Legislators from Allegany County should all sleep well tonight, after a full day starting with the morning Committee of the Whole session. After lunch five other committees will meet to discuss the business of the day.
While the Committee of the Whole doesn’t provide an agenda to the public, it seems safe to assume that a county mask mandate will be robustly debated. Yesterday the Allegany County Health Department released a statement indicating that the county has been elevated to a “substantial transmission rate.” This new reality, coupled with neighboring counties decision to require masks in all government buildings seems to point to an inevitable new mask requirement in Allegany County. That news could be announced later today.
Resource Management Committee
This group of legislators will hear reports from Soil and Water, where Scott Torrey will present some of the financial details of State’s Water Quality Improvement Program. Brian Perkins, Director of the Allegany County Youth Bureau, will address the committee on funding matters, PPAC activities, the Governor’s Youth Council, and bike safety program. Cornell Cooperative Extension will provide its detailed monthly report on a broad range of topics, one of which is the sad news of the departure of the Farm-School program director, Cassandra Bull. Finally County Administrator Carissa Knapp will ask the committee to approve an application for grant funding of the 2021-2022 Allegany County Snowmobile Federation trail system. Read the entire agenda here.
Budget Committee
County Treasurer Terri Ross will present county financial details to the committee, along with more good news. Sales tax receipts for the last month were $1,868,771, compared to the 2020 report of $1,512,221, a $356,550 increase. As this revenue bonanza continues, Allegany County has received $3.2 million more dollars that this time in 2020. Follow this link to see all the numbers presented by the Treasurer.
Planning and Economic Development Committee
Reita Sobeck-Lynch, Employment & Training Director will begin the meeting with her monthly report. County efforts managing employment and unemployment, services to veterans, and social services are part of Sobeck-Lynch’s report to the committee. H. Kier Dirlam, Planning Director, will give a detailed presentation of the work he oversees in Allegany County, particularly the Approval of Priority EDA Projects . His report will include details from the Planning Office, which oversees business and economic development and a look at what his office will tackle next month. Tourism is next on the agenda where Gretchen Hanchett, GACCC Executive Director, will inform the committee on the work her office is doing with the, Western NY Wilds Tourism partnership with Fresh Air Adventures. She will also update the group on various marketing efforts and partnerships involved in promoting Allegany County. Dr. Craig Clark, Economic Development/ Industrial Development Agency, has an expansive report to deliver. Within that presentation Clark will discuss long-term projects, advertising strategies, and a refresher on set goals for 2021. Read the full agenda with details here.
Ways and Means
The committee that “pays the bills,” will meet next, lead by the likely new Chairman of Allegany County, Phil Stockin from District 1. Brenda Rigby Riehle, Clerk of the Board, address the on insurance matter and a request to fill a job. County Treasurer is back before a committee with a request to fill a confidential secretary position. Our new interim County Attorney Thomas Miner, is back in action after retiring from the county a few years ago. Miner will be requesting permission to fill two openings for deputy county attorney jobs. Read all the detailed memos and requests here.
Personnel(Special Meeting)
This special meeting is planned in order to approve the job requests outlined in the Ways and Means overview above. As required in the committee process, the Personnel Committee must approve all job requests before sending them to the Ways and Means committee for final committee approval. Those requests are included in the above link to the Ways and Means agenda for today.
