Auburn officials are preparing for a multimillion-dollar repair project tied to one of the city’s most critical pieces of water infrastructure after engineers warned that the Franklin Street reservoir system has no built-in backup and includes a leaking transmission main nearly a century old.
The issue dominated part of Thursday’s City Council meeting, where councilors also accepted traffic safety funding, reviewed the city’s summer recreation schedule, heard continued public concern over taxes and policing, and honored retiring Public Works Superintendent Mike Talbot after more than 26 years with the city.
Reservoir project could cost millions
Director of Municipal Utilities Seth Jensen told council the city began examining the Franklin Street reservoir and transmission main after crews responded last fall to chlorine detected coming from the ground near Franklin Street Road in the town of Sennett. Excavation revealed several small leaks in a 30-inch transmission main that connects to the reservoir.
The pipe dates to the 1930s and is the final unreplaced section of a larger transmission main, according to the presentation. Jensen said the city previously replaced other portions of the line, including work completed in 2012 and earlier improvements from the 1980s.
Engineers from GHD said the 10 million-gallon underground concrete reservoir is in better condition than expected but still needs to be drained, cleaned, physically inspected and repaired. They also found that valves and gates need replacement, baffle walls show signs of degradation, and almost all improvements would require the reservoir to be taken out of service.
That creates the biggest challenge. Auburn’s water system serves about 45,000 people, including about 27,000 city residents and customers in surrounding areas. If the reservoir is offline, the lower pump station would have to carry the system. Engineers said the station is not designed to meet full system demands without the reservoir, lacks automatic standby power and cannot fully operate based on system pressure.
GHD outlined three options. The first, estimated at $12.65 million, would add a new 500,000-gallon storage tank, make minor pump station upgrades, rehabilitate the existing reservoir and replace the leaking transmission main. The second, estimated at $9 million, would upgrade the pump station, rehabilitate the reservoir and replace the pipe, but would not add storage redundancy and could increase pressure on older city water lines. The third, estimated at $23 million, would replace the current reservoir with a new 5 million-gallon precast concrete reservoir and include additional pump station improvements.
Jensen said the city is expected to move forward with grant paperwork based on the first option because it provides redundancy and covers the higher bonding authorization needed for the application. He said the city is pursuing a state Water Infrastructure Improvement Act grant, which could provide up to $5 million.
The timeline is tight. City officials have already started the environmental review process, and council would need to take up bonding in July to meet a July 27 grant application deadline. Awards are expected in November, with design potentially beginning late this year if funding is approved.
Mayor James Giannettino Jr. said the project is expensive but tied directly to public health, safety and economic development. He noted the cost would not come from the city’s general fund or directly affect the property tax levy, but would instead be paid through the water fund and spread across the broader customer base.
Jensen said doing nothing is not a realistic long-term option. If the transmission main or reservoir failed, the city would have to rely on the lower pump station in a way that could create significant pressure problems and failures elsewhere in the distribution system.
Summer recreation returns with expanded programming
City recreation officials also presented the 2026 summer recreation program, which begins June 30 and runs from 1 to 4 p.m. Tuesdays at Lincoln Park, Wednesdays at Clifford Park and Thursdays at Casey Park. Registration is due by Monday, June 29.
Director of Recreation Brian Rhodes and Summer Recreation Program Director Meg Gremli said the program will include arts and crafts, board games, reading, field and court games, gaga ball and supervised playground time. They said special programming will include culinary lessons, STEM activities, Cornell Cooperative Extension presentations, bike safety, fire safety, tennis lessons, skateboard lessons, water slides, an animal show, theater programming and an end-of-season Falcon Park Fun Day.
Rhodes said about 200 children had already registered, and officials expect strong turnout. Last year, attendance reached more than 350 children on the busiest day.
The program will also use a text-alert system to communicate with parents about weather changes and other updates. Gremli said the program’s slogan will again be “Lead with Kindness,” and officials emphasized a zero-tolerance policy for inappropriate language, bullying, harassment, threats or violence.
Councilors praised the program and its long list of sponsors. Councilor Rhoda Overstreet-Wilson suggested that recreation officials contact the county workforce development office about possible youth employment resources for staffing support.
Talbot also outlined the city’s summer concert and movie programming, including concerts at Hoopes Park, Auburn Civic Band performances and Monday movie nights in city parks. He said the programs remain free to the public because of city support and community sponsorships.
Council accepts traffic safety grant
Council unanimously accepted $28,290 in New York State Department of Motor Vehicles traffic safety funding for the Auburn Police Department.
The funding will reimburse police overtime connected to traffic enforcement initiatives aimed at increasing seat belt use and reducing dangerous driving behaviors. Giannettino credited the department for pursuing the grant and said the funding would support safer streets.
Council also approved a standard work day and reporting resolution for elected and appointed officials, a required filing tied to New York State retirement reporting.
Before the votes, City Manager Jenny Haines said implementation of parking program changes included in the upcoming budget will likely be delayed until Aug. 1. She said staff determined the changes could not all be in place by July 1 and wanted a coordinated rollout with clear public communication.
City Clerk Chuck Mason also announced that Auburn will switch from its current Granicus agenda platform to a new agenda system connected to the city’s CivicPlus website beginning in July.
Public raises taxes, police and e-bike concerns
Residents used the public comment period to continue pressing council on taxes, public safety and city finances.
James Udall of Osborne Street again urged council to update income limits for senior and disabled homeowner tax exemptions. He said the limits have not been changed since 2020 and warned that rising assessments, city taxes, school taxes and county taxes could force some fixed-income homeowners to sell or relocate.
Nate Mavone, chair of the Cayuga County Republican Committee, thanked the city for plans to decorate City Hall and the Equal Rights Heritage Center with American flags and bunting for Independence Day and the nation’s 250th anniversary. He said local Republican and Conservative committee members had purchased two large flags for possible display at City Hall.
Pamela O’Kussick of Chapman Avenue questioned claims that crime is down in Auburn and cited recent police calls, e-bike crashes and other incidents. Another speaker, South Waco of Washington Street, said crime is down and argued that e-bike and bicycle safety problems should be addressed through education rather than more enforcement.
Lon Fricano of Backus Road urged council to keep looking for deeper cost savings after adopting the city budget earlier this month. He said the fiscal crisis is not over and asked what department heads are being required to do to reduce costs further.
Auburn marks America 250 and honors longtime DPW leader
Council also issued a proclamation recognizing 2026 as a year of celebration and commemoration for the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
Giannettino said City Hall and the Equal Rights Heritage Center will be decorated for the Fourth of July and the semiquincentennial. He said council will also plant a commemorative tree across from City Hall in July using urban forestry grant funding, with a plaque planned to mark the occasion.
The meeting also became a farewell for Talbot, who is retiring as superintendent of public works after serving the city in several roles since 2000. Haines thanked Talbot for his practical, steady approach and said city employees appreciated both his work and his support over the years.
Giannettino presented Talbot with a key to the city, citing his 27 years of service, including time as playground supervisor, recreation supervisor, director of recreation, sanitation supervisor and superintendent of public works.
Talbot reflected on his career, saying public service was more difficult than private-sector work but deeply rewarding. He thanked his family, city staff and colleagues, while also recognizing retiring heavy equipment operator John Ribic as a major loss for the department.
Councilors praised Talbot for his responsiveness, leadership and willingness to help solve problems across the city. Giannettino said Talbot understood that city employees serve the public, even when the work is hard.
Council ended the meeting by entering executive session to discuss several matters, including real property, corporate financial history, collective negotiations and employment history. The next regular council meeting is scheduled for July 9 because there will be no meeting during the Fourth of July holiday week.
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