more background on the Reimagining process, visit tinyurl.com/2avsbhp4.

 

Love Living at Home names new asst. director

Love Living at Home (LLH), a not-for-profit that provides a variety of services for older adults throughout Tompkins County, has promoted Cassie Besemer to assistant director. Besemer, who joined LLH in 2019, will be responsible for the coordination of all volunteer services including the recruitment, training and supervision of volunteers as well as connecting volunteers and members.

Besemer stated, “During my time with Love Living at Home, I have seen what a difference having a village has made in people’s lives. Even during a pandemic, I watched our membership continue to grow in numbers and friendships built. It has been a privilege to be a part of such a wonderful organization, and I look forward to continuing to support its mission in my new role as the assistant director.”

LLH Executive Director Cheryl Jewell shared, “Cassie is a critical member of the Love Living at Home team, and I am so grateful for her dedication to our members and volunteers.”

Jewell added, “I am confident she will continue to do great things in her new role.”

Besemer resides in Trumansburg with her husband and their two sons. She earned an associate degree in human services from Tompkins Cortland Community College in May 2019 and a bachelor’s degree in social work from Keuka College in May 2022. She previously worked as a certified nursing assistant with Cayuga Medical Center and Cayuga Ridge Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.

 

Green project brings new additions to county vehicle fleet

Meet one of Tompkins County’s newest fleet additions: an all-electric Ford E-Transit that will be a dedicated HVAC maintenance vehicle for our Facilities Department. When fully charged, the Ford E-Transit has up to 125 miles of all-electric range, which is more than enough for the team to get between the different county buildings.

So far, the vehicle has been a welcome addition with positive reviews coming from those that have had a chance to drive the vehicle.

This all-electric van is part of the Tompkins County Green Fleet Policy to move the county’s fleet off of fossil fuels and toward a more sustainable future (read more at tinyurl.com/23xarjjg). It joins other electric vehicles in the Tompkins County fleet including Chevy Bolts, Nissan Leafs, Hyundai Konas, and a brand-new Ford Mustang Mach E.

 

Applications open for fall 2022 tourism grants at Planning Dept.

Applications for Fall 2022 Tourism Capital Grants are now being accepted by the Tompkins County Department of Planning and Sustainability. Tourism Capital Grants support major investments in visitor-generating projects such as theaters, parks, museums and other cultural and recreational attractions. Funds can be used for design, renovation and new building projects; investments in unique permanent installations such as exhibits; and feasibility studies of potential projects. The typical award range is between $5,000 and $100,000. The application deadline is set for Sept. 12.

Tompkins County Principal Planner/Tourism Program Director Nick Helmholdt stated, “Attracting tourism to Tompkins County is critical to the overall health and stability of our local economy, and we are pleased to support organizations that play such a key part in this endeavor through the dissemination of our Fall 2022 Tourism Grants.”

Tourism Capital Grants are funded by the county’s hotel room occupancy tax. A total of $242,000 has been budgeted for the current round of projects. The program is administered on behalf of Tompkins County by Ithaca Area Economic Development (IAED). Interested applicants are strongly encouraged to schedule a pre-application meeting with IAED by emailing kurta@IthacaAreaED.org.

Heather McDaniel, IAED president, shared, “We are pleased to assist our partners with the Tourism Capital Grants program and to help support some of the many organizations that play such a key role in supporting the economic vitality of our community through tourism.”

For more information and grant guidelines, please visit tompkinscountyny.gov/tourism/grants.

 

NAMI Finger Lakes launches free help line

NAMI Finger Lakes recently announced that you can now text HELPLINENY to 62640 to connect with peer experts trained to help identify the best resource options for your concerns.

NAMI HelpLine is a free, peer-support call or text service providing information, resource referrals and support to people living with a mental health condition, their family members and caregivers, mental health providers and the public.

“We saw a need for people to have more access to the resources and support NAMI provides while being guided by someone who genuinely cares — whether you’re on the go or at home,” according to a recent release.

Now, New Yorkers throughout the state can text HELPLINENY to 62640 Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. to get connected to a peer expert.

Please Note: The HelpLine is not a hotline, crisis line or suicide prevention line and is not staffed at all hours.

In addition to this new text line, NAMI Finger Lakes is available locally to provide compassionate support to families in need through free support, education and advocacy for people closest to those living with mental health conditions.

“We understand how difficult it can be to navigate these changes in our lives,” according to the release. “We know the importance of having support, knowledge, and understanding. With NAMI Finger Lakes, you are not alone.”

Visit namifingerlakes.org for more information.

 

Habitat for Humanity to dedicate new home in Dryden

Local landscaper Seth LaValley, his wife, Taylor, and their four young boys will soon celebrate an enormous family milestone: the purchase of their very own home. The LaValley family has been partnering with Habitat for Humanity of Tompkins and Cortland Counties (TCHFH) for nearly two years to lovingly rehabilitate an 1840s farmhouse on Slaterville Road in the town of Dryden (pictured).

The transformation of this neglected old home has been significant, and Habitat invites the community to come see the finished product July 28 at 6 p.m. At the long-awaited Dedication Ceremony, Habitat will honor the many volunteers and community partners who made this project a success and will officially cut the ceremonial ribbon with the LaValley family as they prepare to move in and become homeowners. Tours will be offered after the ceremony. and ice cream cake will be served.

Seth and Taylor have been hard at work since their selection into Habitat’s homeownership program in September 2020, putting in hundreds of hours of “sweat equity” by taking homeownership readiness classes, saving money for their closing costs, preparing their mortgage application and working alongside Habitat volunteers on the construction and rehabilitation of their home.

