ALLEGANY COUNTY BOARD OF LEGISLATORS
ORGANIZATION MEETING
** APPROVED **
The organization meeting of the
Board of Legislators was called to order at 2:00 p.m. by Clerk of the Board
Brenda Rigby Riehle.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG: The Pledge was led by US Army Specialist
Joshua Morton.
INVOCATION: Legislator
Pullen.
ROLL CALL: 15 Present; 0 Absent.
RESOLUTIONS:
RESOLUTION NO. 1-09
REAPPOINTMENT OF
LEGISLATOR CURTIS W. CRANDALL TO
CHAIRMANSHIP OF
BOARD OF LEGISLATORS;
AUTHORITY TO
DETERMINE NUMBER OF BOARD MEMBERS ON COMMITTEES
Offered by: Legislator Theodore Hopkins
Pursuant to County Law § 450
RESOLVED:
1. That Legislator Curtis W. Crandall is reappointed Chairman of this Board of Legislators, with term of office commencing immediately and expiring December 31, 2009.
2. That said Chairman is authorized to determine the number of Board members to serve on each of the standing and special committees of this Board which have been or may be established by this Board.
Moved by: Mr. Hopkins Adopted: Voice Vote
Seconded by: Mr. Pullen Opposed: Kruger
OATH OF OFFICE ADMINISTERED:
Judge James Euken
administered the Oath of Office to Chairman Curtis W. Crandall, who was
accompanied by his wife, Cathy, following adoption of Resolution No. 1-09. Chairman Crandall assumed leadership of the
meeting.
RESOLUTION NO. 2-09
APPOINTMENT OF
VICE CHAIRMAN
Offered by: Legislator William M. Hall
Pursuant to Rule 70 of County Board Rules as enacted by Resolution No. 77-89
RESOLVED:
1. That Legislator Brent L. Reynolds is appointed Vice Chairman of this Board of Legislators to act pursuant to, and during the designated time periods specified in, County Board Rules.
Moved by: Mr. Hall Adopted: Voice Vote
Seconded by: Mr. Fanton
OATHS OF OFFICE ADMINISTERED:
Judge James Euken
administered the Oath of Office to Vice Chairman Brent Reynolds, who was
accompanied by his daughter, Kalee, following adoption of Resolution No. 2-09.
Judge Euken
administered the Oath of Office to Election Commissioner Elaine Herdman, who
was accompanied by her grandson, Wyatt Herdman.
RESOLUTION NO. 3-09
RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE SEQRA REVIEW OF THE
COURT FACILITIES PLAN AND COUNTY OFFICE NEEDS PLAN
Offered by: Ways and Means Committee
RESOLVED:
1. That pursuant to the New York State Environmental Quality Review Act Allegany County shall undertake an environmental review of the proposed court facilities/county office needs project.
2. That Allegany County shall act as lead agency in conducting the environmental review.
3. That the Allegany County Administrator is directed to prepare the appropriate Environmental Assessment Form for consideration and action of the entire Board of Legislators.
Moved by: Mr. Reynolds Adopted: Roll Call
Seconded by: Mr. Pullen 12
Ayes, 3 Noes, 0 Absent
Voting
No: Kruger, Truax, Ungermann
APPOINTMENTS:
The Clerk of the Board
announced that Chairman Crandall has made the following appointments:
CATTARAUGUS-ALLEGANY
WORKFORCE INVESTMENT BOARD (Appointed
jointly with Crystal Abers, Chairman of the Cattaraugus County Legislature, for
a three-year term expiring December 31, 2011):
John Stevens Chris Napoleon
Kathleen Premo Phil Ghent
Cesar Cabrera Mike Hendrix
David T. Pullen,
Fillmore
COMPREHENSIVE
PLAN IMPLEMENTATION GROUP (To
serve at the pleasure of the Chairman, pursuant to Resolution No. 125-08):
Charles Jessup, Alfred Station
Frederick Sinclair, Scio
Edward Eicher, Wellsville
Theodore L. Hopkins, Fillmore
Ronald Stuck, Friendship
Ex-Officio
Members:
Curtis
W. Crandall, Chairman of the Board
John
E. Margeson, County Administrator
John
E. Foels, Development Director
Brent L. Reynolds, Chairman of Ways and Means Committee
John E. Margeson, County Administrator
Thomas A. Miner, County Attorney
Charles Jessup, Chairman of IDA
John E.
