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STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND REMAIN STANDING. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG.
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. MR. GENTILE. AMEN. AMEN. ROLL CALL PLEASE.
TCHIBO. ETSY. LEACH. ROGERS. WEBB. HERE. WATERMAN. HERE. BOUCHER. HERE. FIORINI. HERE.
LESNICK. HERE. BUCK. JOSEPH. HERE. KOENIG. WHITE. HERE. NEWTON. HERE. DAVIS. HERE.
GABRIEL. HERE. PRATT. HERE. DIMAGGIO. DANIELS. JULIAN. IRVIN. WASHBURN. GENTILE. HERE.
WE HAVE A QUORUM. OKAY, I NOW CALL THE PUBLIC HEARING TO ORDER IN REGARDS TO THE SEWER DISTRICT. IS THERE ANYBODY HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THAT ISSUE? OKAY. SEEING NONE, I WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING. AT THIS TIME. I'D LIKE TO CALL UP ANDREA AND ANGELA. AFTERNOON
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HIGH. OKAY. I HOPE YOU CAN HEAR ME. HI, I'M ANGELA BRENNAN, AND THIS IS ANDREA. AND WE ARE ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICERS FOR THE TOWN OF DEERFIELD. WE HAVE BEEN ANIMAL CONTROL FOR CLOSE TO TEN YEARS. AND IN THE PAST WE'VE WORKED CLOSELY WITH AND ALSO VOLUNTEERED AT STEVENSON HUMANE SOCIETY. WE CARE IMMENSELY ABOUT ANIMALS AND SPEND OUR TIME FOSTERING CATS AND DOGS, VOLUNTEERING, ATTENDING CONFERENCES AND SPEAKING TO ELECTED OFFICIALS. AS ANIMAL ADVOCATES, WE ARE HERE TODAY TO DISCUSS THIS EVENING HUMANE SOCIETY CONTRACT AND IN THE WAYS THAT IT HAS IMPACTED THE MUNICIPALITIES IN ONEIDA COUNTY. PER NEW YORK STATE LAW, EVERY MUNICIPALITY WITH ANIMAL CONTROL IS MANDATED BY NEW YORK STATE TO EITHER HAVE A CONTRACT WITH A SHELTER OR THEIR OWN NEW YORK STATE INSPECTED ANIMAL HOUSE FACILITY TO HOUSE THEIR DOGS THAT ENTER THROUGH ANIMAL CONTROL. IN ONEIDA COUNTY, THERE ARE TWO ANIMAL SHELTERS, STEPHEN SWAN AND ROME HUMANE SOCIETY. THERE WERE 18 MUNICIPALITIES IN THE 23 2023 STEPHEN SWAN HUMANE SOCIETY CONTRACT, INCLUDING THE CITY OF UTICA. UNFORTUNATELY, THE 24 RENEWAL CONTRACT WAS DELINQUENT ON BEHALF OF THE SHELTER. FROM JANUARY OF 24 TO MAY OF 24, THE SHELTER PROVIDED FAILED TO PROVIDE A CONTRACT WHICH PUT MUNICIPALITIES IN A POSITION OF NONCOMPLIANCE WITH NEW YORK STATE LAWS. THE TOWN OF DEERFIELD SENT SEVERAL CORRESPONDENCE TO THE SHELTER INQUIRING ABOUT THE CONTRACT, WITH NO REPLY. WE ASKED IN PERSON THE SHELTER DIRECTOR, WHO TOLD US, WE DO NOT HAVE TO SUPPLY CONTRACTS TO ANYONE, AND IT WASN'T UP FOR DISCUSSION. TECHNICALLY, STEPHEN SWAN DOES NOT NEED TO PROVIDE CONTRACTS TO ANY MUNICIPALITIES. THAT IS BECAUSE THEY ARE A PRIVATE ORGANIZATION. HOWEVER, THIS HAS BEEN THE STANDARD FOR DECADES FOR THESE 18 MUNICIPALITIES. WITH NO ADVANCE NOTICE, THEY DECIDED TO CHANGE THE TERMS AND FEES, CAUSING UNDUE HARDSHIP ON MUNICIPALITIES TO SIGN THE CONTRACT AND TO FIND ALTERNATIVE ANIMAL CARE, WHICH IS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE. ON MAY 9TH OF 24, WE RECEIVED THE NEW CONTRACT AND MUCH TO OUR SURPRISE, IT WAS DRASTICALLY DIFFERENT FROM PRIOR CONTRACTS. WE WERE GIVEN ONLY 30 DAYS TO SIGN THE NEW CONTRACT. THE FORMER CONTRACT RATES WERE $75 TO INTAKE A DOG, $50 TO INTAKE A CAT. THE NEW PRICES WENT TO $975 TO BRING A DOG TO THE SHELTER FOR A FIVE DAY HOLD, $1,300 FOR A TEN DAY HOLD.THOSE ARE NEW YORK STATE MANDATED HOLDS, SO THE SHELTER HAS TO HOLD THE DOG. THAT PERIOD OF TIME, AN $850 TO BRING IN A SINGLE CAT. PER THIS CONTRACT, THE SHELTER RECEIVES
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THE RIGHT TO DENY SHELTERING A DOG OR CAT, AND CAN GIVE THE MUNICIPALITY 24 HOURS NOTICE TO FIND ALTERNATIVE SHELTER AND KEEP ALL OUR FEES. AND THAT HAS HAPPENED TO US PERSONALLY WITH A CAT HOARDING SITUATION. PET OWNERS DO NOT HAVE TO PAY THE FEE AT TIME OF REDEMPTION. ALL FEES ARE CHARGED TO MUNICIPALITIES. THIS IS PROBLEMATIC GIVEN A PET OWNER THAT ARE IF THEY'RE NEGLIGENT AND NOT CARING FOR THEIR PET. THE MUNICIPALITY BRINGS THE ANIMAL IN, PAYS THE FEES, AND THEN THEY GET THEIR ANIMAL BACK. THERE IS ALSO A $100 FEE THAT THE MUNICIPALITY PAYS. IF WE HAVE ANY TROUBLE ENTERING THE SHELTER AFTER HOURS AND THE ALARM DOESN'T GO OFF OR WE CAN'T GET THE DOOR OPEN, ANY ANIMAL THAT IS SICK OR INJURED IS NOT ACCEPTED INTO THE SHELTER THAT FALLS BACK ONTO MUNICIPALITY AS WELL. WE HAVE TO HAVE THAT ANIMAL VETTED BEFORE IT'S PUT INTO THE SHELTER SYSTEM. WE RECEIVED THE NEW CONTRACT. WE REACHED OUT TO THE HUMANE SOCIETY OF THE UNITED STATES TO SEE IF THESE RATES IN TERMS WERE ON PAR WITH OTHER AREAS ACROSS NEW YORK STATE. THE UNITED STATES HUMANE SOCIETY TOLD US THAT THEY WEREN'T EVEN CLOSE. THEY GAVE US THE CITY OF SYRACUSE SHELTER CONTRACT, AND WE'RE WAY OUT OF LINE WITH PRICES OUT OF STEPHEN SWAN. SO THE CITY OF SYRACUSE HAS DECIDED TO BUILD THEIR OWN MUNICIPAL SHELTER BECAUSE OF THINGS LIKE THIS. THEY HAVE NO PLACE TO BRING THESE DOGS AND CATS. SO MOST MUNICIPALITIES HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO SIGN THE CONTRACT AND TO COMPLY WITH THE SHELTER'S DEMANDS. TO PRESS A BUTTON. NOPE. YOU'RE ALL SET.OKAY. WHEN THE TOWN OF NEW HARTFORD RECEIVED THIS CONTRACT, THEY BEGAN TO PLAN FOR THEIR OWN MUNICIPAL SHELTER AS THEY COULD NOT JUSTIFY SPENDING SUCH HIGH FEES FOR ANIMAL CARE.
THROUGH STEVENSON HUMANE SOCIETY, THE NEW HARTFORD ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICER PRESENTED TO THEIR TOWN BOARD, AND THE MOTION WAS APPROVED. THE MUNICIPAL SHELTER WILL OPEN BY THE END OF 2025, AND THEY WILL BEGIN ASSISTING OTHER LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES WITH ANIMAL CONTROL CONTRACTS. SO THERE ARE ONLY OTHER SHELTER RIGHT NOW IS ROME, IT'S STEPHEN SWAN OR ROME, OR BUILD YOUR OWN SHELTER. SO WE ARE IN A REAL CONUNDRUM. EVERY MUNICIPALITY HAS TO FIND SOMEWHERE TO PUT THEIR PETS OR BUILD THEIR OWN FACILITY. SO NEW HARTFORD'S BUILDING, THEIR OWN FACILITY, THE CITY OF UTICA CONTRACT HAD BEGUN TO INCREASE EVERY YEAR.
IN 2021, UTICA WAS PAYING $60,000 A YEAR FOR ANIMAL CARE BY 2024, STEPHEN SWAN HUMANE SOCIETY REQUESTED $1 MILLION TO ASSIST THE CITY WITH ANIMAL CARE. THE CITY BEGAN LOOKING INTO OTHER AVENUES FOR THEIR CONTRACTS AND NOW UTILIZE WANDERERS, RUST AND CANASTOTA FOR $150,000 A YEAR AND ROVERS DO OVER TO HELP WITH THE ADOPTION OF UTICA STRAYS. THE COUNTY FUNDING STEPHEN SWAN HUMANE SOCIETY RECEIVED IN 2023 AND 2024 OF $100,000, IN THEORY, SHOULD HAVE HELPED OFFSET THE COST AND LESSEN THE BURDEN ON MUNICIPALITIES AND TAXPAYERS.
