Budget and Finance Committee

September 8, 2005 at 7:30 am

Approved Minutes as Corrected

 

 

Members present:         Kurt Behrenfeld, Chairman; Dr. Paul DiGiovanni, Vice Chairman; Kay Breed, Danny Ross, Carol Tytler

 

Others Present:             Scott Schrader, Scott Steve, Chairman of the Legislature; Don Ferris, John Steger, Carolyn Kennedy, Lee Price, Rick McNeilly, Dennis Whitt, John, Carroll, Brian Liberatore, Angie Wyatt

 

Absent:                         Marilyn Brown, Newell Willcox

 

Mr. Behrenfeld called the meeting to order at 7:40 a.m.

 

Dr. DiGiovanni moved adoption of the minutes of the August 11, 2005, meeting, with a correction; seconded by Mrs. Tytler. All members voting in favor; none opposed; minutes approved as printed.

 

RESOLUTIONS:

 

1.                   Authorize Agreement, Bankruptcy Legal Services, Treasurer’s Office. Mrs. Tytler moved adoption; seconded by Mrs. Breed.  Don Ferris indicated that it would be beneficial to the County to have someone who is proficient in the new bankruptcy laws in regards to property tax collection.  Dr. DiGiovanni asked why NYSAC isn’t doing something for all the counties.  Dr DiGiovanni made a motion to amend the resolution as follows: (The first resolved will read “…that the Cortland County Legislative Chairman, upon approval of the County Attorney is hereby authorized…”), seconded by Mrs. Breed.  All members voting in favor of resolution as amended; none opposed; resolution as amended adopted.

 

The members requested the following items removed from the consent agenda: 2, 3, 4, 9, 14, 15, 19, 23, 26, 28, 29, 31, 32, and 33

 Dr. DiGiovanni moved adoption of the consent agenda with the above items removed; seconded by Mrs. Tytler;  All members voting in favor; none opposed; consent agenda adopted.

 

CONSENT AGENDA:

 

2.            Adopt the Cortland County Purchase of Development Rights Review Criteria

Planning Department-Dr. DiGiovanni moved adoption; seconded by Mrs. Breed. Chairman Steve explained the numerical criteria scoring system for the purchase of development rights.  All members voting in favor with word “attached,” added in the last resolved; none opposed; resolution as amended adopted.

 

3.            Adopt the Cortland County Farmland Protection Purchase of Development Rights         

Program Monitoring Plan and Establish the Cortland County Farmland Protection    Purchase of Development Rights Program Monitoring Team, Planning Department.

Dr. DiGiovanni moved the adoption; seconded by Mrs. Tytler.  Monitoring team will report to the APE Committee/Legislature.  All members voting in favor, none opposed; resolution adopted.

 

4.                   Create Custodian, Amend Budget, Buildings and Grounds Department. Dr. DiGiovanni moved adoption; seconded by Mrs. Breed. With temporary through 12/31/05 to be added to resolution.  All members voting in favor except Mr. Ross opposed; resolution adopted.

 

5.              Authorize Agreements-Health Department-(Educational Institutions)

 

6.            Authorize Agreement-Health Department-(Cortland Memorial Hospital Transfer

             Agreement)

 

7.              Authorize Agreement-Health Department/Nursing Division-(Preferred Provider

             Agreements)

 

8.             Authorize Agreement-Health Department/Nursing (Beacon Resource Group)

 

9.              Authorize Agreements/Accept Funds-Health Department/Administration/Special

Programs-Breast & Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program - Mrs. Tytler moved

adoption; seconded by Mrs. Breed.  All members voting in favor; none opposed;

 resolution adopted.

 

10.          Authorize Agreements/Accept Funds-Health Department-Eat Well Play Hard

             Grant

 

11.         Authorize Agreement-Health Department/Jacobus Center for Reproductive

             Health/ ZAP 

 

12.         Abolish/ Create, Medical Typist/ Medical Services Clerk

 

13.         Abolish/ Create, Mental Health Department, Youth Project Director/ Youth

Development Services Director

 

14.          Authorize Agreement, Amend Lease, Mental Health Department (Buildings and

Grounds Department / Joseph Armideo) – Dr. DiGiovanni moved adoption; seconded

by Mrs. Breed.  All members voting in favor; none opposed; resolution adopted.

 

15.        Amend 2005 Budget, Recognizing Insurance Recovery, Highway Department/

 Recycling  - Dr. DiGiovanni moved adoption; seconded by Mrs. Tytler. Mr.

Schrader explained the resolution.  All members voting in favor; none opposed;

resolution adopted.

