This referendum is to authorize the Cape Vincent Town Board to secure a $1M Bond (loan) to purchase two properties on Club Street – The small Trottier boat house and Captain Jack’s. In addition to the purchases, demolish and remove the two structures and develop those waterfront properties.

The vote will be held:
Saturday, April 13, 2024
12 PM to 6 PM
Recreation Park
For anyone unable to Vote in person, there will be a Notice, with project details and information sent to all applicable residents, along with information, on how to request an Absentee Ballot. This will allow all applicable residents the opportunity to cast their vote, via Absentee, as long as it is postmarked by 4/13/24.

The goal of the Town Board is to not raise taxes. Based on expected sales tax revenue increases, new property taxes from new construction, and a thorough budget review, the Town Board hopes to have little or no increase to taxpayers. While the total cost of the loan reflects a $.09 per thousand assessed tax, which equates to $9.00 Per Year on a home assessed at $100,000, the Town is confident it will be much less.

The Town and Village want to develop the Cape Vincent waterfront to take advantage of the beautiful St. Lawrence River to increase tourism and the vibrancy of our local community. The Club Street project will allow residents and visitors, easier access to the water and beautify the downtown area. Increased tourism will benefit our local businesses, attract new businesses, increase the tax base through improved infrastructure to help sustain them for all to use and enjoy.

No. The possible tax increase of $.09 per thousand dollars of assessed value is for Phase 1-A only. Phase 1-B and 1-C will have no additional local expense, the remaining two phases will be completed through state and federal grant funding. There is no tax increase planned for the remaining two phases.

No. The Town of Cape Vincent has no debt. In 2019, the Town took a $1M ban (loan) to cover our local share of grants to purchase and demolish the Swenson house and a small Trottier boathouse. In 2023 the Town paid off this debt erasing its indebtedness in less than 4 years.

Yes. A total of $621,789 has been spent to purchase the Swenson property and the small boat house, and to demolish those two properties. $280,997 of the $621K came from Grants and $340,792 came from Town funds. There was no tax increase for this work and the Town currently has no debt.

Both the Town and the Village have requested portions of the NY Forward Grant (the Village Grant for $4.5 Million Dollars) to further develop the Club Street phase 1-B and the Town has also applied for a Boater Infrastructure Grant to be used for phase 1-C. All of Phase 1-A,1-B and 1-C is dependent on the passing of the referendum.

The Town needs the referendum to pass to purchase the small Trottier boathouse and Captain Jack’s, remove those structures, and prepare the waterfront for the development of the grant funded project. If the referendum does not pass, the Town will not have the funds for the purchase and removal of these two properties, and the Town would be unable to proceed with the Club St Development Project. The current Local Waterfront Development Grant, already awarded, along with the anticipated NY Forward and Boater Infrastructure Grant would be forfeited, bringing the entire project to a halt. In addition to the $621,000 already invested, the town and community would be walking away from an additional $3.2 Million in state and federal grant funding/waterfront development dollars.

The Town and Village boards are working cooperatively with Edgewater Consulting, community input and a Club St. Steering Committee to develop a usable and welcoming waterfront to draw visitors to our community. There have been 4 scheduled public events soliciting ideas to be incorporated into the overall plan. Moving forward, there will be additional opportunities for community members to provide input into design aspects, especially regarding landscape, hardscape, and other elements of the overall appearance.

Nothing currently. The Village dock remains as one of the anchors for “placemaking” and serves as an illustration of what can be accomplished along the waterfront. Ongoing issues with the Village aging infrastructure preclude them from considering additional waterfront projects at the current time.

No. The Ferry Landing remains privately owned property. The Village is working with the owner to discuss the possibility of a sale, but this space is not considered part of the Club St. Project.

Trottier’s Small Boat House – $285,000
Captain Jack’s – $240,000
For a total of $525,000

The two existing structures on the properties need to be demolished and removed. The town will pay that cost up front, upon payment the town will then submit receipts to the respective agency for reimbursement. In short, the remaining balance of the $1 Million Dollar Bond, is considered working Capital to be paid off as reimbursements come in. Lastly, as we did for the removal of the Swenson House, the Town is planning on town labor and equipment to remove Captain Jack’s to save additional expenses.