ChIP CAMP WRAPS uP North Syracuse to celebrate Arbor Day

Arbor Day will be celebrated in the Village of North Syracuse at 4 p.m. on Friday, April 28, near Veterans’ Memorial Park, corner of Centerville Place and North Main Street.

Two Greenspire Littleleaf Linden trees, fragrantly flowering in July, will be rededicated to past mayors, James Hotchkiss and Mark Atkinson.

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Mayor Gary Butterfield will make a proclamation of the day. DEC Forester John Graham will provide recognition of the 34th year as a Tree City.

Local antiquities instrumentalist, Lee Turner, will provide appropriate music for the 151 year old holiday.

Bartlett Tree Arborist Erik Imperato will be providing seedlings to those who would like to plant and grow trees.

Everyone is welcome to join in the celebration.

Trustees adopt $3.8m budget

By RuSS TARBy

Writer

Contributing

Submitted photo The Micron Foundation, the Liverpool Central School District and the Liverpool Foundation for Education wrapped up the region’s first Micron Chip Camp recently.

TheMicronFoundation,theLiverpool Central School District and the Liverpool Foundation for Education wrapped up the region’s first Micron Chip Camp recently, with roughly 120 Liverpool middle schoolers. The students spent three days of their spring break getting valuable hands- on experience with STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) concepts and a peek at the types of skills that will position them well for future careers in technology.

“We are excited to work with Liverpool CSD to give,” said Robert Simmons,headofsocialimpactandSTEM programs for the Micron Foundation. “When we provide opportunities for young people to see what’s possible and engage in hands-on learning experiences, we unlock a world of possibilities for their future. We look forward to sparking more joy, wonder

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At its April 10 meeting the Liverpool Village Board of Trustees conducted a public hearing regarding the proposed 2023-2024 village budget. Although four citizens attended the meeting, no one spoke either for or against the proposed spending plan.

The trustees – Matt Devendorf, Christina Fadden and Dennis Hebert and Mayor Gary White (Trustee Michael LaMontagne was absent on April 10) – voted unanimously to approve the $3,867,175 budget.

That figure is more than a quarter-million dollars higher than the budget initially proposed on March 20. The updated total includes grant moneys awarded to village Main Street renovation projects and to improve the village hall’s roof and its heating, ventilation and airconditioning system.

Before they voted, the trustees agreed the budget should provide a 5% wage increase for all non-elected and non-unionized village employees.

Village taxes will remain flat at $11.95 per $1,000 of assessed value. As an example, a village property assessed at $100,000 will receive a tax bill for $1,195. Along with the taxes, village property owners must also pay a

$130 annual sewer-fund assessment. The new budget includes spending more than $502,000 on capital projects, such as the purchase of a new department of public works mini dump-truck for $71,000 and a police vehicle for $54,000. The 2023-24 budget includes $70,000 to update the village’s comprehensive plan.

To balance the budget, $455,789 will be transferred from the village fund balance, according to Village Clerk Mary Ellen Sims.

Five DWIs in March

At the village board’s monthly meeting on April 10, Police Chief Jerry Unger reported that his officers made 189 traffic stops and issued 154 citations for violations of the state’s vehicle and traffic laws in March.

Three accidents were investigated here last month, eight parking tickets were written, and five motorists were arrested for driving while intoxicated. Officers made 45 residential checks and 129 business checks in March while responding to a total of 577 incidents and calls for service.

The LPD arrested 25 individuals last month on 39 criminal charges.

Full-time Officer Ryan Roman has resigned from the LPD as of April 13.

By RuSS TARBy

Contributing Writer

After declaring in February that he intended to seek an eighth term as Liverpool mayor, Gary White has changed his mind. On April 10 he said he decided against running for reelection in the upcoming June 20 village election.

The 74-year-old mayor cited his reasons as family issues and retirement concerns. The decision clearly took some serious soul-searching.

“As a family, we had some long, thoughtful talks,” White said. “And I finally figured that after 26 years in village government, it’s time.”

White’s family recently lost its matriarch, his 96-year-old mother, and the mayor is the executor of her estate.

Since 1997, he has served 12 years as a trustee and 14 more as mayor.

White – a Republican – is a retired Syracuse Police Department deputy chief who oversaw general services, records and the uniform bureau before retiring to work in the automotive industry.

He served six terms as a village trustee and became deputy mayor during the Marlene Ward administration before first running for may-

Submitted photo or in 2009. In that contested election, White prevailed over independent candidate Tom Stack by a vote of 291 to 154. In subsequent elections the incumbent mayor ran unopposed.

White is the 13th mayor of the village of Liverpool.

And on June 20, the village will elect a new mayor. White hopes to be succeeded by fellow Republican, former deputy mayor Christina Fadden.

“Chris Fadden has my complete backing,” he said. “As a trustee, she’s been on the village board the longest and is well-grounded in the opera-

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NSCSD to kick off Mental Health Month on May 5

The North Syracuse Central School District is preparing to kick off the month of May, which is Mental Health Month, by getting schools and families involved in a campaign of positivity. The district has designated the first Friday of the month, Friday, May 5, as “It’s Okay Friday” and is inviting everyone to participate by wearing a T-shirt with a positive message that day. The day is being designated as “It’s Okay Friday” because the district wants to encourage people to check in with each other and ask for help if needed.

Lisa Goldberg, the district’s director of social emotional wellness is hoping the campaign encourages people to connect.

“We want to send the message that it is okay to ask for help,” Goldberg said.

To create an environment of support and caring, the district is asking students, staff and the entire NSCSD community to wear a T-shirt on May 5 with one of the following messages:

A positive message about connection

A positive message about mental health

A positive message about asking for help