Today marks the end of an era at the Trumansburg schools. The castle playground is now closed. It will soon be demolished.

In the first quarter of this year, there have been only three donations over $200 from Trumansburg to the re-election campaign of our incumbent Representative in Congress, Michael Arcuri. The total amount of those donations is $2,400.

That’s more than what Arcuri’s Republican rival, Richard Hanna has obtained from Trumansburg. Although Hanna took more than half again as much money as Arcuri in general during the first quarter of this year, Hanna did not receive any donations over $200 from Trumansburg.

It seems that a general lack of enthusiasm characterizes Trumansburg’s role in the 2010 congressional election so far. Support for Richard Hanna is low, but support for Congressman Arcuri isn’t high either.

As the campaign approaches its zenith, there are political lawn signs up and down our streets, and even a big billboard far outside of village limits on route 96. What’s more important, however, is the talk going on around town about the candidates. In a small community like ours, what people already know about a candidate is not easily overpowered by a quick investment in campaign gear.

This weekend, much of the talk has to do with Republican mayoral candidate John White, who is seeking to replace incumbent Democrat Marty Petrovic. The concern being expressed has to do with one of the hottest political topics in our region: Natural gas drilling, and the impact of its fracking technology on our local water supplies.

It seems that John White owns a good deal of land outside of Trumansburg – land that’s leased out to natural gas drilling companies. In order for those leases to bring a profit to White, however, there would have to be an arrangement for local water to be used, so that dangerous substances could be added to it for hydrofracking, in which natural gas is released through the pumping of the resulting mixture into the ground.

As Mayor of Trumansburg, John White would be in a position to lead the village into providing some of our water to natural gas drilling companies such as the one that holds a lease on his own property. It smells like a serious conflict of interest.

It’s a big deal how our zoning works, given that it governs much of how we can live in the village. Yet, only 2 people showed up to the December 14 meeting at which the zoning was discussed.

I’ve been told that our mayor expressed the opinion that there isn’t any need for further input, given that so few people are interested. I don’t know for certain that’s actually what was said, but I have heard similar things being said by many elected officials here in Ulysses.

I want to suggest that our Mayor consider slowing down the zoning process, for the reason that he, and other members of the Village Board, may be overestimating the speed with which village residents can fairly be expected to become acquainted with, consider, and react meaningfully to a document such as the proposed Zoning Ordinance.

The Trustees of Trumansburg have a certain way of looking at village business, which is natural to their position: They have sought, and been granted through competitive elections, the privilege of dealing with the minutae of our community’s business. They know the ins and outs of what’s going on in our village, and are consistently focused upon the legislative matters that keep Trumansburg going.

Most of the rest of us in Trumansburg are not so focused. For some, it’s because they don’t care much. For most of the rest of us, it’s because of other factors.

The proposed zoning ordinance was last edited on November 13. The new version was posted online on December 7 – just a week before the meeting that apparently disappointed the Mayor. In that time, people have had the holidays to deal with – family coming in for Thanksgiving, and preparations for whatever winter holidays we celebrate. At this time of year, it can be especially difficult to make it out for a long evening meeting, especially one that requires a person to read a 66-page document in order to meaningfully contribute.

But, even if it weren’t the holiday season, many of us would have been hard put to make that December 14th meeting, and to prepare for it. That’s because, in these hard economic times, more residents of Trumansburg are working longer hours, sometimes working more than one job to make ends meet. For those of us with children, these village meetings are at bedtime, and practically impossible to attend at any time of year, especially when one spouse in a family is working at that extra job to bring in extra income to make up for losses elsewhere.

There’s something else the Village Board ought to take into account in its schedule considering the proposed zoning changes: The pace of a community like ours. Even for adults in Trumansburg who work simple 9 to 5, 40 hour work weeks, and don’t have children to take care of, it can seem rather rushed to post a document online and then have a hearing about it a week later.

People here know their neighbors. They like to soak in news about their community, contemplating it slowly, through discussions with friends in town, to see what the general consensus is. Most residents aren’t going to keep a watch on the official web site of the Village, and react immediately, as if their citizenship is as simple as a vote on Dancing With the Stars.

There’s no need to hurry a revision of our zoning ordinance. It would be nice if people had some time to consider the changes gradually, making sure that they understand what’s being proposed before they rush to an opinion. If it takes another 9 months, another year or two even, to pass some revisions, there isn’t much lost.

Let’s not interpret lack of physical absence at a meeting as apathy. Instead, let’s recognize the way that people in Trumansburg are really living these days – that’s what zoning ought to reflect anyway, isn’t it?

Other photographs of our area can be found through the Gateway to Astronaut Photography of Earth. Just search for “Finger Lakes”.

My son is going into the third grade this year, and the need to get him to and from school every day was a cause of concern for our family, considering that he has a little brother and sister, and I am often working out of town. Taking my son to school in a cold rain or frigid winter day would mean taking his two year-old brother out in those conditions as well. Many other families have to deal with similar challenges.

We could drive our son to school in relative comfort, it’s true, but if every family does that every day, it creates a nasty traffic situation, and the waste of a great deal of fuel as well. School buses are safer, and more efficient, for our community.

“THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BINGHAMTON HAS ISSUED A * FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR… CENTRAL TOMPKINS COUNTY IN CENTRAL NEW YORK… * UNTIL 815 PM EDT * AT 514 PM EDT…LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS REPORTED FLASH FLOODING. * LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO DRYDEN… ITHACA AND TRUMANSBURG. SKYWARN SPOTTER HAS REPORTED STORM DRAIN COVERS BLOWN OUT IN ITHACA DUE TO URBAN FLOODING. PLEASE REPORT FLOODING TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BY CALLING TOLL FREE AT 1-877-633-6772…OR BY EMAIL AT BGM.STORMREPORT@NOAA.GOV.”

The warning will expire in five minutes. Anyone catch any storm drain covers blown out in our direction. Days like these, I have special appreciation for the volume of our gorges.

It’s a simple test shot of my perspective as I’m riding a bicycle down a slushy Cayuga Street in the middle of the winter, with the snow piled high on either side.

What the video can’t show are my very cold hands. I can still remember how much they hurt, just from an ungloved exposure to the air.

Yet, for the best of the Trumansburg Farmers Market this week, I have to choose the fungus of Blue Oyster Cultivation. I can’t speak to the culinary or medicinal value of the shrooms and other fruiting bodies that they have to sell, as I’m not a foodie or a pharmacist. Visually, however, the oranges, blues, yellows and greys of their display are astounding, with shapes that flare out far beyond the simple nubs of the button mushrooms we can get at the grocery store.

Just a look brought satisfaction. This coming week, I’m going to try a nibble to go with it.

Does Trumansburg need a gym that’s open even in the wee small hours of the morning? Is there something that a new gym could do to be more successful in our town than the old women’s exercise center was… such as not excluding 50 percent of the population?

If you want to fly, now you know where to look.