DUE TO THIS CONTRACT, THE TOWN OF DEERFIELD ANIMAL CONTROL BUDGET HAD TO INCREASE TO REFLECT THE NEW PRICES. FOR EXAMPLE, IN 2023, UNDER THE OLD CONTRACT, WE BROUGHT IN TEN DOGS, 16 CATS, AND IT COST THE TOWN $1,500. IF THE SAME AMOUNT OF DOGS AND CATS WERE BROUGHT IN ON THIS NEW CONTRACT, OUR TOWN WOULD BE PAYING CLOSE TO $24,000. THE CONTINUED CONCERN IS THAT FEES CAN INCREASE AT THE SHELTERS DISCRETION, SINCE THEY ARE A PRIVATE ORGANIZATION AND NOT OBLIGATED IN ANY WAY TO SERVE ONEIDA COUNTY. THE MUNICIPALITIES IN ONEIDA COUNTY HAVE NO OTHER SHELTERS TO CONTRACT WITH, LEAVING US AT THEIR MERCY. FOR MUNICIPALITY MUNICIPALITIES, IT IS NOT FINANCIALLY FEASIBLE TO BUILD THEIR OWN MUNICIPAL SHELTER WITH THE $100,000 COUNTY FUNDING. STEPHEN SWAN ALSO DOES NOT PROVIDE PUBLIC PROGRAMS FOR ANIMAL WELFARE OR CARE. IN 2025, THEY HAVE HAD NO RABIES CLINICS, NO MICROCHIPPING, NO BASIC ANIMAL CARE FOR COUNTY RESIDENTS. OTHER SHELTERS ACROSS NEW YORK STATE OFFER PROGRAMS TO ASSIST THE PUBLIC WITH THESE NEEDS. FOR EXAMPLE, SHELTERS IN SYRACUSE RAN A PROGRAM TO ASSIST ONONDAGA COUNTY RESIDENTS BY PROVIDING LOW COST VACCINES, MICROCHIPS, NAIL TRIMMING, EAR CLEANING, AND PET FOOD DISTRIBUTION. THE LINES WERE WRAPPED AROUND THE BLOCK AND SEVERAL HUNDRED PETS WERE ASSISTED AND CARED FOR IN AN IN ONONDAGA COUNTY. IN BEGINNING IN BEING PROACTIVE IN PROVIDING RESOURCES TO PET OWNERS, IT HAS BEEN PROVEN TO LESSEN THE NUMBER OF ANIMALS FOUND AS STRAYS OR RELINQUISHED TO SHELTERS, IN TURN REDUCING THE BURDENS ON SHELTERS AND ANIMAL CONTROL. IN ADDITION. IN ADDITION, STEPHEN SWAN HUMANE SOCIETY IS CONTRIBUTING TO THE GROWING BURDEN ON ONEIDA COUNTY MUNICIPALITIES AND LOCAL HOMELESS PETS BY TRANSPORTING DOGS FROM SOUTHERN STATES INTO THEIR SHELTERS. THIS PRACTICE
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REDUCES AVAILABLE SHELTER SPACE FOR COUNTY ANIMALS IN NEED, LIMITS INTAKE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PRIVATE OWNER SURRENDERS, AND DIVERTS POTENTIAL ADOPTERS WHO MIGHT OTHERWISE HAVE CHOSEN A LOCAL PET. FURTHERMORE, RESCUE ORGANIZATIONS FROM SOUTHERN STATES OFTEN OPERATE UNDER DIFFERENT HEALTH AND VACCINE STANDARDS, RESULTING IN TRANSPORTATION OF DOGS THAT CAN CARRY COMMUNICABLE AND DEADLY DISEASES, POSING A SIGNIFICANT HEALTH RISK TO LOCAL ANIMAL POPULATIONS. BEGINNING IN 2025, NEW YORK STATE LEGISLATION INTRODUCED STRICTER REGULATION ON THE TRANSPORT OF DOGS FROM SOUTHERN STATES TO ADDRESS THESE CONCERNS. THERE ARE OTHER NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE DOING MORE TO HELP THE RESIDENTS OF ONEIDA COUNTY THAN STEPHEN SWAN. HUMANE SOCIETY FOR PETS SAKE FOOD PANTRY PROVIDES LOW COST SPAY AND NEUTER TO DOGS AND CATS, AND HAS COMPLETED OVER 4000 PROCEDURES SINCE ITS INCEPTION TEN YEARS AGO. THEY ALSO PROVIDE PET FOOD, TREATS AND TOYS FOR FREE THROUGH THEIR FOOD PANTRY. ROVERS DO OVER IS A 501 NONPROFIT AND NEW YORK STATE REGISTERED CHARITY AND ANIMAL RESCUE, OPERATED ENTIRELY BY VOLUNTEERS AND SUSTAINED BY COMMUNITY DONATIONS. IN 2020, FOUR ROVERS DO OVER RESCUED 50 DOGS FROM ONEIDA COUNTY, 32 FROM THE CITY OF UTICA AND 15 FROM THE CITY OF ROME. IN 2025, THEY HAVE TAKEN IN 131 STRAYS FROM THE COUNTY, 73 FROM UTICA AND 35 FROM ROME. PLUS THEY HAVE TAKEN 76 PRIVATE OWNER SURRENDERS FROM COMMUNITY COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN NEED OF SUPPORT. IN TOTAL, ROVERS DO OVER NOW PARTNERED WITH NINE ONEIDA COUNTY MUNICIPALITIES AT NO COST TO THEM, DELIVERING ALL SERVICES ON A 100% VOLUNTEER BASIS WHILE COVERING EVERY EXPENSE, INCLUDING SUPPLIES AND VET CARE. NEITHER OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS RECEIVED MONEY FROM ONEIDA COUNTY. IN CLOSING.IN CLOSING, THERE'S OPPORTUNITY TO IMPROVE THE WELFARE OF ANIMALS IN ONEIDA COUNTY WITH THIS FUNDING. STEPHEN SWAN HUMANE SOCIETY IS A PRIVATE ORGANIZATION WITH NO LEGAL OBLIGATION TO ASSIST ONEIDA COUNTY MUNICIPALITIES. THEY ARE A PRIVATE, BUSINESS AND PRIVATE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION. WE WOULD BE HAPPY TO ASSIST ON WAYS THE COUNTY FUNDING CAN BE PUT TOWARD POSITIVE ANIMAL WELFARE PROGRAMS AND ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE ACTUALLY MAKING A DIFFERENCE FOR RESIDENTS AND THEIR PETS. WE CAN ELABORATE ON ANY OF THE ABOVE INFORMATION WITH YOU, OR ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE VIA PHONE CALL OR EMAIL.
THANK YOU FOR TAKING TIME TO DISCUSS STEPHENSON COUNTY FUNDING. THANK YOU. THANK. AT THIS TIME, SARAH. I WILL SAY A FEW WORDS FIRST AND THEN I'LL HAVE YOU PLAY THAT VIDEO. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME TODAY. I WILL KEEP THIS SHORT AND SWEET, BUT MY FIRST CALL OF ORDER OR REQUEST IS THAT IN THE NEXT WEEK WE WILL BE ISSUING A RESIDENT SENTIMENT SURVEY. THIS WILL GO OUT TO ALL ONEIDA COUNTY RESIDENTS AND IT WILL TAKE A MAXIMUM OF FIVE MINUTES TO COMPLETE. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE ACCESS TO THROUGH A CONTRACT. WE HAVE THAT SOURCES, DATA, EVERYTHING FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE VISITING THE AREA TO SHORT TERM RENTAL DATA.
BUT PART OF THIS AGREEMENT WAS THAT WE HAVE THIS SURVEY, SO IT'S VERY EASY TO TAKE, BUT WE PLAN TO USE THE DATA THAT WE GET TO GET A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF HOW LOCALS, EVERYONE WHO LIVES IN ONEIDA COUNTY, HOW DO THEY FEEL ABOUT TOURISM? HOW CAN THEY SEE IT SHAPING THE FUTURE? I THINK AS WE AS I GET MORE AND MORE COMFORTABLE, I THINK IN THIS POSITION, SOMETHING THAT WE'RE REALLY NOTICING IS THAT OUR MAIN GOAL IS TO BRING PEOPLE INTO ONEIDA COUNTY. BUT WHAT IS THE EXPERIENCE LIKE WHEN THEY VISIT HERE? IF THEY ARE HAVING CONVERSATIONS OR, YOU KNOW, JUST MEETING PEOPLE IN A HOTEL, IN A RESTAURANT, AT A COFFEE SPOT AND THOSE PEOPLE ARE SAYING NEGATIVE THINGS ABOUT THE AREA, THEN IT'S KIND OF A WASTE OF OUR TIME TO BE BRINGING PEOPLE HERE. SO WE REALLY ARE GOING TO USE THIS AS A WAY TO BOOST COMMUNITY PRIDE, UNDERSTAND WHAT PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE CARE ABOUT MORE, AND THAT WILL RUN FROM THE MID NOVEMBER THROUGH THE END OF DECEMBER. AND THEN WE'LL ASSESS THAT DATA FOR THE MONTH OF JANUARY AND THEN SHARE THE RESULTS WITH EVERYONE HERE. BUT THIS IS JUST KIND OF A REQUEST TO SHARE WITH YOUR CONSTITUENTS. BOOST IT OUT. WE HAVE PLANS. WE HAVE PLACED AN AD IN MOHAWK VALLEY LIVING FOR DECEMBER TO PROMOTE IT. WE WILL BE BOOSTING IT ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA, PUTTING IT OUT ON NEWSLETTERS. WE'RE TRYING TO WORK WITH SENTINEL MEDIA TO DO SOMETHING, TO JUST HIT AS MANY DEMOGRAPHICS AND AS MANY RESIDENTS AS POSSIBLE. SO THAT IS MY REQUEST. I HAVE MORE INFORMATION ON THAT. IF PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR MORE INFORMATION OR JUST WAYS TO SHARE IT, PLEASE CONTACT ME DIRECTLY. NEXT, I JUST WANT TO.
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I'M REALLY EXCITED TO SHOW THIS VIDEO. SO THIS IS A HERO VIDEO THAT WE HAD CREATED. I THINK MOST PEOPLE IN THE ROOM HAVE HEARD ME TALK ABOUT THIS, BUT WE'RE HOSTING THE NEW YORK STATE TOURISM CONFERENCE NEXT APRIL. SO THIS WAS ANNOUNCED IN SEPTEMBER WHEN WE WERE AT ANOTHER CONFERENCE. AND THIS IS HOW WE ESSENTIALLY MADE THAT ANNOUNCEMENT. SO PLEASE ENJOY.WE'RE VERY PROUD OF IT. WE PLAN TO SHARE THIS ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA. IT'S ON OUR YOUTUBE PAGE.
WE'LL BE BOOSTING IT DOING LOCAL MEDIA PLACEMENTS. BUT I THINK THIS KIND OF JUST GOES INTO THAT SAME CONCEPT OF BOOSTING COMMUNITY PRIDE. I THINK PEOPLE HAVE A TENDENCY TO OVERLOOK THAT WHEN YOU ARE GOING OUT AND YOU ARE VISITING A LOCAL FARM, GOING AND GRABBING DINNER OR GOING TO A SHOW AT THE STANLEY, YOU ARE ALL CONTRIBUTING TO THE LOCAL ECONOMY AND TO TOURISM. AND WE REALLY HOPE THAT THIS VIDEO KIND OF BRINGS THAT TOGETHER.
IT'S NICE. YEAH, REALLY NICE. GREAT JOB SARAH. THANK YOU. AND I WILL JUST SAY WE HAVE A 32ND VERSION OF THAT ALSO. BUT ALSO MANY OF YOU MAY KNOW, BUT WE ARE IN THE BEGINNING STAGES OF A REBRAND AND A BRAND NEW WEBSITE. SO NOW WE HAVE THE HERO VIDEO THAT CAN GO ON OUR WEBSITE AND REALLY JUST SHOWCASE WHY WE LOVE ONEIDA COUNTY SO MUCH. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. GREAT JOB. I'D LIKE TO CALL UP MARY LISA.
OH. GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M HERE TO SPEAK TO OUR STUDENTS THAT ARE HERE WITH US THIS AFTERNOON. IT'S GREAT THAT WE THERE FROM CORNELL CORNELL COOPERATIVE EXTENSION GOVERNMENT PROGRAM. LISA IS THEIR COORDINATOR AND I'VE GOT OUR YOUTH DIRECTOR, KEVIN GREEN, UP HERE AS WELL. IT'S GREAT THAT WE AGAIN, HAVE SUCH A LARGE GROUP FOR THIS YEAR'S PROGRAM. AS I SAY, EACH TIME I ADDRESS THIS GROUP, I LOVE TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROGRAM.
