Inside the FLX: Brad Jones reveals financial plan

It’s all about planning.That is the message former Seneca Falls Mayor Brad Jones delivered Thursday on Inside the FLX with Josh Durso. He outlined his four-step plan for making Seneca Falls and Waterloo “financially whole,” which started and ended with a meeting of all involved components. Whether it meant the Town of Seneca Falls reducing spending, as Town Supervisor Greg Lazzaro has mandated, or it meant obtaining additional funding at the state-level, a multitude of actions were going to be necessary to make it right.In many ways, it remains about addressing the mismanagement that has existed at the town level for decades. Historically, the money coming into the Town of Seneca Falls has been used or spent in ways that hasn’t allowed for the community to prepare for a day when Seneca Meadows ceased operation.Jones also wanted to offer a message of peace to those who are employed by Seneca Meadows. He explained that due to the regulations surrounding landfills, jobs would have to be preserved at the facility for decades beyond its closure.This is why he believes the time to close Seneca Meadows is in 2017. While many have talked about 2023, 2025, or 2027 as dates of potential closure it remains to be seen how the board will act. Until the Town makes a decision on this matter, which is something Jones highlighted throughout his time on Inside the FLX, uncertainty remains a decisive player in the public perception of this issue. Jones’ plan included the following points, which he elaborated on in his interview:1. Skim some of the money that Seneca County received from del Lago when the initial payment was made for their gaming license. 2. Establish a sales tax sharing system, where Seneca County would share a portion of the additional sales tax revenue received in the coming years.3. Tighten spending in the Town of Seneca Falls. Jones reiterated that Supervisor Lazzaro has already begun mandating that spending be cut by 15 percent for each department from this year’s budget. 4. Reach out to our representation at the state level to gain back the funding that would have been lost due to the closure of Seneca Meadows. Jones went on to point out that he remains hopeful that he’ll have the opportunity to share his plan, in greater detail, with the Town Board, or members of the community at their upcoming community forum scheduled for June 22nd.Shortly after Inside the FLX aired live Seneca Meadows District Manager Kyle Black released a statement regarding the financial stability of Seneca Falls.His statement read:“Seneca Meadows is proud to provide support for so many of the critical services that make Seneca Falls a great place to live. Community host revenue helps control local property taxes, and helps pay for first-responders. Local families have become accustomed to visiting the Seneca Falls Recreation Center, and the Seneca Falls Library, which thrive in large part due to revenue from our host community agreement. It is our hope to continue to offer this support, with more than $3 million in direct payments and services, $900,000 in tax revenue, and $14 million in goods and services that benefit the community every day.”Check out the full-interview in the video window above, and stay tuned to FingerLakes1.com for the latest developments on this issue.