WSKG on housing and homelessness

 

WSKG: How would you address housing demand vs. supply in Chemung County and Legislative District 5? What are ways the state and county can serve vulnerable populations affected by homelessness and unscrupulous landlords?

A: I would like to see Elmira without a homeless problem, but passing laws against being homeless does not solve the problem. If homelessness is to be resolved, it will require everybody working together, in the same direction to deal with the wide variety of causes. Providing shelter is only one piece of the puzzle. Mental health, addiction, the costs of health care and a lack of opportunities are other factors. In some cases, the person being helped may not be ready to be in housing. They need to learn the skills and outlook that will keep them sheltered. Some cases will be more intractable than others. We may not be able to save everyone, but we will save more if we try. As a journalist, I have interviewed many homeless/former homeless and lived on the streets to see what it was like. Some observations:

• Many homeless try their best to not be noticed. For example, they live out of their car in a parking lot, moving along before drawing attention to themselves, dressing as well as possible so that they don’t look unsheltered. The problem may be bigger than you can imagine.

• They may have a car, even a nice-looking car, but it is their last possession and you cannot judge their situation based on how good the car looks. 

• Many people may be only a paycheck or a health or financial crisis away from becoming homeless. I am glad that Chemung County has a program to help people before they become homeless. 

As to unscrupulous landlords, I think that absentee landlords are a big part of the problem, and local ordinances requiring them or a representative to be onsite would help. But that may be something handled at the city or town level. 

Ultimately, turning around the county’s financial struggles and creating jobs would be the answer. So, all of these issues are tied together. The solutions will not be easy. Elmira and Chemung County need to do what many people have had to do to survive. That is to reinvent themselves, find new strengths and create new opportunities.

Solar project issue

A resident handed me this flyer while I was door-knocking in the Birdland neighborhood of Horseheads yesterday. This is not before the Chemung County Legislature, but what I keep telling residents is that you should know what the government is going to do before it does it. So, I am sharing this here. 

This group is raising serious concerns to the Town of Veteran Planning Board and offering reasonable solutions. I have not had a chance to do a deep dive into this, but so far the facts check out. I think the residents should know about this issue. 

I support solar power, and we have solar panels for our house. In general, solar power is safe and has become more and more affordable. But any company building a project of this type needs to account for the environmental impact. The residents are not saying "No" to solar power. They are saying the installation of the panels in this location could damage the aquifer supplying household wells and create a dangerous water runoff into their neighborhood. Reasonable measures to protect the surrounding neighborhoods must be followed. 

Here's the link to the solar power project application:

https://townofveteranny.gov/active-applications/

The text of the handout follows below. I added some links to relevant news stories. 

----------------------------------------------------

A PACK THE TOWN HALL: STOP THE VETERAN HILL SOLAR PROJECT VARIANCE!

MEETING DETAILS: Monday, October 5th at 6:30 PM

LOCATION: Veteran Town Hall (4049 Watkins Road, Millport, NY 14864)

Dynamic Energy LLC (operating as Wedge Solar, LLC) is proposing a 30-acre commercial solar project directly above our neighborhood on Veteran Hill (Tax Map IDs 39.00-1-14.1 and 39.00-1-14.2). They are petitioning the Planning Board for a financial variance to bypass Local Law #1 of 2026 so they can avoid setting up the mandated 100% liquid cash escrow account for cleaning up the site. They are pushing this through fast, so we must speak up now or accept the consequences.

If you cannot attend the meeting in person, you must voice your opposition by immediately emailing the Planning Board Chairman, Dave Adams, at:

planning.board.chair@townofveteranny.gov

THE IMPACT ZONE: OUR NEIGHBORHOOD

* Extreme Topography: The project sits at an elevation of 1,350 feet a massive 450-foot vertical drop directly above our homes on Meadowlark Road, Robin Rd, Redwing, Whippoorwill, Bluejay Drive, and Oriole Drive.

* The Runoff Funnel: Stripping this steep 15% to 18% slope turns the hillside into a high-velocity stormwater funnel. Impermeable solar panels act like massive metal roofs, dumping millions of gallons of unmitigated runoff directly onto our downslope properties.

* To help understand the size of this project please note that our entire neighborhood is about 30 acres.