ONE OF MY FAVORITE ROLES AS A LEGISLATOR IS TO MEET ENTHUSIASTIC YOUNG ADULTS. LIKE ALL OF YOU, IT'S MY PLEASURE AND HONOR TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF NOT ONLY MYSELF, BUT MY FELLOW LEGISLATORS WHO SERVED AS YOUR MENTORS THROUGHOUT THIS PROGRAM. I COMMEND CORNELL COOPERATIVE EXTENSION AND COORDINATOR LISA FAHRNEY FOR PUTTING TOGETHER THIS WONDERFUL PROGRAM. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE FINANCIAL SUPPORT RECEIVED FROM THE UNITED COUNTY YOUTH BUREAU FOR THE MEANINGFUL FOR THIS MEANINGFUL PROGRAM. I AM PLEASED THAT YOUTH BUREAU DIRECTOR KEVIN GREEN WILL BE PRESENTING YOUR CERTIFICATES WITH ME THIS AFTERNOON. THIS IS THE 12TH GOVERNMENT INTERN PROGRAM THAT I HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN. AND DURING THE SESSION THAT OUR MAJORITY ANALYST AND I PARTICIPATED IN, YOU DEMONSTRATED YOUR INTEREST AND ENTHUSIASM FOR LEARNING ABOUT HOW YOUR COUNTY GOVERNMENT WORKS. I THOROUGHLY ENJOYED SITTING IN ON YOUR MAC BOARD MEETING EARLIER TODAY. YOU GUYS ALL DID A GREAT JOB.
YOU ALL PARTICIPATED. YOU JUST DID A FANTASTIC JOB. I KNOW THAT AS YOU MOVE FORWARD AND GO
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ON TO FURTHER YOUR EDUCATION OR WHATEVER PATH YOUR CHOICE MAY BE, WHETHER YOU REMAIN IN THIS COMMUNITY, WHICH WE HOPE YOU WILL, OR WHETHER IT BE FROM A FIRE, WE HOPE THAT THIS EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN OF VALUE TO YOU AND YOU STAY INVOLVED, WHETHER IT BE A COLLEGE OR WITHIN YOUR COMMUNITY, AND CAPTURE WHATEVER PASSION MAY BE WITHIN YOU AND RUN WITH IT. YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO GREAT THINGS AND AFFECT CHANGE. AS WE AS WAS EVIDENCED THROUGHOUT THIS PROGRAM. WISHING EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU THE BEST OF LUCK AND WE LOOK FORWARD WITH GREAT ANTICIPATION AS YOU CONTINUE YOUR VISION TO HEARING OF YOUR FUTURE ACCOMPLISHMENTS.THANK YOU FOR THE COMMITMENT THAT YOU HAVE MADE TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROGRAM.
AND ONCE AGAIN, THE BEST OF ALL, TO BEST OF LUCK TO ALL OF YOU. WE'LL PRESENT THE CERTIFICATES.
WE DID PRESENT SIX EARLIER TODAY. OUR STUDENTS HAD TO LEAVE A LITTLE EARLY, SO WE PRESENTED THEM THIS MORNING AFTER THE BOARD MEETING. SO LISA, WOULD YOU LIKE TO. KEVIN OKAY, OKAY. ALL RIGHT. AND THEN WHEN YOU COME UP WILL ASK THAT EACH OF YOU STAY RIGHT UP WITH US AND WE'LL GET A PHOTO. ALL RIGHT. SO OUR FIRST CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION WILL GO TO LUIS AGUIRRE DIAZ. CONGRATULATIONS. CONGRATULATIONS. YOU DID A GREAT JOB TODAY TOO, BY THE WAY.
NEXT UP WILL BE MISS OLIVIA YOUNG. CONGRATULATIONS AND GOOD LUCK. NEXT WE HAVE MISS ENGLAND PAYNE. WELCOME. CONGRATULATIONS. YOU DID A GREAT JOB TODAY. THANK YOU. GOOD LUCK. NEXT WE HAVE MR. ADRIAN GERRARD. CONGRATULATIONS. GOOD LUCK. NEXT WE HAVE KIERSTEN KORNHEISER. NEXT WE HAVE QUINN SHOEMAKER. NEXT WE HAVE LILLIAN BROWN. NEXT WE HAVE JOSE GARCIA.
AND OUR FINAL CERTIFICATE WILL GO TO LOGAN MARTIN. CONGRATULATIONS. GOOD LUCK TO YOU. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE YOU. I'LL MOVE THIS OUT OF YOUR WAY IN A MOMENT. YOU'RE IN THE HALL OF FAMER. OH, OKAY. OKAY. JUST STAY HERE. MANY KNOW MANY. ALL OUR FRIENDS. NO SHAVE NOVEMBER.
OKAY. I COULDN'T DO IT. I'M NEVER GOING TO. SAY JUST ABOUT. OKAY. THAT'S OKAY. I'LL MOVE THIS BACK. YES. SO THANK YOU TO ALL THE STUDENTS WHO PARTICIPATED. THIS PROGRAM WOULDN'T BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT SOME WONDERFUL PRESENTERS, SOME OF WHICH ARE IN THE ROOM. AND SUPPORT FROM, OF COURSE, CHAIRMAN FIORINI. SO, OLIVIA, PLEASE, YOU ALREADY GAVE. OH, YOU GUYS ARE SO QUICK. JUST A LITTLE TOKEN OF OUR APPRECIATION TO MR. FIORINI AND.
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AND LEGISLATOR WHO ALSO PRESENTS TO OUR STUDENTS. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH, BOTH OF YOU. I'LL MOVE THIS BACK. I'D LIKE TO CALL UP KELLY MERCURIO BIANCO. I'M SORRY. WE GOTTA VOTE ON IT FIRST. I'M SORRY. YEP. UNDER RESOLUTIONS. SO INTRODUCTORY NUMBER 317 IS APPOINTMENT OF KELLY MERCURIO. THE ONEIDA COUNTY BOARD OF LEGISLATORS REPRESENTING THE 22ND LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT. DO YOU HAVE A SECOND DISCUSSION? CALL THE VOTE. MARY JO IS CARRIED. COME ON, MAYOR, SORRY ABOUT THAT. I WAS TAKING A NAP. VOTE IS CARRIED. NOW, I'D LIKE TO CALL UP KELLY UP HERE, PLEASE. TO THE PODIUM. COME RIGHT AROUND. FOR HER. MARY FINNEGAN, WOULD YOU PLEASE COME UP? DO YOU REMEMBER THE NAME THAT I. 1941? OKAY. DO YOU, KELLY MERCURIO BIANCO, SOLEMNLY SWEAR THAT YOU WILL SUPPORT THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES AND THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, AND THAT YOU WILL FAITHFULLY DISCHARGE THE DUTIES OF THE OFFICE OF ONEIDA COUNTY LEGISLATOR, DISTRICT 22, ACCORDING TO THE BEST OF YOUR ABILITY. YES. CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. OKAY. SECOND LETTER.OF. MARY FINNEGAN. NICE JOB. NICE. OKAY. INTRODUCTORY NUMBER 278 IS LOCAL LAW. INTRO B OF 2025, A LOCAL LAW AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY OF ONEIDA. NOTWITHSTANDING SECTION 215 OF THE NEW YORK STATE COUNTY LAW TO ENTER INTO A LEASE OF COUNTY OWNED REAL PROPERTY SITUATED IN THE CITY OF ROME AS PART. DO YOU HAVE A SECOND DISCUSSION? CALL THE VOTE. VOTE IS CARRIED. INTRODUCTORY NUMBER 279 IS A TRANSFER OF $58,091 AND A SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATION OF $16,672 TO A7310 VARIOUS DFCS YOUTH BUREAU ACCOUNTS. DO I HAVE A SECOND DISCUSSION? CALL THE ROLL. THERE WE GO. OKAY, VOTE IS CARRIED. INTRODUCTORY NUMBER 280 IS APPROVAL OF THE TWO 2026 YOUTH BUREAU RESOURCE ALLOCATION PLAN. DO YOU HAVE A SECOND DISCUSSION? CALL THE VOTE. IS CARRIED. INTRODUCTORY NUMBER 281 IS A TRANSFER OF 240,000 TO A 6010. OTHER EXPENSES DISASTER HOME PROGRAM DFCS SOCIAL SERVICES. DO I HAVE A SECOND DISCUSSION? CALL THE VOTE. VOTE IS CARRIED. INTRODUCTORY NUMBER 282 IS THE
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APPROVAL OF A GRANT AGREEMENT BETWEEN ONEIDA COUNTY THROUGH ITS DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY AND COMMUNITY SERVICES AND NEW YORK STATE THROUGH ITS OFFICE OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES.DO I HAVE A SECOND DISCUSSION? CALL THE VOTE. HELLO. VOICE VOTE IS CARRIED. INTRODUCTORY NUMBER 283 IS THE APPROVAL OF AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN ONEIDA COUNTY THROUGH ITS DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY AND COMMUNITY SERVICES, SERVICES AND RESCUE MISSION OF UTICA. DO I HAVE A SECOND DISCUSSION? CALL THE VOTE. VOTE IS CARRIED. INTRODUCTORY NUMBER 284 IS APPROVAL OF AN AGREEMENT FOR PURCHASE OF FOSTER CARE FOR CHILDREN BETWEEN ONEIDA COUNTY THROUGH ITS DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY, COMMUNITY SERVICES AND JULIA DYCKMAN ANDRUS MEMORIAL INCORPORATED. DO WE HAVE A SECOND DISCUSSION? CALL THE VOTE. VOTE IS CARRIED.
INTRODUCTORY NUMBER 285 IS THE APPROVAL OF THE 2025 2026 ANNUAL IMPLEMENTATION PLAN FOR ONEIDA COUNTY OFFICE FOR THE AGING. DO YOU HAVE A SECOND DISCUSSION? CALL THE VOTE. VOTE IS CARRIED. INTRODUCTORY NUMBER 286 IS APPROVAL OF AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN ONEIDA COUNTY THROUGH ITS DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY AND COMMUNITY SERVICES AND ELDER CHOICE. DO I HAVE A SECOND DISCUSSION? CALL THE VOTE. VOTE IS CARRIED. INTRODUCTORY NUMBER 287 IS A TRANSFER OF 150,000 TO 4 0104012.491. OTHER MATERIALS AND SUPPLIES. PHARMACEUTICALS. HEALTH DEPARTMENT. DO I HAVE A SECOND DISCUSSION? CALL THE VOTE. VOTE IS CARRIED. INTRODUCTORY NUMBER 288 IS THE APPROVAL OF A GRANT AGREEMENT BETWEEN ONEIDA COUNTY AND ANITA STEPHENS. SWANS HUMANE SOCIETY AND TRANSFER OF 100,000 TO 8 0206410.495. OTHER EXPENSE. ANIMAL PROTECTION. DO I HAVE A SECOND? DISCUSSION, SIR? THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. AS I SPEAK ON THIS EVERY YEAR, I'LL TRY TO KEEP THIS BRIEF. ON SEPTEMBER 19TH, THE DAY OF GIVING TOOK PLACE IN THE MOHAWK VALLEY. 368 CHARITIES RECEIVED DONATIONS FROM THE PUBLIC. NUMBER ONE RECIPIENT IN SWANS HUMANE SOCIETY, ANITA STEPHENS, SWAN HUMANE SOCIETY NUMBER TWO WAS THE ABRAHAM HOUSE. ANITA STEPHENS SWAN HUMANE SOCIETY PROVIDES COMFORT AND CARE TO ANIMALS, ACCORDING TO THE WEBSITE, THE ABRAHAM HOUSE PROVIDES COMFORT AND CARE TO HUMANS. ANITA SWANS, ANITA STEPHENS HUMANE SOCIETY RECEIVED $1.065 MILLION, WHEREAS THE ABRAHAM HOUSE FOR HUMANS RECEIVED $146,000. IN A TIME WHERE WE'RE WITNESSING PEOPLE LINED UP IN THE COLD FOR FOOD GIFT CARDS OUTSIDE, I SAW A WOMAN THERE THIS MORNING, CARRIAGE TWO MONTH OLD, STANDING OUTSIDE WAITING TO GET IN, AND WE'RE ALSO FACING THE POSSIBILITY OF A TAX INCREASE OF 2.9%. I FEEL THAT THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT, THIS BODY INCLUDED, NEEDS TO GET THEIR PRIORITIES IN ORDER. AND I WILL BE A NO ON THIS DOCKET. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. THANK YOU. MR. CHAIR.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. I. I'VE ALWAYS BEEN A SUPPORTER OF THE HUMANE SOCIETY, BUT TODAY I LEARNED MORE INFORMATION NOT ONLY FROM MY COLLEAGUES, BUT FROM THE TWO PRESENTERS TODAY.