“A friend originally suggested us looking into the Habitat program, and at the time, we had three (now four) growing boys and were quickly outgrowing the place we were renting,” Taylor said. “It was important for us to stay in the Ithaca school district for our oldest to continue to get the services he was receiving. However, any house we looked at that would fit us (either rental or for sale) were all priced out of our budget. We most look forward to being able to give our kids a home, not just a place we are renting for a few years, but a house that can be filled with memories and pictures on the wall.”

Habitat purchased the house at 1932 Slaterville Road, along with 3 acres of land, back in December 2018. After subdividing into three lots, the organization built two new three-bedroom ranch homes. The first of the three-bedroom houses was sold to a family of four in December 2020 and the second to a family of four in February 2022.

All the while, Habitat staff and volunteers chipped away at the extensive renovation of the deteriorated farmhouse. The house, which had been unoccupied for many years, included asbestos flooring, peeling paint, old stained carpets and water damage on wall paneling and ceiling. The home had little to no insulation in some areas, half-removed wall paper, a tiny kitchen with dated appliances, drafty windows and a second story broken up into small rooms with a very narrow, dark hallway.

After gutting the interior and stripping the exterior of the house, the home was re-roofed and re-sided, the front porch was restored with a historical Greek Revival design, the house was insulated, and new flooring and appliances were installed. The whole house was painted and a new efficient HVAC system installed.

The Dryden home is TCHFH’s first full-home rehabilitation project, and it has been a labor of love.

Last weekend, volunteers from Poplar Point Studio and Habitat’s Women Build program worked alongside the homeowner to complete final landscaping.

A long list of local individuals and businesses contributed to this project. A few of the key players were: Gary Bush and SPEC Consulting, George Frantz and Professor Michael Tomlan of Cornell Architecture, Art and Planning, Remee Casting, Overhead Door of Cortland, 84 Lumber and Snug Planet.

Funding for this project has been provided in part by a Community Housing Development Fund grant (a joint effort of Tompkins County, the City of Ithaca and Cornell University), the New York State Affordable Housing Corporation and CFCU Community Credit Union. TCHFH is also a United Way funded partner.

In addition to the dedication of this home, this summer, TCHFH is breaking ground on a new build at White Hawk Ecovillage in Danby, as well as two more renovation projects in the city of Ithaca, in partnership with three newly selected homebuyer families.

Habitat serves first-time homebuyers who earn under 60% of the area median income (for example, about $60,000 gross annual income for a household of four in Tompkins County) and evaluates applicants on need, ability to pay and willingness to partner. TCHFH does not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familiar status or national origin. Habitat homebuyers achieve strength, stability and self-reliance through affordable homeownership.

While the next application period has not yet been announced, interested homebuyers can visit tchabitat.com/homeownership to get on the list to be contacted when TCHFH opens their next homebuyer application round. Anyone interested in donating or volunteering can visit tchabitat.com and follow TCHFH on Facebook at facebook.com/TCHFH.

 

Crossroads owner bikes to raise money for fighting hunger

Could you bike 200 miles a day until you finally hit 1,600 miles, all for a good cause? For one Lansing resident, this is more than just a hypothetical.

Jay Dietershagen (pictured), co-owner of Crossroads Bar & Grille in Lansing (see tinyurl.com/y9okx3mw), is no stranger to using his personal skills to better the community he grew up in. One of his biggest efforts has been to bike across the state to raise money for particular organizations, groups or causes.

Last year, Dietershagen partnered with Future Farmers of America to create a GoFundMe page where folks could sponsor Dietershagen’s long bike ride across the state. He biked to Niagara Falls, Albany and New York City, with the whole trip taking about 31 hours to complete. The proceeds — about $7,000 — were then donated to the county’s six school districts.

Dietershagen decided to bike a similar trip this year, this time biking to raise money to fight food insecurity within the county, specifically among students.

Over the course of 13 days — ending late last week — Dietershagen biked from Ithaca to Buffalo to New York City and then back to Ithaca. His goal was to raise $12,000, and he ultimately rode about 1,600 miles.

By the end of his trip, which concluded at Myers Park in Lansing on July 14, Dietershagen reported that between $6,000 and $7,000 had been raised, with more donations coming in from that evening’s festivities celebrating his efforts, including 50/50 raffles and a chicken barbecue.

To check out Dietershagen’s progress throughout the ride, visit Crossroads’ Facebook page, facebook.com/crossroadsbarandgrille. Those who would like to contribute more to Dietershagen’s efforts are encouraged to visit his GoFundMe page, tinyurl.com/26kynwqz.

 

Tompkins Bank promotes Stacie Mastin to vice president

Tompkins Community Bank recently announced that Stacie Mastin has assumed the role of vice president and human resources manager of corporate culture.

Mastin began her career with Tompkins in 2008 as the learning and development officer, later becoming the employee relations manager and human resources manager. Most recently, Mastin worked as a wealth advisor with Tompkins Financial Advisors. In her new role, she will establish and reinforce an employee-centric and equitable culture.

Bonita Lindberg, senior vice president and director of human resources, shared, “We are thrilled for Stacie to assume this new position which will focus on achieving our strategic and cultural objectives including advancing our diversity, inclusion and belonging initiatives. We also look forward to her building an unparalleled team member experience by working with leaders to drive team member engagement throughout the organization.”

Lindberg added, “We look forward to the valuable contributions she will make in this new role.”

Mastin has 25 years of experience in the financial industry and holds a bachelor’s degree in human services with a concentration in human resource management. She is a certified senior human resources professional.

Mastin resides in Lansing with her husband and son and is very active within the community. She serves as a board member of the Society for Human Resource Management, board secretary of the YMCA of Ithaca and Tompkins County, board chair of the Lansing Youth Services Commission and a member of the Women’s Fund Advisory Committee. Additionally, Mastin is a grant committee member of the United Way Community Fund.