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.
