Town of Tully Web Site
Welcome to the Town of Tully, NY
In the heart of Central New York, Tully is the home of beautiful natural landscapes and a warm, small-town atmosphere which emphasizes family and community. Our productive farms, top-notch school system, and numerous community activities make Tully an excellent place to live and work.
Tully can be reached by Interstate 81 (exit 14). Syracuse is about 18 miles to the north, and Binghamton about 50 miles to the south.
We welcome your visit, whether in person or here on our Web Site!
History of Tully
About Our Name -Following the Revolutionary War, the upstate New York area was organized into Military Tracts. The surveyors were responsible for naming the areas and one of the assistant surveyors, being a classical scholar and professor at Kings College (Columbia), assigned names from Roman generals and statesmen and Greek men of letters. Tully is derived from the middle name of Marcus Tullius Cicero.
Marcus Tullius Cicero (Jan.3, 106 - Dec. 7, 43 BC) was Rome's most famous orator, lawyer, and statesman, and achieved the highest political distinction by serving as consul in 63 BC. His numerous essays, speeches, and letters have exerted an enormous influence upon subsequent ages from ancient times to the present.
The first white settler was David Owen, who build a log cabin in 1795, and the first Annual Town Meeting was held on April 4, 1803. By 1860 the population exceeded one thousand. Our current population (2000 census) was 924 in the Village of Tully (0.6 sq. miles) and 2,709 in the Town of Tully (25.9 sq. miles).
Prehistoric Beginnings - About 350 million years ago, the Tully bedrock was mostly silty and sandy clay at the bottom of a shallow sea. This sea bottom also included some limy layers that were destined to become known as the Tully Limestone. The great glaciers, beginning about two million years ago, shaped the major features of Tully's current landscape, widening and deepening the pre-glacial trending in a southwest direction, and forming deep "new" valleys cutting across the original ones.
The Landscape -At one stage, the edge of the glacier stood at Tully Valley and built up an enormous bank of end moraine, about 600 feet high, across the valley. The moraine's crest now forms a segment of the St. Lawrence-Susquehanna drainage divide. As the torrents of meltwater flowed away south, they spread quantities of gravel and sand that now make up much of the valley floor. It is the most extensive area of glacial outwash in Central New York.
Soils -The blanket of ground-up rock which the glaciers spread over the valley sides and uplands contained limestone and other materials that make today's soil more fertile than the pre-glacial soil. The glacial load also included many boulders, some several feet in diameter, derived from ledges many miles to the north and northeast.
Although the lowland soils are largely sandy and gravelly, there are occasional areas of clay-rich soil where the meltwater streams formed into ponds, at least temporarily. The upland soils are more silty.
Tully Limestone -Limestone, ten feet or more in thickness, crops out along many of the hillsides in the area, with shale rocks both above and beneath it. In 1839 the early geologists named it the Tully Limestone because of the excellent outcrops in the vicinity. Scientifically, Tully Limestone is unique among the New York rocks in that its most distinctive fossil species is not found elsewhere in America.
Salt -Deep beneath the visible surface, and about 60 million years older than the Tully Limestone, are the salt-bearing strata which once contributed much to the economy of the region. To recover the salt, the Solvay Process Company built wells in the Tully Valley, penetrating the salt beds at an average depth of 1300 feet (700 feet below sea level). Salt mining operations began in 1889 and ended in the 1980s.
Recreation and Aesthetics -The great glaciers of the Ice Age provided more than good farm lands, soils, and favorable industrial sites. Glacial erosion formed long, steep hill slopes, making them ideal for skiing. As the glacier receded, masses of ice that lay buried beneath the outwash plain finally melted, leaving sags and depressions that now hold the lovely Tully Lakes. These kettle lakes attract both wildlife and people. The beauty of the high hills and wide valleys, along with easy access to the metropolitan areas of Syracuse and Binghamton, have made Tully an attractive location for family residences and businesses.
The TOWN of Tully covers a large area, with elevations ranging from about 1220 to about 1800 ft. above sea level. The center of the VILLAGE of Tully is at about 1252.
Figures taken from U.S. Geological Survey map dated 1955.
