WAYS & MEANS COMMITTEE

February 17, 2010

** NOT APPROVED **

---

Committee Members Present

T. Hopkins, D. Fanton, D. Burdick, M. Healy, K. LaForge, T. O’Grady, D. Pullen, F. Sinclair, C. Crandall

Others Present

M. Alger, S. Collins, J. Margeson, T. Miner, S. Presutti, B. Riehle, T. Ross, K. Toot

Ways and Means Committee Chairman Theodore Hopkins called the meeting to order at approximately 2:05 p.m.

Approval of Minutes

The February 5, 2010, Ways and Means Committee minutes were approved on a motion by Legislator Pullen, seconded by Legislator Sinclair and carried.

Tourism – Transfer of Funds (Referral from Planning & Ec. Development Committee)

Planning and Economic Development Committee Chairman Frederick Sinclair presented a request approved by his committee this morning to make the following budget adjustments and transfers to support the tourism contract with the Greater Allegany County Chamber of Commerce:

From: To: Amount

A6989.476 (I Love NY $$) (Expense reduction of grant) ($16,250) BA

A10.3715.00 (I Love NY $$) (Revenue reduction of grant) ($16,250) BA

A02.1989.04 Revenue increase for ad sales $10,000 BA

A6989.478 Exp. increase for unrestricted funds $10,000 BA

A1990.429 (Contingency) A6989.477 (Tourism Contract) $ 3,250 TRAN

A1990.429 (Contingency) A6989.478 (Unrestricted Funds) $ 4,000 TRAN

(To allocate monies to tourism based on coop ads revenues already budgeted.)

A6989.475 (County match of grant) A6989.477 (Tourism Contract) $16,250 TRAN

(Reallocate the reduction of County’s match needed for I Love NY Grant to line item for increase on Chamber Contract.)

It was noted that the contract with the Greater Allegany County Chamber is $71,500. Legislator Timothy O’Grady commented that the County could have experienced savings between the County match of $58,750 and the $71,000 we will be paying the Chamber. Legislator Dwight Fanton indicated that he would support the transfers and tourism contract as long as everything is being tracked and the Chamber reports back regarding changes and improvements. Legislator Sinclair stated that a list of deliverables was sent to John Margeson for inclusion in the contract. Legislator Sinclair also stated that he fully supports performance based evaluation of the tourism contract. A motion was made by Legislator Sinclair, seconded by Legislator Fanton and carried to sponsor a resolution approving the listed budget adjustments and transfers. (Voting No: T. O’Grady) Prepare Resolution

Planning – Transfer of Funds (Referral from Planning & Ec. Development Committee)

Mr. Sinclair also presented a request to transfer $1,200 from A8020.101 (Planning – Personnel) to A8020.493 (Planning – Contractual) to cover the monthly $400 expense to Planning Board Liaison Kier Dirlam. Legislator O’Grady asked what Mr. Dirlam does, and Legislator Sinclair stated that Mr. Dirlam advises and does work for the Planning Board and attends other meetings as necessary. The request was approved on a motion by Legislator Sinclair, seconded by Legislator Healy and carried. Prepare Resolution (The Planning & Ec. Development Committee has the authority to approve this request, and it did not actually need to be referred to the Ways & Means Committee.)

Debt Service – Transfer of Funds

County Treasurer Terri Ross requested a resolution transferring $123,525 from V 599.00 (Debt Service Fund Balance) to V9730.600 (BAN Principal) so that she can make the minimum principal payment on a bond anticipation note (BAN) that comes due in April. Ms. Ross stated that she met with our financial consultants Municipal Solutions, and they agree that Ms. Ross should plan to roll the BAN (which requires a principal payment) rather than bonding it right now because the BAN rates are so much better than the bond rates. Bond rates are currently over 4 percent, and we should be able to secure the BANS for less than 1 percent. Ms. Ross commented that she is disappointed that Moodys has not been around to do a new rate adjustment, and they will use the Standard and Poors rating for now. The request was approved on a motion by Legislator O’Grady, seconded by Legislator Healy and carried. Prepare Resolution

Legislator Sinclair asked if the County is making more on investments as opposed to the cost of the BAN. Ms. Ross indicated that we are not getting very good rates on our money; however, she does try to lock-in the best possible rate. Legislator Pullen commented that pursuant to the Local Finance Law, a municipality cannot make payments greater than 50 percent of any other payments made without paying a BAN off.

