Schuyler County Legislature Set to Consider Emergency Services Contract, School Officer Agreement, Comprehensive Plan Update

The Schuyler County Legislature is set to consider more than two dozen resolutions at its regular meeting Monday (July 13), including a five-year contract with Motorola Solutions for emergency services technology and an intermunicipal agreement for school resource officer services.

The agenda, reviewed by the Legislative Resolution Review Committee on July 8, includes items spanning public safety, personnel, budgeting, environmental planning and community recognitions. The full board is scheduled to meet July 13.

Top priorities include authorizing a five-year contract with Motorola Solutions for Emergency Services Flex Subscription services at a cost of $275,000, with a local share, to support local emergency operations. The resolution notes Motorola as a sole source provider.

Legislators will also weigh an agreement with the Watkins Glen Central School District for evening School Resource Officer services from the Sheriff’s Department, valued at $67,000 through June 30, 2027.

Other notable items include:

- Creating and filling a less-than-full-time Administrative Data Collector position in the Public Defender’s Office at $25.76 per hour to meet state indigent legal services data requirements.
- Authorizing bids for water treatment and cooling tower services for county buildings.
- Amending the county Timecard Policy to adjust approval deadlines.
- Multiple budget amendments for grant funding in public health, community services, veterans services and aging programs.
- Adopting the 2025-2035 Schuyler County Comprehensive Plan Update, along with related environmental quality review declarations.
- Recognizing August 2026 as National Shooting Sports Month and commemorating the 250th anniversary of the United States.

The meeting is expected to include routine personnel, contract and policy matters alongside planning and recognition items. Full resolutions and supporting details are available through the county website.

Meetings of the Legislature are open and public. Public Participation time will be allowed after the opening of the official session for up to 30 minutes and at the completion of the agenda for up to 15 minutes.

Regular Meetings will be held in the Legislative Chambers at the County Office Building located at 105 Ninth Street, Watkins Glen at 6:30 p.m.

The Schuyler County Legislature is the county’s policy-making and appropriating body. It consists of eight part-time legislators elected from eight districts, each serving four-year staggered terms with term limits. Legislators represent county residents by establishing local laws, setting policy, and approving the county budget.

Town of Ovid Postpones Public Hearing for Comprehensive Plan

The Public Hearing for the recently completed Town of Ovid Comprehensive Plan, originally scheduled for Wednesday, November 14, is being adjourned to a later date, to ensure proper legal notification and to allow more time for public review of the draft document.

Upon consultation with the Town Board, Attorney Steven Getman recommended that the hearing take place in December, to allow the Town Clerk time to file a legal written notice, keeping the procedure within the requirements of NY State Law. 

Postponement will also provide more time for residents to review recommended revisions to a small section of the plan.  Those revisions involve minor “corrections” to three paragraphs, which were requested by the Steering Committee but inadvertently omitted from the version that was published for public review.  The page impacted has been posted online, with copies made available at the Town Clerks office and at the Library in Ovid.  While the corrections cannot be made prior to the public hearing, the Town Board wanted the Steering Committee’s intended language to be part of the review process.

The Town Board is expected to formalize and announce the new date/time of the Public Hearing at its meeting on Wednesday.  It is anticipated that the Public Hearing will be rescheduled for 7 pm, during the Town Board’s regularly scheduled meeting on December 12.

“This adjournment will ensure that extraordinary measures have been taken to inform all stakeholders of the Public Hearing,” said Town Attorney Steven Getman.  “From its very beginning, this planning process has been guided by the Town Board’s strong encouragement for all residents to get involved,” Getman stated.

“We hope residents take this opportunity to read the proposed plan, and attend the meeting,” he concluded.

Information about the plan and its process can be found online at www.TownofOvidComprehensivePlan.org or at the Town’s website, www.TownofOvid.net .

Seneca County Town of Ovid Launches Planning Survey

Steering Committee Launches Survey on May 1

Following a series of meetings with focus groups, the Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee is now preparing to ask the Ovid community for its input. A survey is in its final stages of development, and will be distributed the first week of May.

In accordance with the committee’s plans for a “reasonable” length, the survey should take no more than 10 minutes to complete. One copy will be mailed to each of the households in the Town of Ovid. A postage-paid envelope will be included in the mailing. If additional copies are needed, they will be made available at locations throughout the Town, soon to be announced. An online version will also be made available at this website.

Questions on the survey will cover a range of topics and,...will focus on the most frequently discussed issues.

The committee has established a deadline of May 22 for the return of surveys. They hope the finite time period generates a stronger response rate.

The consulting team will compile the results of the survey and present the information to the committee in a subsequent meeting, to be scheduled later in June.

Town of Ovid, Seneca County, New York: Planning Board Vacancy

The Ovid Town Board is undertaking a renewal of the Comprehensive Plan for the Town of Ovid.

The Town is accepting letters of interest with qualifications from town residents interested in being appointed to two positions on the Ovid Town Planning Board.

Letters of interest should be sent to Town Clerk James Vangalio at PO Box 452, Ovid, NY 14521. Letters should be received before December 12, 2016.

For more information, contract Supervisor Walt Prouty at 607.279.7170

Town of Ovid to Host Comprehensive Plan "Kick-off" July 13

Ovid town officials invite residents to attend the next scheduled meeting of the Town Board, July 13, at 7:00 pm at the Town Offices on Brown Street, to learn more about the recently initiated Comprehensive Plan process.

Guided by a team of planning professionals from MRB Group and EDR, a town-appointed Steering Committee will meet monthly and follow a timeline which will be outlined at the Board meeting.

Public participation is the most important element. The Town Board wants input and feedback from as many residents as possible.

Scheduled for the beginning of the 7 pm Board meeting, the presentation will also include a look at a new website created to support the planning project.