Key Actions & Decisions

• ◆ • Chairman Lynne Johnson's State of the County address: $55 million estimate to replace the Public Safety Building avoided by acquiring the former Genesee Community College property; Treasurer's Office relocating from Central Hall to a former Bank of America building, opening this summer.
• ◆ • Res. 141-324: intermunicipal agreement makes the County Treasurer sole collector of Albion Central School District taxes for 2024/2025 and 2025/2026. Adopted 7-0.
• ◆ • Res. 142-324 and 143-324: new contract with Absolute Auctions and Realty, Inc. through Dec. 31, 2028 (no county cost); county tax-foreclosure auction set for July 30, 2024, 10 a.m., at the Albion Elks Lodge, 428 West State St. Both adopted 7-0.
• ◆ • Village of Albion sent the county Resolution 2024-09, proposing a potential PILOT arrangement on county-purchased property in the village; received as a communication with no recorded discussion or vote.
• ◆ • Treasurer Kimberly DeFrank reported over 5% investment returns and said the county would soon send schools and villages a little over $3 million to make them whole on last year's unpaid taxes.
• ◆ • Johnson said the Legislature approved $174,000 last month for portable radios for law enforcement in Albion, Holley and Medina (Phase II of a multi-year upgrade); Phase I equipped all 11 county fire departments for $229,528 in 2022.
• ◆ • Johnson described the county's broadband build-out as a $4.9 million project ($1.8 million from Community Development Block Grant funds, plus a new Carlton radio tower) nearing completion, and cited a 273% rise in homeless placements since July 2022 (900% for out-of-county placements) behind last year's state of emergency declaration.
• ◆ • Johnson said Governor Hochul's budget proposes a $100 million cut to county/town road funding and that the state withheld designated Medicaid funds from counties last year.
• ◆ • A county District Court Committee report on converting to a district court model is complete and posted on the county website; voters decide the question by referendum in November 2024.
• ◆ • Res. 131-324: Sheriff's Office authorized to apply for a 2024 Canal Patrol grant (75/25 reimbursement) from the NYS Canal Corporation for Erie Canal patrols, April 2024-March 2025.
• ◆ • Res. 132-324: lease-purchase of Tasers and accessories from Axon Enterprises, $228,222 total, paid through Sheriff's budget, March 2024-February 2028.
• ◆ • Res. 133-324: SWAT purchases — 15 helmet kits ($5,916.15) and 20 stinger spike systems plus one training unit ($11,480.95).
• ◆ • Res. 149-324: authorizing payments from the Capital Project Broadband fund.
• ◆ • Res. 150-324/Local Law: extending the county's Pilot Youth Deer Hunting Program under Local Law No. 3 of 2021.
• ◆ • Res. 151-324: DMV capital renovation project office furniture purchases from multiple vendors via Prentice Office Environments, not to exceed $102,250.
• ◆ • Res. 157-160-324: County Treasurer authorized to set up funds from Infrastructure, Building and Budgeted Projects, and Fuel Farm reserves, and to authorize payments from Capital Project Infrastructure Projects.
• ◆ • Res. 161-324, 163-164-324, 167-324, 172-324, 181-324, 184-324: various position creation/filling/abolishing actions in DPW, Board of Elections, Mental Health, Public Health, DSS and Office for the Aging.
• ◆ • Res. 165-324, 168-324, 173-324, 182-324: service agreements between Mental Health, Public Health, DSS and Office for the Aging departments and outside providers, including a renewal with RTS Orleans for bus passes for older adults.
• ◆ • Res. 166-324: resolution on reforms for determining a defendant's capacity to stand trial.
• ◆ • Res. 169-324 and 171-324: grant award acceptance and out-of-state travel authorization in Public Health.
• ◆ • Res. 170-324: resolution on administrative responsibility for preschool special education.
• ◆ • Res. 174-324 through 178-324, 186-324: resolutions urging state action on enhanced federal Medicaid matching (eFMAP) reconciliations, preschool/family-services cost mandates, homelessness rent-allowance and housing policy, Medicaid cost-reduction discussions, state-mandated program costs, and SUNY community college funding.
• ◆ • Res. 179-324 and 180-324: DSS reserve funds for Child and Family Services and modified cellular phone use agreements.
• ◆ • Res. 183-324: appointment to the Aging Advisory Council.
• ◆ • Res. 185-324: payment of April claims against the county.
• ◆ • Legislator Draper presented retirement recognitions to Becky Bush (35+ years, DPW) and Jan Standish (33 years, DPW).
• ◆ • Proclamations: April as Donate Life Month (received by County Clerk Nadine Hanlon; Orleans County has 18,973 residents, 58% of those 18+, enrolled in the state donor registry) and April 1-7 as National Public Health Week (received by Public Health Director Paul Pettit).