The Board of Supervisors of the County of Warren convened at the Supervisors' Room in the Warren County Municipal Center, Lake George, New York, at 10:00 a.m., pursuant to the following:
Notice Of Special Meeting
To the members of the Board of Supervisors of Warren County:
You are hereby notified that, I, William H. Thomas, Chairman of the Board of Supervisors of the County of Warren, pursuant to the power vested in me by Rule A.3 of the Rules of the Board of Supervisors, hereby call and convene a special meeting of the Board of Supervisors of Warren County to be held in the Supervisors' Room in the Warren County Municipal Center, Town of Queensbury, New York, on Friday, November 3, 2006 at 10:00 a.m., for the purpose of considering, and if determined by the Board to be appropriate, voting on, or otherwise taking action on, the following matters:
The Clerk of the Board of Supervisors is hereby directed to call for the meeting and give written notice to all members of the Board of Supervisors of such meeting.
Dated: November 3, 2006
William H. Thomas, Chairman
Warren County Board of Supervisors
Mr. William Thomas presiding.
Salute to the flag was led by Supervisor VanNess.
Roll called, the following members present:
Supervisors Gabriels, Monroe, Girard,
Sheehan, Mason, O'Connor, Kenny, Belden, Bentley, W. Thomas, Tessier, Stec, Caimano,
Champagne, VanNess, F. Thomas, and Geraghty - 17.
Absent: Supervisors Merlino and
Haskell - 2.
Vacant: Town of Queensbury.
Chairman Thomas apprised prior to turning the meeting over to the Budget Officer for the formal presentation of the proposed 2007 budget, he wanted to discuss the meeting that had been held with the Adirondack Community College (ACC) Board of Trustees regarding the construction of a Regional Higher Education Learning Center. He noted Thomas Hoy, representing the ACC Foundation, was present at the meeting today to discuss the proposal that ACC was presenting to Warren County.
Chairman Thomas extended privilege of the floor to Supervisor Champagne. Mr. Champagne expounded he had attended the meeting that Chairman Thomas had referred to. He added that Senator Little, members of the Washington County Board of Supervisors, members of the ACC Foundation and the Board of Trustees, as well as Administrators were also at that meeting. He stated that the purpose of that meeting was to discuss the construction of a Higher Education Center on the ACC campus in order to offer four year degrees through ACC. He noted that this idea began under the leadership of Mr. Thomas Hoy, a member of the ACC Foundation.
Mr. Champagne extended privilege of the floor to Mr. Hoy for further information. Mr. Hoy said the concept was that ACC would establish a regional Higher Education Center which would bring four-year college programs to the campus. He noted that the center would house the administrative functions for these programs from other colleges wishing to join, as well as class rooms. He added that the projected cost of the building was approximately $7 million and the college had started raising funds for capital needs. He stated they had provided $1.5 million from unrestricted funds and had pledged to match available funds from the SUNY (State University of New York) construction fund that were allocated to ACC. He stated that Senator Little had secured a $2 million backing grant to be added to this project.
Mr. Hoy apprised to date ACC had $5 million of the $7 million needed to complete the project. He explained they needed to secure the matching grant and ACC could not guarantee anything given that the Foundation did not have the capacity to do that to the satisfaction of the State. He further explained that at the meeting between the interested parties, it was suggested that both Warren and Washington County take responsibility to provide a $1 million back stop for that $2 million grant. He noted if the Foundation was not successful in raising funds, the projection on a conservative basis, was an annual debt service on a twenty-five year bond issue would be approximately $170,000 a year. He said if that was what had to be done, the Foundation had pledged to pay 1/3 of that debt service, with the idea that the counties would split the remaining portion, 1/3 each. He stated that the goal was to raise all the needed funds so that the bonding would not need to be done; however, the grant needed to be secured before it vaporized. He said the construction funds needed to be certified to the State before March 31, 2007 or those funds would be lost.
Mr. Hoy concluded that the funds needed to be secured and he hoped that the Foundation would be successful in doing that; however, the worst case scenario would be that Warren and Washington Counties would share 1/3 of a $170,000 debt service.
Chairman Thomas expounded the board should move forward with this and it was a great opportunity for the region. He requested that a resolution be prepared for the November 17th Board of Supervisors meeting supporting the construction of a regional Higher Education Center at ACC. The consensus of the board was to move forward and that a resolution be developed for the next board meeting.
Chairman Thomas turned the meeting over to Nicholas Caimano, Budget Officer, for the formal presentation of the 2007 Warren County Proposed Budget. Mr. Caimano thanked the Department Heads and Committee Chairmen for their efforts in regards to the budget, specifically Joan Parsons, Commissioner of Administrative and Fiscal Services and Richard Murphy, Deputy Commissioner of Fiscal Services, for their dedicated efforts.