Foels, Development Director/IDA Director
David
Roeske, Superintendent of Public Works
Daniel A. Spitzer, Attorney for the
IDA
William M. Hall, Alfred
John C. Tucker, Belmont
FRIENDSHIP
EMPIRE ZONE OF ALLEGANY COUNTY ADMINISTRATIVE BOARD (To serve at the pleasure of the Chairman,
pursuant to Local Law No. 2-94. Ronald
Truax, as an officer of Allegany County government, will serve as Chairman of
the Friendship Empire Zone of Allegany County Administrative Board):
Jody Collins, Cuba Robert
C. Ellis, Belmont
Darwin Fanton, Wellsville Marcia
Habberfield, Scio
Kevin LaForge, Wellsville Jerry
Scott, Cuba
Ronald Stuck, Friendship Ronald
Truax, Cuba
William
Zacher, Friendship Susan F.
Myers, Friendship
INTER-COUNTY
ASSOCIATION OF COUNTY LEGISLATIVE BODIES OF WESTERN NEW YORK, INC. (To serve at the pleasure of the Chairman):
Voting
Members:
Glenn
R. Benson, Whitesville
William
G. Dibble, Little Genesee
Alternate
Voting Members:
Timothy
O’Grady, Wellsville
David T. Pullen, Fillmore
MERCY
FLIGHT CIVIC ADVISORY COMMITTEE (To serve at the pleasure of the Chairman):
Christine
Johnson, Angelica
REGION
9 OPEN SPACE ADVISORY COMMITTEE (To serve at the pleasure of the Chairman):
H.
County Representative Member:
Gretchen T.
Gary, Belfast
County Alternate: Ronald A. Stuck, Friendship
Legislative Member:
Norman G.
Ungermann, Jr., Cuba
Member at Large:
Thomas
Parmenter, Fillmore
SOLID
WASTE HEARING BOARD (To
serve at the pleasure of the Chairman, pursuant to Resolution No. 211-04 and
Local Law No. 3-04):
Dwight R. Fanton, Chairman of Public Works Committee
Daniel Russo, District IV Legislator
William G. Dibble, District III Legislator
Alternates:
Michael
J. McCormick, District IV Legislator
Douglas
D. Burdick, District V Legislator
Deborah Aumick, Rushford
ALLEGANY
COUNTY TRANSPORTATION TASK FORCE (To serve at the pleasure of the Chairman):
William G.
Dibble, Little Genesee
William M.
Hall, Alfred
The Clerk of the Board
announced that Chairman Crandall has made the following appointments, all of
which are subject to confirmation by the Board of Legislators:
Nancy Rouse, Scio
Robert
Riber, Alfred Station
ALLEGANY
COUNTY PLANNING BOARD (Three-year
term expiring December 31, 2011):
District II:
Robert
Ellis, Belmont
District III:
Wendall Brown, Scio
District IV:
Kevin
LaForge, Wellsville
District V:
James E. Ninos, Alfred
Ex-Officio Members (Annual Appointment):
David
Roeske, Superintendent of Public Works, Wellsville
Terri L.
Ross, County Treasurer, Angelica
Brent L.
Reynolds,
Harvey Scott Spillane, Wellsville
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS,
COMMUNICATIONS, REPORTS, ETC.:
1. Communication was received from the
Republican Party members of the Allegany County Board of Legislators
recommending that William G. Dibble, District III Legislator, be designated by the
Chairman of said Board as Majority Leader for 2009.
2. Communication
was received from the Democratic Party member of the Allegany County Board of
Legislators recommending that Michael J. McCormick, District IV Legislator, be
designated by the Chairman of said Board as Minority Leader for 2009.
3. Notice
was given that any legislator wishing to attend the NYSAC Conference in Albany
from February 9 through 11 should notify the Clerk of the Board as soon as
possible.
