FREE • Proudly serving Cazenovia since 1808
Week of Nov. 20, 2024 Home of The Woolbert Family
CazenoviaRepublican.com
PENNY SAVER: CNY’S BEST BUSINESS SERVICE DIRECTORY INSIDE!
WORK BUY SELL TRADE GET IT DONE
Annual ‘Giving Tree’ initiative returns
Kate Hill
On Nov. 16, a select group of community leaders and professionals gathered at the Cazenovia Public Library for the annual Climate Action Leadership Summit sponsored by the United Climate Action Network.
Local climate leaders gather for summit By kate hill Staff writer
Submitted photo
Caz Life and CazCares are partnering to support local families through the Giving Tree initiative. By Kate Hill Staff Writer Caz Life and the CazCares food pantry and clothing closet are partnering this holiday season to support local families through the community’s annual “Giving Tree” initiative. Giving Trees are set up at 13 locations throughout the village this year. Each tree features ornaments labeled with gift requests from local children of all ages. Customers are encouraged to select an ornament, purchase the listed item, and donate it to help make a holiday wish come true. Unwrapped gifts should be dropped off at Community Bank at 48 Albany St. by Friday, Dec. 6, the day of the Annual Cazenovia Holiday Stroll and Village Tree Lighting. “Families can drop off any gifts the night of the tree lighting,” said Com-
munity Bank Senior District Manager Barbara Houghton, who chairs the Giving Tree initiative. “We will be open with Santa as our special guest after he lights the tree.” All dropped-off gifts will be delivered to CazCares for distribution to its clients. A QR code to an Amazon Wish List is available for shoppers who prefer to purchase a gift online and have it shipped directly to CazCares. “We started a beautiful [event] five years ago that community members look forward to,” said Houghton. “[Parents] bring their kids in to pick out a tag each year, making it a family tradition. I have been part of this since it started. Someone from CazCares approached me the first year because they were running short on gifts, and I just loved everything about it and helped it grow by
asking local shops to hand out tags for the month of November. The Chamber, now Caz Life, has helped make this special every year by promoting and supporting this wonderful cause. . . . Christmas is about giving, and this community sure knows how to give. It makes me so proud to pull up with many carloads of gifts, knowing we are making a difference for our local families.” According to Houghton, the event typically benefits over 100 families. Giving Tree gift tags are available at 20|EAST, H. Grey Supply Co., the Brae Loch Inn, Cazenovia Abroad, Cazenovia Jewelry, the Cazenovia Public Library & Museum, Community Bank, Miori Martial
Arts, The Brewster Inn, Alolo Tennis, Heartstone Bakery, By Kelly, and Cazenovia Ballet. Caz Life is the events and marketing committee of the Greater Cazenovia Area Chamber of Commerce (GCACC). Its members work to foster local business development, promote tourism, and implement effective marketing strategies to enhance the vibrancy and economic growth of the village. To learn more about Caz Life, visit cazenovialife. com or email hello@cazenovialife.com. For more information on the GCACC, visit cazenovia.com. CazCares is located at 101 Nelson St., Cazenovia. Learn more at cazcares. org.
