The Caroline Town Board (also known as the Town Council) is the legislative branch of the town elected to represent residents in the collective decision making of local government and the proper functioning of town services. There are four (4) members elected at-large (from the entire town) for a four (4) year term and they each exercise one vote in determining most legislative actions. The Town Supervisor is also a voting member of the Town Board. The Town Board is responsible for all legislation, adoption of town budgets, personnel matters, and the adoption of the Town Comprehensive Plan. Town Board members also liaison with various town and county committees and departments through annual individual assignments. The Town Board meets at the Caroline Town Hall located on the corner of Midline Rd. and Rt. 79 in Slaterville Springs.

Working Meetings to review abstracts, present committee reports, and set an agenda for regular monthly business meetings are held on the 1st Tuesday of each month at 7 PM.

Regular Monthly Business Meetings are held on the 2nd Tuesday of each month at 7 PM. An opportunity is provided at the beginning of each regular monthly business meeting for residents to address questions, desires, or concerns to the Town Board. Residents may also contact individual Board members at the following phone numbers:

Don Barber, Town Supervisor
(607) 539-3395

Dominic Frongillo, Deputy Supervisor
(607) 539-6379

Linda Adams
(607) 657-4402

Toby McDonald
(607) 539-6584

Pete Hoyt
(607) 539-6582

Town Budget

2009

2008

2007

2006

2005

Get Involved!
Send a note to the Planning Board

Comprehensive Plan
Download Here, PDF (1MB)

After a 5-year process of community input and participation, the Comprehensive Plan was adopted in late 2006. Work has started towards achieving the Town’s goals, and we need your help!

The 20 year vision for Caroline is described in Part I of the Plan, under five main topics: Housing, Open Space and Environmental Protection, Infrastructure and Services, Small Business, and Farming and Forestry as essential components of that vision. A set of goals for each section builds towards the overall vision of the Town. Part II describes strategies to reach those goals and presents a plan of action for coordinating Town efforts so that our highest priorities are addressed over the next five years:

1. Propose Legislation to Guide Land Use and Commercial Development.

2. Establish the Natural Areas and Trails Group. This group will have parallel activities, united by their focus on land preservation.

3. Establish the Caroline Small Business Committee.

4. Establish the Caroline Clean-Up and Beautification Volunteer Corps. This

5. Research and develop local nuisance laws.

6. Implement the Stormwater Management Guidelines. Work with the Watershed Committee to implement guidelines as required by State law

7. Apply the results of the aquifer studies to land use. The aquifer study in the Upper Six Mile Creek Valley is complete. The results provide information about the location of the aquifers, water volume, water quality, and recharge areas. A similar study will be conducted on the Wilseyville Valley aquifer from 2006-2009.

8. Review and revise, if necessary, the Caroline subdivision and manufactured housing laws. An advisory sub-committee of the Planning Board will be formed to review existing subdivision and mobile home park regulations in the Town and State and recommend changes to the Planning Board.

9. Work closely with Energy Independent Caroline to encourage and support adoption of energy conservation and renewable energy technologies within the Town.

Get involved

If you are interested in helping these efforts, please get involved! Call Chad Novelli at 539-6628 for more information.

]]> http://www.townofcaroline.org/government/town-committees/planning-board/feed/ 0 http://www.townofcaroline.org/government/town-board/councilman-frongillo/ http://www.townofcaroline.org/government/town-board/councilman-frongillo/#comments Tue, 13 Nov 2007 19:25:51 +0000 admin http://townofcaroline.org/government/town-board/councilman-frongillo/

Dominic Frongillo

Office: Councilmember, Deputy Supervisor

Term: Jan. 1 2010 – Dec. 31 2013.

Roles and Committee Assignments

• Deputy Supervisor
• Caroline Website Advisory Committee, chair
• Community Service Award Committee, chair
• Caroline Planning Board, liaison
• Public Information Committee, liaison
• Information Technology Committee, liaison
• Energy Independent Caroline, liaison
• Recreation Partnership of Tompkins County, alternate liaison
• Tompkins County Council of Governments, alternate liaison

Toby McDonald

Office: Councilmember

Term: Jan. 1 2008 – Dec. 31 2011.

