[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6327910,"mediaKeyId","2321853-c8801fcc1c3d42d520c7f2ad60c16979","parentId",2321853,"title","Votes at a glance: key Schenectady County Legislature actions, Feb. 3, 2025","audioSeconds",816,"startMs",3320000,"endMs",4136000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2321853-c8801fcc1c3d42d520c7f2ad60c16979&start=3320&end=4136","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2321853-c8801fcc1c3d42d520c7f2ad60c16979/thumbnail_3320000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6327910/Schenectady-County/New-York/Votes-at-a-glance-key-Schenectady-County-Legislature-actions-Feb-3-2025","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6327910-13d245cb81596019f096d161f142c184/orig.mp4?Expires=1775352482&Signature=le88VtkNki5N-HDGaNYAUW1N~yEJVppKVVOOKv2DJXGF~CLZppzOibyrejXAPzzYJf5B8RcPwVMR1d-nq4~gb7auRD-Q2TibGR74LLtJD2VM2SapVmI-s2XdDf04xYNH3iQzoIyZcYrrKXK-s4b1lz1df1J6UlTH1cCkzvyWd8DhRbtzRSONrac-Hk8cnCj2IjW39ZNcL~qEFunbqpsrY~tD0o88T8BCBim1e1EHGM5XSHFZNA-d1tYqziKjbGpt8zZgncpSvqhiH3S9P4gev5Y3BYkzJ1C-r8onWd1tXI7Z7otFRlE8EVEnofPVCPd-zVhp97wv7a78NhNm03XF-Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Schenectady County, NY","date","2025-02-11T00:00:00Z","article","The Schenectady County Legislature took action on multiple resolutions at its Feb. 3, 2025 meeting. Below are the principal items, the outcome and the vote tallies where recorded in the meeting transcript.

- Resolution 17‑25: Recognizing and honoring the Schenectady County Food Council. Outcome: approved. Roll call recorded 13 ayes, 2 excused.

- Resolution 18‑25: Recognizing and honoring Black History Month 2025 in Schenectady County. Outcome: approved. Roll call recorded 13 ayes, 2 excused.

- Resolution 19‑25: Appointment to the Board of Directors of the Land Reutilization Corporation of the Capital Region (Land Bank). Outcome: approved. Roll call recorded 12 ayes, 1 abstention, 2 excused.

- Resolution regarding acceptance of monies from the United States Department of Justice (Byrne JAG grant) for multi‑year allocation supporting overtime and law enforcement-related activities. Outcome: approved. Roll call recorded 13 ayes, 2 excused. (Resolution number reported by committee: see agenda.)

- Resolution 21‑25 (as read): Create and eliminate certain positions at the Office of the Schenectady County Clerk. Outcome: approved. Roll call recorded 13 ayes, 2 abstentions (per roll call reported in the transcript).

- Resolution calling for a public hearing on Agricultural District 1 (scheduling public hearing). Outcome: approved. Roll call/tally: not specified in transcript.

- Resolution regarding acceptance of New York State Department of Health funds for Article 6 eligible services. Outcome: approved. Roll call recorded 13 ayes, 2 excused.

- Resolution regarding acceptance of monies from the New York State Office for the Aging. Outcome: approved. Roll call recorded 13 ayes, 2 excused.

- Resolution to create and eliminate certain positions across county offices and departments (multiple personnel adjustments). Outcome: approved. Roll call recorded 13 ayes, 2 excused.

- Resolution 28‑25: Authorize the County Manager to enter into a collective bargaining agreement with the Public Defenders Union (Association of Legal Aid Attorneys, UAW Local 2325). Outcome: approved. Roll call recorded 11 ayes, 2 nays, 2 excused.

- Resolution 29‑25: Budgetary amendments for the Office of Schenectady County Public Defender to effectuate the collective bargaining agreement. Outcome: approved. Roll call recorded 13 ayes, 2 excused.

Across the meeting, multiple committee reports were accepted and adopted by voice or roll call where noted. Several items that were presented with little or no debate were moved by committee report and approved by recorded votes, and the transcript indicates standard roll calls for each resolution.