4. There
will be a special Committee of the Whole meeting at 1:30 p.m. on Monday,
January 12, 2009, for the purpose of conducting a SEQR Environmental Review
relative to the Court Facilities Project.
CHAIRMAN’S STATEMENT:
“I would like to start my message by humbly thanking my colleagues for
selecting me as Chairman of the Allegany County Board of
On behalf of the Allegany County Board of
I would like to thank our County Administrator John Margeson for the
overall management of County operations, and Clerk of the Board Brenda Riehle
for her organizational skills in helping us prepare, conduct, and record our Legislative
meetings, along with her able staff.
I would also like to acknowledge and thank all
Acknowledgment and appreciation is also due to all of the citizens who
travel, meet, volunteer, and lend their expertise and assistance on a regular
basis to our advisory boards, committees, councils, and just plain help out. Hundreds of Allegany County’s finest people
devote themselves to causes that help make our community a better place to
live. I sincerely thank all our
volunteers. This appreciation and thank
you would also extend to the men and women in our Volunteer Fire and Rescue
units. Nothing could be said to properly
express our sincere appreciation for your service.
To our elected officials, not only in County government, but also our
representatives on the state and federal level, thank you for your efforts and
what you do for Allegany County as well.
Here we are, starting our fourth year together, the last year before the
whole Board once again participates in the election process, a process in which
the citizens of the County are asked to do their civic duty and elect the next
Board of
In year one together, 2006, we were honored to be sitting in these seats
as Allegany County celebrated our bicentennial, an easy and rewarding task, a
true historical event in which we were able to take part in the many
festivities with our friends and neighbors. This was a pleasurable and less intimidating
responsibility than some others that would soon come along.
That same year, we cut the ribbon and opened the new Jail and Public
Safety Facility. This project was
initiated before two-thirds of this Board took office, but we were the first
Board charged with the operation of the facility, a project that has proven to
go as planned, with revenues from housing-in prisoners covering the cost of the
debt service of $1.6 million annually for the facility. This has been achieved under the fine
leadership of Sheriff William Tompkins, who also took office in 2006, and the
able staff under his command. The
Sheriff has recently added some hands-on programs, which shed some proactive,
positive publicity on Allegany County with his Inmate Gardening Program and
Inmate Pheasant Release Program. Thank
you, Sheriff Tompkins.
Medicaid’s local share was “capped” at $8.5 million. It still grows, but at a lesser rate, and is
now over $9 million for 2009. It remains
a major player in our local tax effort and a subject that still weighs heavily
between the counties and New York State.
Our first year marked the year that the finances for the County had
truly ended with a fund balance that put us in the black and brought us out of
the budget deficits the County had seen in the past. Allegany County had reached a deficit of close
to $4 million a couple years before we took office, and the deficit was at
$900,000 when we began in 2006.
Today, by keeping the financial plan on track and by working and
monitoring the budget year-round, our fund balance is close to $3 million to
the good, and it appears that when the books are closed and audited for 2008,
we will once again end the year in the black and add to those fund balances. The County Treasurer Terri Ross is to be
commended with her ongoing efforts in helping the Budget Committee monitor and
understand our financials and anticipate the proper moves and adjustments to
make. This monitoring will be more
important than ever in 2009 as we face the yet unknown financial impact from
New York State and the federal government.
The New York State Executive Budget from Governor Paterson has two
parts. The first calls for a $1.7 billion
deficit reduction in the 2008-2009 budget. The Governor is asking the State Legislature
to close this gap by February 1 of this year, and has laid out plans on how he
feels this can be accomplished.
The second part of Governor Paterson’s plan forecasts a $13.7 billion
deficit for the 2009–2010 state budget, and the Governor is asking the
Legislature to address this by March 1 of this year. To do this he is proposing $9.5 billion in
cuts and $4.9 billion in revenue actions.
