Washington County public meetings in 2023
11 substantive meetings from 2023, with official agendas or minutes and plain-English summaries.
Sewer District Board of Commissioners' Meeting
The Board approved a $4,000 amendment for Wright-Pierce engineering regarding the SD#1 consolidation project. Members also agreed to set up an escrow account for Irving Tissue to cover inspection costs and decided to put a property in SD#1 out for bid.
- Approved $4,000 amendment for Wright-Pierce engineering (unanimous)
- Decided to establish an escrow account for Irving Tissue to pay engineering costs
- Decided to put SD#1 property for sale out to bid at assessed value
- Accepted minutes from 08/08/23 (unanimous)
Community College
The committee approved a 2024-2025 capital project request for campus safety and security. Members discussed a 10-year facilities master plan and the potential disposal of the Crockwell Pond property.
- Approved 2024-2025 Capital Project request for Campus Safety and Security ($500,000 total cost; $250,000 local share from chargebacks)
Finance
The committee approved several budget amendments for mental health, planning, and elections, including a significant grant for Code Blue. Other actions included correcting a tax bill for a resident and authorizing a contract for home delivered meals.
- Approved $928,022 in NYS funding for DSS Code Blue
- Approved $96,200, $17,312, and $22,378 in Mental Health budget amendments
- Approved $50,000 ARPA LATCF funding for an electric sign and business assistance
- Approved carryover grants for Planning ($176,590 and $372,384) and Board of Elections ($15,890, $20,158, and $57,106)
- Approved carryover of $21,359 in MS4 grant funds for County Road Fund
- Approved increasing Corrections Administrator base salary to $83,933
- Approved procurement waiver for home delivered meals contract
- Authorized Chairman to sign documents for $1M USDA grant
Personnel
The committee approved increasing the base salary for the Correction Administrator position to $83,933. Members also approved several straight backfill requests across multiple departments. A proposal to change the employee handbook regarding reinstatement of benefits was deferred to a future meeting.
- Approved increasing Correction Administrator base salary from $75,833 to $83,933
- Approved cascading backfills for Correction Administrator, Assistant Correction Administrator, Senior Correction Officer, and Correction Officer
- Approved backfills for Office for the Aging (2), Buildings and Grounds (2), County Attorney (1), DPW (2), and DSS (1)
- Accepted minutes from August 10, 2023 meeting
- Tabled decision on District Attorney's request to reinstate employee vacation time
Government Operations
The committee approved a one-year extension for the Auctions International contract and the 2024 Humana retiree contract renewal. Members also authorized diverting a SAM grant application from a meals on wheels building to the Fort Ann highway barn. A proposed update to the Discrimination & Harassment Policy was tabled for further review.
- Approved one-year extension to Auctions International contract to December 31, 2025
- Approved 2024 Humana contract renewal for retirees
- Approved revision to SAM grant application to fund Fort Ann highway barn
- Approved $500 for Safety Days food and refreshments
- Approved carryover of 2022 postage grant ($15,889), 2023 postage grant ($20,158), and Tier grant ($57,105.86) to Finance Committee
- Tabled revised Discrimination & Harassment Policy for further review
Public Safety
The committee approved overnight travel for one staff member to attend a safety association meeting in Oswego. A request to adjust vacation time for a District Attorney employee was discussed but the motion to move it to the Personnel Committee was defeated.
- Approved minutes of the August 1, 2023 meeting
- Defeated motion to move District Attorney employee vacation adjustment request to Personnel Committee
- Approved overnight travel for one member to attend Empire State Safety Association meeting in Oswego
Public Works
The committee decided to seek bids for a used road striping truck after the previous contractor declined to extend their agreement. Other actions included declaring specific vehicles surplus for auction and carrying over grant funds.
- Approved motion to go out to bid for a used paint truck
- Approved motion to declare 2012 Dodge Caravan and 2013 Ford E-450 bus as surplus for auction
- Approved carrying over $22,574 MS4 Grant to the 2023 budget
- Accepted minutes of the August 1, 2023 meeting
Information Technology
The committee accepted the minutes from the July 25, 2023 meeting. The IT CIO provided reports on cybersecurity, ticketing, and project statuses, including UPS replacements at the Law Enforcement Center and rewiring of Building C. No other formal actions were taken.
- Approved minutes of the July 25, 2023 meeting
Agriculture, Planning, Tourism & Community Development
The committee approved applying for an EDA Recompete grant to improve workforce outreach and authorized a revised contract with LaBella for a two-mile trail project. The board also recognized ARPA funding and agreed that the Town of Greenwich may serve as the lead agency for Bald Mountain Solar.
- Recognized $50,000 in ARPA funding for the 2023 budget
- Approved County as applicant for EDA Recompete grant with LEAP as administrator
- Authorized Chairman to sign LaBella contract and granted Procurement Policy waiver
- Forwarded budget amendment to Finance Committee to recognize unspent trail grant revenue
- Approved Town of Greenwich as Lead Agency for Bald Mountain Solar
- Forwarded budget amendment to Finance Committee to carryover unspent septic grant funding
Health & Human Services
The committee approved a shared services agreement for chronic disease management and authorized a home-delivered meals contract with Prime Health. Members also approved travel requests for department directors and reappointed two members to the Workforce Development Board.
- Approved shared services agreement with North Country Healthy Heart Network
- Approved two-night overnight stay for Public Health Director to attend NYSACHO Summit
- Forwarded authorization to Finance Committee for Prime Health home delivered meals contract
- Approved travel and one overnight stay for Youth Bureau employees to attend conference in Syracuse
- Reappointed Laura Oswald and Mary Ann Spiezio to Workforce Development Board for three-year terms
- Forwarded request to Finance Committee to recognize $96,200 in state aid for Joseph P. Dwyer Veteran’s Peer-to-Peer program
- Amended Resolution No. 167 to recognize increased school-based mental health funding ($77,904)
- Forwarded budget amendment to Finance Committee to recognize $928,022 in Code Blue funding for DSS
Planning Agency
The Washington County Planning Agency reviewed several site plan and variance applications. The agency designated five projects as matters of essentially local concern, while one project was deferred pending more information.
- Found 142 Blodgett Road project (Fort Edward Community Solar, LLC) to be a matter of essentially local concern with comment (2-0)
- Found 70 Broadway project (The Twisted Taco Truck) to be a matter of essentially local concern (2-0)
- Found 192 Broadway, Liberty Street & NYS Route 4 project (Tom Reifenheizer) to be a matter of essentially local concern (2-0)
- Found NYS Route 197 - Lot 2B project (Cinnamond) to be a matter of essentially local concern with comments (2-0)
- Issued no determination for NYS Route 197 & Argyle Street project (Roland), requesting more information and resubmission
- Found 4196 NYS Route 4 project (Ashley Thisell; Bennett Design & Excavation, LLC) to be a matter of essentially local concern with comment (2-0)