Where the transcript does not supply a roll‑call tally for a particular item, the entry above notes that the tally was not specified in the public record excerpt.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Schenectady County Regular Meeting - February 11.2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Legislature approved a series of resolutions including recognition of the Food Council, Black History Month observance, a land bank appointment, acceptance of federal and state grant funds, position changes, and authorization of a public defenders collective bargaining agreement and related budget amendments.","taxTitle","Schenectady County, New York","taxId",14533,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6327915,"Longtime library patron says new Schenectady catalog rollout reduced access, increased costs",171,2887000,3058000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2321853-c8801fcc1c3d42d520c7f2ad60c16979&start=2887&end=3058","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2321853-c8801fcc1c3d42d520c7f2ad60c16979/thumbnail_2887000.jpg","/articles/6327915/Schenectady-County/New-York/Longtime-library-patron-says-new-Schenectady-catalog-rollout-reduced-access-increased-costs","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6327915-4b5190e6975b102d712602adad89726c/orig.mp4?Expires=1775352482&Signature=cRSbNF0Uk~scFygUk41zCzV9MquJTMpiOLG0eGuDE5y0rAtAyklwd3kVISBywBc7BXfWcEhC8iiq3RG7UDmh3kqe49NuVSDP6BNwyoMM--4aHLtyMbqBPqk~EECfOUEjGSV6BhJldn1ifQbtZ-4YTLmLGLrKgoW5fj~6AhFBcwTvxzltI4uQBXeK4O74af8nmlhL~zs3etk5YaTrn5ztQjLK9P0CAGarMg-dQs24cKAM7c-i7D1I5h70TOxtZO0Or-v3sFoGBh6pv5kqHJxwxPeXShP3TrgiWMd42PBUMyHbU1k35cf8nN~IXPaz~P38CVN-iTsbLpOfy0iQWfZbeg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Nancy Gifford, a Scotia resident and former youth services librarian with decades of experience in the Schenectady library system, told the County Legislature that the new Schenectady County Public Library (SCPL) catalog rollout has limited local access to materials and increased costs and staff time.

Gifford said she requested an item that had been on a shelf at the main Schenectady library during the transition and that the catalog processing delays required staff to obtain the item via an interlibrary loan from Lafayette Public Library, south of Syracuse. She described the process — searching multiple catalogs, extra paperwork, postage and additional staff processing — as a “huge waste of taxpayer dollars” compared with the prior system, where staff could directly reserve and send items through the county delivery network.

Gifford also said circulation has fallen since the transition and that automatic renewals, a feature of the new system, artificially inflate circulation statistics while making items less available to other patrons. She said some patrons frustrated by limited holdings were obtaining cards at libraries outside the county to access larger collections.

Gifford described visible changes at the main library building — fewer shelves and more empty space — and urged county leaders to address the operational and promotional shortcomings of the rollout so the library system can again draw patrons downtown.

No formal county action on the catalog was taken at the meeting; the remarks were part of the public comment period. The Legislature’s chair acknowledged the comment period and closed privilege of the floor after other speakers concluded.

","A resident and former youth services librarian told the Legislature that the recent rollout of Schenectady County Public Library’s new catalog has reduced local holdings, increased interlibrary loan costs and caused a decline in circulation, and urged county officials to address the changes.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6327920,"Schenectady County approves three-year tentative agreement with Public Defenders union",2455,1675000,4130000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2321853-c8801fcc1c3d42d520c7f2ad60c16979&start=1675&end=4130","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2321853-c8801fcc1c3d42d520c7f2ad60c16979/thumbnail_1675000.jpg","/articles/6327920/Schenectady-County/New-York/Schenectady-County-approves-three-year-tentative-agreement-with-Public-Defenders-union","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6327920-d469973bdff01397c08cb13c0e08121a/orig.mp4?Expires=1775352482&Signature=fGUnFMm1XZBgdDyftKNaEyVRzEfpGHpKCl5S0-uw2NqyOHEtW4OTGs3mApNrH0BuctUR8kYPp-FBelNN2iAXjvMxpjzWe6XvGeN0gTvKYOJVpLSqJxFFpC9SeTAMIPSC6TcCWCfc5nT2PrknFeAbrDqpBklzXRorDMFv67pYHoR1GKUvGooCx2qFHMRGhgP2A25tMMIdPpYfVEP7itdL4RxL-~fw3sQvomIFYZVrnatF9gqbt442w4NBoCO~wMXn5XugVbAY9tNRNKsfLHwSCKCkMr6VXVr~u-72nKp-YbAoVo-CbmN0UGOtkA8zysCqcGzenfpnJRF3z8nlzwtZjw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Schenectady County Legislature voted to authorize a tentative three‑year collective bargaining agreement with the Association of Legal Aid Attorneys, UAW Local 2325, representing attorneys in the county Public Defender’s Office, and approved budgetary amendments to implement the contract.