THE DEVELOPER'S TRACK RECORD: THE WILLIAMSBURG DISASTER

* The Precedent: In Williamsburg, Massachusetts, developer Dynamic Energy Solutions LLC built a solar array on a steep hillside after falsely telling local boards it would not increase pollution.

* The Fall-Out: Once approved, they ignored stormwater rules. The hillside completely blew out, uprooting trees, burying protected wetlands under an acre of thick mud, and destroying a local river fishery.

* The Penalty: State environmental officials designated their actions as "egregious," and the state Attorney General forced Dynamic Energy to pay a $1.14 million federal settlement for environmental devastation.

https://gazettenet.com/2021/02/01/developer-to-pay-1-14-million-for-wetlands-stormwater-violations-38651958/

PROOF OF DAMAGE: PROPERTY & FOUNDATIONS

* The Plainville, MA Precedent: A near-identical uphill solar project in Plainville, Massachusetts, completely ruined downslope properties. Uphill clearing sent water gushing into naturally dry basements, causing hundreds of thousands of dollars in uninsurable structural damage.

[Different company handled that project. Here are news stories: https://www.cbsnews.com/boston/news/plainville-solar-farm-development-flooding/

https://turnto10.com/news/local/plainville-residents-plagued-by-flooding-blame-neighboring-solar-project-southern-new-england-massachusetts-homes-water-damage-weather-january-29-2024]

 * Hydrostatic Pressure: Most of our homes have naturally dry basements and no sump pumps. A suddenly rising water table will create massive underground pressure, cracking concrete foundations and flooding our homes.

THE THREAT TO OUR PRIVATE WELL WATER

* Aquifer Puncture Risk: Our neighborhood relies 100% on private wells. During construction of the Horseshoe Solar project in Rush, NY, crews driving heavy steel piles accidentally punctured an aquifer, cutting off residential water supply for weeks, causing permanent damage.

https://www.rochesterfirst.com/news/local-news/documents-aquifer-rupture-at-horseshoe-solar-floods-farm-fields-prompts-emergency-fix-along-genesee-river/

* The Illusion of "UL Approval": The developer claims their hardware is safe because it is "UL listed." A UL rating only proves fire safety in a laboratory. It does not stop toxic heavy metals like lead, cadmium, or gallium from leaching into our groundwater if panels shatter during harsh winter freeze-thaw cycles.

WHY SURETY BONDS ARE A FINANCIAL TRAP

* Bonds Are Not Cash: Dynamic Energy wants to use a corporate surety bond instead of a town-held cash escrow. If their shell company goes bankrupt, insurance companies will spend years fighting our town in court to avoid paying out.

* Taxpayer Liability: With a ~90% pre-construction attrition and resale rate for New York solar projects, a cash escrow is the only guarantee that taxpayers won't be stuck with a multi-million dollar cleanup bill when the developer walks away.

WHAT WE MUST DEMAND ON OCTOBER 5th to protect us and our private wells:

1. DENY THE VARIANCE: Force strict adherence to Local Law #1 of 2026. Demand a 100% liquid cash escrow.

2. WELL & FOUNDATION ESCROW: Mandate a developer-funded, town-held cash fund to instantly pay for repairs if a well goes dry or a basement floods.

3. HYDROGEOLOGICAL STUDY: Force a complete mapping of our aquifer before any piles are driven.

4. INDEPENDENT ENGINEERING: Require a developer-funded, town-appointed independent engineer with full stop-work authority on-site daily.

PROTECT HORSEHEADS-PROTECT VETERAN HILL. SPREAD THE WORD TO YOUR NEIGHBORS!

WSKG on public health

WSKG: Rural hospitals are at risk of discontinuing services and/or closing. Guthrie and Centralus Health are among those with longstanding operations and facilities in the county. These health care providers are some of the largest employers in the county. How will you ensure the county maintains access to health care, senior care and nursing facilities as counties face staggering funding losses due to the OBBBA? 

A: The county made the right move by bringing in an FQHC to Elmira. This is a positive example of federal money being used to provide health care. However, the federal government as a whole has failed us. The cuts to health care and throwing people off health insurance only assures that more Americans will die. The county is already obligated to pay millions in social services such as Medicaid, and I don’t know how we would make up for all the shortfalls that are being created. Health care should be considered a right and a public service. 

