Schuyler County Public Health celebrates 100 years of service

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Schuyler County Public Health is inviting the community to celebrate a century of care for the area.

On Wednesday, Sept. 23, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., the event for Schuyler County Public Health will take place at the Shared Services Building located at 910 S Decatur St. in Watkins Glen. The celebration will include an open house and an art show displaying work from Watkins Glen Central School District students.

The event is set to showcase highlights from the century of service that the organization has provided to the Schuyler County area.

For more information, click here.

College Students Should Consider Key Legal Protections as Fall Semester Begins

As college students arrive on campus or return for the fall semester, Schuyler County Attorney Steven Getman is urging students and their parents to address several legal issues that arise once a young person turns 18 and becomes a legal adult.

 “Once a young person reaches the age of majority, parents no longer have automatic legal authority to access medical, educational or financial information or to make decisions on their behalf, even if they are paying the bills,” Getman said. “A few basic documents and an awareness of housing and campus rules can provide important protection and peace of mind.”

Students should consider several key documents. A FERPA waiver allows colleges to share education records such as grades, enrollment status and disciplinary matters with designated parents or guardians. A HIPAA authorization permits health care providers to discuss medical information with authorized individuals. A health care power of attorney designates someone to make medical decisions if the student cannot, while a living will or advance directive states preferences for certain medical treatments. A financial power of attorney authorizes a trusted person to handle bills, bank accounts and other financial matters if needed.

Those living in dormitories or off-campus housing also should understand their rights and responsibilities under lease agreements or housing contracts. These typically address rent or fees, security deposits, maintenance obligations, guest policies, quiet hours and rules on prohibited items such as open-flame devices, certain appliances and electrical equipment. Landlords and university housing offices generally must provide safe, livable conditions. Federal law prohibits housing discrimination based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability or familial status, and students with disabilities may request reasonable accommodations.

Campus living guides often stress community standards, civility, shared responsibility for maintaining a safe environment, and consequences for violations that can include termination of a housing agreement. In emergencies involving health or safety, or in certain alcohol or drug cases involving students under 21, federal and state law may permit limited disclosure of information to parents.

Students attending school out of state should confirm that any legal documents comply with the laws of both their home state and the state where they attend college.

 Students and parents who want more information about their legal rights and responsibilities should consider contacting their family lawyer or another competent attorney of their own choosing. New York residents may locate an attorney through the New York State Bar Association Lawyer Referral and Information Service at findalawyernys.org or by calling 1-800-342-3661.

Schuyler County hosts public meeting on Hector lakeside address changes

Schuyler County’s Emergency Management Office, working with the town of Hector, will hold a public information meeting this week on planned address changes for some lakeside residents as the county transitions to Next Generation 911.

The meeting is set for 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 19, at the Valois, Logan, Hector Fire Department, 5736 Route 414. Officials are encouraging residents living on roads between State Route 414 and Seneca Lake to attend.

The changes aim to resolve confusion in the existing addressing system that has grown more difficult for emergency responders to navigate as residential development increased. Many seasonal and lakeside roads originally served only one or a few cottages. Additional driveways, private lanes and spur roads were later added, yet properties often continued sharing road names and numbering systems. In some spots the original numbering no longer provides enough available addresses; elsewhere multiple branches share a single road name.

County emergency officials said the updates will support Next Generation 911, which depends on more precise mapping and location data to improve response times. Accurate local addresses are especially important in areas with complicated private roads.

The Aug. 19 session is intended to explain the project, answer residents’ questions and provide a clearer picture of what changes may be coming.

Schuyler County Legislature to consider hires, grants, budgets Monday

The Schuyler County Legislature is scheduled to consider more than two dozen resolutions Monday (August 10) covering personnel hires, grant extensions, contracts, budget amendments and infrastructure work at its regular session.

Among the more significant proposals, Community Services would create and fill two less-than-full-time senior clinician positions at $41.36 an hour (Grade 14 under the CSEA contract) to provide required clinical supervision for licensed staff and trainees. The department also seeks authorization to create a full-time Assisted Outpatient Treatment Enhanced Voluntary Agreement coordinator position at $29.48 an hour (Grade 9) to improve coordination, evaluations and compliance with state Office of Mental Health standards.

A public hearing would be set for Sept. 14 at 6:30 p.m. in the Legislative Chambers on a proposal to use $76,049.11 from repair reserve funds for equipment upgrades in the Office for the Aging kitchen, based on the lowest quote from Singer Flihan LLC under a state contract.

 The legislature is also asked to appoint Michael L. Lausell as Democratic election commissioner, effective immediately, to fill a vacancy created by a July 21 resignation. The unexpired term runs through Dec. 31 at an annual salary of $25,989, following a party recommendation filed July 27.

Other business includes adopting state-set equalization rates for the 2027 county tax levy apportionment: Catharine and Montour at 95.00, Dix and Reading at 93.00, Cayuta at 65.00, Orange and Tyrone at 70.00, and Hector at 68.00.

 Budget actions would transfer $35,000 within Emergency Management accounts to cover additional personnel costs after a part-time position was converted to full time, and amend the Buildings and Grounds budget by $6,000 for higher-than-expected utilities at Seneca Harbor Park, offset by increased rental revenue. 

 Grant and contract items include extensions of two New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services Domestic Terrorism Prevention grants totaling $172,413 each (no local share) for the Sheriff’s Department through Aug. 31, 2027; a $1,993 training agreement with SUNY Corning Community College for critical incident management; and an expert-witness contract with Independent Forensics of Illinois, LLC, at $325 per hour not to exceed $5,000 for the Public Defender.

 Additional agreements cover day-care services with Rainbow Junction’s Childcare Center of Dundee through May 2031; $20,000 (no local share) with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Schuyler County for a garden improvement and stress-reduction programs serving children with special needs; $2,000 for a sensory-friendly experience at the Italian American Festival; and speech therapy services with Wendy Y. Close for preschool children with disabilities.

The county would authorize a memorandum of understanding with Tompkins County for shared bus-stop use to expand transit (no cost, through April 2031), adopt an updated Coordinated Public Transportation-Human Services Transportation Plan, extend a state Department of State grant for safe swimming opportunities through September 2026, accept a proposal from MXI Environmental Services for the Aug. 15 Household Hazardous Waste Day, collaborate on a county Climate Adaptation Plan at no cost, and modify 2026 agricultural district enrollments to a net 171.66 acres after correcting prior parcel listings.

 Highway and purchasing items would authorize sealed-bid advertisements for on-call bridge, culvert and infrastructure repair contractors and for 2027-2029 solid-waste and recycling services, plus a multi-year printer/copier maintenance contract with Toshiba Business Solutions.

 The session is the county’s regular August meeting. All items are subject to discussion and vote by the full Legislature.

Second Amendment Legal Update, August 2026

A monthly update, prepared for the Schuyler County Chapter of S.C.O.P.E. NY, a statewide 501(c)4 organization dedicated to preserving the 2nd Amendment rights for the residents of New York State. For a complete copy of this month’s report, click here.