Judiciary & Public Safety Committee

January 5, 2005 – 9:00a.m.

DRAFT MINUTES

 

 

Committee Present: Scott Elston, Chairman; Merwin Armstrong, Vice Chairman; Kurt Behrenfeld, Kay Breed, Larry Cornell, Ron VanDee – Absent: Tom Hartnett

Others Present: Scott Schrader, County Administrator; Scott Steve, Legislative Chairman; Angie Wyatt, Secretary Scott Schrader; Lee Price, Sheriff; Toni Seamans, Secretary to Lee Price; Jane Goldner, Probation Director; Carl Moses, Weights & Measures Director; Dave Hartnett, District Attorney; Tricia Hansen, TLC Emergency Services; Brian Libertore, Cortland Standard; Eric Mulvihill, WXHC Radio

The meeting was called to order by Chairman, Scott Elston at 9:00a.m.

Chairman Scott Elston distributed a copy of the Cortland County Policy and Procedures regarding submission of agenda items. He also requested that the Committee and others in attendance refrain from cell phone use during JPS meetings.

MOTION BY MERWIN ARMSTRONG – 2ND BY LARRY CORNELL TO APPROVED THE MINUTES FROM THE DECEMBER 1, 2004 MEETING – ALL VOTED IN FAVOR – PASSED

RESOLUTIONS

 

There were no resolutions presented for approval.

DISCUSSION/PRESENTATIONS/COMMITTEE ACTION

Departmental Updates:

Sheriff (Lee Price)

1. The State Comptroller’s Jail Audit has been completed.
    1. The County needs to seriously look at building or renovating the jail.
    2. They are in the process of hiring part-time dispatchers for the 911 Center.
    3. A new position will be filled to work on Department of Social Services Fraud Investigation. This new position will be funded by DSS.
    4. There are still heavy drug problems in Cortland County.
    5. They are working on the grant for the software for the 911 Center. Lee will report more on this at the next JPS meeting.

District Attorney (Dave Hartnett)

    1. A new Assistant District Attorney has been hired. The new A.D.A.’s name is Jevon Garrett and was previously an A.D.A. in Tompkins County. Mr. Garrett will be dealing with sex crimes among other duties.
    2. The District Attorney is now at full staff.
    3. Dave explained the new Fast Track Sentencing System, which eliminates long periods of time that state ready inmates spend in our jail.
    4. The Vehicle and Traffic prosecutions in the Town Courts are running smoother and Dave has not received any negative feedback from Town Justices. Larry Cornell had heard positive feedback from Marathon.

 

Public Defender (Keith Dayton) – Was not present for the meeting

Scott Schrader reported the following:

Assigned Counsel continues to be a problem. The creation of a Conflict Attorney’s Office needs to be addressed. In June 40% of the PD’s budget for Assigned Counsel had been spent. By the end of the year they were over budget. Assigned Counsel Attorneys should be submitting bills in a timely fashion. Scott Schrader, Keith Dayton and County Attorney, John Bardsley will be working on a policy for the submission of bills from Assigned Counsel Attorneys. Something should be in place by the March JPS meeting.

Fire/Emergency Management Office (Bob Duell)

    1. The Virgil Communications tower is working well. The Amateur Radio Group will be moving into the Old Building. A T1 line needs to be hooked up and they are working with a vendor to provide in-kind service for the T1 line in lieu of a $1,400 rental fee.
    2. An EMS Advisory Board is being formed and that Board will need to be formally adopted.
    3. An Emergency Preparedness Plan is in the progress of being prepared.

Weights and Measures (Carl Moses)

    1. Revenue was higher in 2004 than in previous years. The State may raise the fees that the County can charge this year.
    2. There are businesses and industries need to be inspected that have not been visited. Carl will be setting up a schedule so this will be accomplished. He also plans to do package inspecting and bulk milk tanks.

Coroner’s (Bryan Riccardi & Kevin Sharp) – Were not present

NO REPORT

Probation (Jane Goldner)

    1. The Drug Court will be start running in March. 1 Probation Officer will be assigned. They are in the process of getting office space in the Courthouse for a Drug Court Coordinator that will be hired. A Resolution will be required to set up the office and hire a Coordinator.
    2. They plan to initiate the Electronic Monitoring and 2 Probation Officers will be assigned to that program.
    3. They plan to start drug testing their clients in house. 2/3 of their clients’ conditions of probation is alcohol/drug related.
    4. The newly named Criminal Justice Advisory Board (formerly A.T.I. Board) needs to formally go through as a Resolution before the County Legislature. A Resolution should be prepared for the next JPS meeting and go to the full Legislature at the February meeting. This Board is presently meeting monthly and will eventually meet quarterly. Their next meeting is January 27, 2005.

Other Comments:

Sheriff Lee Price:

    1. The State needs to reimburse us more to hold Parole Violators in our jail.
    2. The new Fast Track Sentencing System is getting state ready inmates out of our Jail and into State Prisons quicker.

 

THE MEETING WAS ADJOURNED BY CHAIRMAN SCOTT ELSTON AT 9:45A.M.

Minutes prepared by Angie Wyatt, Secretary to Scott Schrader

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