Building Permit applications may be obtained at the Town Municipal Building during the Town Clerk's published business hours. Questions about the process may be directed to the Code Enforcement Officer from 10:30pm-12:00Noon on Thursday mornings at the Town Municipal Building, or by calling 315 696-4693 ext.19 during regular business hours.
Getting a marriage license -A couple who intends to be married in New York State must apply in person for a marriage license to any town or city clerk in the state. The application for a license must be signed both by the bride and groom in the presence of the town or city clerk. A representative cannot apply for the license on behalf of the bride or groom. This applies even if the representative has been given the Power of Attorney. Notarized marriage license affidavits signed by the bride or groom cannot be substituted for their personal appearance. Please call the Tully town clerk for an appointment at
696-4693 ext. 10.
Is there a waiting period? -Yes. Although the marriage license is issued immediately, the marriage ceremony may not take place within 24 hours from the exact time that the license was issued.
When both applicants are 16 years of age or older, the 24-hour waiting period may be waived by an order of a justice or the Supreme Court or a judge of the County Court of the county in which either the bride or groom resides. If either person is under 16 years of age, the order must be from the Family Court judge of the county in which the person under 16 years of age resides.
How long is the license valid? -A marriage license is valid for 60 days, beginning the day after it is issued.
How much does the license cost? - If the marriage license is issued by a town or city clerk in New York State outside of New York City, it costs $40. If it is issued by the City Clerk of the City of New York, it costs $30. The fee in either case includes the issuance of a Certificate of Marriage Registration. This certificate is automatically sent by the issuing clerk to the applicants within 15 days after the completed license is returned by the officiant (person who performs the marriage ceremony). It serves as notice that a record of the marriage is on file. Couples who do not receive a Certificate of Marriage Registration within four weeks of the wedding should contact the town or city clerk who issued the license.
Is a premarital physical exam required? -No premarital examination or blood test is required to obtain a marriage license in New York State.
Who can get married? - Age Requirements
If either applicant is under 14 years of age, a marriage license cannot be issued. If either applicant is 14 or 15 year of age, such applicant(s) must present the written consent of both parents and a justice of the Supreme Court or a judge of the Family Court having jurisdiction over the town or city in which the application is made.
- If either applicant is 16 or 17 years of age, such applicant must present the written consent of both parents.
- If both applicants are 18 years of age or older, no consents are required.
- One parent alone may consent to a minor's marriage if:
- the other parent has been missing for one year preceding the application;
- the parents are divorced and the consenting parent was given sole custody of the child when the divorce decree was awarded;
- the other parent has been judged incompetent; or
- the other parent is deceased.
Parents, guardians or other people consenting to the marriage of a minor must personally appear and acknowledge or execute their consent before the town or city clerk or some other authorized official. If the notarized affidavit is made before an official outside of the State of New York, it must be accompanied by a certificate of authentication when the consent is filed in New York State.
Proof of Identity - A person is required to submit documentary proof of identity in the form of a driver's license, DMV-issued non-driver's license, passport or employment picture I.D.
Proof of Age - A person may be required to submit documentary proof of age in the form of a birth certificate, baptismal record, passport, driver's license, life insurance policy, employment certificate, school record, immigration record, naturalization record or court record. No other type of proof, such as a statement by parents, may be accepted.
Familial Restrictions -A marriage may not take place in New York State between an ancestor and descendant, a brother and sister (full or half blood), an uncle and niece or an aunt and nephew, regardless of whether or not these persons are legitimate or illegitimate offspring.
Previous Marriages -Information regarding previous marriages must be furnished in the application for a marriage license. This includes whether the former spouse or spouses are living, and whether the applicants are divorced and, if so, when, where and against whom the divorce or divorces were granted. A certified copy of the Decree of Divorce or a Certificate of Dissolution of Marriage may be required by the clerk issuing the marriage license.
Surname Options - Every person has the right to adopt any name by which he or she wishes to be known simply by using that name consistently and without intent to defraud.
A person's last name (surname) does not automatically change upon marriage, and neither party to the marriage is required to change his or her last name. The bride and groom need not take the same last name.