AND I GUESS I NEVER WANT TO SEE ANIMALS LEFT OUT IN THE LURCH. BUT QUITE FRANKLY, THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION COMING IN TODAY THAT SUGGESTS THAT AT A MINIMUM, THIS SHOULD GO BACK TO CONTINGENCY. IF IT EVEN GOES FORWARD, BECAUSE I'D LIKE TO SEE MORE INFORMATION COME BEFORE THE BOARD, BEFORE A DECISION IS MADE TO LOCK GIVING IN BY THIS BOARD TO THAT. AND I KNOW NEXT YEAR WITH WHAT'S GOING ON AT THE STATE AND FEDERAL LEVELS, THIS COUNTY IS
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GOING TO BE VERY, VERY MUCH CHALLENGED WITH DOING THE HUMAN NEEDS IN ONEIDA COUNTY. SO FOR TODAY ON THIS VOTE, I'M VOTING NO. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. MR. JULIAN. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.I HAVE CONCERNS WITH THIS. OBVIOUSLY, WE SPEAK OF WHEN THE FOLKS FROM STEPHEN SWAN CAME IN AND PLEAD THEIR CASE. ESSENTIALLY, I DON'T THINK THE ANSWERS WERE REALLY WHAT WE WERE LOOKING FOR WAS WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR. AND NOW THAT IS EXACERBATED BY THE TESTIMONY OF THE TWO WOMEN, WHO CERTAINLY WERE SUPPORTERS OF STEPHEN SWAN THROUGH THE YEARS, AS MENTIONED BY THEMSELVES, AND NOW HAVE A DIFFICULT TIME DOING THAT. IT'S VERY, VERY DISHEARTENING WHEN SOMEONE HAS TO TURN THEIR BACK ON AN AGENCY THAT THEY FELT VERY, VERY DEARLY ABOUT, AND I THINK THAT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT. I SEE THE SHERIFF DOES A TON OF WORK WITH ANIMALS IN DISTRESS AND FINDING PLACES FOR THEM TO GO, BUT I'M JUST WONDERING IF STEPHEN SWAN HAS RUN THE COURSE ON WHAT THEY CAN PROVIDE TO THE MUNICIPALITIES AND THE COMMUNITY AND TO THE COUNTY, AND PERHAPS WE NEED TO LOOK AT OTHER VENUES. SO WITH THAT, I'LL BE NO. OR AGAIN, AT THE VERY LEAST, LOOKING TO PUT THIS BACK INTO CONTINGENCY AND KEEP IT THERE UNTIL WE HAVE BETTER ANSWERS. THANK YOU. MR. PUBLIC COMMENT. IMPORTANT PART OF OUR PROCEEDINGS. I GOTTA SAY, IN MY 22 YEARS BEING A LEGISLATOR, IN MY LAST YEAR BEING THIS YEAR.
YOU TWO WERE THE MOST EDUCATIONAL. AND I KNOW YOU SWAYED LEGISLATORS. YOU DID A TREMENDOUS JOB AND I APPRECIATE IT. I WAS A LEGISLATOR THAT PUT THE 100,000 IN CONTINGENT LAST YEAR BECAUSE OF MY RESERVATIONS AND CONCERNS. WE DID BRING STEPHEN SWAN IN TO TO ANSWER SOME OF OUR QUESTIONS. AND, AND LEGISLATOR JULIAN IS ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. WE DIDN'T GET THE ANSWERS WE HAD HOPED FOR. YOU GUYS ARE EXPERTS. YOUR ANIMAL LOVERS. YOU WANT TO SEE A SYSTEM THAT'S GOING TO WORK, THAT'S GOING TO BE PROVIDING THE SERVICES THAT WE SHOULD PROVIDE. I'M GOING TO VOTE NO ON THIS. AND AGAIN, KUDOS TO YOU. YOU DID A GREAT JOB. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? CALL THE VOTE.
GOOD JOB. DEFEATED. WHY DON'T WE. PRETTY BIG VOTE. INTRODUCTORY NUMBER 289 IS APPROVAL OF A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT BETWEEN ONEIDA COUNTY THROUGH ITS DIVISION OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND TRAINER ASSOCIATES. DO YOU HAVE A SECOND DISCUSSION? CALL THE VOTE. I'VE NEVER SEEN THAT. OKAY. VOTE IS CARRIED.
INTRODUCTORY NUMBER 290 IS AN APPROVAL OF UPDATED VERSION OF THE ONEIDA COUNTY PROCUREMENT AND DISPOSITION POLICY. DO I HAVE A SECOND DISCUSSION, MR. NOONAN? TWO IN A ROW HERE. YEAH.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. EXCUSE ME IF I IF I'M A LITTLE DISJOINTED HERE. I READ A LOT OF THIS DOWN THIS AFTERNOON WHEN I WAS TRYING TO GET MY THOUGHTS STRAIGHT. I APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT AIL IS DONE ON THIS. AND HIS TEAM REVIEWING AND STREAMLINING THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS. FROM WHAT I'VE BEEN TOLD, IT'S BEEN LONG OVERDUE. AND I LOOK THROUGH IT AND IT LOOKS LIKE HE DID A GREAT JOB ON IT ALL. SO KUDOS TO YOU. BUT THIS ALSO BRINGS ATTENTION TO TO WHAT I BELIEVE IS A FUNDAMENTAL FLAW IN THE CURRENT ROLE OF THE BOARD OF ACQUISITION AND CONTRACT. I BELIEVE THAT THE BOARD OF ACQUISITION AND CONTRACT ARE CONDUCTING BUSINESS ABOVE AND BEYOND THE POWERS AND DUTIES PROVIDED FOR THEM IN BOTH THE COUNTY CHARTER AND THE ADMINISTRATIVE CODE. THE CODE READS THAT THE POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE BOARD OF ACQUISITION AND CONTRACT SHALL AWARD ALL CONTRACTS FOR CONSTRUCTION, RECONSTRUCTION, REPAIR, MAINTENANCE OR ALTERATION OF ALL PUBLIC WORKS OR IMPROVEMENTS. THE BOARD OF ACQUISITION AND CONTRACT HAS BEEN PERFORMING DUTIES OUTSIDE
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OF THIS SCOPE, INCLUDING IN THE PAST, AWARDING AN ALTERED VERSION OF A PIECE OF LEGISLATION THAT HAS BEEN BROUGHT BEFORE THIS BOARD AND REJECTED PREVIOUSLY. I'LL VOTE YES ON THIS, THIS LEGISLATION, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO FURTHER DISCUSSION AND EXAMINATION OF THE CURRENT ROLE OF THE BOARD OF ACQUISITION AND CONTRACT, AS WELL AS A REVIEW OF BOTH THE COUNTY CHARTER CHARTER AND THE ADMINISTRATION CODE AND THE STATE OF CODE. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. BEFORE WE GO ON TO THAT, I'D LIKE TO CALL UP ANDREW, PLEASE. JUST TRY TO CLARIFY FOR EVERYONE. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN, AND THANK YOU, LEGISLATOR NEWTON. YOU KNOW, LEGISLATOR NEWTON BRINGS UP WHEN ACQUISITION AND CONTRACT WAS FIRST ESTABLISHED IN 1961, IT WAS ESTABLISHED SOLELY TO APPROVE PUBLIC WORKS PROJECTS. AND THAT MAKES SENSE. YOU'RE DOING PUBLIC BIDS. YOU WANT A BODY THAT'S RESPECTFULLY NONPARTISAN TO BE AWARDING THOSE CONTRACTS TO THE LOWEST RESPONSIBLE BIDDER. HOWEVER, IN THE YEAR 2001, THE CHARTER WAS AMENDED TO ADD SECTION 802. AND ALTHOUGH SECTION 801 DOES SUPPORT LEGISLATOR NEWTON'S VIEW OF THAT BOARD, SECTION 802 OF THE UNITED COUNTY CHARTER READS AS FOLLOWS. ANY AND ALL LEASES OF EQUIPMENT, PROFESSIONAL SERVICE CONTRACTS, AND PERSONAL SERVICE CONTRACTS WHICH DO NOT REQUIRE COMPETITIVE BIDDING AND WHICH DO NOT EXCEED $50,000, SHALL BE APPROVED BY THE BOARD OF ACQUISITION AND CONTRACT. SO I'D RESPECTFULLY SUBMIT THAT THE BOARD OF ACQUISITION AND CONTRACT DOES HAS JURISDICTION TO REVIEW THOSE CONTRACTS. FOR CLARIFICATION. AND ASKING QUESTIONS. PARDON? YES. IS THAT $50,000? IS THAT PER CALENDAR YEAR OR JUST PER CONTRACT. SO YOU CAN HAVE SEVERAL CONTRACTS, $50,000 GOING TO THE SAME PERSON OR THE SAME ENTITIES IN EACH YEAR. SO IT'S IT'S PER THE VALUE OF THE CONTRACT. AND LET ME ELABORATE JUST A LITTLE BIT. SO WHEN WE GET A CONTRACT IN THE LAW DEPARTMENT WE, WE DETERMINE WHAT THE VALUE OF THE CONTRACT IS. SO IF IT'S ONLY FOR ONE YEAR, OBVIOUSLY THAT $50,000 IS MET IMMEDIATELY. BUT IF A CONTRACT HAS, SAY, $20,000 A YEAR FOR THREE YEARS, WE APPLY A RULE OF CAUTION THERE AND WE'LL SEND THAT CONTRACT TO THE FULL BOARD BECAUSE IT'S OVER $50,000. SO IT'S CALLED AGGREGATION. WE TAKE THE REASONABLY ANTICIPATED VALUE OF THE CONTRACT OVER ITS LIFE, AND THEN WE DETERMINE WHICH BOARD HAS APPROVAL AUTHORITY. FOR CLARIFICATION. IF THERE WAS A CONTRACT THAT CAME IN WITH A CERTAIN ENTITY, SAY ABC, WHATEVER, RIGHT. AND IT WAS FOR $50,000. AND THEN THAT CAME IN IN JANUARY. THEN JUNE, ABC CAME BACK IN AGAIN AND ASKED FOR ANOTHER $50,000 TO DO THE ESSENTIALLY THE SAME SERVICE THAT WOULD BE TWO SEPARATE CONTRACTS AND TREATED DIFFERENTLY. IT WOULD, BUT WE WOULD SEND THE WHOLE THING TO THE BOARD AT THAT POINT. IF AN AMENDMENT PUTS SOMETHING OVER THE THRESHOLD, WE SEND IT TO A MORE RIGOROUS APPROVAL AUTHORITY. SO IT'S ONLY IF THE CONTRACT IS UNDER 50,000 THAT IT'S REVIEWED SOLELY BY THE BOARD OF ACQUISITION AND CONTRACT, AND THAT IS AN IMPROVEMENT BEFORE 2001, WHEN THE CHARTER WAS AMENDED, THOSE CONTRACTS WEREN'T APPROVED BY ANY APPROVAL AUTHORITY. SO I KNOW THAT THE THE STATEMENT HAS BEEN THAT ACQUISITION AND CONTRACT IS DOING MORE THAN PUBLIC WORKS, MORE THAN IT SHOULD BE. BUT AT SOME POINT, THIS LEGISLATURE DECIDED THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE AN OVERSIGHT BODY FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICE CONTRACTS UNDER $50,000. AND THAT'S WHAT THE BOARD OF ACQUISITION AND CONTRACT DOES, DOES PUBLIC WORKS, THEN IT DOES LEASES PROFESSIONAL SERVICES UNDER 50 GRAND. THANK YOU. THANK YOU ANDREW. CALL THE VOTE. VOTE IS CARRIED. INTRODUCTORY NUMBER 291 IS A TRANSFER OF $45,000 TO 1610 AT 4016 PHONES. CELL PHONE SERVICE, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY. DO I HAVE A SECOND DISCUSSION? CALL THE VOTE. VOTE IS CARRIED. INTRODUCTORY NUMBER 292 IS THE REALLOCATION OF SALARY FOR THE POSITION TITLE STOREKEEPER FROM GRADE 14 B STEP ONE TO GRADE 15 B STEP ONE. DO I HAVE A SECOND DISCUSSION? CALL THE VOTE. VOTE IS CARRIED.INTRODUCTORY NUMBER 293 IS THE STATE ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY REVIEW DETERMINATION BY THE ONEIDA COUNTY BOARD OF LEGISLATORS FOR THE AIRPORT BUSINESS PARK DEVELOPMENT PROJECT AT GRIFFIS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, THE FORMER MOHAWK GLEN GOLF COURSE.