Roles and Committee Assignments

• Caroline Town Highway Department, liaison
• Town Hall Office Building committee, liaison

Linda Adams

Office: Councilmember

Term: Jan. 1 2010 – Dec. 31 2013

Roles and Committee Assignments

• Watershed Committee, chair

October 20, 2009

RE: Preparing for Gas Drilling in Caroline

Dear Residents of the Town of Caroline,

Industrial activity is poised to come to Caroline soon in the form of drill sites for natural gas. In order to take steps to prepare the community for the expected activity around natural gas exploration, or any other large-scale development in the future, we need your help in identifying key resources and facilities in the Town.

Please take a moment to respond to the enclosed Resident Response Form and help us identify areas in the Town that are:

• Unique or Sensitive Natural or Cultural Areas:  Natural areas, including small wetlands (under 12.4 acres, as larger wetlands are already inventoried); special or rare habitats, animals, or plants; trails; parks or recreational areas; historic sites and buildings, and so on.
• Agricultural Land:  If you have agricultural land (crops, livestock, forestry, etc.) of particularly high quality or that is not currently under any agricultural assessment, please let us know.
• Water Well Depth: Please tell us the approximate depth of your water well, if known. This will help map where people get their drinking water.
• Abandoned Gas Wells: Old, abandoned gas wells may channel fluids with chemicals into our aquifers.  Look for old steel casings 10-12 inches in diameter that stick out of the ground as much as 3 ft. If any abandoned gas wells are located on your property, please reply with their locations.

New York law gives people, through their town government, the right to select local places and resources of special importance to their community. These places are called “Critical Environmental Areas” (CEAs) – areas of natural, agricultural, historical, or cultural significance that are designated locally and registered with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.  Listing these places gives them added consideration during the permitting process for industrial developers.

Whereas a designation as a Critical Environmental Area does not inhibit or restrict drilling or other industrial activity, it would require the State and industrial developers, including gas companies, to recognize them as especially important to the local community and where possible reduce or mitigate potentially negative impacts in or near these areas.

The Planning Board appreciates the variety of perspectives about gas development in Caroline.  One potential concern about gas drilling and other industrial activities is pollution of our Town’s water supplies, which come from underground, water-bearing rock layers (aquifers) at different levels.  Potential accidents or chemical spills from gas drilling activities may affect our aquifers. Knowing the depth of our drinking water wells at various points in the Town allows the Town to inform the State and industrial developers as to where residents draw their water supply.

The potential problems caused by old abandoned gas wells have been less publicized.  The concern is that drilling fluids, injected under high pressure, could accidentally be forced back up one of these old shafts and into a water supply. If you know of any of these abandoned wells, please let us know.

We need your help and your knowledge of your land. Your prompt response with the information requested will help the Town in making State and industrial developers aware of the resources most important to our Town and its people.  In addition, if you know of other features, especially ones not widely known, that you think might merit special consideration, please let us know.

Please send any information you have on these subjects by November 15.

After compiling responses from residents and combining them with existing inventories, the Town will hold public meetings to review our findings and recommendations, to be announced through the Old Mill newsletter, Town website, and Town email list.  Please be aware that your response does not automatically mean inclusion in the recommendations.

After consideration and adoption by the Town Board, the information will be described, mapped, and submitted to New York State.  If you would like to help tally and record information received, map critical areas, or offer surveying services, please let us know.

If you have any questions, please contact Don Barber at 539-3395.

Thank you,

Town of Caroline Planning Board

Erick Smith
Bev Liddington
Tony Tavelli
Lou Albright
Chad Novelli

You can respond by:

• Mail to Town Clerk, PO Box 136, Slaterville Springs NY 14881
• In person at the Town Hall, 2670 Slaterville Rd
• E-mail to Planning_Board@townofcaroline.org
• Online at www.townofcaroline.org

RESIDENT RESPONSE FORM: CLICK HERE