February Committee and March Session Update
February brought with it a number of important funding requests, and as usual, the Republican Caucus did their homework and got answers to their questions, allowing them to make informed decisions at March Session.
The first committee to meet this month was County Facilities, chaired by Legislator Debra Cody.
The Department of Facilities Management had several funding requests on the agenda, and Commissioner Archie Wixson did a good job explaining each.
One item would allow the department to make a one-time purchase of a boom lift. The cost would be $90,000 and the lift would allow Commissioner Wixson’s team the ability to maintain and replace overhead lighting and security cameras throughout the county. He shared currently, the county has to rent this lift at a high cost when it is needed, and that it would pay for itself after approximately two years.
Legislator Cody Kelly asked about how long a boom lift typically is useable. “Maintained well, we’ll get a good 20-25 years out of it” the Commissioner said. “The ones we have at the convention center that they use for all their shows were purchased in 1992.”
Legislator Kelly responded, “A two year payback and 18 years of supplemental use. That will be a substantial savings.”
Additional funding requests will allow for the purchase of new HVAC Filters, upgrades to mailroom equipment, renovations to the Civic Center’s 11th and 13th floors, plus OnCenter rehabilitation.
Onondaga County Parks is also asking for funding for several items. One would allow for the replacement of radios used by all 22 Park Rangers. The current radios are 20 years old and outdated. The $60,000 in funding being requested would cover the radios, programming, new radio holsters, charging stations plus three spare radios. Parks Commissioner Brian Kelly said the newer radio would also provide the ability for Park Rangers to talk directly with Onondaga County Sheriff’s Deputies when both agencies are working at events such as Lights on the Lake and Amphitheater shows.
Parks is also seeking funding to build a new structure at Onondaga Lake Park – a ‘shade structure’ near the recently opened pickle ball courts. Commissioner Kelly says its construction would enhance the courts. “It keeps folks out of the rain. It keeps folks out of the heat. We do have a couple of tournaments on the books this year as well. This was always in the big plan for the pickleball courts.”
The structure would be 15x15 shelter type structure with four legs and a removable canvas top.
Chair Cody mentioned the increase in the popularity of pickleball in recent years and the Commissioner shared that the feedback his department has received has shown players are really desiring this type of structure as they play year round.
Funding requests were also brought before the committee by the Onondaga County Public Libraries, which is looking for $115,000 to complete several projects:
the replacement of public computers at the Central Library
the replacement of security cameras at the Beauchamp Branch Library
the purchase of drinking fountains for Beauchamp, Soule and White library branches
the purchase of a replacement vehicle with graphic decals to be used in its delivery system
To end the meeting, Executive Director Lisa Romano Moore from the Onondaga Historical Association provided an informational update, and started by saying how much OHA appreciates the county’s support.
“We have a very exciting project happening in our downtown museum location and our research center” Ms. Moore said. “We are going to be installing environmental controls in the 321 Montgomery Street building to improve our collection care.”
Currently, OHA houses exhibits on the first and second floor in spaces which are air conditioned and have environmental controls. This project would bring similar controls to OHA’s upper floors where many historical collection items are stored. That includes over 2,000 bound books of historical newspapers dating back to before the Civil War, paper archives, old newsreel footage and paintings.
Ms. Moore explained, “We are planning to move our current research center from the second floor to the third floor so it is larger. We’ll be renovating the third floor space. Right now, our research center does not accommodate all of the files that they use and it’s not large enough to fit more than three or four people doing research.”
The project also includes new kitchen space, bathrooms, boilers and offices, a new community room for public events, and audio/visual equipment. Ms. Moore also spoke about a traveling exhibit by the Smithsonian which will visit in the spring of 2025. “Voice and Votes” will be staged at OHA’s Skä•noñh – Great Law of Peace Center in Liverpool and will help people learn about the history and importance of voting and citizenship, along with sharing the relationship of the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) to our country’s founding fathers and the women’s suffrage movement.
The Environmental Protection committee had several good discussions this month. One centered around a resolution to accept state funding to update the Otisco Lake Watershed Management Plan.
The $60,000 grant is coming through the Department of State Environmental Protection Fund Local Waterfront Revitalization Program. It will help the county and the Otisco Lake Preservation Association (OLPA) update a 2014 Watershed Management Plan amid a new focus on invasive species and recreation.
“We will get together and we’ll essentially redo the Watershed Management Plan and that will open them up to even more funding then what the county’s already giving them and so there’s a lot of work going on around Otisco lake right now which is good” the Director of the county’s Office of Environment, Jesse McMahon, shared with the committee.
