Village Notices

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.

VILLAGE OF FREEVILLE

TAX WARRANT 2025

TO: Tax Collector

YOU ARE HEREBY COMMANDED to receive and collect from the several persons named in the tax roll hereunto annexed, the several sums stated in the last column hereof opposite their respective names, being a total of $134,629.00 for the tax levy of 2024-2025 and also the delinquent sewer bills totaling $4,922.41 for a total collection of $139,551.41.

YOU ARE FURTHER COMMANDED to receive and collect such sums without additional charge between the first day of June and the first day of July 2025, both inclusive, and thereafter to collect with such of the sums as have not been theretofore collected an additional charge of five percent (5%) for the first month or fraction thereof and one percent (1%) for each month or fraction thereof thereafter until November 1, 2025.

YOU ARE FURTHER COMMANDED to return the tax roll and warrant to the Board of Trustees on or before the first Tuesday of November 2025 and to deliver at the same time an account of the taxes remaining due and unpaid, describing each parcel of real property upon which taxes are unpaid showing as to each parcel the amount of tax unpaid. These unpaid taxes will be forwarded to the County by November 15, 2025, to be re-levied on the County Tax Rolls.

Miles McCarty, Mayor

Date: May 6, 2025

NOTICE OF BOND RESOLUTION

The resolution, a summary of which is published herewith, was adopted on April 1, 2025. The resolution was subject to permissive referendum and the period of time has elapsed for the submission and filing of a petition for a permissive referendum.  A valid petition has not been submitted and filed. The validity of the obligations authorized by such resolution may be hereafter contested only if such obligations were authorized for an object or purpose for which the Village of Freeville, Tompkins County, New York is not authorized to expend money or if the provisions of law which should have been complied with as of the date of publication of this notice were not substantially complied with, and an action, suit or proceeding contesting such validity is commenced within twenty days after the date of publication of this notice, or such obligations were authorized in violation of the provisions of the constitution.

Heather Murray, Village Clerk

SUMMARY OF BOND RESOLUTION

A Resolution adopted by the Board of Trustees of the Village of Freeville, Tompkins County, New York (the “Village”) on April 1, 2025 authorizes the issuance of bonds and other obligations to finance the cost of constructing improvements to the Village waste water treatment plant together with related site improvements, original furnishings, equipment, machinery and apparatus incidental thereto at a total estimated sum not to exceed $9,560,000 and to expend a total maximum estimated sum of $9,560,000 which is estimated to be the total maximum cost thereof (the “Project”), and to pay for such Project by the levy of a tax for the foregoing object or purpose in an amount not to exceed $9,560,000, which shall be levied and collected in annual installments in such years and in such amounts as may be determined by the Board of Trustees and that in anticipation of the collection of such tax, bonds and notes of the Village are hereby authorized to be issued at one time, or from time to time, in the principal amount not to exceed $9,560,000 and a tax is authorized to pay the interest on said obligations when due.  Under the Local Finance Law, the Project has a period of probable usefulness of forty (40) years.  Such resolution shall be kept available for public inspection in the Village Clerk’s Office during regular business hours for twenty days following this publication.

FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY BOOK SALE OPENS MAY 3

Ithaca, NY – The Friends of Tompkins County Public Library will hold the annual Spring Book Sale over three long weekends in May at 509 Esty St, Ithaca. With a throwback to pre-pandemic times, the sale will once again be open 8am to 8pm on the first day only: Saturday, May 3rd.  On all other days, sale hours are 10am to 8pm: Sunday-Monday, May 4-5; Saturday-Monday, May 10-12; and Saturday-Tuesday, May 17-20.  Prices start low and drop each weekend. Free parking is available across the street.  More details are available online at www.booksale.org or call 607-272-2223.

Each Book Sale offers up to 250,000 gently used books, DVDs, CDs, comics and graphic novels, puzzles, games, and other items, organized into 70+ subject categories for easy shopping. The large Children’s Section, organized by subject as well, includes more than 30,000 items. Collector’s Corner offers rare and antiquarian books, first editions, collectible vinyl records, art, ephemera, and vintage toys and games. 

This sale will also feature a special selection of new and like-new books and other items, for adults and children, that will make great gifts for holidays, birthdays, anniversaries, and other special occasions.  

First Day Purchase Limit:  In order to serve as many book lovers as possible, on the first Saturday, May 3, each shopper may purchase a maximum of 50 items at a time. After checking out, customers must leave the building, but may rejoin the line to come in and shop again as many times as they wish. There are no purchase limits on other sale dates.

Special shopping days: 

• Wednesday, May 14, 10am-4pm: Older Adults & persons with disabilities
• Wednesday, May 14, 4-8pm: Students(age 16+ with valid school ID)
• Monday, May 19, 10am-8pm: Dime Day (every item on the main floor is just 10 cents!)
• Tuesday, May 20, 10am-8pm: Bag Day (BYO standard reusable bag and fill it for just $1!)

Proceeds from the Book Sales held each spring and fall are used to fund the Friends of the Library’s annual grants that support Tompkins County Public Library, Finger Lakes Library System, and other libraries in the Finger Lakes region, as well as local non-profit organizations for literacy and reading projects, and scholarships for library science students.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the budget work session for the 2025-2026 Village Budget will take place on Thursday, March 27, 2025, 8:30am at the Village Hall, 5 Factory Street.