I look at it this way. There are needs in our lives that we cannot manage without working collectively. If my house catches fire, I do not have the means to put the fire out myself. That’s why we collectively support each other to have local fire departments. If I get cancer, I do not have the means to get the treatments I need on my own. Some of us had been able to manage somewhat by cobbling together a variety of private, local, state or federal resources. But the federal government is now backing out of that partnership, and the effects will be devastating. 

WSKG on environment

 

WSKG: Neighboring Steuben County placed a six-month moratorium on new permits for sewage sludge spreading on farms, crops, and land. It has been shown to contain pollutants like PFAS forever chemicals that are toxic to people and wildlife. How does Chemung County review its biosolids use policy/s and place regulations on public/private permits for the use of municipal sludge on farms, crops and land in the county? Should there be more regulation or deregulation on this topic for the county?

A: According to a Water Quality Strategy Plan from the 1990s which is on the Chemung County website, sewage sludge is sent to the Chemung County Landfill. https://www.chemungcountyny.gov/DocumentCenter/View/885/Chemung-County-Water-Quality-Strategy-Plan-Update-PDF

In any case, if toxic chemicals are found to be leaking into the environment, from either the county landfill, a local farm or business, we would need to take immediate steps to stop further damage to the environment and take steps to make sure the contamination does not continue. That may require the involvement of state and federal agencies. When I was a reporter, I wrote about how Bloomington, IN, had been devastated by the contamination of PCBs coming from the landfill. I will never forget interviewing the residents who suffered long-term, debilitating health issues and meeting the widows of those who slowly died of cancer and other diseases. 

WSKG on public health

WSKG: What is the most pressing public health issue facing Chemung County residents today? 

A: Poverty. It’s the 4th leading cause of death in this country. We have a high poverty / homelessness rate for a county of our size. Poverty impacts every part of a person’s life. Not getting the right nutrition or amount of food leads to severe health issues, not having access to health care leads to worsening health problems. The county helped with part of this recently with the establishment of a federally qualified health center in Elmira that will offer care to any resident no matter their health insurance status or even if they are homeless. But there is more work to be done. Improving transportation so that people can get to their medical appointments are key. We need to make it easier for the elderly to get the services that they need. Their costs keep going up and their ability to reach help are going down. This all impacts our quality and length of life. We all hope to live to be senior citizens, but when we get there we want to be healthy and not impoverished. 

WSKG question on taxes

 

WSKG: What is your tax policy for the county and how will you implement the policy while maintaining services to residents in your district? 

A: If we really want to lower taxes for residents, we need to work harder on creating shared services between the county and the municipalities, especially Elmira. Years ago, there had been a joint county-city committee formed with the idea of finding ways to cooperate and save each other on costs. That committee was killed by the county executive. I think it’s time to bring it back. There are still some shared services agreements between the county and Elmira, but we can do better than this. So, one of my first actions would be to request that this committee be reestablished. 

WSKG question on Flock cameras

 

WSKG: What role do Flock-type cameras, AI-powered license plate readers and automatic license plate readers (ALPRs) play in public safety in Chemung County and what is the overlap, if any, with citizen privacy rights? Do you support the county’s current use of Flock-type cameras, AI-powered license plate readers and ALPRs and any expansion of such devices in the future?

A: The Elmira Police Department has Flock cameras, but the Chemung County Sheriff’s Department does not. As I understand it, they have a couple of pole cameras, used on a temporary basis for critical incidents. If the sheriff’s department were to consider Flock-type cameras, I would have issues and questions. 

• How long of an agreement would we have with the company? 

• Do the companies that provide the cameras own the data?

• How do we ensure the data is not being exported to outside agencies or groups?

• How can this data be misused? What safeguards can be put in place to ensure our right to privacy and the right to not be stalked?

• How reliable is this technology for identifying people for arrest?

• Do the law enforcement agencies have the training to double-check the information to make sure the technology has not identified the wrong person. 

There might be a value for law enforcement, but the heavy reliance on AI leaves it open to being misused, abusing our rights and leading to unsupported prosecutions. Is there a way to use a less-smart technology that would be useful to the police while protecting our rights?