Budget & Finance Committee
Special Meeting - Budget Review
Wednesday, November 8, 2006
1:00p.m. – Room 302 (Room Change Due To Conflict)
Committee Present: Ron VanDee, Chairman; John Troy, Vice-Chairman; Danny Ross, Sean Clark, Newell Willcox, John Daniels, Dan Tagliente
Others Present: Scott Schrader, County Administrator; Marilyn Brown, Legislative Chairman; Angie Wyatt, Secretary to County Administrator; Mike Kilmer, Director of Administrative Services-Mental Health; Don Chambers, Highway Superintendent; Brian Parker, Buildings & Grounds Supervisor; Tim Smith, Deputy Buildings & Grounds Supervisor; Diane Bean, Highway Department Fiscal Officer; Sandy Price, Legislator; Corey Preston, Cortland Standard; John Carroll, Private Citizen
Charlie Capanzano, Mental Health Clinical Director sent a memo to the Committee explaining the reason for being unable to attend.
The meeting was called to order at 1:00p.m. by Ron VanDee
MENTAL HEALTH:
Scott Schrader: 3 positions that were requested were not funded because it was too late. One position was added by Scott for a Youth Specialist to deal with PINS/JD cases in attempts to deter placement of youth. This position would also be assisting other departments such as Probation, DSS, etc. with PINS/JD cases.
Marilyn Brown: Why has the maintenance agreement doubled?
Scott Schrader: Will find out and the Committee will come back to it.
Marilyn Brown: What happened to the Preventive Services for Youth?
Scott Schrader: That money dried up.
Marilyn Brown: How is the success of the youth programs measured?
Mike Kilmer: It depends on the program. Each program has its own method of success determination.
Scott Schrader: Will provide a break-down of State aid for the youth programs.
Marilyn Brown: Why are the medical fees up?
Mike Kilmer: Because of the cost of a new drug (an injection) that is a time-released drug for Psychotics.
Scott Schrader: The Legislature approved this new drug by resolution based on it being reimbursed by Medicaid.
Ron VanDee: Are we getting paid?
Mike Kilmer: Yes..but on a pending for 3 months basis, then they deny it and then Mental Health re-submits and they pay it. We (the Mental Health Department) are “Providers” for the drug but now they have stopped taking referrals.
THE COMMITTEE WOULD LIKE THE RESOLUTION PULLED AND CORRECTED REGARDING THIS DRUG AND THE CORTLAND COUNTY MENTAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT BEING THE “PROVIDER”
Newell Willcox: Are we utilizing generic drugs?
Mike Kilmer: Yes we are – and we are also using free drug samples that the Salesmen leave.
BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS:
Scott Schrader: The 3 million dollars is for the Courthouse renovation project. The 3 million will change since the City Court will not be coming to the Courthouse, then it will not exist as part of the funding stream. The state aid is not in there yet and the County portion will be moved to Capital Fund or will be bonded for. We are looking to move the Public Defender’s Office to the Courthouse and put the Probation all on one floor.
The overtime is for winter conditions, etc.
The Court facility revenue of approximately $120,000 was inadvertently not included. This will bring the proposed tax levy down to about 3.45%
Marilyn Brown: Why 2 new custodians?
Brian Parker: For maintenance of the hard floors/carpets. This would save money on “call on” and overtime. Since the budget requests have come out, the Sheriff has asked Buildings & Grounds to clean all of the Public Safety Building. The Sheriff used to use the Inmate Trustees but does not have enough Correction Officers to supervise them.
By the Buildings & Grounds Department doing a lot of in-house repairs/renovations a lot money is saved, otherwise by bidding the work out the County would have to pay the NYS prevailing wage.
Scott Schrader: The County will be acquiring an old building from the Cortlandville Fire District for the purpose of a County-Wide Training Center. This building will need to be renovated and this is a project, which could be done by Buildings & Grounds.
HIGHWAY/AIRPORT/SOLID WASTE/DWYER PARK:
Scott Schrader: Airport Insurance is up because not only do we have to carry Liability Insurance but we also have to have an Aviation Insurance Policy.
The rent/lease of heavy equipment is higher because the surcharge on fuel is up 15%.
Ron VanDee: Can’t we get it down to 10%?
Scott Schrader: You can do this and then if need be we could go back to the fund balance. I will re-calculate with the 10% and come back with new figures.
Don Chambers: The rental on the open pavilions at Dwyer Park is $50.00 and we receive $300 a year from CRT for the License Agreement. CRT oversees the rental and upkeep/maintenance of the Main Pavilion so they receive the rent revenue from the Main Pavilion.
Ron VanDee: The rental fees should be higher for the open pavilions.
Don Chambers: The Landfill and Recycling Center is doing well.
Budget & Finance Committee Chairman, Ron Van Dee announced that the next Budget and Finance Committee 2007 County Budget Review will be held Thursday, November 9, 2006 at 12:00p.m. The following County Budgets will be reviewed: Cortland County Area Agency on Aging; Cortland County Clerk and Cortland County Treasurer.
The meeting was adjourned at 2:50p.m.
Minutes prepared by Angie Wyatt, Secretary to Scott Schrader.