Village’s hall and debt on SF Village board agenda

The ongoing debate over the village hall and the village debt should dominate the Village Board’s Monday night meeting. Both topics are important because the village government will dissolve Dec. 31. The town of Seneca Falls will take over village services and become the sole governing body for the community Jan 1.Town and Village leaders have recently been at odds over the issue of the Village Hall/Police Station property at 60 State Street and over unpaid village debts after Dec 31. The town wants the village to transfer the village hall and other assets to the town. They would then continue to use the property to house the new town police department. Town officials say that would help them to offer a 60% reduction in property taxes for current village residents for 2012. They say without that transfer they would have to lease or build a new facility, reducing the tax savings.The Village opposes the town’s plan to create a debt district within the current village, charging 34 cents per thousand of assessed value to pay off village debt. The village wants the town to absorb all village debt as part of the transfer. The village says it may consider selling the village hall and other assets to pay off the village debt if the town continues with it’s plan.The stalemate is holding up completion of a transition plan for services.