One or both parties to a marriage may elect to change the surname by which he or she wishes to be known after the marriage by entering the new name in the appropriate space provided on the marriage license. The new name must consist of one of the following options:
- the surname of the other spouse;
- any former surname of either spouse;
- a name combining into a single surname all or a segment of the pre-marriage surname or any former surname of each spouse;
- a combination name separated by a hyphen, provided that each part of such combination surname is the pre-marriage surname, or any former surname, of each of the spouses.
The use of this option will provide a record of your change of name. The marriage certificate, containing the new name, if any, is proof that the use of the new name, or the retention of the former name, is lawful. The local Social Security Administration office should be contacted so that its records and your social security identification card reflect the name change. There is no charge for this service.
Whether you decide to use or not use this option at the time of your marriage license application, you still have the right to adopt a different name through usage at some future date. However, your marriage license cannot be changed to record a surname you decide to use after your marriage.
Where Can a Marriage Take Place? -A New York State marriage license may be used within New York State only. Please note that if you go out of New York State to be married, your New York State marriage license will not be filed in New York State.
There is no particular form or ceremony required except that the parties must state in the presence of an authorized member of the clergy or public official and at least one other witness that they take each other as husband and wife.
There is no minimum age for a witness. However, in selecting a witness, choose at least one person who you feel would be competent to testify in a court proceeding as to what he or she witnessed.
To be valid, a marriage ceremony must be performed by any of the individuals specified in Section 11 of the New York State Domestic Relations Law. These include:
- the mayor of a city or village;
- the city clerk or one of the deputy city clerks of a city of more than one million inhabitants;
- a marriage officer appointed by the town or village board or the city common council;
- a justice or judge of the following courts: the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, the U.S. District Courts for the Northern, Southern, Eastern or Western Districts of New York, the NYS Court of Appeals, the Appellate Division of the NYS Supreme Court, the NYS Supreme Court, the Court of Claims, the Family Court, a Surrogates' Court, the Civil and Criminal Courts of New York City (including Housing Judges of the Civil Court) and other courts of record;
- a village, town or county justice;
- a member of the clergy or minister who has been officially ordained and granted authority to perform marriage ceremonies from a governing church body in accordance with the rules and regulations of the church body;
- a member of the clergy or minister who is not authorized by a governing church body but who has been chosen by a spiritual group to preside over their spiritual affairs;
- other officiants as specified by Section 11 of the Domestic Relations Law.
The person performing the ceremony must be registered with the City of New York in order to perform a ceremony within the New York City limits. The officiant does not have to be a resident of New York State.
Ship captains are not authorized to perform marriage ceremonies in New York State.
Special Note:Rubella is a common childhood disease. It is usually not serious to children who contract it themselves, but can be a tragic crippler of unborn babies if transmitted to pregnant women.
Rubella infection poses a grave threat to the unborn child, especially during the first four months of pregnancy It can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth or one or all of the tragic defects such as deafness, blindness, crippling congenital heart disease, mental retardation and muscular and bone defects.
In order to be immune to rubella, one must either receive the rubella vaccine or actually have had the disease. To learn whether you are susceptible to rubella, have your doctor give you a blood test. Even more important is the availability of a rubella vaccine which will prevent you from ever contracting the disease.
In order to protect yourself, your family and your friends, please take steps to prevent the tragic effects of rubella. Contact your family doctor, health care provider, public health facility or clinic for further information.
If you plan to use your married name at work, be sure to have your name changed in Social Security records. This way, you will get credit for all your earnings. It's easy and it's absolutely free. Contact any Social Security office. Look in the telephone book for the address and phone number. You will need documentary evidence showing both your old name and your new name.
