Homer, McGraw, and Cortland Urge Cortlandville to Reconsider Recreation Funding Cuts

Village of Homer Mayor Pat Clune and City of Cortland Mayor Scott Steve both attended the Cortlandville Town Board meeting last evening regarding the Town of Cortlandville’s decision to not provide funding for shared recreational facilities and programming. The letter was signed by Clune, Steve, and McGraw Mayor Joe Nauseef.

Mayor Clune spoke during the privilege of the floor citing how the village has received calls from Cortlandville residents on how they may not be allowed to participate in certain recreational activities or now have to pay a “non-resident” fee.

Clune cited the main reason for the discontinuation of funding for shared services in part from the new agreement Cortland County has with the towns, villages, and City of Cortland for sales tax revenues and what each municipality is given. The county for 2026 and going forward will be collecting a larger percentage of revenues than in previous years.

With this, and to cover costs for programs in each the Villages of Homer, McGraw, and City of Cortland, Cortlandville residents will have to pay a “non-resident” fee in addition to normal registration fees, or even possibly not be allowed to participate in certain activities.

According to the letter provided to the Town of Cortlandville, direct operational impacts should also be considered. Previously, Cortlandville staff utilized RecDesk, a scheduling, registration, and facility management system that coordinates use in Cortland, Homer, McGraw, and Cortlandville.

Now with the elimination of funding by Cortlandville, town staff will lose access to the RecDesk system and will be required to independently manage calendars and reservations for Ted Testa Park, Blodgett Mills Park, and the Gutchess Lumber Sports Complex pavilion. Clune, Nauseef, and Steve warn this could result in an increase in administrative workload, a reduction in efficiency, and increasing the likelihood of scheduling conflicts.

“Beyond the immediate impact on users, there are important long-term considerations.” the letter warns. “Removing that shared commitment risks shifting greater long-term financial burden onto residents, many of whom already face economic hardship, as the City and Villages are not positioned to independently sustain the full cost of recreational programming.”

Cortlandville will also lose access to park patrol services and will be responsible during the summer season for security, monitoring, and enforcement at town parks. The letter warns this will introduce new staffing needs for Cortlandville and other costs associated with patrol along with concerns for consistent coverage, public safety, and overall user experience during the busiest time for parks.

“Access to affordable recreation is not a luxury. It supports public health, youth development, community safety, and quality of life.” The letter continued. “Decisions that increase financial and administrative burden on both residents and municipal staff risk undermining those outcomes.”

Both Clune and Steve noted during Wednesday’s meeting that their doors are always open to further discussion on possibly resolving the loss of funding by the Town of Cortlandville for recreational programming in the three municipalities.