David Brown

The meeting commenced with a roll call and opening ceremonies including an invocation and pledge of allegiance. The minutes from the February 3rd, 2026 meeting were approved. Public hearings were held for several items, including recommendations from the Lewis County Agricultural and Farmland Protection Board regarding land parcels, the proposed addition to the Lewis County OV trail system, and the introduction of local laws pertaining to all-terrain vehicle operation on specific county roads. The Finance and Rules Committee recommended waiving rules to act upon late resolutions. Privilege of the floor included comments from two individuals regarding the operations and leadership of the Community Services Board and the impact of funding decisions on community partners such as the Systems of Care committee and Thrive. Committee reports covered general services, including highway performance measurements and snowmobile crash statistics; human services, discussing electrical usage cost trends and requesting resolutions for a part-time jail cook position, amending the Thrive Wellness and Recovery agreement, and establishing a second mental health coordinator position; and finance and rules, discussing a proposed disaster recovery capital project and next steps for the Lewis County Land Bank initiative. The hospital report noted financial performance, recognized employees of the month and year, and detailed a constructive visit from Fort Drum leadership focusing on surgical, maternity, and women's health services, along with recent physician and nurse practitioner signings and expansion of the Caring Gene career pathways initiative across various health system facilities.

The discussion focused on several key operational and planning matters for the upcoming season. Major topics included the planned conversion of certain ATV trails into non-motorized winter recreation trails, such as an ice ribbon for skating and designated snowshoeing routes. The group discussed grooming efforts and efforts to secure parking lot access improvements through local towns. A significant portion of the meeting addressed current trail connectivity issues due to lost segments, requiring local law actions to open County Route 49 (Byron's Corners Road) and County Route 47 (Fish Creek Road) to maintain network access. Furthermore, updates were provided regarding land owner outreach for securing new trail segments, including efforts related to Oyola and connections via Stein Brookner Road. Sponsorship details for an upcoming picnic area were reviewed, including the donation of picnic tables and associated acknowledgement posts. Technical updates involved revising trail maps using new software, potentially switching from aerial to topographic backgrounds, and the need to finalize trail names and order signage for the winter recreation areas. Finally, future club meetings and the ongoing need for business information for promotional posts were noted.

The committee meeting commenced with a roll call, noting one legislator was excused. The minutes from the January 20th, 2026 meeting were approved. Key discussions included a presentation by the highway superintendent detailing performance measurement using tools like ArcGIS, Road AI, Roadmaster, and Bidus, asset management including bridge inventory and road condition ratings, and budget allocation where 71% of the $8.98 million budget goes to materials. The highway department's 2025 accomplishments and 2026 plans were reviewed, highlighting achievements in pavement preservation and striping, and securing grant-funded equipment such as a vac truck, tree truck, and snowblower. The second presentation involved the Board of Election Commissioners proposing the adoption of an offcycle election fee policy to ensure transparency, consistency, and cost recovery for elections held outside regular state primary or general election days, as mandated by New York State Election Law.

The meeting focused on ATV trail management and winter recreation activities. Key topics included the status of grooming for ski and snowshoe trails, and the creation of an ice ribbon trail. Discussions covered funding for trail maintenance, including payments to the town of Lyons and the town of Greg for parking lots. A significant portion of the meeting addressed trail connectivity issues following the loss of certain routes, such as opening County Route 49 (Byron's Corners Road) and County Route 47 (Fish Creek Road) temporarily to maintain connectivity. There was ongoing work on mapping updates, switching backgrounds to topographic view, and coordinating trail signage naming conventions. Sponsorship details for a picnic area were reviewed, including the donation of new picnic tables, one of which will be custom-made. Future plans involved coordinating with Garmin, Onyx, and Polaris for map distribution and planning for upcoming club meetings.

The meeting involved several actions taken by motion, including the authorization of modifications to the Thrive Wellness and Recovery Agreement under community services. A second motion was adopted to amend the compensation plan for the community services department, creating a second mental health service coordinator position effective immediately. A significant portion of the meeting focused on the establishment of the Lewis County Land Bank Corporation as a not-for-profit entity to address vacant and tax delinquent properties, requiring stipulations for board composition and an application to the ESD. The committee also forwarded several draft resolutions to the full board: amending the employee meal policy, authorizing an agreement with Tyler Technologies for EERP platform migration, opposing specific utility rate hikes by urging state leaders to cap increases, opposing the Rapid Act for limiting local authority over renewable energy projects, awarding a bid for demolition and removal of a condemned building, approving the inclusion of parcels into an agricultural district, determining the environmental impact classification for a roadway improvement project, authorizing a public hearing for the CDBG Microenterprise Program, accepting franchise tax adjustments, and formally authorizing the formation of the Land Bank Corporation. Unfinished business included the approval and adoption of the 2026 Finance and Rules Committee goals. The committee subsequently moved to enter executive session to discuss potential contract renegotiation under attorney-client privilege.