Where do you get copies of records? -For copies of marriage licenses issued anywhere in New York State except New York City, a certified copy of the marriage record may be obtained from the office of the town or city clerk who issued the license, or from the New York State Department of Health. The fee is $10 if you obtain a certified copy from the town or city clerk who issued the license. If applying to the New York State Department of Health, the fee is $5. For a certified copy, write to:
Vital Records Section
New York State Department of Health
Empire State Plaza
Albany, New York 12237-0023
For marriage licenses issued in New York City, do not apply to the New York State Department of Health. You must apply to the borough office of the City Clerk of New York in the borough where the license was issued. The fee is $15 per copy. Write to the City Clerk of New York:
MANHATTAN: Municipal Building, New York, New York 10007
BRONX: 780 Grand Concourse, New York, New York 10457
BROOKLYN: Municipal Building, Brooklyn, New York 11202
QUEENS: 20-55 Queens Boulevard, Kew Gardens, Jamaica, New York 11424
RICHMOND: Borough Hall, St. George, Staten Island, New York, 10301
Dog License Article 7 relates to the licensing, identification, and control of dogs and the animal population control program in New York State and is administered by the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets. Dogs harbored in New York City, however, must be licensed by the New York City Dept. of Health. Local officials, generally animal control officers or dog control officers, are responsible for enforcing Article 7. Further information may be obtained by the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets, Division of Animal Industry, 1 Winners Circle, Albany, NY 12235, 518-457-2728.
What dogs must be licensed? -Every dog owned or harbored in New York State for longer than 30 days must be licensed. The only exemptions are: dogs under six months of age not running at large dogs harbored in New York City (these dogs must be licensed by the NYC Dept. Health) if a non-resident brings a dog into New York State for less than 30 days and the dog is licensed according to the resident state's licensing laws dogs confined to the premises of any public or private hospital, research institution or a Class A Dealer with a certificate of exemption from the Commissioner.
How to License Your Dog - Apply for a dog license at the Tully Town Clerk's office located in the Tully Municipal Building, 5833 Meetinghouse Rd. Office hours are Mon 9am-4pm,Tues 2pm-7pm, Wed 9am-4pm, Thurs 9am-4pm. For guide dogs, war dogs, hearing dogs, police work dogs or service dogs, satisfactory proof is required, such as a training certificate, etc., for licenses.
In addition to the application, the owner will need: if the dog is spayed or neutered, a certificate from a licensed veterinarian or an affidavit from the owner showing that the dog has been spayed or neutered, unless this proof is already on file with the clerk. All dogs three months or older must have proof of a rabies vaccination signed by a licensed veterinarian or a certificate stating why the life of the dog would be endangered by the vaccine.
License Fees -The statutory license fees are: $2.50 for spayed or neutered dogs $10.50 for unspayed or unneutered dogs. $3.00 of this fee is used to fund the Animal Population Control Program. NO FEE for Guide, War, Hearing, Police Work, or Service dogs. In addition to the state fees, the local licensing fee for the Town of Tully is $2.50. Once licensed, the annual renewal forms will be mailed directly to the dog owner by the Dept. of Agriculture and Markets.
How to Change a License -To ensure the accuracy of license records, it is essential that any change to the information on the license be provided to the local licensing agent, who in turn will notify the New York State Dept. of Agriculture and Markets so that records can be updated. The owner must provide in writing any of the following changes: dog ownership dog owner's address loss or theft of the dog (and if the dog is found, its return) death of a dog.
Distribution of Dog License Monies - Any local fees collected are kept by the licensing municipality (Town of Tully) for dog control services and enforcement of Article 7 of the Agriculture and Markets Law. The state fee is apportioned as follows: 53% is retained by the licensing municipality for dog control and enforcement of Article 7 of the Agriculture and Markets law. 30% is sent to the county to reimburse livestock animal owners for dog damage claims. Any unused money is returned to the licensing municipalities annually. 17% is forwarded to the NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets to provide all dog license forms and identification tags, send renewal applications, and maintain the centralized database of dog licenses. From this 17% share, a $.10 fee for each license issued is remitted to Cornell Veterinary College for dog disease studies. All other fees, such as impoundment fees and fines and/or penalties for violations, are retained by the collecting municipality.
Local Dog Control Services -In the Town of Tully, the Dog Control Officer is Laura Holt, 696-6468. Every licensing town, city or village must have a Dog Control Officer (DCO) and municipal shelter services. The DCO and shelter service enforces both State and any local dog laws and ordinances. Further, it is the DCO's responsibility to pick up lost and stray dogs and humanely care for them until they can be reunited with their owners. If your dog is lost, or you find a lost dog, immediately contact your local DCO or shelter. Owners should seek lost, unidentified dogs at the municipal shelter. If a dog is lost but identified with a NYS identification tag, the DCO will contact the NYS Dept. of Agriculture and Markets to trace the dog tag to the owner. The local dog control officer must institute action for violations of both state and local laws. Fines or civil penalties shall be up to $25 for the first offense, $50 for the second, and $100 for the third and subsequent offenses. If dogs injure or kill livestock, the local assessor should be notified immediately. Do NOT destroy or bury the animals. They must be available for examination so the assessor can appraise the damage.
