Shane H. Butler

Key discussions included the succession plan for the Veterans Services Officer, whose retirement is anticipated in June 2026, involving the potential utilization of an Extra Hire line for training, which was referred to the Personnel Committee. The committee also addressed recent state legislation regarding Real Property Tax exemptions for 100% disabled veterans, referring the matter to the Finance Committee to request a formal presentation for the Board of Supervisors on the specifics of local law enactment. Several personnel actions were discussed and referred to the Personnel Committee, including refilling positions for a Norwich Site Manager, a Senior Account Clerk, and an anticipated Administrative Assistant, with funding transfers proposed for training periods. The committee also handled several budgetary adjustments concerning contracted services, including renaming the Helio Contract to REACH Medical Contract, transferring funds to match State Aid and contract amounts, and appropriating funds for the Children's Home of Wyoming Conference to take over children care management services previously handled by Catholic Charities. The Social Services Commissioner provided updates on CPS caseloads and requested to refill four vacant positions (Fraud Investigator, Senior Clerk, Senior Caseworker, and Support Investigator). Furthermore, a proposal to eliminate two vacant positions to fund an agreement with 'The Place' for supervised visit services, pending an RFP, was tabled. Finally, significant transfers of funds were requested for 2025 year-end expenses related to homelessness placements and for the purchase of a tractor for Preston Manor, all referred to the Finance Committee.

The Personnel Committee meeting covered updates and referrals concerning various departmental staffing and administrative matters. Key discussions included an update on the tri-county Employment and Training Program performance, which is 100% federally funded. Referrals to the Board of Supervisors included authorizing a sick leave donation for a Corrections Officer, and authorizing the reclassification of several Information Technology Department positions to update job titles and specifications. The District Attorney's Office sought authorization to create a Criminal Law Associate position with a specified starting salary before the hire passes the bar exam. The Public Defender's Office sought to create a new Secretary to the Assistant Public Defender position, but requests regarding salary increases for Assistant Public Defender positions and the creation of a 1099 Contract Attorney position were tabled due to funding concerns. The County Attorney proposed repealing a local law regarding residency requirements for department heads, recommending a public hearing be scheduled. The committee also discussed updating the County Health Plan's Summary Plan Description (SPD) and reviewed recruitment methods for the Human Resources Office, including the potential cost of paid advertising on Indeed.

The Safety & Rules Committee addressed several financial and administrative matters requiring referral to the Finance Committee, including the appropriation of $325,317.13 for 2025 Assigned Counsel Expenses, and authorization for the purchase of FOIL software from Just FOIA for $9,184. The committee discussed an upcoming statewide DMV software migration closure impacting DMV offices. Discussions also covered amending the local law regarding building and fire codes, which necessitates a public hearing. Personnel actions included approving the refill of a Correctional Facility Nurse position (info only) and a Deputy Sheriff position, and approving salary increases for Assistant Public Defender positions, including the creation of a contracted (1099) part-time position. The committee also referred a sick leave donation request, authorized declaring a surplus snowmobile trailer, and referred out-of-state travel requests for the Sheriff's Office. Furthermore, the committee referred actions regarding the creation of a Criminal Law Associate position in the District Attorney's office, modification of the Eaton Center lease for upfront payment savings, and an application to create a Chenango County Landbank.

The Finance Committee meeting involved several key referrals to the Board of Supervisors. Discussions included a VoIP update from the IT department, progress on the mainframe replacement, and the successful implementation of the Zabbix monitoring system at no additional county expense. The IT department is also undergoing background checks/fingerprinting for CJIS compliance, and vendors warned of increasing difficulty and cost for procuring PC/server components. Key financial actions included referring a proposal to authorize a $1 million loan to the Chenango County Industrial Development Agency (CCIDA) to support an Early Learning Center project, and referring the authorization for the creation of the Chenango County Land Bank Corporation. Other items referred included authorizing an agreement for Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) tracking software, a request for a presentation on state legislation regarding Real Property Tax exemptions for disabled veterans, transferring funds for homelessness costs (Code Blue), and authorizing various maintenance, procurement, appropriation, and transfer actions across several departments including Public Works, Social Services, and the Airport.

The Public Works Committee meeting addressed several key operational and administrative items. Discussions included authorizing the transfer of surplus equipment, such as a woodchipper, roller, dump truck, and skid steer, to Public Facilities for use at Cook Park. The committee approved refilling several personnel positions, including a Road Maintenance Supervisor, Heavy Motor Equipment Operator, and two Laborers. Bids were reviewed and referred for asphalt pavement, and accepted for bridge construction, pile installation, bank run gravel, ready mix concrete, welding gases, and motor oil/lubricants. Operational updates covered ongoing snow removal efforts, concerns over salt supply, the status of ordered tandem trucks, and landfill activities. A significant portion of the meeting focused on the leachate management plan, including updates on various hauling locations, potential pretreatment options, and a pending capping project for cells 1 and 2. The committee also referred an emergency procurement for leachate hauling to the Finance Committee. Furthermore, updates on public transportation restart efforts were provided, noting delays related to contract execution and bus repairs, with a planned launch revision for March 9th and preliminary budget adjustments due to increased operational hours.