Acceptance of the state grant comes with a 25% local match which Director McMahon says is already in her department’s approved budget. An updated plan will help identify target areas around the Otisco Lake Watershed and help determine what immediate actions need to take place as well as recommendations for future funding efforts.
Committee Chair Julie Abbott calls Otisco the “forgotten lake.” “It’s awful what’s happening out there with invasive species and such. They’re in zones where you can’t choke out wildlife. You can’t even have fish. The fish can’t live and breathe there.”
Director McMahon added that as many of the same people and agencies that were involved in 2014 will be included with updating the plan now. They’ll start by looking at the existing plan to see what has been done – or hasn’t - and what can carry over.
The Otisco Lake Preservation Association presented to the committee in 2023, outlining their problem with invasive species and sharing details of how they’d like to combat it. Click here to watch.
The county’s Department of Water Environment Protection (WEP) is seeking funding to implement a cloud-based software program to help improve and streamline WEP’s management of inspection, permitting and licensing processes in Divisions which have direct interaction with the public.
The new digital interface called OpenGov is currently being used in other municipalities with success, and Commissioner Shannon Harty says it will be a “great dashboard” for WEP. Committee member Cody Kelly asked if once implemented will have any effect on staffing. “What I’m hoping for is that this will allow us a central clearing location to see how many permits, how long are they taking and really look at what is the workflow and workload of these various programs” she responded, adding that once they see that, they can better determine staffing levels and what training is needed.
Harty also shared specifics of several Utility Work Agreements between Onondaga County and New York State related to the I-81 project and needed highway and bridge improvements:
install a manhole and making other minor manhole changes
relocation of 48” trunk sewer and manholes near East Colvin Street off ramp
She also spoke about the purchase of a permanent easement and the acceptance of another, both related to the White Pine/Route 31 Sewer Expansion Project (Micron).
The head of OCWA – the Onondaga County Water Authority – also had time at the table to speak about a desired change to the rates charged for water and service in the City of Syracuse. The change would help equalize rates countywide but city residents would not see an increase in what they pay due to this change for at least several years.
For the next two years, the Doctor is in – in charge, that is, of the Onondaga County Legislature’s Health & Human Services committee - as Dr. Kelly, a Physical Therapist who works primarily with children, was appointed as Chair.
“I don’t know that physical therapy gets the visibility it deserves within the medical community, so it’s certainly an honor for me to not only have a seat at the table, but to sit in the Chair’s seat and work to continue advancing public health in our county” he says. “I can offer real world experience witnessing some of our most pressing public health needs and I will work hard with my colleagues to improve outcomes and access to services throughout Onondaga County.”
At the first meeting, committee members heard from Sarah Merrick, Commissioner of the Onondaga County Department of Social Services – Economic Security. She spoke about requested funding to allow the department to make a one-time purchase of 39 sit-stand work stations. She explained they’d be for Temporary Assistance Employment (formally JOBSplus!) staff who currently do not have them. The workstations would allow the employees to either sit down or stand up when working, which Commissioner Merrick says helps improve employees' wellbeing and productivity.
“I am all about trying to help my staff” she said. “Their job is pretty much sitting all day. So I’ve been trying over the years to equip staff with many things that help with their wellness.”
Legislator Kevin Meaker asked if the purchase of these workstations would be the final purchase needed to equip the entire DSS office and the Commissioner said that it would be as she started this process about 5 years ago. Fully staffed, DSS has about 470 employees, many of whom deal directly with the public.
The county’s Department of Adult and Long Term Care Services is seeking funding to allow them to purchase something called shelf stable meals.
The meals are delivered to each participant at their home, similar to the Meals on Wheels delivery, and ensures that the seniors will have nutritious food to eat when a regular meal delivery cannot occur during inclement weather, such as a severe snow storm.
The Department is also hoping to replace the decades-old furniture that is currently in their waiting area with new that is more useful for seniors and/or persons with disabilities.
The current furniture is too low and narrow to allow for easy access for those visiting the Office for Aging, the Veterans Service Agency and Adult Mental Health, which all occupy the 10th Floor of the County Office Building.
The Onondaga County Health Department shared specifics and answered questions about 5 funding requests totaling $326,000:
Replace a vehicle taken out of service in late 2023 for Forensic Investigators scene response
Replace biohoods in the Medical Examiner’s Office Toxicology Lab, install new counters and cabinets in the X-ray area and replace a comparison microscope
Replace field and clinic tablets with laptops
Implementing visualization software to improve data analysis, support performance management, and improve communication efforts
Tick Surveillance: the department is seeking support for continued local testing in 2024 to provide invaluable and irreplaceable data
"It's extremely important we support our county Health Department” said Legislator Ken Bush Jr. “The funding they are requesting will help ensure they have what they need to do their jobs the best that they can, and as we all saw during the pandemic, the department is vital to the overall health and safety of all those in our county."
