July
11, 2006, 9:30 AM
DRAFT MINUTES
Others Present: Scott Schrader, County Administrator; Angie Wyatt, Secretary to Scott Schrader; Sheriff Lee Price; Jane Goldner, Director-Probation Department; Dave Hartnett, District Attorney; Dennis Whitt, County Auditor; Ric VanDonsel, County Attorney; Roy Lewis, Jail Coordinator; Brenda DeRusso, Emergency Management Coordinator; Tom Jewett, Scott Ochs, Jim Cunningham, Eric Mulvihill, Corey Preston, Jim Mulherin from Bovis
The meeting was called to order at 8:30 by Chairman, John Daniels
MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM THE MAY 9, 2006 MEETING MADE BY LARRY
CORNELL – 2ND BY SEAN CLARK – ALL VOTED IN FAVOR TO APPROVE -
PASSED
RESOLUTIONS:
Sheriff’s
Department
Discussion:
This is to fund an additional part-time Welfare Fraud Investigator –
In the long run it is saving the County money.
Dave Hartnett told the Committee that it is a “win-win” matter.
Discussion:
This is a grant from the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee.
This provides for electronic ticketing and disposition at the time of
the arrest. This saves a lot of
time and paperwork. The City
Police and State Police are also using TraCS.
Public Defender’s Office
Discussion: These funds are needed when a conflict exists in the Public Defender’s Office. The total funds needed for Assigned Counsel were not budgeted to cover the expenses. If the Local Law passes there will not be a need for additional funds.
District Attorney’s Office
Discussion: District Attorney, David Hartnett provided the Committee with a written justification for the additional funds transfer to the D.A. Professional Services Account. The stenographer fees have increased, as did the amount of transcripts required for felony court cases.
Conflict Attorney’s Office
Discussion: Scott Schrader explained that the County is responsible for providing defense counsel for indigent individuals. When that is conflict of interest in the Public Defender’s Office, then the office must pay for Assigned Counsel. The Assigned Counsel costs get out of hand. Scott further explained that a lot of counties have gone to a Conflict Attorney’s Office. This would be the best way to control our costs. The Conflict Attorney would be a separate office from the Public Defender’s Office. The space has not yet been determined but Scott expects that it will be located at the Courthouse and support staff issues have not been addressed. Former District Attorney, Tom Jewett indicated that he doesn’t see a problem with this Local Law since it would be saving the County money. District Attorney, David Hartnett is in favor of the Local Law but feels that there would be a coverage problem and conflict of time could also pose a problem. County Attorney, Ric VanDonsel did not have an opinion – he was not involved with drafting this Local Law.
1.
Cortland County Sheriff’s Advisory
Committee- Jail Recommendations
– The Advisory Committee provided the JPS Committee with a written report
(Available for review from the Clerk of the Legislature).
The Advisory Committee consisted of James Cunningham, Retired Probation
Director; Tom Jewett, Retired District Attorney; Captain Roy Lewis, Jail
Coordinator (Ex-officio); Scott Ochs, Criminal Justice Professor-TC3;
Lieutenant Budd Rigg (Ex-officio); Charles Uttech, US Army – Retired; Gary
Wood, Consulting Engineer. Members
of the Committee, Jim Cunningham, Scott Ochs, Tom Jewett & Roy Lewis
provided the JPS Committee with a brief overview of the report.
2.
UHF
Paging –
Scott Schrader provided an update. They
went out to bid and had no response so they revamped the specifications and
have the bids by the next Judiciary & Public Safety Committee meeting in
August.
3.
Replace
Dispatch Console – The
Dispatch Console is being replaced through a grant in the amount of $250,000.
The RFP’s (Request For Proposals) went out today.
4.
Relocation
of Dispatch/Emergency Control Center – A proposal is being considered to move the 911 Dispatch Center to the 3rd
Floor of the Public Safety Building. The
present location would serve as the Records Department.
The Records Department being located on the First Floor would be better
access to the general public. The
Emergency Control Center would move to the County Office Building.
A new generator would be installed at the County Office Building that
would service the entire building and all the necessary emergency services and
personnel could be all in the County Office Building.
The old generator would go to the Courthouse.
There are no grant funds available for the new generator.
It would cost approximately $275,000.00 to move the operation to the
County Office Building. The Buildings & Grounds Committee have endorsed this
plan. MOTION BY LARRY CORNELL – 2ND
BY DON SPAULDING THAT THE JUDICIARY & PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE ENDORSE THE
PLAN TO MOVE 911 DISPATCH TO THE THIRD FLOOR OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY BUILDING,
THAT THE FIRST FLOOR OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY BUILDING BECOME THE RECORDS CENTER,
THAT THE COUNTY PURCHASE A NEW GENERATOR FOR THE COUNTY OFFICE BUILDING, THAT
THE OLD GENERATOR GO TO THE COURTHOUSE, AND THAT THE EMERGENCY CONTROL CENTER
BE RELOCATED TO THE COUNTY OFFICE BUILDING – ALL VOTED IN FAVOR – PASSED
5.
Department
Head Forum –
A)
CORONER’S OFFICE: Scott
Schrader advised the Committee that they will have to hold up on exploring the
possibility of replacing the Coroners’ Office with a Medical Examiner’s
Office because they are in a state of flux at the Cortland Regional Medical
Center. There will have to be a
special election in the fall for the 2nd Coroner.
B)
RECENT FLOOD: Brenda DeRusso
advised the Committee that Cortland County is eligible for FEMA and State
Funds for damages that were a result of the resent flood. Senator Hilary Clinton, Senator Charles Schumer and
Congressman Sherwood Boehlert were instrumental in assisting the County with
obtaining eligibility. Brenda
DeRusso further explained that the state would be paying for the balance that
FEMA does not pay. The County
will not incur any expense. Sheriff Lee Price indicated the 10 Cortland County
Deputies went to Broome County to help with their flooding situation.
C)
INMATES MEDICAL COSTS: County
Auditor, Dennis Whitt and Sheriff Lee Price briefly discussed a report from
the Office of the New York State Comptroller regarding “Reducing the Cost of
Hospital Services Provided to County Inmates”.
Dennis indicated that he is working with the Sheriff and the
Legislative Chairman in looking at issues that have not been addressed in the
past. They will keep the
Judiciary & Public Safety Committee as well as the County Legislature
apprised.
D)
PROBATION: Jane Goldner
advised the Committee that electronic monitoring is now available when there
is no access to telephone landlines. The
electronic monitoring is not a solution as an alternative to incarceration but
it helps.
The Meeting was adjourned at 11:00a.m.
Minutes Prepared By Angie Wyatt, Secretary to Scott Schrader