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DO WE HAVE A SECOND DISCUSSION? CALL THE VOTE. ABSOLUTELY. WASHBURN, CAN YOU SPELL THAT? THANK YOU. THE VOTE IS CARRIED. INTRODUCTORY NUMBER 294 IS THE APPROVAL OF A COST REIMBURSEMENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN ONEIDA COUNTY AND NIAGARA MOHAWK POWER CORPORATION, DBA NATIONAL GRID. DO I HAVE A SECOND DISCUSSION? CALL THE VOTE. VOTE IS CARRIED.INTRODUCTORY NUMBER 295 IS THE APPROVAL OF A MASTER TEMPLATE AGREEMENT BETWEEN ONEIDA COUNTY AND VARIOUS MUNICIPALITIES FOR ROADSIDE DITCHING. DO I HAVE A SECOND DISCUSSION? CALL THE VOTE. VOTE IS CARRIED. INTRODUCTORY NUMBER 296 IS THE APPROVAL OF AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN ONEIDA COUNTY THROUGH ITS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS AND MARCH ASSOCIATES. DO I HAVE A SECOND DISCUSSION? CALL THE ROLL. IS CARRIED. INTRODUCTORY NUMBER 297 IS APPROVAL OF FLOOD MITIGATION GRANT AGREEMENT BETWEEN ONEIDA COUNTY THROUGH ITS DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING AND THE TOWN OF PARIS. DO WE HAVE A SECOND DISCUSSION? CALL THE VOTE. VOTE IS CARRIED.
INTRODUCTORY NUMBER 298 IS THE APPROVAL OF A FLOOD MITIGATION GRANT AGREEMENT BETWEEN ONEIDA COUNTY THROUGH ITS DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING AND THE TOWN OF PARIS. DO I HAVE A SECOND DISCUSSION? CALL THE VOTE. WE GOT. VOTE IS CARRIED. INTRODUCTION. NUMBER 299 IS THE APPROVAL OF A TRANSPORTATION OPERATIONS INSTITUTE TRAINING PROPOSAL BETWEEN ONEIDA COUNTY THROUGH ITS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS AND MOHAWK VALLEY COMMUNITY COLLEGE. DO I HAVE A SECOND DISCUSSION? CALL THE VOTE. VOTE IS CARRIED. INTRODUCTION NUMBER 300 IS THE APPROVAL OF AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN ONEIDA COUNTY THROUGH ITS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS AND CNS ENGINEERS. DO I HAVE A SECOND DISCUSSION? CALL THE VOTE. VOTE IS CARRIED.
INTRODUCTORY NUMBER 301 IS THE APPROVAL OF CHANGE ORDER NUMBER TWO TO AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN ONEIDA COUNTY THROUGH ITS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS AND GREENMAN. PETERSON, DO I HAVE A SECOND DISCUSSION? CALL THE VOTE. ROLL IS CARRIED. INTRODUCTORY NUMBER 302 IS A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE STANDARDIZATION OF TROJAN TECHNOLOGIES, EQUIPMENT FOR WATER POLLUTION CONTROL PLANT, ULTRAVIOLET EFFLUENT, WATER DISINFECTION SYSTEM. DO I HAVE A SECOND DISCUSSION? CALL THE VOTE. VOTE IS CARRIED. INTRODUCTORY NUMBER 303 IS A RESOLUTION APPROVING, PURSUANT TO SECTION 268 OF THE COUNTY LAW, AN INCREASE IN IMPROVEMENT TO THE FACILITIES OF ONEIDA COUNTY SEWER DISTRICT. DO I HAVE A SECOND DISCUSSION? CALL THE VOTE. VOTE IS CARRIED. INTRODUCTORY NUMBER 304 IS A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING $5.4 MILLION IN BONDS. THE COUNTY OF ONEIDA TO PAY COSTS OF CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS FOR ONEIDA COUNTY SEWER DISTRICT. DO I HAVE A SECOND DISCUSSION? CALL THE VOTE. VOTE IS CARRIED.
INTRODUCTORY NUMBER 305 IS THE APPROVAL OF A GRANT AGREEMENT BETWEEN ONEIDA COUNTY THROUGH ITS OFFICE OF EMERGENCY SERVICES AND NEW YORK STATE, THROUGH ITS DIVISION OF HOMELAND SECURITY. DO I HAVE A SECOND DISCUSSION? CALL THE VOTE. VOTE IS CARRIED.
INTRODUCTORY NUMBER 306 IS APPROVAL OF A MOU BETWEEN ONEIDA COUNTY THROUGH ITS OFFICE OF EMERGENCY SERVICES AND THE STATE OF NEW YORK, THROUGH ITS DIVISION OF
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HOMELAND SECURITY. DO YOU HAVE A SECOND DISCUSSION? CALL THE VOTE. VOTE IS CARRIED.INTRODUCTORY NUMBER 307 IS THE APPROVAL OF AN MOU BETWEEN THE COUNTY OF ONEIDA, THE ONEIDA COUNTY SHERIFF, AND THE ONEIDA COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEES. LOCAL 1249. DO I HAVE A SECOND DISCUSSION? CHRIS? CHRIS. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. THIS WAS BROUGHT UP IN EXECUTIVE SESSION. AND THERE WAS THERE WAS A LOT OF DISCUSSION THAT TOOK PLACE. I'M NOT GOING TO REHASH ALL OF IT NOW, BUT MY GENERAL FEELING IS THAT THERE ARE OTHER AVENUES THAT WE COULD PURSUE RATHER THAN JUMP FROM TIME AND A HALF TO DOUBLE TIME AND A HALF OVER TIME. SO I'M GOING TO BE A NO ON THIS. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. THANK YOU. CALL THE VOTE. IS CARRIED. INTRODUCTORY NUMBER 308 IS A SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATION OF 5.9 OR $5900 TO 3120.290. OTHER EQUIPMENT. SHERIFF, DO YOU HAVE A SECOND DISCUSSION? CALL THE VOTE. VOTE IS CARRIED. INTRODUCTORY NUMBER 309 IS APPROVAL OF A GRANT AGREEMENT BETWEEN ONEIDA COUNTY THROUGH ITS DEPARTMENT OF PROBATION AND NEW YORK STATE THROUGH ITS DIVISION OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE SERVICES. DO I HAVE A SECOND DISCUSSION? CALL THE VOTE. IS CARRIED.
INTRODUCTORY NUMBER 310 IS THE APPROVAL OF A GRANT AGREEMENT BETWEEN ONEIDA COUNTY THROUGH ITS DEPARTMENT OF PROBATION, AND NEW YORK STATE THROUGH ITS DIVISION OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE SERVICES. DO I HAVE A SECOND DISCUSSION? CALL THE VOTE. VOTE IS CARRIED. INTRODUCTORY NUMBER 311 IS THE APPROVAL OF THE LEASE AGREEMENT BETWEEN ONEIDA COUNTY THROUGH ITS DEPARTMENT OF AVIATION AND RITTER. AND. CONTRACTING. ALL RIGHT. YEAH. THAT'S GREAT. I HAVE A SECOND.
I'D LIKE TO SEE HIM SAY IT. DISCUSSION. CALL THE VOTE. THAT'S MY CHAPERON. YEAH. VOTE IS CARRIED. INTRODUCTORY NUMBER 212 IS THE APPROVAL OF TASK ORDER NUMBER 43 TO A MASTER AGREEMENT FOR CONSULTANT SERVICES BETWEEN ONEIDA COUNTY THROUGH HIS DEPARTMENT OF AVIATION AND CNS ENGINEERS. DO WE HAVE A SECOND DISCUSSION? CALL THE VOTE. YES. 200 YEARS, 300 MILES. WAS CARRIED. INTRODUCTORY NUMBER 313 IS A LOCAL LAW INTRODUCTORY C OF 2025, A LOCAL LAW AMENDING LOCAL LAW THREE OF 20 2013 PERTAINING TO RULES AND REGULATIONS PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION LAW. THIS IS SITTING ON YOUR DESK FOR CONSIDERATION AT THE DECEMBER MEETING. INTRODUCTORY NUMBER 314 IS THE APPROVAL OF THE 2025 CAPITAL BUDGET. WHICH ONE IS IT? 315? THREE? 14. DO YOU HAVE A SECOND DISCUSSION? CALL THE VOTE. VOTE IS CARRIED. INTRODUCTORY NUMBER 315 IS THE APPROVAL OF THE SIX YEAR CAPITAL PROGRAM. DO I HAVE A SECOND DISCUSSION? CALL THE VOTE. IS CARRIED. INTRODUCTORY NUMBER 316 IS THE APPROVAL OF THE 20, 25 OR 20? I'M SORRY, APPROVAL OF THE 2026 OPERATING BUDGET, AS AMENDED BY WAYS AND MEANS. DO I HAVE A SECOND DISCUSSION? GEORGE? GEORGE.