Executive Director Royale Scuderi and Board Member Anne Messenger of the CNY Lyme and Tick-Borne Disease Alliance also spoke to the committee, in an effort to obtain $75,000 to help with their work.
“From 2008 to 2018 there’s a 439% growth in Lyme Disease – just Lyme Disease – according to the Department of Health” shared Scuderi. “So that illustrates the level of epidemic just in this region. All of upstate is just exponentially growing and continuing to get worse every year.”
Scuderi also shared the progress the Alliance has made in the past few years and how they plan to use the requested county funding.
Click here to watch the entire presentation.
Legislator Richard McCarron shares he is proud to support the funding request. “This organization is committed to promoting awareness and educating our community on the dangers of tick borne illnesses. With warmer months ahead, the dangers of ticks should be on the front of all our minds and I look forward to continued support for this organization.”
All the above funding resolutions were advanced to the Ways & Means committee, where they were approved and advanced to March Session.
Onondaga County Parks Commissioner Brian Kelly returned to answer questions about the two items the department is seeking funding for. Legislator David Knapp asked about the new shade structure at Onondaga Lake Park. “Is there a way to make sure you put this is in a spot that if we expand the courts, this won’t be in the way?
“Absolutely, that’s a great question” responded Commissioner Kelly. “The way we built those courts is we left room for expansion to the north. This would be a centrally located type thing so folks can kind of conjure in the middle like a central gathering point.”
Chair Colleen Gunnip asked WEP Commissioner Harty about the funding for the proposed implementation of the cloud-based software program OpenGov. “Have you vetted this with IT and they feel this is a better solution to go with, a vendor software versus creating something in house?”
“Correct, and so what we have been using over the years was old Access databases that were internally created and unfortunately, those software have been sunseted by Microsoft and we don’t have the skills internally to really maintain custom software anymore, so really a cloud-based hosted solution allows some relief from our IT department because under the contract with OpenGov, they provide the servers, they provide the IT support, they will provide all of the training and guidance documents for us so it’s really a whole full solutions package for us.”
Leader Brian May asked the county’s Health Commissioner about the tick program the department is asking for money for. It’s run by Dr. Saravanan Thangamani at SUNY Upstate.
“So this is something an individual would pursue as opposed to a doctor’s office or a clinic of some sort?” the Leader asked.
“That’s right” answered Dr. Kathryn Anderson. “The unique approach by this lab and I’ll say, New York State Department of Health does some tick surveillance but it’s about 50 ticks per year and that’s going out and sampling and trying to drag for ticks. Well, what Dr. Thangamani’s lab does is it’s called a Citizen Science Approach where if individuals find a tick on themselves or their pets which is very common around here, there’s these little envelopes that people can send into his lab and within a couple of days they know what the tick was and if it was carrying anything.”
Dr. Anderson cautioned those exposed to ticks should still contact their doctor immediately, and that this testing will just provide both patient and doctor with more information.
Also on the agenda and advanced to Session:
Sheriff’s Office: approval of a $2,428,816 transfer to cover year-end shortfall in three accounts - overtime wages, other employee wages and contractual expenses
County Clerk: authorizing a New York State Reimbursement for 2024 Expenses of the Recording Officer for the County of Onondaga for Administration of Mortgage Taxes
Comptroller: funds requested to support the digitization of county payroll records
Personnel: funds to purchase date stamp machine and County Job Fair supplies (easel, tablecloths, banners, promotional items)
Finance: funds to purchase a plotting printer/scanner for Tax Mapping and the approval and direction of the correction of certain errors on tax bills
The March Session saw quick approval of all the resolutions which were discussed at committees. It was the third meeting led by Chairman Timothy Burtis.
At the meeting, several appointments or reappointments to boards were approved, including Legislator Meaker serving on the CNY Works Board of Directors.
Legislator Mark Olson, who is Chair of the Public Safety committee, addressed the funding request by the Sheriff’s Office. “This is a 2023 year-end cleanup for overtime and medical and mental health services in our correctional facilities” he shared on the floor, adding that $1.6 million of the request will cover overtime expenses at the Sheriff’s Office and that the department did balance its budget in 2023.
“We had a very productive meeting and the entire Legislature came together and unanimously approved all the resolutions on the agenda” shared Chairman Burtis. “Doing so provides the necessary approvals and funding to keep our government moving forward. This is a direct result of great committee meetings this month where Legislators learned specifics about each of the agenda items and had their questions answered. We all feel that supporting County departments and ensuring our employees have the tools they need to best serve our community is critical.”