Local investors to acquire Caz College campus The historic Cazenovia College campus, a cornerstone of the community for 200 years, is officially set to embark on a new journey. Under contract for purchase by a local team known as 9 Fresh, the property will soon be transformed into a dynamic innovation and community district. Led by locals Kate Brodock, Hardeep Bindra, and a third General Partner, 9 Fresh includes a dedicated team — with additional members Anne Halsey, Lisa Cole Burnett, Travis Barr, Linda Morgan, Matt Cashatt, and Brian Davis — with expertise in real estate, venture capital, law, economic development, and business. They’re deeply connected nationally and internationally and intend to bring their collective network to the project in full force. “We’re incredibly excited about the possibilities this project brings to Cazenovia,” said Brodock. “We have an opportunity to prove out a model for transforming a college campus into a powerful community asset that serves not only local interests, but enhances them with global thought capital and expertise op-
portunities. We want to honor the legacy of the campus while creating something new, something that allows our entire community to grow and benefit. We see a strong future collaboration with the village and town, which is already in action as we work together on this project.” Their vision for the campus goes far beyond traditional property redevelopment. Imagine a space that combines business and innovation, living and leisure, and community engagement to support regional economic growth and job creation. Residents and visitors can interact in multiple settings and on multiple footings, enjoy flexible housing and lodging options, and convene in various retail, dining, and public areas. “We’re grateful to Kate and the entire group for their vision and leadership in assembling this successful bid,” said Mayor Kurt Wheeler. “Our primary goal since the college announced its closing has been to gain local control of the campus so we can shape our own destiny. I look forward to working with the team to best serve our
community’s interests.” The new district promises to boost economic development in the region. With job creation as a main of their mission, 9 Fresh is planning to introduce initiatives that will encourage regional growth, providing a significant positive impact on the local economy. “This is a project designed to build lasting value for Cazenovia, one where businesses, residents, visitors, and investors all benefit,” said Bindra. “We’re proud to be leading this effort as locals who are deeply invested in Cazenovia’s future, and we’re committed to creating a vibrant community-first environment for all.” The team has a couple of large backers, and are also including local investors, as they see this as one of the primary initial ways for the community to be involved in their collective vision. They’re excited to open up additional opportunities for listening and collaboration with community stakeholder involvement, and have opened the door for conversation by way of their website, 9fresh.co.
On Nov. 16, the United Climate Action Network (UCAN) presented its annual Climate Action Leadership Summit at the Cazenovia Public Library. UCAN is a grassroots organization in New York’s 22nd Congressional District that advocates for environmentally sustainable policies at the local, state, and national levels and engages with businesses, schools, and other local community organizations to advance environmental literacy and sustainable practices. Since 2017, UCAN has brought together a cross-section of local individuals, groups, and governmental bodies in conversation, education, planning, and actions to confront the climate crisis. About 30 community leaders gathered at the 2024 climate summit to discuss their work on climate-smart projects, learn about other local and New York State initiatives, network, and develop goals for the coming year. Climate l Page 10
BOE mulls adding ‘clean’ diesel buses to fleet By kate hill Staff writer
During the Nov. 18 Cazenovia Central School District Board of Education (CCSD BOE) meeting, Christine Goossens, transportation advisor at Leonard Bus Sales, delivered a presentation on “clean” diesel buses titled “Understanding Vehicle Emissions.” CCSD Assistant Superintendent/School Business Official Thomas Finnerty introduced Goossens and explained why the district invited her to speak. He stated that for the past five years or so, CCSD has purchased nothing but gasoline buses. However, the administration would now like to consider clean diesel as an alternative to gasoline. According to Finnerty, electric buses, another alternative, are currently cost-prohibitive at $400,000 to $500,000 per bus. “For the next couple of years, we’d like to consider possibly entertaining the idea of clean diesel to give us an option,” he said. “Because right now, we have one provider for gasoline, so that kind of locks us into ‘one provider, one price,’ whereas clean diesel is an option with a few other providers.” Goossens, who handles Central New York for Leonard Bus Sale, began her presentation by clearing up some common misconceptions about diesel emissions. She addressed the idea that gasoline engines are cleaner than diesel by first noting that gasoline and diesel engines both have exhaust emissions. “Where one leads, the other falls short,” she said. “I’ll show you some slides on different emissions that come out of the tailpipe and what those levels are. [Today, both] are well below the [US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)] standards for on-the-road vehicles.” She also distinguished between on-road vehicles, such as diesel buses, and off-road vehicles, such as diesel farm Diesel buses l Page 9
Volume 214, Number 47 The Cazenovia Republican is published weekly by Eagle News. Office of Publication: 35 Albany St., Second Floor, Cazenovia, NY 13035. Periodical Postage Paid at Cazenovia, NY 13035, USPS 095-260. POSTMASTER: Send change of address to Cazenovia Republican, 2501 James St., Suite 100, Syracuse, NY 13206.
sports: Caz runners finish in top 30 at state cross country meet.
PAGE 10
business: Byrne Dairy presents preliminary proposal for Cazenovia location.
PAGE 2
business ��������������������� 2 Calendar �������������������� 4 Editorial ��������������������� 4 history ������������������������ 8
Obituaries ������������������ 2 PennySaver ���������������� 6 Sports ����������������������� 11