Rabies Vaccinations -Onondaga County has seen an increase in the incidence of rabies over the past several years. Dog and cat owners should have their pets vaccinated by their veterinarian, or at a Rabies Vaccination Clinic sponsored by the Onondaga County Health Department Animal Disease Prevention. For more information, pick up a Vaccination Clinic Schedule at the Tully Municipal Building, or call Animal Disease Prevention at 315-435-3165. Do not try to feed wild animals that might have rabies. Do not keep them as pets. Raccoons, skunks, foxes, bats, and other wild animals may be infected with rabies and should not be touched. Stay away from stray animals. Cats and dogs that roam outdoors are more likely to be infected with rabies and may bite you. Do not try to feed or pet them. Make sure that your home and yard do not attract raccoons. Keep garbage cans tightly convered. Do not leave pet food outdoors. Cap chimneys and seal places where raccoons and other animals can get in and hide. Have your pets vaccinated against rabies, and keep the vaccination up-to-date. If your pet has been in a fight with a wild or stray animal, wear gloves to handle your pet, and call your veterinarian. If you are bitten or scratched, wash the wound with lots of soap and water, and call your doctor immediately. Report all animal bites to the Animal Disease Control office of the Onondaga County Health Department at 315-435-3165.
Hunting/Fishing Licenses are administered by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, License Sales Office, Room 151, 50 Wolf Road, Albany, NY 12233-4790, (518) 457-3521.
An annual Hunting/Fishing License Application may be obtained from the Tully Town Clerk at the Tully Municipal Building (Mon 9am-4pm Tues 2pm-7pm Wed 9am-4pm Thurs 9am-4pm ). Fees are higher for non-NYS residents, and those claiming NYS legal residence are required to provide proof that they have been residents for more than 30 days (you may use a photocopy of your DMV driver's license or DMV non-driver's ID card as acceptable proof). The annual Hunting/Fishing License Application is used to apply for many different types of hunting and fishing licenses, each of which has a different annual fee. The current Application form lists all the available license types and the fees for each.
Lifetime Hunting/Fishing License applications are also available to New York State Residents. Telephone 518-457-3521 for more information and to obtain current fees. Lifetime licenses are available to residents of New York State who have been residents for at least one year immediately prior to application date. Applicants 16 years of age or older must possess either a NYS DMV driver's license or a NYS DMV non-driver's identification card. Lifetime licenses are effective immediately upon validation. Appropriate tags, regulations guides, and special applications (e.g., deer management permit applications) will be mailed annually to lifetime licensee. Permanent backtags will be issued and they should be carried separately from lifetime licenses. Lifetime licensees are entitled to all hunting and fishing privileges which apply to annual license holders. They must still purchase separate privileges such as turkey permits and deer management permits. Lifetime licenses will remain valid for use in New York regardless of a change in residency. After a change in residency, no additional lifetime types may be purchased. Lifetime licenses are non-transferrable. Refunds for lifetime license fees will not be made under any conditions. Lifetime license fees may increase when annual license fees increase and such increases will not affect sportsmen who have previously purchased a lifetime license. Lost lifetime licenses will be replaced for a $5.00 fee. (Please allow 3-4 weeks for processing). When a lifetime license is purchased as a gift for a child, the lifetime license application must be completed except for proof of sportsman education training. The residence of a child is the residence of his/her parents or legal guardians. A copy of the parents' or guardians' New York State Department of Motor Vehicles driver's license and one other proof of residence must be submitted for a child. A gift certificate for the child will be sent to the purchaser. When the child becomes of age and completes the required sportsman education courses, he/she may complete a new application to receive a permanent identification card. If the child chooses not to hunt, he/she may receive a lifetime fishing license in lieu of the lifetime Hunting/Fishing license.
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