August
17, 2006, 7:30 AM
Draft
Minutes
Committee Present: John Daniels, Chairman; Tom
Williams, Vice Chairman; Sean Clark, Larry Cornell, Don Spaulding, Danny Ross
- Ron VanDee: Absent
Others Present: Marilyn Brown, Legislative Chairman; Scott Schrader, County Administrator; Angie Wyatt, Secretary to County Administrator; Lee Price, Sheriff; Herb Barnhart, Undersheriff; Rob Corpora, Director-Information Technology; Bob Duell, Director-Fire Emergency Management; Jane Goldner, Director-Probation Department; John Troy, Legislator; Keith Dayton, Public Defender; Dennis Whitt, County Auditor; Carl Moses, Director-Weights & Measures; Ric VanDonsel, County Attorney; Corey Preston-Cortland Standard; Eric Mulvihill, WXHC Radio; Matt Pennello
The meeting was called to order by, Chairman, John Daniels at 7:35 a.m.
MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE JULY 11, 2006 MEETING MADE BY
SEAN CLARK - 2ND BY LARRY CORNELL - ALL VOTED IN FAVOR –
MINUTES APPROVED.
RESOLUTIONS:
Sheriff’s
Department/Jail/911 Dispatch Center
Discussion: Lee Price explained that the Technical Communications Officer was to get the New World System up and running to make things run smoother.
Discussion: This resolution was added on because the bids were just received and opened. This is also one of the reasons that the JPS Committee meeting was moved to today. The lowest bid for the consoles was from Modular Communications Systems, Inc. for $290,000.00 (this amount includes the mapping software for the determination of location of cell phones). The only other bid was for over $600,000.00. The consoles will be funded by grant money from the State and Federal Governments to improve/update our communications system. The switch over is planned to be by November 30, 2006 along with the 911 Dispatch Center being relocated to the third floor of the Public Safety Building. Scott Schrader will draft the resolution today. This resolution will also go before the Budget & Finance meeting following this meeting.
Probation
Department
Discussion: Jane Goldner advised the Committee that the funds have increased from last year.
Discussion: A new law has expanded a list of crimes, which now requires
the collection of DNA samples. This
law is retroactive to persons on probation at the time of the effective date
of the law. The state has offered
some funding but it still is time consuming for probation staff.
Fire/Emergency
Management Office
Discussion: Scott Schrader explained that they had originally gone to bid in April but had no responses. They discovered that there were no bids because the specifications called for county saturation of 95% and no company could guarantee this. Upon amending the bid specifications and re-submitting for bid, United Radio was the lowest bidder. To provide maximum saturation there would have to be 7 different tower sites. These sites would not necessarily be actual towers (i.e. a church steeple). The proposal for United Radio would be an award not to exceed $300,000.00 and subject to appropriation by the Legislature. This would lock United Radio in. The majority of these funds would be through grants.
Lease Space at Virgil Radio Tower by NYSEG – Resolution
No. 132-04 authorized lease agreements and set the monthly rental/lease
occupant fees for the Cortland County Virgil Communications Tower.
County Attorney, Ric VanDonsel feels that because a term is not
included in the resolution that the Committee should approve the lease.
BY JUDICIARY & PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE ACTION ONLY…….ON
MOTION OF SEAN CLARK – 2ND BY DANNY ROSS – ALL VOTED IN FAVOR
TO ACCEPT THE NYSEG LEASE FOR THE VIRGIL COMMUNICATIONS TOWER AS AUTHORIZED BY
THE ORIGINAL RESOLUTION NO. 132-04 – ALL VOTED YES – MOTION PASSED
Other Discussion: Tom Williams asked about the space and the liability. Bob Duell indicated that the liability is covered in the lease agreement. Lee Price indicated that the tower has plenty of space on it. The amount of space taken would depend on the height and antenna of the component. Presently, BOCES and the State DOT are on the tower. Lee Price pointed out that at the time they were first discussing the space leasing of the tower, they called other counties to see what they were doing and what fees that the other counties were charging. Cortland County is in line with what other counties are charging.
Introduce Local Law No. 1 for the Year 2006: Tabled from July 27,
2006 Session – This Local Law was re-introduced to the Committee
because it was tabled from the July 27, 2006 Legislative Session due to it had
not laid of the desks of the Legislators for 7 days and a Public Hearing was
not advertised. Scott Schrader, John Daniels and Keith Dayton recently met
with Judges Ames, Campbell & Casullo regarding the Judges’
dissatisfaction with timing of the assignment of Assigned Counsel in cases of
conflict in the Public Defender’s Office.
The staff shortage in the Public Defender’s Office was the main
problem. The P.D. Office is now getting the assignments done in a
timelier manner since a new person has started and the office personnel
assignment have been re-aligned. The
Judges were informed of this pending Local Law and were pleasantly surprised
and quite satisfied with this Local Law. THE CONSENUS OF THE JUDICIARY
& PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE IS TO ACCEPT LOCAL LAW NO. 1 FOR THE YEAR 2006
AS WRITTEN.
“Domestic Violence Court”: Scott Schrader advised the Committee that he had met with Judges a 2nd time regarding the establishment of a Domestic Violence Court, which would be similar to how the present Drug Court works. The State is presently applying to the Federal Government for funding to initiate this project. The Administrative Law Judges are also pushing for this. This new Court set-up would impact the District Attorney’s Office the most. The Domestic Violence Court would essentially combine the Criminal and Family Courts in domestic violence matters only.
Department Head Forum:
Sheriff/Jail/911 Dispatch Center : - Lee Price introduced our new Undersheriff, Herb Barnhart. Lee Price informed the Committee that the Jail medical expenses are up due to 3 inmates being hospitalized (one at Cortland and 2 at Upstate Medical). Lee urged the Committee to start thinking about the possibility of a new jail since the jail reports have been released and the Jail Consultants have the information that they need to make recommendations. Marilyn Brown asked if the Jail Consultants were given the resent jail reports. Scott Schrader said that they were given these reports but the Jail Consultants will need to go deeper than what is in the reports. They are presently working on setting up dates for the Consultant to conduct 15-20 interviews in the course of 2 days.
Public Defender: Public Defender, Keith Dayton requested that the Judiciary & Public Safety Committee and the Legislature forward items to the Criminal Justice Advisory Board and Sub-Committees for discussion and recommendations.
Fire/Emergency Management: Fire/Emergency Director, Bob Duell gave a brief update on the recent flooding.
Probation: Reported during approval of Resolutions – No further comments
District Attorney: No report
Coroners: No Report
Weights & Measures: No report
The meeting was adjourned at 8:25a.m.