Comprehensive Plan – Transfer of Funds

Ms. Ross requested a resolution transferring $30,000 from A6430.474 (Economic Development – Contractual) to A6431.474 (Comprehensive Plan – Contractual). Ms. Ross explained that $30,000 was included in the Economic Development Marketing account for implementation of the Comprehensive Plan, and it should be under a separate line item in the budget. The resolution will authorize the creation of the new account and transfer of funds. The request was approved on a motion by Legislator Pullen, seconded by Legislator Healy and carried. Prepare Resolution

Change in Board Rules

Clerk of the Board Brenda Rigby Riehle requested a resolution making changes to the Board Rules to reflect the elimination of the Development Advisory Board, the elimination of the Citizens Advisory Committee on Tourism, and the change in the way Legislators’ expense vouchers are processed. Mrs. Riehle requested that the resolution include a statement that any grammatical, clerical, and typographical changes agreed upon by the Clerk of the Board and County Attorney may be made. The recommended changes are as follows:

Rule 220. G.2.a. (p. 34) – Supervision of the Office of Development and the Advisory Board to the Office of Development.

Rule 220.G.2.m. (p. 34) – General supervision of the Tourism Advisory Board.

Rule 220.G.3.e. (p. 35) – County Development Advisory Board.

Rule 220.G.3.f. (p. 35) – County Comprehensive Planning Implementation Committee Group. (Legislator Frederick Sinclair requested this change.)

Rule 220.G.3.h. (p. 35) – Advisory Committee on Tourism.

Rule 240.B.1.(p. 36) – The vouchers covering such expenses shall may be audited by the County Board at its either regular meeting held on the second Monday of each calendar during the month.

Rule 240.C.1. (p. 36) – Completed vouchers covering such expenses shall be delivered to the office of the Clerk of the Board by the regular meeting of the County Board held on the fourth second Monday of each calendar month following the month of the voucher.

The request was approved on a motion by Legislator Pullen, seconded by Legislator Healy and carried. Prepare Resolution

REFERRALS FROM OTHER COMMITTEES:

Court Facilities and County Space Needs Committee

The Court Facilities and County Space Needs Committee requested that the Ways & Means Committee consider co-sponsoring a resolution to approve awarding the Material Testing Contract relative to the Court Facilities Project to SJB Services, Inc., at a price not to exceed $75,000. Mark Balling from Bovis Lend Lease, Construction Manager for the project, made the recommendation, and County Attorney Thomas Miner has reviewed and approved the contract form. The contract is a unit price contract with hourly rates, half-day rates, and all-day rates for technicians and material unit prices for testing. Quotes were solicited, and four responses were received with SJB Services’ quote being the most competitive. Court Facilities and County Space Needs Committee Chairman David Pullen explained the referral and noted that the vast majority of services will be for concrete tests. The request was approved on a motion by Legislator Pullen, seconded by Legislator Fanton and carried. Prepare Resolution

Lease of County Property

County Administrator John Margeson stated that the County has approximately 13 acres of farmland adjacent to the County Jail that we have leased to area farmers in the past, and if the committee wishes to lease the property for agricultural purposes again this year, Mr. Margeson should issue a request for bids. A motion was made by Legislator Fanton, seconded by Legislator O’Grady and carried directing Mr. Margeson to secure bids for the County-owned farmland property adjacent to the County Jail on NYS Route 19 in Belmont. Legislator Sinclair stated that we should watch for any air quality issues related to the use of the farmland that may restrict the housing of federal prisoners.

Parking Issues

Court Facilities and County Space Needs Committee Chairman David Pullen indicated that the resolutions approving the purchase of the parking lot across from the old Belmont School and the lease of the First Baptist Church parking lot on Court Street should be ready for review at the next Court Facilities Committee meeting.

Legislator Pullen stated that he had a conversation with the IDA, and they have no objection to the County using the parking lot prior to the paperwork being finalized. Legislator Pullen recommended that employees be encouraged to use that lot as well as the parking lot off Court Street so that more parking will be available in the Courthouse and County Office Building parking lots for the public to use.

Adjournment

There being no further business to come before the committee, a motion was made by Legislator O’Grady, seconded by Legislator Healy and carried to adjourn the meeting at 2:30 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Brenda Rigby Riehle, Clerk of the Board

Allegany County Board of Legislators