Mr. Caimano distributed and reviewed in detail a power point presentation outlining the different aspects of the proposed budget, a copy of which is on file with the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors with Budget records. He began by reviewing the highlights of appropriations for 2006-2007. He stated that the total of all funds was $136,743,773.00. He noted it looked like a $25 million increase, however the State Comptroller had made an edict that hereinafter, meaning 2007 on, appropriations and revenues relating to payment of sales tax to the towns must be included in the budget.
Mr. Belden questioned if the 10% increase requested by the towns for plowing County Roads was included in the budget and Mr. Caimano replied affirmatively.
Mr. Caimano continued the power point presentation, and referred to the highlights of revenue for 2006-2007. He noted again that the total of all funds included the towns payment of sales tax as well. He asked Mrs. Parsons to further explain the lack of revenues as compared to the past.
Mrs. Parsons expounded that due to the changes that had occurred in the Department of Social Services with regard to the Medicaid that was received from the State, the revenues had shifted as a result. She said she had spoken with Robert Phelps, Commissioner of the Department of Social Services, and they determined there was approximately $2.5 million in avoided expense for the County because of the Medicaid takeover; however, it was difficult to trace the other revenues closely due to daily changes.
Mr. Caimano referred to the comparisons and apprised the increase in appropriations this year was 6.15% ($6,849,519) and the increase in revenues was 2.2% ($1,761,515); therefore the increase in surplus used was $897,500. He stated the 2007 amount to be raised by tax was $33,245,042, an increase of 12.56%. He noted there was an 11.39% increase over 2006 in the amount to be raised by tax in three items alone, which were the salary changes, the Sheriff's PBA (Police Benevolent Association) union settlement and the reallocation of 120 CSEA (Civil Service Employees Association) jobs. He added that the salary increases also needed to include an additional 35% for employee benefits, which totaled $872,493 for benefits alone.
Mr. Caimano expounded that there was $25,000 for the Homeless Youth Program, $5,000 for Saga City, $4,000 for the Comlinks Gleaning Program and $150,000 for the City of Glens Falls included in the budget. He noted that there were no services cut in this budget; however the .2 categories of the budget (equipment) were cut by $200,000 and the .4 categories (supplies and operation areas) were cut by $1,354,038. He added that travel had been reduced drastically, while still providing for transportation of handicapped children and early intervention services programs. He listed the new positions that were included in the 2007 budget as follows: Human Resource Director and Keyboard Specialist for the Personnel Department; Creative Director for the Tourism-Occupancy Tax Department; Deputy Administrator for the Administrative and Fiscal Services Department; and Word Processing Operator for the Health Services Department.
Mr. Caimano stated that $14.7 million or 44.3% of the amount to be raised by tax was Warren County's share of all Social Services Programs. He noted that the County Road Fund projects were cut approximately $400,000.
Mr. Caimano said the Tourism Budget had been included in its entirety in the Occupancy Tax Budget.
Mr. Caimano apprised that as part of the Budget adoption, policy decisions should be implemented to assure the stability of taxes and replenishment of fund balances in the County for future years. He also recommended that Resolution No. 497 of 2006, which amended procedures with regard to the establishment, filling and increasing or decreasing of salaries for non-union positions of employment with Warren County, be amended again to include the filling of vacancies as well.
Mr. Caimano noted the Capital Projects that had been requested and included in the 2007 budget were as follows: Corinth Road, Lake George Basin Sewer, Padanarum Road Bridge, Grist Mill Road Bridge, Tannery Road Bridge, Beach Road Construction, Harrington Road Bridge and Stormwater - Lake George, totaling $464,000. He concluded the budget review and outlined the Town Tax Rates based on the tentative budget.
Mr. Caimano apologized that there would not be a point of care program for the Health Services Department, that all the beds at the Westmount Health Facility could not be outfitted with lift systems and that the Sheriff's Office expansion needed to be put on hold. He said it could be expected that the 2008 budget would include a debt service between $6 million to $8 million due to the construction of the new Health and Human Services building, as well as the expansion of the current Municipal Center building. He noted that it was extremely important in 2007 to be as frugal as possible and to be careful with personnel needs and wants as the year goes on.
Chairman Thomas commented that in regard to the lift systems at the Westmount Health Facility, there may be grant funding available next year. He noted that a resolution would be presented at the next Board of Supervisors meeting requesting that the board members be receptive to having the lift systems installed contingent upon grant funds being obtained. Mr. Caimano thanked Mr. Kenny and the representatives from the CSEA for meeting and trying to come up with ways to make this project happen.