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THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. I'D JUST LIKE TO QUALIFY MY PERCEPTION OF THIS BUDGET, GIVE CLARIFICATION OF SOME EXPERIENCE THAT TOOK ME SIX YEARS TO EVEN UNDERSTAND REMOTELY WHAT THIS BUDGET WOULD BE. TOOK ME ANOTHER 12 YEARS TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE KEELER CODE WAS. AND AFTER THE LAST SIX YEARS OF, I THINK I'VE UNDERSTOOD IT PRETTY WELL. I GIVE TONY A LOT OF CREDIT OUT OF ALL THE BUDGETS I'VE REVIEWED, THIS HAD THE LEAST AMOUNT OF FAT IN IT. I'VE TURNED THIS BUDGET OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN. MY COMMENT TO HIM WHEN I FIRST REVIEWED IT WAS, I'M SURPRISED THE THE INCREASE WASN'T EVEN MORE, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF REASONS THAT I FEEL THIS IS IT'S HARD TO QUALIFY IT AS EVEN A ANYTHING MORE THAN A RESPONSIBLE BUDGET. WE'VE HAD SOME BUDGETS THAT HAVE BEEN KIND OF SHY ON ON PARTICULARS, AND WE'VE HAD SOME BUDGETS THAT HAVE BEEN HARD. THIS WAS NOT THE HARDEST ONE, BUT I WOULD SAY THIS IS THE MOST RESPONSIBLE BUDGET I'VE GONE THROUGH. BUT SOME OF THE HIGH POINTS, THE STRESS POINTS THAT I, I PICKED OUT OF THIS BUDGET WAS FIRST AND FOREMOST, AFTER 12 YEARS OF ZERO TAX INCREASES, THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE DIDN'T COME TO THIS LIGHTLY. IT PAINED HIM MORE TO PUT A 2.9% TAX INCREASE IN THIS. BUT THERE ARE SOME OTHER STRESS POINTS.THE REVENUE STREAM THAT WE'VE ALWAYS COUNTED ON, THE GOLDEN GOOSE HAS, HAS GONE INTO A DRY SPELL FOR A WHILE. SALES TAX IS WHERE WE BUDGETED. 6% IS JUST HOVERING UNDER 2%. SO WE HAVE A WE HAVE A REDUCED REVENUE. WE'VE CUT THE CAPITAL PROJECTS. COUNTY EXECUTIVE HAS FROM $35 MILLION DOWN TO $13 MILLION. HE DID THAT ON HIS OWN VOLITION, WITHOUT REVIEW FROM THE WAYS AND MEANS. THAT TOLD ME THERE WAS STRESS IN THIS BUDGET. AFTER TWO PRETTY FULL SIZED WORK SESSIONS. PLUS WAYS AND MEANS, THIS BUDGET HAS BEEN SCRUTINIZED BY MORE PEOPLE THIS YEAR THAN I CAN EVER REMEMBER. WE'VE HAD A LOT OF DIALOG. THERE ARE A LOT OF. YOU KNOW, CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHICH WAY WE GO. AND AS AN EXERCISE. WE TRIED TO SHOW WHAT IT WOULD TAKE TO TO CUT THIS 2.9% OUT. AND IT WAS AN EXERCISE, BUT IT REALLY GRASPED GRASPED THE THINGS THAT, THAT NONE OF US REALLY WANT TO TAKE AWAY FROM THE COMMUNITY, LIKE THE LIBRARY OR THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, OR EVEN AS SMALL AS A $13,000 ACCOUNT. AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE JUST HAVE TO LOOK AND SAY, WHAT'S RESPONSIBLE? WE'VE BUILT UP A FUND BALANCE, A HEALTHY FUND BALANCE, BUT THAT'S ENABLED US TO GO IN OTHER DIRECTIONS, LIKE HAD WE NOT HAD WHAT WE HAD, COULD WE PURSUE CHOBANI THE WAY WE DID? COULD WE NOT HAVE PAID DOWN SOME OF THE PAY? AS YOU GO, UNDERSTANDING THE BUDGET. AND I THINK TONY CLEARLY UNDERSTANDS A MULTI YEAR APPROACH TO A BUDGET. THIS 2.9% TAX INCREASE IS $1.9 MILLION. NOT A LOT FOR A $560 MILLION BUDGET. BUT COMPOUNDED INTO WHAT IT COULD BE NEXT YEAR IF WE DON'T START RECTIFYING SOME OF THE REVENUE STREAMS THAT WE WERE COUNTING ON AND BEING A LITTLE MORE PERCEPTIVE. AND THAT'S WHAT REALLY WHAT EXPERIENCE IS ABOUT GIVING YOU PERCEPTION AND WHERE YOU CAN LOOK AHEAD AND TRY TO ALLEVIATE CRISIS. BELIEVE ME, WE'VE HAD COUNTY EXECUTIVES THAT HAVE GONE YEAR BY YEAR BUDGETS AND CUT AS MUCH AS THEY COULD, AND THEN THE NEXT YEAR RATCHET UP 12% OR 15%. AND IT'S BACK AND FORTH, BACK AND FORTH. WE'VE HAD CONSISTENCY IN OUR BUDGETING. WE'VE HAD CONSISTENCY IN FISCAL MANAGEMENT. AND MR. CHAIRMAN,
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I'M GOING TO SUPPORT A RESPONSIBLE BUDGET. THANK YOU, MR. WHITE. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. A LOT OF WHAT I'M GOING TO SAY IS, IS GOING TO BE REPEATING WHAT MR. JOSEPH SAID, BUT I'VE ALREADY GOT IT WRITTEN OUT. SO I'M GOING TO SAY IT. I JUST WANT TO SAY TWO THINGS ABOUT THIS BUDGET. FIRST, THIS IS ONLY MY SECOND BUDGET. I LEARNED A LOT THROUGH THE MANY DISCUSSIONS AND MEETINGS THAT WE HAD ON THIS WITH MY COLLEAGUES. THESE WEREN'T THESE WERE VERY HARD DECISIONS TO MAKE ON A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT TOPICS. IT'S NOT AN EASY THING TO PROPOSE OR SUPPORT A BUDGET WITH ANY KIND OF TAX INCREASE FOR THE TAXPAYERS. WE DON'T TAKE IT LIGHTLY, BUT SOMETIMES IT'S FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE TO DO THAT. MANY FACTORS WENT INTO THE PROPOSED TAX INCREASE IN THIS BUDGET. THE UNCERTAINTY OF FEDERAL AND STATE REVENUES NEXT YEAR, SNAP MEDICAID, THE CURRENT FLAT SALES TAX RATE. THOSE ARE JUST A FEW OF THE THINGS THE COUNTY HAS ALWAYS BEEN THERE IN THE TIME OF NEED. THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE AND COUNTY EMPLOYEES CAME TO THE ASSISTANCE OF ROME DURING THE TORNADO. THIS WAS WHEN THE STATE AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DIDN'T STEP UP. THE COUNTY DID. THIS UNFORTUNATELY COMES AT A COST. WE COULD NOT HAVE RECOVERED AS QUICKLY AS WE DID IN ROME WITHOUT THE COUNTY'S ASSISTANCE, AND WE WILL ALWAYS BE GRATEFUL FOR THAT. TAKES A STRONG LEADER TO DO THE UNPOPULAR THING AND RAISE TAXES, BUT SOMETIMES IT'S FINANCIALLY THE RIGHT THING TO DO. AND IT'S FOR THAT REASON I'M GOING TO BE SUPPORTING THIS BUDGET. THANK YOU, MR. WHITE.THE SECOND THING I WANT TO MENTION, SORRY, ON A PERSONAL NOTE, YOU GOT ME. LIKE EVERYBODY KNOWS THIS IS GOING TO BE MR. NICK'S LAST BUDGET VOTE. HE'S ALWAYS BEEN THERE FOR ME WHEN I'VE HAD QUESTIONS. HE'S A STAUNCH FINANCIAL ADVOCATE FOR THE COUNTY TAXPAYERS. IT SAYS A LOT ABOUT HIM AS A LEGISLATOR, BUT IT SAYS MORE ABOUT HIM AS A PERSON.
THE CHAIRMAN OF THE WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE HAS BIG SHOES TO FILL. WHOEVER THAT IS GOING TO BE SELECTED. I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR BEING AS WELCOMING AS YOU WERE IS WHEN I CAME ON. I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU AND GOOD LUCK IN YOUR FUTURE ENDEAVORS. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. THANK YOU, MR. NOONAN. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. I DON'T DISAGREE WITH VERY MUCH THAT GEORGE HAD TO SAY. IN FACT, I AGREE WITH ALMOST ALL OF IT. I DON'T TAKE MY JOB AS A COUNTY LEGISLATOR LIGHTLY EITHER. I TRY TO LOOK OUT FOR THE PEOPLE AND MAKE SURE THAT THEIR MONIES ARE ARE SPENT APPROPRIATELY. I KNOW HOW HARD THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE WORKED ON THIS BUDGET, NOT ONLY ON THIS BUDGET, BUT EVERY SINGLE DAY HE'S ON THE TV. HE'S EVERYWHERE THAT HE THAT HE SHOULD BE. AND I DON'T WANT TO MAKE LIGHT OF MY VOTE, WHICH WHICH WILL BE A NO TODAY. BUT WE HAVE A HEALTHY FUND BALANCE. THERE WERE SOME CUTS THAT WE COULD HAVE MADE ITS $1.9 MILLION. I REALIZE WE'RE LOOKING TO THE FUTURE, BUT WHEN YOU RAISE THE TAXES 2.9%, THAT'S 2.9% YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE NEXT YEAR. AND THE YEAR AFTER THAT, AND THE YEAR AFTER THAT AND YEAR AFTER THAT, IT'S CUMULATIVE. VERY RARELY DO WE LOWER TAXES. ARE THERE SOME THINGS COMING DOWN THE ROAD THAT MAY IMPACT THIS COUNTY? MOST CERTAINLY THERE ARE. AND HE'S BEING VERY CAUTIOUS IN THIS BUDGET AND RESPONSIBLE. I THINK THAT BETWEEN OUR HEALTHY FUND BALANCE RIGHT NOW, I DON'T FEEL IT'S NECESSARY TO RAISE THE TAXES. NEXT YEAR. MIGHT WE SEE A 4% A 5% RAISE IF IT'S NECESSARY? IT'S NOT A POLITICALLY ASTUTE THING TO DO, BUT AS A CONSERVATIVE, I CHOOSE THAT OVER RAISING THE TAXES NOW. SO I'M GOING TO BE A NO. AND I'M JUST WANTED TO QUALIFY MY NO VOTE. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. I WILL BE A YES FOR THE REASONS WE SAW FROM LEGISLATOR JOSEPH. LEGISLATOR.
