VOTE TUESDAY, JANUARY 30, 2018
12 pm - 9 pm | Accord Firehouse Social Hall | 22 Main Street, Accord, NY
Special Election Details
On Tuesday, January 30, you will have an opportunity to vote to approve, or disapprove, the Town of Rochester's community solar project in a Permissive Referendum election.
The special election is for all registered voters.
The Town Board has agreed to enter into two separate lease agreements subject to permissive referendum vote of eligible electors of the town. Residents will vote to give the Town Board permission to lease two parcels of town-owned land to Borrego Solar Systems, Inc. The initial lease term will be twenty years with the right to extend the term up to four additional five-year periods.
Each lease agreement is a separate vote. A majority of "YES" votes will allow the Town to enter the lease with Borrego. A majority of no votes will void the lease and terminate solar initiative.
-
If the vote passes, two community farms will be constructed on the designated pieces of town land and produce a 20-year income stream for the town which can help offset future property tax increases and fund projects the Town could not otherwise afford.
Accord Firehouse Social Hall
22 Main Street, Accord, NY 12404
Click here for map
Because this is a special election, there will be a single polling site for the entire town, located at the Accord Fire House Social Hall, 22 Main Street in Accord.
ALL OTHER POLL SITES WILL BE CLOSED!
ABSENTEE VOTERS
Absentee voters must fill out a new absentee application for the year 2018.
Permanent absentee voters will receive their ballots in the mail.
Absentee ballot deadlines
-
Jan 23: Postmark deadline for absentee ballot application for the special election ballot.
-
Jan 29: Last day to apply in person for the special election ballot at the Ulster County Board of Elections, located at 284 Wall Street, Kingston NY 12401.
-
Jan 29: Last day to postmark special election ballot.
-
Jan 30: Last day to deliver the special election ballot in person to the Ulster County Board of Elections, located at 284 Wall Street, Kingston NY 12401.
Absentee ballot applications can be downloaded from the Ulster County Board of Elections' website
Ulster County Board of Elections | 284 Wall Street Street Kingston, NY 12402
(845) 340-3000
VOTE TUESDAY, JANUARY 30, 2018
12 pm - 9 pm
What will be on the ballot?
Propostion #1 and Proposition #2 are independent of each other and require individual balloting. The ballot is not a choice of one site or the other.
(Ballot proposition language in blue boxes)
This special election was prompted by a group of Rochester residents who circulated petitions and obtained the required number of signatures from qualified voters to require that the Town of Rochester hold a permissive referendum election to give town residents an opportunity to vote on the lease of town-owned land that the Town Board has approved.
-
State law dictates that a permissive referendum election be held not less than 60, and not more than 75 days after a petition with the required number of valid signatures is submitted to the Town. State law requires that a special election must be held between January 29 and February 12, 2018.
-
The vote will be the culmination of 21 months of deliberate work and open public discussion by the Town Board dating back to April 2016. Learn more.
Permissive Referendum #1
6140 Route 209
Proposition #1
Should the Town of Rochester enter into an option and lease agreement with Borrego Solar Systems, Inc. for land area of 24.11 acres located at 6140 Route 209 Tax map parcel 76.1-3-17 for the purpose of erecting and operating a community solar system? The Initial lease term will be 20 years with the right to extend the term for up to 4 additional 5 year periods. Rental fee will be $10,000.00 per megawatt DC per lease year with a 1% annual increase.
YES
NO
6140 Route 209 / parcel 76.1-3-17 / 24.11 acres
Projected lease income from the solar farm
located at 6140 Route 209:
$1,233,004 over the term of the 20-year lease
$56,000 annually with a 1% increase each year
Permissive Referendum #2
Off Airport Road
Proposition #2
Should the Town of Rochester enter into an option and lease agreement with Borrego Solar Systems, Inc. for an area of land not to exceed 30 acres located off Airport Road Tax map parcel 69.3-2-41.100 for the purpose of erecting and operating a community solar system. The Initial lease term will be 20 years with the right to extend the term for up to 4 additional 5 year periods. Rental fee will be $ 10,000.00 per megawatt DC per lease year with a 1% annual increase.
YES
NO
Off Airport Rd / parcel 69.3-2-41.100 / 27 acres