Village Notices

The Freeville Community Council is bringing back the popular village history night event!   

Freeville is surrounded by natural beauty, from our creeks and beaver ponds to the bucolic views across pastures and fields. But just how natural is this landscape? What did it look like in the past? And what does North America’s largest rodent have to do with it all? Join us for a slide presentation by Village Historian Kristen Olson to hear about the history of farming and land use in Tompkins County, with a focus on the former Genung Farm in Freeville.

Light refreshments and drinks will be provided. Come for a little village history and good company.  

We would like to host this event at the Freeville Literary Society, and here having a general estimate of how many people would like to attend would be very helpful. If the interest is far greater than that space can support we will find another space nearby to host it.  If you know you’d like to come please let us know asap by responding to freeville.community@gmail.com

Thank You,

The FCC

Ryan, Hugh, Cinta, and Lea

Why Is My Sewer Bill Higher?

As August sewer billing begins, you may be wondering why your bill is higher than in previous years. This year, the average single-family household will see an increase of approximately $25 per month across the 12-month fiscal year (June 1st through May 30th). The increase reflects rising residential usage, and because the sewer system is jointly used by both Village residents and the William George Agency, the Village’s metered usage now represents a larger share of the overall costs for operating and maintaining the plant. In addition, this adjustment covers escalating expenses for engineering services, equipment, and resources required to meet upgrades mandated by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYS DEC).

Constructed in the 1980s, the Village’s wastewater treatment plant is one of the few natural lagoon systems still operating in New York State. As regulations have become more stringent over the past four decades, upgrades are now essential to the aging system. Non-compliance with DEC guidelines could lead to significant fines and penalties that would directly affect system users and jeopardize the financial stability of the municipality. As we move forward with this project, our objective is to maintain full compliance with regulatory requirements while actively working to minimize financial impacts on the community. 

Public Engagement & Official Notices

Each spring, the Village Board of Trustees develops and adopts the sewer operations and maintenance budget. Notices for budget sessions are shared in the Ithaca Journal, posted on the Village website, and emailed to our community listserv. The Board also hosts a Sewer Grievance Day every June, offering residents a dedicated opportunity to ask questions or raise concerns about their sewer bills. 

In addition to traditional budget notices, an income survey was distributed to all sewer customers in 2024 which discussed improvements to municipal infrastructure. This spring, a bond notice regarding the plant upgrades was also published and displayed at multiple public locations including the post office, the Main Street bulletin board, Station Park bus stop, Mill Dam Park, and Groton Avenue Park. 

Residents are encouraged to check the Village website for the most current information regarding budgets, resolutions, public hearings, and board meetings. If you’d like any further information, please feel free to reach out directly to the Village Clerk’s Office.  

August 11, 2025 at 7:00PM

The Zoning Board of Appeals will hold its next meeting on June 23rd at 7:00 PM at Village Hall.

Over the next few weeks Dryden Fiber will be conducting utility work in the Village to expand service in the area. Please note that Dryden Fiber is an independent organization and is not affiliated with the Village in any capacity. All inquiries or concerns regarding this project should be directed to Dryden Fiber according to the contact information provided below.

A message from Dave Makar, Executive Director of Dryden Fiber:

Dryden Fiber continues to expand its service footprint across the town of Dryden, including a few remaining streets and roads in the village of Freeville. The goal of Dryden Fiber is to reach 100% of households with broadband fiber optic service. We will continue to construct the network into the second half of this year and through 2026 and 2027. During construction, we often use utility poles for aerial placement of the fiber. From time to time, it makes sense to run the fiber underground. In either of these cases, if you find your property has been disturbed by our work, please reach out to us at support@drydenfiber.com or 607-844-7800. When you share your location, we will be able to communicate with our construction teams to find out the timing of any yard disturbance remediation.

Who is doing the construction?

Syracuse Utilities, Inc., a contractor for the Town of Dryden, will be placing new fiber optic communication lines on or adjacent to properties.

Where is the construction?

All of the underground construction installations are in the right-of-way owned by the town, county, or state depending on the road. The infrastructure consists of burying a plastic line (usually orange) within the right-of-way in the front or rear of a property.

Restoration (Short Term and Long Term)

The construction installation company will restore the disrupted property by leveling off the ground around the handholes (the fiber storage boxes with the white/beige caps) and the shoulder of the road near dig sites. This short-term restoration will be done the same week as the construction installation, unless there is substantial inclement weather.

As the project in a neighborhood is completed, the construction installation company will return to add topsoil and will plant grass seed in the disturbed areas. For winter/spring construction, we will wait until the weather is warmer and the ground is drier to ensure full restoration. Please be patient. Let us know how we are doing at  

support@drydenfiber.com or 607-844-7800.

For questions or to learn more about Dryden Fiber or to be one of the first customers in your neighborhood, please visit DrydenFiber.com.