RIGHT. WE HAVE A LOT OF RESPONSIBILITY IN THE COUNTY BUDGET TO BE THERE FOR WHEN WE HAVE NATURAL DISASTERS, WHEN WE HAVE PROBLEMS WITHIN THE CITY, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US CAME OUT AND WERE VERY STRONG. AND LET'S TRY AND GET THIS TO A ZERO. AND WE PUT A LOT OF THINGS ON THE TABLE, AND WE TRIED VERY HARD TO GET THERE. THERE WERE SOME MOMENTS, BUT WHEN PUSH CAME TO SHOVE, WE HAD TO OUTWEIGH WHAT THE COST OF SERVICES WOULD BE IF WE IF WE DID THAT AND THAT WASN'T WASN'T WORTH IT. WHEN WE LOOK AT FORWARD THINKING, WE LOOK AT BUDGETS ALONG THE LINES, WE LOOK AT, OH, WELL, MAYBE WE JUST DO 5% NEXT TIME. I CAN TELL YOU FROM EXPERIENCE, IT'S NOT THE WAY TO DO IT, BECAUSE THAT'S A BIGGER BURDEN. AND AND ONE FELL SWOOP THAN IN OTHER
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INSTANCES. COUNTY EXECUTIVE'S BEEN RESPONSIBLE THROUGHOUT HIS TIME AS AS OUR THE LEADER OF THIS GOVERNMENT. I WILL SUPPORT HIM ON THIS AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WATCHING THIS BOARD IN THE FUTURE. WORK ON WAYS TO CONTINUE TO BE EFFICIENT WHILE PROVIDING THE SERVICES NECESSARY TO THE ONEIDA COUNTY GOVERNMENT. THANK YOU, MR. DAVIS. THANK YOU. KNOW, BEFORE I BECAME A LEGISLATOR AND BEFORE TONY WAS COUNTY EXECUTIVE, GOING BACK, I CAN RECALL AS A TAXPAYER, WHEN I WAS 28 YEARS OLD, OWNING MY FIRST HOME, THE COUNTY TAXES WERE GOING UP EVERY YEAR. I THINK IT'S ABSOLUTELY REMARKABLE THAT THE ADMINISTRATION PROMOTED BUDGETS TO US FOR 12 YEARS IN A ROW, WHERE THERE WAS NO TAX INCREASE ON ON THE REAL PROPERTY TAX LEVY. YOU'VE GOT TO GO BACK 13 YEARS TO FIND ONE. AND ON THE 12TH THAT THAT VERY FIRST YEAR THAT WE ACTUALLY PUT THE TAXES DOWN. AND THANKS TO THE THE ONEIDA INDIAN NATION AGREEMENT, I WOULD HAVE TO ADMIT THAT THAT WORKED OUT. THERE WAS AN ALTERNATIVE PLAN, AND WE CHOSE A DIFFERENT PATH, AND THAT'S WORKED OUT TREMENDOUSLY WELL.SO MOVING ON, WE'VE HAD EMPLOYEES THAT WERE CHALLENGED WITH THE LOW PAY. THIS COUNTY HAS DONE WONDERS, IMPROVING THINGS, BUT WE STILL HAVE A TOUGH TIME COMPETING AS THE STATE OF NEW YORK AND OTHERS WHO ARE EMPLOYERS IN THIS AREA, AS THE SHERIFF MENTIONED EARLIER. AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE. 450 OPEN CORRECTIONS OFFICERS EXIST AMONGST NOT JUST. IT'S BECAUSE WE HAVE THREE STATE CORRECTIONS FACILITIES IN THIS COUNTY THAT WE HAVE COMPETITION AGAINST. SO WITH THE COUNTY BEING THE FOURTH CORRECTION FACILITY, WE HAVE CHALLENGES WITH KEEPING JOBS FILLED JUST IN THAT DEPARTMENT ALONE. NEXT YEAR, SNAP MAY BE 25% COMING OUR WAY. MORE FROM THE STATE OF NEW YORK IN THE FALL. FOSTER CARE. IT'S GOING TO GO FROM 24 MILLION TO 27 MILLION, UNLESS WE HAVE A CORRECTIVE PLAN OF ACTION, WHICH THE ADMINISTRATION AND OUR DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY COMMUNITY SERVICES ARE WORKING ON TO FIGURE OUT, AND THAT'S GOING TO SAVE TAXPAYERS MONEY, HOPEFULLY.
BUT THAT SAID, WITH WHAT THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT IS DOING TO COMBAT A $38 TRILLION DEFICIT, WHEN THEY CUT BACK, THEY SLIDE LESS MONEY TO THE STATE. AND THE STATE SEEMS TO FIND THE COUNTIES IN NEW YORK STATE, THE PLACE WHERE THEY CAN SLIDE THINGS DOWNHILL. WE ARE VERY CHALLENGED WITH, AS GEORGE JOSEPH MENTIONED, THE SALES TAX LEVELING OUT. I RAN INTO ONE OF MY CONSTITUENTS IN TOWN AT A AT A TOWN MUNICIPAL BUILDING IN KIRKLAND. THERE HIS NAME IS TOM KEELER, AND I MENTIONED HOW I WAS GOING TO VOTE FOR THIS BUDGET A FEW YEARS BACK. AND I SAID, YOU KNOW, 2.9 RAISES ABOUT $1.9 MILLION. I SAID, THAT'S NOT MUCH. JUST LOOK AT ANY ONE SLOT WHERE COSTS HAVE GONE UP, INCLUDING UTILITIES, ETC. AND WE'VE HELD THE LINE ON THAT. AND TOM'S RESPONSE TO ME WAS, YES. HE SAID, YOU GOT TO START WATCHING OUT FOR WHAT'S COMING, BECAUSE NEXT YEAR WE'RE GOING TO GET KILLED. AND HE WAS TALKING ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING AT THE STATE AND THE FEDERAL LEVEL. SO FINALLY, I WILL ONCE SAY ONE THING ABOUT THIS VOTE WE HAD EARLIER. THERE WERE SOME NO VOTES ON THAT ISSUE. WE WENT INTO CLOSED SESSION ABOUT. BUT WHEN YOU HAVE A SITUATION THAT IS JUST A SHORT GAP FOR GOOD FAITH, THAT CONTRACT, THAT WAS A TEMPORARY MEASURE UNTIL JANUARY 1ST, WHEN A NEW CONTRACT GOES IN, THAT OVERTIME WILL JUST BE TIME AND A HALF. THE 2.5 IS JUST IT'S LESS THAN THREE AND A HALF MONTHS, AND IT'S FOR ALL THOSE PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN WORKING FIVE DAYS A WEEK, OFTEN WITH OVERTIME. AND THEY'RE NOT WITH THEIR FAMILIES. THEY'RE WORKING 16 HOUR DAYS. AND THIS IS A WHEN WE ARE ALREADY HALF, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TWICE AS MUCH OPENINGS THERE AT THAT SITUATION THAT WE HAD JUST EVEN A FEW YEARS BACK. AND SO YOU GOT TO REWARD THOSE WHO DO THE WORK. AND IT'S A GOOD FAITH VOTE. AND I'M GLAD THIS BOARD PASSED THAT TODAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. CHAIR. MR. BUCK.
SO I'M GOING TO KEEP THIS SHORT HOPEFULLY. BUT YOU KNOW, AS MY COLLEAGUES HAVE ALL MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU FIRST COME ON, YOU HAVE NO IDEA ABOUT THE BUDGET. AND I DIDN'T I HAD NO CLUE WHAT WAS GOING ON. AND SOMETIMES I STILL WONDER IF I EVEN HAVE AN IDEA WHAT IT IS.
BUT WE WORKED SO HARD TO GET AN UNDERSTANDING. AND I KNOW FOR ME, I WENT TO ALL MY DIFFERENT COLLEAGUES AND I ASKED PEOPLE WHO ARE WELL VERSED IN DIFFERENT PORTIONS OF LIFE OUT
[01:10:05]
THERE AND GIVE ME AN IDEA. HELP ME OUT HERE. WHAT'S GOING ON HERE? GIVE ME SOME INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE. WE WORK TOGETHER A LOT IN A LOT OF WORK, STUDIES AND, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF TEXT MESSAGES GOING BACK, ASKING QUESTIONS. AND, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A LOT OF WORK PUT INTO THIS. AND THE LAST THING THAT I WANT TO DO IS COME ON AND RAISE TAXES. I GOT INTO THIS JOB NOT KNOWING THAT WE EVEN GOT PAID, I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU. SO AND IT'S STILL THE RUNNING JOKE. AFTER SEVERAL YEARS, I WANT TO DO WHAT'S BEST FOR ONEIDA COUNTY, BUT I ALSO HAVE TO LOOK AT THE FUTURE. I WANT TO BE HERE AGAIN. I WANT TO CONTINUE TO SERVE THE PEOPLE OF ONEIDA COUNTY. I WANT TO DO WHAT'S BEST FOR THE PEOPLE OF ONEIDA COUNTY. I LOVE THE COUNTY. WE HAVE SO MUCH TO OFFER, AND WE DO SO MUCH FOR OUR PEOPLE HERE. I MEAN, FOR TO MIMIC AND REPEAT WHAT LEGISLATOR WHITE SAID. WE WERE THERE FOR THE PEOPLE THAT NEED FOR ROME, CLARKS MILLS. WE WERE THERE FOR SNAP. I SAT HERE LAST WEEK AFTER OUR MEETINGS AND IT'S WELL AFTER 6:00, AND THE DSS AND THEY'RE HERE LATE, GIVING MONEY AND VOUCHERS TO PEOPLE TO SUPPORT THEM, TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY COULD EAT. I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT THE GREAT WORK THAT OUR PEOPLE OF ONEIDA COUNTY DOES, AND HOW WE TAKE CARE OF ONE ANOTHER. AND AT THIS POINT, IF I HAVE TO SUPPORT A SMALL TAX RAISE THIS YEAR AND NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT A LARGE ONE NEXT YEAR BECAUSE OF WHAT'S COMING DOWN FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO THE STATE GOVERNMENT TO US, AND WE CAN TAKE CARE OF OUR PEOPLE IN ONEIDA COUNTY. I'M GOING TO SUPPORT IT. THANK YOU. YES. WELL, THIS IS MY LAST BUDGET ADDRESS, MY 22ND. AND IT'S GOING TO BE DIFFICULT FOR ME TO GET THROUGH MY MY SPEECH. YOU ALMOST HAD ME CRYING.LEGISLATOR WHITE, I APPRECIATE YOUR KIND WORDS. THANK YOU. THE BUDGET PROCESS IS NOT EASY.
IT'S COMPLICATED. I AGREE 100% WITH WITH GEORGE ABOUT THE COMPLICATIONS WITH REIMBURSEMENTS AND AND DEALING WITH A STATE THAT'S INEPT AND CHARGES US COSTS AND FORWARD.