Mr. Bentley questioned if the positions that had been requested for the Sheriff's Department had been cut from the 2007 budget and Mr. Caimano replied affirmatively. Mr. Caimano said the position of Investigator for the Department of Social Services was included in the budget. Mrs. Parsons stated it was currently included under the Sheriff's Department budget; however, it may be moved to be included under the Department of Social Services budget.
Mrs. Parsons apprised that normally after Department Heads submit their revenue requests, as the budget was increased or decreased and changes were made, an analysis would be done on the revenues as to what had come in the year before; however, in years past there had been a $2 million increase in revenues, whereas this year there was only $430,000 in revenues. Mr. Monroe noted that one reason the revenues were down this year was due to the $1 million windfall in Solid Waste and Recycling last year. Mr. Caimano added that the increase in Solid Waste and Recycling for appropriations was $530,000, a turn around of $1.5 million.
Mr. Caimano said it was his pleasure to present the budget for 2007 to the Board and Chairman of the Board of Supervisors. He turned the meeting back to Chairman Thomas.
Chairman Thomas expounded that the resolution adopting the tentative Budget providing appropriations for the conduct of County business for the fiscal year 2007 and authorizing a Public Hearing on the Budget, would be Resolution No. 684 of 2006. He referred to Resolution No. 681 of 2006, Authorizing Execution of Intermunicipal Agreement with the Town and Village of Lake George Regarding the Purchase of the Gaslight Village and Waxlife USA Property, and requested the County Attorney, Paul Dusek, to further explain Resolution Nos. 681 and 682, which was also related to the Gaslight Village Property.
Mr. Dusek stated that the County was interested in the aforementioned property for the purpose of protecting the property and enhancing Lake George and the environmental projects, as well as to benefit the municipalities of the Town and Village of Lake George and the County as a whole. He added that the most recent proposal was that the County, the Town and the Village become the owners of the property, with the County contributing $1.3 million towards the purchase price, and the Village and the Town each contributing $1.4 million towards the purchase price. He noted that the Village and Town had hoped to secure funding towards their purchase price from the environmental groups.
Mr. Dusek further explained there was an opportunity to apply for grant funding as of last Friday if a contract was put together concerning the property. The dilemma, he said, was that there was no authority from the board to do so, and as a result, the representatives from the County, Village and Town put together a proposed contract, had it signed and sent in for possible consideration for the grant with the caveat that the contract would not be valid unless the Board authorized it. He noted that the contract included that the environmental groups would pay either a portion or perhaps all of the investigative costs that would be necessary prior to acquisition of the property. He added that with this type of transaction there were conditions to review the site, as well as an environmental review process under SEQRA (State Environmental Quality Review Act) as required by law, which were additional costs attributed with those types of investigations. He said the environmental groups had indicated they had access to another grant under the State, whereby they would be able to absorb those costs.
Mr. Dusek concluded that as a result of the entire proposed transaction, it was necessary to develop two documents. The first, he said, was the intermunicipal agreement between the County, the Town and Village of Lake George which was outlined in Resolution No. 681 in the Supervisors packets. Mr. Dusek reviewed the Resolution in detail for the board members. He stated that the second document was Resolution No. 682, which ratified the actions of the Chairman of the Board in signing the contract that was outlined in Resolution No. 681.
Mr. F. Thomas referred to Resolution Nos. 681 and 682 and noted there was a discrepancy in the wording within the resolutions, one read governmental initiatives and the other read environmental initiatives, and he questioned if that was intentional. Mr. Dusek replied that was an error and both should read environmental initiatives.
Following discussions, Mr. Dusek clarified that the purposes that were listed in the resolution in regards to uses of the property, were the only proposed uses that could be done.
Mr. Gabriels asked if the budget would be posted on the Warren County website and Mr. Caimano replied it should be. Mrs. Parsons added she would speak with the Information Technology Department in that regard.
Mr. Dusek apprised Resolution No. 680, which authorized the public hearing for the lease of the airport maintenance hanger, had an error. He further stated that the public hearing would be held on November 17th as opposed to December 15th, and the time needed to be changed to 10:15 and the start up date of the lease should be December 1st rather than December 16th. He also reminded the board members that Resolution No. 681 would be corrected as well to read environmental initiatives instead of governmental initiatives.
Clerk noted a motion was necessary to bring Resolution Nos. 676 through 684 to the floor. Motion was made by Mr. Stec, seconded by Mr. Caimano and carried unanimously to bring Resolution Nos. 676 through 684 to the floor.
Chairman Thomas called for a vote on the resolutions.
Resolution Nos. 676 through 684 were approved.
There being no further business, on motion by Mr. Monroe and seconded by Mr. VanNess, Chairman Thomas adjourned the meeting at 11:33 a.m.