The Governor is only part of the financial equation of the budget in New
York State; the other factors are the Assembly and the Senate. However this plays out, it is certain to have
an impact on Allegany County and the services we provide. The common cry from counties across New York
to Albany, and one that I share, is, Do not just reduce state funding to
programs that we are required to provide and shift the tax burden to the local
level; New York needs to take a serious look at the programs. To plagiarize a phrase from a NYSAC (New
York State Association of Counties) meeting in Niagara Falls this past fall,
that is quite meaningful when you stop and think about it, I quote, “New York
State cannot afford to let a good financial crisis go to waste.” In other words, New York, let’s take
advantage of the financial times and reduce state government, which surely
would trickle down to the local level.
Bring New York into line with other states and let’s be competitive.
We had barely begun our term in office together when we received a visit
from the Office of Court Administration and their “fix it or else” message of
June 2006. Having to concentrate efforts
in complying with requirements laid out in state legislation back in 1987 under
the Court Facilities Plan Act, since it had not been properly addressed before
our term began, has been a challenge and frustrating to say the least. Our Board Rules were changed and a special
committee was established to devote the proper time and resources necessary for
this project. I have made clear my
position on the subject, and in the near future, I hope that this requirement
can be put behind us and equal effort can be spent on other ventures. When the roll-call vote is taken to fund this
project, I remain confident that this Board of
Looking on the brighter side of the Court Facilities and Space Needs
Committee and the “silver lining” (pun intended) to some of their work is the
plan to improve the physical location and workspace needs of the Office for the
Aging. After looking at several options,
the committee has laid out plans to increase accessibility to this department,
along with our Veterans’ Service Agency, in anticipation of, and just in time for,
the much-publicized “Baby Boom Wave” of retirees. Kim Toot, Director of the Office for the Aging,
and her staff have done well with what they have had, and we all look forward
to the new, and past due, improvements to this department and the benefits they
will have on our Seniors and Veterans.
Another looming issue to deal with, whose time is limited, is our
Landfill. This will soon be full and
alternative methods are needed now. Our
Public Works Department has done an excellent job in outlining and narrowing
down our options. The time for hard
decisions has come, and I feel these decisions should be shouldered by this
Board, and not let them carry over to the next.
Sustainable Economic Development Projects. At our first official meeting, the Organization
Meeting of 2006, I stated Economic Development as a goal I had for this Board. I am proud to say that in a couple of short
years, and despite efforts being focused on other unplanned, mandated projects,
this development friendly Board has made strides that others, who have served
before us, just talked about.
Each member of this Board of
A plan that sits on a shelf in a three-ring binder, and is not utilized,
is worthless; therefore, after the adoption of the plan, the Board authorized
the Allegany County Comprehensive Plan Implementation Group to jump-start the
plan.
Some of the goals outlined in the Comprehensive Plan were implemented
and under way before the plan was officially adopted, such as the successful
launch of the Greater Allegany County Chamber of Commerce. The new County-wide Chamber has a complete
board of directors and full slate of officers, with Brian Loucks as President. This will give us County-wide focus for the
business community. We certainly wish
the Chamber well, and as the Board of Legislators, we should do all we can to
promote this organization and contribute to their success.
To address public transportation for Allegany County, the Transportation
Task Force was created to completely review and restructure important
components of this service so it properly meets the needs of our citizens in a
fiscally responsible manner.
In 2006, when we began, development of what is known as the Crossroads
Project was in its early talking stage. This
Board has taken the project to “shovel ready” with engineering and municipal
agreements in place and lacking only the funds needed and official approval to
proceed. I would like to thank the Town
of Friendship for their shared vision and partnership on this project. An interesting footnote may be able to be
added to the history of this project as well.
“Shovel-ready, sustainable, economic development projects” is a term
used to describe the type of projects the proposed “Stimulus Package” is
looking for. Is Allegany County at the
right time and place for a financial break in the way of development? Time will tell on this also.
There is so much going on in the way of economic development and yet so
much to do. Main Street Redevelopment Projects
are going on around the County, with Belmont’s Fountain Arts Project, Cuba’s
“Restore New York” grant for the Keller Theater, Wellsville’s surging Creative
Arts Center, and the huge investment made in the restoration of Howe Library.
In Angelica a large investment in green energy was made with the
landfill/methane electrical generation plant now tied into the electrical grid.