IT'S IT'S A DAUNTING TASK FOR THE BOARD AND ESPECIALLY THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE. APPRECIATE THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE, HIS TEAM ALL THESE YEARS, TONY, TOM KEELER, THEY PUT A LOT OF EFFORT AND WORK INTO THE BUDGET. IT'S PRETTY OBVIOUS THEY'VE ACTUALLY MADE OUR JOB AS LEGISLATORS RELATIVELY EASY THE LAST 12, 13 YEARS BECAUSE THEY'VE DELIVERED BUDGETS WITH NO PROPERTY TAX INCREASE. THIS YEAR IS DIFFERENT. I'M NOT GOING TO REITERATE ALL THE MAJOR ISSUES GOING FORWARD, BUT I HAVE TO AGREE WITH THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE. HE'S CORRECT ABOUT THE CHALLENGES THAT LIE AHEAD. IT'S ABOUT REIMBURSEMENTS, FED AND STATE, WHETHER WE'RE GOING TO GET THE MONEY WE EXPECTED OR SHOULD GET. IT'S ABOUT SLOWING SALES TAX REVENUE. IT'S ABOUT ESCALATION IN SALARIES, HEALTH INSURANCE PREMIUMS, JUST JUST TO NAME A FEW. BUT OUR TASK AS LEGISLATORS IS TO BE PART OF THE PROCESS TO TRY TO UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS. AND AND SOME PEOPLE DO AND SOME PEOPLE DON'T AS OF YET. LOOK AT THE BUDGET, TRY TO MAKE IT BETTER AND THEN RATIFY IT. WE WE WE TRY TO DO THAT. WE DO DO THAT. WE WE WE PASS OUR BUDGETS EVERY YEAR ON TIME THAT ARE BALANCED. AND I APPRECIATE THAT. BUT THIS BUDGET, AS WE LOOKED AT IT AND AS WE CRITIQUED IT, I DID NOT SEE ANY SERIOUS CUTS FROM THE BOARD. I DIDN'T SEE ENOUGH TO MAKE ME HAPPY TO VOTE FOR THIS BUDGET. THERE WASN'T MEANINGFUL CUTS TO TRY TO GET TO THAT $1.2 MILLION PLATEAU, TO ELIMINATE THAT PROPERTY TAX INCREASE. AMENDMENTS WERE ACTUALLY CRAFTED BY LEGISLATORS, PUT A LOT OF TIME AND EFFORT INTO AMENDMENTS. AND AND THEY WERE NOT SUPPORTED. THEY WERE NOT SUPPORTED. AND I DISAGREE WITH THEM NOT GETTING SUPPORTED. BUT I UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS. I'M ONE OF 23 LEGISLATORS I RESPECT DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES.
DISAPPOINTED, BUT BUT AGAIN, LIKE I SAID, I APPRECIATE THE PROCESS. I'M GOING TO HAVE TO VOTE NO ON THIS BUDGET. AND OBVIOUSLY I WISH THIS TEAM, THIS LEGISLATIVE BODY, THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE AND HIS TEAM THE BEST IN 2026. THANK YOU, MR. BOUCHER. THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN. AS YOU ALL KNOW, I'M FROM THE NORTH COUNTRY AND I REPRESENT THE NORTH COUNTRY.
WE'RE PRETTY CONSERVATIVE LOT UP THERE AND WE DON'T LIKE TO PAY MORE ON TAXES. BUT I'VE LOOKED AT THIS BUDGET, WE'VE DEBATED IT, AND THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE MADE A GREAT APPEAL
[01:15:05]
WHEN WE TRIED TO PUSH BACK A LITTLE BIT ON SOME OF WHAT WE WERE LOOKING AT. AND I THINK IT'S A VERY RESPONSIBLE BUDGET, AND I'M VOTING YES. JULIAN. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. HAVING HAD THE UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE OF BEING ON THE EXECUTIVE SIDE OF CRAFTING A BUDGET AND NOW IN THE LEGISLATIVE SIDE OF CRAFTING A BUDGET, IT'S AN UNENVIABLE TASK TO BE ON THE EXECUTIVE SIDE OF IT AND DO THIS, AS WE ALL KNOW. AND WHAT I SAY OVER AND OVER AGAIN IS GOVERNMENT DOES WHAT THE PRIVATE SECTOR CANNOT, WON'T, AND CAN'T AFFORD TO DO.IT'S AS EASY AS THAT. NO ONE'S GOING TO PLOW YOUR ROADS FOR YOU. NO ONE'S GOING TO PROVIDE A JAIL FOR YOU TO SEND YOUR UNDESIRABLES. NO ONE'S CAN WE SAY THAT. CAN'T SAY IT ANYMORE.
INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS. HOW'S THAT? NO ONE'S GOING TO DO THE THINGS THAT GOVERNMENT DOES, AND THOSE THINGS COST MONEY. WE TALK ABOUT AN INCREASE HERE AND WE SAY, OKAY, THERE'S A 1.9% INCREASE, BUT IN REALITY, WE'RE ALL PAYING MORE FOR NATIONAL GRID. WE'RE ALL PAYING MORE FOR WATER, WE'RE ALL PAYING MORE FOR INSURANCE, WE'RE ALL PAYING MORE FOR ALL THESE UPWARD PRESSURES. YET FOR SOME REASON, CERTAIN LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT DON'T GET THAT SAME RESPECT IN ORDER TO INCREASE THEIR INTAKE. IN ORDER TO MAKE THOSE PAYMENTS, LIKE EVERYONE ELSE HAS TO DO.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, COSTS GO UP FOR EVERYONE. WE NEED TO REMAIN COMPETITIVE. LIKE CHAD DAVIS STATES IN HIRING. AND WHEN WE CANNOT COMPETE WITH THE PRIVATE SECTOR, WE END UP WITH BIGGER PROBLEMS SUCH AS WE'RE FACING AT THE JAIL RIGHT NOW. I DO HAVE ISSUES WITH SOME OF THE DEPARTMENTAL HEAD RAISES, AND SOME OF THEM SEEM PERHAPS OUT OF LINE, BUT IT'S PROBABLY AN ARGUMENT FOR ANOTHER DAY. HOWEVER, AT THIS POINT I WOULD BE SUPPORTING THIS BUDGET JUST FOR THE SIMPLE FACT THAT I THINK IT'S REASONABLE, I THINK IT'S SANE, AND I THINK IT SETS US UP NOT FOR FUTURE FAILURE, BUT FOR FUTURE SUCCESS. SO THANK YOU, MR. JULIAN. KEITH.
SO, RICK, ON BEHALF OF SOME OF THE LEGISLATORS, WE LOVE YOU, MAN. AND WE LIKE THE EXAMPLE YOU PUT OUT THERE FOR US. I WANT TO SHARE ONE LAST PERSPECTIVE THAT HAS NOT BEEN SAID YET. TECHNICALLY, MAJORITY LEADER JOSEPH WAS CORRECT WHEN HE SAID, WE'VE PUT UP 12 YEARS WITH NO BUDGET INCREASE. BUT IT PAINS ME. IT PAINS ME TO CORRECT THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE WHO SAID WE PUT UP PUT UP 12 YEARS OF ZEROS. TECHNICALLY THAT'S INCORRECT. AND LEGISLATOR DAVIS BACKED ME UP WITH THAT BECAUSE ABOUT 12 YEARS AGO, THIS BOARD WAS FACED WITH A DILEMMA. THE DILEMMA IS WE HAVE TOO MUCH RESERVE. THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE PROPOSED A ZERO BUDGET. OUR GROUP HERE LOOKED AT IT, AND WITH OUR FISCAL CONSERVATIVE, WE STARTED KICKING AROUND A 2% DECREASE. WELL, THAT NUMBER ENDED UP AT A 1.55% DECREASE. SO COUNTY EXECUTIVE, YOU ARE INCORRECT IN SAYING THEY WERE ALL ZEROS. NOW YOU TAKE THAT 1.55% TEN YEARS AGO AND MULTIPLY IT BY THE TEN ZEROS. AND LIKE CHAD'S NODDING HIS HEAD, THAT WOULD AMOUNT TO ABOUT $10 MILLION, THAT WE WOULD HAVE MORE MONEY AT OUR DISPOSAL. SO WHAT WOULD YOU DO WITH THAT $10 MILLION? AT OUR BUDGET HEARINGS THIS WEEK, WE HEARD ONE OF THE TOWNSHIPS APPROACH US WITH THREE OF THEIR FIVE COUNCILMEN PRESENT. THEY DID A PITCH TO THIS BOARD SAYING UTICA HAS A THRUWAY INTERCHANGE THAT THE STATE'S LOOKING AT REVAMPING, BUT SO DOES VERONA. WE LOOK AT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN THIS COMMUNITY, AND WE SAY TO BARNEY'S GOING TO INFLUENCE, WELL, WHERE ARE THOSE TRUCKS IN THAT TRAFFIC GETTING OFF THE THRUWAY WHEN THEY HEAD TO ROME? AND ALSO, WE HEARD EARLIER TODAY FROM ONEIDA COUNTY TOURISM. WELL, ONE OF THE BIGGEST COUNTY TOURISM THINGS IS RIGHT THERE IN VERONA. SO WHEN THEY DO A PLEA OF THEIR TAXES ARE SHRINKING DUE TO OWNERSHIP OF LAND INTO TRUST, AND YET THEY'RE TRYING TO PUT A PROJECT THROUGH, PERHAPS THE ADDITIONAL MONEY THAT WE RAISE ALLOWS US TO CONTINUE THE PROJECTS LIKE WE'RE HERE IN THE SUPPORT OF ROME. WELL, MAYBE NEXT YEAR WE PUT IN THE ONE THAT SUPPORTS THE THRUWAY INTERCHANGE AT VERONA. FOR THAT, I THINK THIS BUDGET IS EXCELLENT. I COMMEND THIS BOARD. MY COLLEAGUES, I YOU, THANK YOUE VOTE, PLEASE. CINDY I'M SORRY, CINDY, I JUST DIDN'T WANT TO BE LEFT OUT. EVERYBODY WAS SAYING SOMETHING. I WANTED TO SAY SOMETHING TO KNOW. WE WORKED VERY HARD ON THIS. I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S HELP AND THE HARD WORK. THANK YOU EVERYBODY. OKAY, SO ONE THING ANYBODY KNOWS
[01:20:07]
ABOUT ME, I'M KIND OF HEARTLESS. HOLD IT, HOLD ON. YOU JUST DON'T SPEAK SHORT TIMERS. YEAH.I'M NOT A SHORT TIMER RIGHT NOW. I'M GONNA CALL ON MR. BUCK. OH. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. JERRY. SO WHERE I WAS GOING WITH THIS? ANYBODY THAT KNOWS ME THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S CERTAIN THINGS THAT I HAVE A PASSION FOR. AND OBVIOUSLY, ONEIDA COUNTY IS ONE THING, BUT IT ALSO THERE'S ONE THING THAT, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT A BLEEDING HEART. I'M NOT SOFT. I'M NOT THAT. BUT I JUST WANT TO SAY, YOU KNOW, THAT BESIDES RICK NOT BEING HERE NEXT YEAR TO HELP US WITH THE BUDGET, WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE OUR CHAIRMAN, WHO ALWAYS SAYS TO ME, ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND? SO I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY, YOU TWO GENTLEMEN, YOU DID A GREAT JOB BEING A MENTOR TO ME. AND I HOPEFULLY I'VE GOTTEN BETTER. THE ONLY THING I SAY TO YOU ALL THE TIME IS I WANT TO PUNCH YOU IN THE FACE. THAT IS A TRUE STATEMENT. I APPRECIATE IT, THAT'S WHAT I SAY. CALLABLE.
LORI. LORI WASHBURN. WHO? YOU'RE GOOD. WE HAVE A WE HAVE A BUDGET. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. ANY FURTHER BUSINESS MOTION TO ADJOURN. THERE WILL BE NO SECOND MEETING IN NOVEMBER. SO NEXT MEETING
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.