 

16.         Authorize County Attorney to Proceed with Acquisition of Land Under Eminent

Domain Procedure Law, Highway Department

 

17.         Authorize Rental Contract, Highway Department

 

18.        Amend Budget, Highway Department (Transfer)

 

19.         Authorize Agreement, New York State, Page Green Road Reconstruction Phase II

P.I.N. – 375350 – Dr. DiGiovanni moved adoption; seconded by Mrs. Breed.  All members voting in favor; none opposed; resolution adopted.

 

20.         Authorize Contract, Highway Department, Town of Taylor

(Snow and Ice – County Roads)

 

21.          Authorize Contract, Highway Department, Town of Homer

(Snow and Ice – County Roads)

 

22.         Authorize Contract, Highway Department, Town of Cincinnatus

(Snow and Ice – County Roads)

 

23.         Authorize Extension of State Snow/Ice Control Agreement, Highway Department

Dr. DiGiovanni moved adoption; seconded by Mrs. Breed.  Why the urgency to extend this to 2007.  The state changed methodology of reimbursement for equipment costs.

All members voting in favor; none opposed; resolution adopted.

 

24.          Authorize Agreement, Sheriff’s Department / 911 Center

 (ATT Communication Systems Corporation)

 

25.        Amend Budget, Sheriff’s Department (LETPP FY04)

 

26.        Appointment of Jail Physician Pursuant to Correction Law § 501

            Referred back to JPS Committee to address concerns.

 

27.         Authorize Agreement/ Accept Funds, Probation Department (New York State

 Division of Probation and Correctional Alternatives - DPCA)

 

28.       Amend 2005 Budget, Probation Department

            Dr. DiGiovanni moved adoption; seconded by Mr. Ross. Current union contract has to be

            negotiated to cover this area.  All members voting in favor; none opposed; resolution

            adopted.

 

29.        Amend Budget, Area Agency on Aging/ Nutrition (Senior Nutrition Assistance

 Program- SNAP)  Dr. DiGiovanni moved adoption; seconded by Mrs. Tytler.  All

 members voting in favor; none opposed; resolution adopted.

 

30.        Accept Bids / Authorize Purchase, Area Agency on Aging (Miscellaneous Groceries

 and Frozen Foods)

 

31.        Amend Budget, Area Agency on Aging (Long Term Care Education Information

 and Outreach Program)Dr. DiGiovanni moved adoption; seconded by Mrs. Breed.  All

 members voting in favor except Dr. DiGiovanni; resolution adopted.

 

32.        Amend Budget, Department of Social Services (Transfer) –  Dr. DiGiovanni moved

adoption; seconded by Mr. Ross.  Mr. Schrader explained the resolution.  All members voting in favor; none opposed; resolution adopted.

 

33.         Authorize Agreement, Employment and Training (Operation of Year Round Youth

Programs) – Dr. DiGiovanni moved adoption; seconded Mrs. Tytler.  Mr. Schrader explained the resolution.  All members voting in favor; none opposed; resolution adopted.

 

34.          Authorize Execution of the Three-Year Local Plan for Programs Under the Federal

             Workforce Investment Act Employment and Training Grant Administration Department Youth Bureau

 

35.        Accept Grant/ Amend Budget/ Authorize Agreement/ Youth Bureau (Member Item

 Grant)

 

36.        Create Motor Vehicle Clerk (Part-time)/ Amend Budget, County Clerk

 

37.       Authorize Agreement, Information Technology (All-Mode Communications, Inc.)

 

38.         Opposing the Expenditure of Funds – Dr. DiGiovanni moved adoption; seconded by

Mrs. Tytler.  All members voting in favor; non opposed; resolution adopted.

 

DISCUSSION/PRESENTATIONS/REPORTS:

 

1.                  Possible Special Article that would be introduced by Chairman Steve regarding eliminating the 4% Cortland County sales tax on residential energy and motor fuel.  Mr. Schrader indicated that gas is easy to break out, but heating oil is not so easy.  Mr. Schrader needs to get advice from the N.Y.S. Tax Department.  Mr. Behrenfeld said it is a great idea, but it’s confusing.  Mrs. Tytler indicated this would be to help people in our community because of fuel and energy cost increases.  Mr. Ferris indicated, as of today, we are not ahead with our sales tax revenue. 

 

2.                  Balance Sheets for July 2004 and July 2005 – Treasurer’s Office. Mr. Ferris distributed balance sheets and briefly discussed them.

 

3.                  Proposed Transfer of Easement – County Attorney’s Office

There will be a resolution at the next committee meeting. Mr. Schrader updated the committee on the budget process and explained problems regarding assigned counsel, education costs within the Probation Department, and health costs were more than anticipated.  He also discussed Capital Projects.

 

4.            Presentation of by Mr. McNeilly of the Audit for the County of Cortland for the Year ending December 31, 2004.

   

The committee was adjourned.

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