We have seen continued investment and steady employment within our
collective business sectors. Alstom
Power has completed their $20 million expansion and has exceeded their
projected new employment objectives. Friendship
Dairies, now part of Dean Foods of Dallas, Texas, embarked on a multi-million
dollar expansion and is also creating new employment opportunities.
I am in constant contact with Director of Development John Foels, and I
wish to thank John for the work he does. Many times this is a behind-the-scenes
position with front-page results, and the work being done today may not show up
and be news for several months or years to come.
The work being done at the quote, “new,” Crossroads Development Center
should be acknowledged. The acquisition
of the facility by the IDA along with the support necessary by the Houghton
Foundation is why I use the term “new.”
Since the purchase, IDA has begun plans for the first phase of
expansion, which includes room for Senior and Veterans’ Services that I
referenced earlier, in addition to its existing one-stop center for business
services, which now includes the Southern Tier Office for Empire State
Development. To have an office of Empire
State Development located within our County is truly a great asset. This is New York State’s lead economic
development agency whose mission is to start-up, re-locate, expand, and retain
business in New York.
I remain confident and optimistic for the future of Allegany County.
I will close with a comment I made in 2007, since this has been a blend
of both looking back and looking forward, and I believe it to be an accurate
statement, maybe more so today than in 2007. The statement is this: Our terms as
legislators will certainly add an interesting chapter to the history book of
Allegany County; it will be a good, positive chapter. This Board of
Thank You.”
Allegany County Board of
Chairman Crandall
distributed copies of his assignments to the STANDING COMMITTEES OF THE BOARD OF LEGISLATORS. (Assignments are as follows; Chairmen and
Vice Chairmen are listed first):
COURT FACILITIES AND COUNTY SPACE NEEDS:
Pullen, Hall, Benson, Fanton, Hopkins, O’Grady
HUMAN SERVICES:
Truax, Russo, Burdick, Dibble, Kruger, Reynolds
PERSONNEL:
Hall, Burdick, Benson, Fanton, Pullen, Russo, Ungermann
NEGOTIATIONS AD HOC
(Sub-Committee of Personnel; Liaison between the County’s negotiating team and
the Personnel Committee):
Pullen, O’Grady, Russo
PUBLIC SAFETY:
Dibble, Benson, Burdick, Kruger, McCormick, Reynolds
PUBLIC WORKS:
Fanton, O’Grady, Hopkins, McCormick, Reynolds, Ungermann
WAYS & MEANS:
Reynolds, Hopkins, Dibble, Fanton, Hall, McCormick, Pullen, Truax
BUDGET (Sub-Committee of Ways & Means):
Hopkins,
Fanton, Dibble, Hall, O’Grady
CHAIRMAN’S PRESENTATION OF
CERTIFICATE:
Chairman Crandall requested that Specialist 4 Joshua
Morton, Medic, United States Army, come forward for a presentation. Josh is a 2003 graduate of Belfast
School. He went to boot camp at Fort
Leonard Wood, Missouri; completed Advanced Training as a combat medic at Fort
Sam Houston, Texas; was deployed to both Germany and Irag; and will soon be
headed for Redstone Arsenal, Alabama. The
Chairman has decided to implement a program to honor Allegany County veterans
by inviting them to lead in the Pledge of Allegiance at some of the Board
meetings. He knew that Josh Morton was
home on leave and felt this was a good way to start the program. Chairman Crandall questioned if we ever stop to
think about all of the privileges we have while reciting the Pledge. That’s why he asked Josh to come in to
participate; not so much for Josh, but for what he represents. Josh represents a cross-section of young men
and women serving their country so that we can have the privileges of being
able to meet like this, to say the Pledge of Allegiance, and to participate in
the process of government. Chairman
Crandall presented Josh with a certificate of appreciation and an Allegany County
pin, and he ended the presentation with a recording on the American Flag by
Johnny Cash.
ADJOURNMENT: The meeting was adjourned at 2:40 p.m. on a
motion made by Legislator Reynolds, seconded by Legislator Hall and carried.