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Welcome to Cazenovia Voices Coalition–
Each day, more neighbors and friends are joining this newsletter. If you are new here, thank you for signing on. These updates are intended to keep our community informed about the Madison County plan to move the Sheriff’s Office and emergency services into Reisman and Sigety Halls at the heart of the former Cazenovia College campus, a decision negotiated behind closed doors since January with no disclosure to residents. Momentum! We have surpassed 200 signatures on the petition to the Attorney General & 150 signatures on the petition to the Village Board. Let’s keep building interest. Please share these petitions widely.
Media Coverage & Response More letters are being published and folks are having great conversations on social media. Your voices are being heard! Yesterday’s Eagle News Online article (Sept. 22) shared statements from Madison County, 9 Fresh, and Mayor Wheeler as straightforward clarifications. But for many of us, the problem is not “misinformation.” It is the lack of transparency. From the Sheriff’s first tour of Reisman Hall in November 2024, to the County Board of Supervisors authorization in May 2025, and now to the Attorney General’s desk, this deal has advanced without clear public agendas, information about hearings, or community input. To dismiss resident concerns as “misinformation” only compounds the breach of trust. The article echoes the Mayor’s refrain that a 318-page MRB redevelopment study proves that rigorous planning and public input occurred. What it produced was a feasibility report, with talking points already favored by village leadership (parking shortages, reliance on Planned Development zoning). Public input was limited, it did include an interview with CazArts, yet there was no exploration of whether residents wanted a major county municipal presence in the heart of a walkable school zone and business district. The study’s value as a campus assessment is real, but it does not substitute for a true community-driven comprehensive plan. An analysis of the MRB study and the previous (2008) comprehensive plan can be found here. As always, it is valuable to understand the terms that our leaders are using to ensure transparency. Madison County Overreach: The County frames the move as saving money, but at what cost? By clearing space in Wampsville for expanded detention facilities and relocating Sheriff administrative and emergency services to Cazenovia at the western edge of the region, this deal rebalances public power in Madison County. Once Madison County owns the property, there will be no local voice in how it may be used. For residents in Cazenovia and beyond, this raises urgent questions of equity, community identity, and safety, especially in light of Sheriff Hood’s active collaboration agreements with ICE. Public Dollars, Public Transaction: Officials also continue to frame this as a “private transaction.” But Madison County and the Town of Cazenovia are public entities spending taxpayer dollars. This is a public transaction, and it deserves public accountability. Suggesting otherwise is misleading and erodes trust further. Monday, 9/29 6:30PM - Village Planning Board Meeting Folks from the coalition will attend the Village Board of Trustees which meets with members of the Planning Board and Historic Preservation Commission in a work session to discuss establishing a Planned Development District for the Core Campus of the former Cazenovia College. The agenda states: "No comments or questions will be taken from the public." Showing up will help our community to learn more about the issues and will show leaders that you want a place at the table. Why All of This Matters Asking our leaders to pause a process is not about obstruction. It is about ensuring that the future of the Cazenovia College campus and the geographic and cultural heart of our village, is determined with residents, not for them behind closed doors. A transparent, inclusive, comprehensive planning process could support adaptive reuse that sustains business, strengthens cultural identity, and honors the trust of taxpayers across Madison County and their neighbors. We continue to call on the Attorney General to pause approval until such a process is in place. Anything less risks further eroding community trust and undermining the very values that make Central New York a place where people want to live, work, and invest. Disclaimer on this Email Group This mailing list includes a wide range of people, including some directly involved in the Reisman/Sigety Hall deal. Please keep in mind: We use blind copy (bcc) to prevent addresses from being used for other purposes. If you prefer not to receive these updates, you may opt out at any time by emailing: [email protected] If you are new to this group, complete information and previous posts (transcripts, etc) can be found at https://www.arc-c.org/cazenovia-voices-coalition.html Comments are closed.
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