Why it matters: The contract addresses recruitment, retention and compensation for county public defenders amid several vacant positions and expands promotional differentials for supervisory roles. The agreement and related budget amendments were presented to the Rules Committee and reported to the full Legislature, which approved the measures.

County staff described the tentative agreement at the meeting as the result of more than a year of negotiations. Key provisions described in the explanatory memo include a three‑year term, a first‑year increase of 3% plus a $3,000 base adjustment, and 3.5% increases in years two and three. The agreement also creates four bureau chief positions and a chief assistant public defender; those positions would receive a 10% differential over base pay. The weekly pay for counsel at first appearance was increased from $1,000 per week to $1,650 per week, according to the negotiating summary presented.

The county’s memo stated other provisions: longevity pay remains as previously set, health care benefits were described as unchanged, remote work is not authorized under the contract, and a benefits provision that has generated grievances in other contracts was intentionally left out of this unit’s agreement. County negotiators cited current staffing levels: 14 full‑time attorneys, 5 part‑time attorneys, and six vacant full‑time slots in the Public Defender’s Office.

Legislators moved two linked resolutions: one authorizing the County Manager to enter into the collective bargaining agreement and one to amend the county budget to effectuate the agreement’s terms. The Legislature approved the authorization resolution (Resolution 28‑25) by roll call; the recorded result was 11 ayes, 2 nays, 2 excused. The budgetary amendment resolution (Resolution 29‑25) passed on roll call with 13 ayes and 2 excused.

County officials credited a negotiating team that included Sarah Petritone (first deputy attorney and county attorney), Jennifer Bargy (deputy county manager), Deneen LaPlante (deputy director of human resources) and outside counsel Rory Fluman.

No remote‑work provision: The memorandum presented to the Legislature said the union had pushed for telework but the tentative agreement allows no remote work for members of this bargaining unit.

Legislator explanations: At least one legislator explained their aye vote as support for collective bargaining and the result of productive negotiations that produced a compromise both sides could accept.

Implementation: County staff said they will implement the contract if authorized and that the budget amendments are required to fund the negotiated increases. Specific effective dates for pay changes were described as set out in the tentative agreement documents provided to the Legislature.

","The Legislature authorized a three-year collective bargaining agreement with the Public Defenders Association of Legal Aid Attorneys, UAW Local 2325, and approved budgetary amendments to fund the contract; the agreement includes pay increases, new supervisory differentials and changes to weekly first‑appearance pay.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6327925,"Schenectady Legislature honors Food Council as advocates press state to boost SNAP and other funding",2923,407000,3330000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2321853-c8801fcc1c3d42d520c7f2ad60c16979&start=407&end=3330","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2321853-c8801fcc1c3d42d520c7f2ad60c16979/thumbnail_407000.jpg","/articles/6327925/Schenectady-County/New-York/Schenectady-Legislature-honors-Food-Council-as-advocates-press-state-to-boost-SNAP-and-other-funding","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6327925-8560edece1319f2504fb1c3e33d19d6d/orig.mp4?Expires=1775352482&Signature=LwrgwNs-xPFTSAcrMKPs4SnZteG7OaQhtSh-gyLtGIrTyP0k6z6unYXNCu5KA0FZmevVTnSeBToLuUQ6avryUIDm3Hcg116oCbyYEiu3-jg6wiwmXhXx1dx~KH955VCgayFCZy8dnt~MGmch6B4NyrP-recM5cxrJ-oo4EJZJeuNlrhfOdo4gRJtVSY-DnKBe7VzXkyeWFEqbiXZ9fia81qvmGdWWg1LMNHdlSDRLx8Fe574M4yWJiofjezGkiMgqn8HpfB5ci2k4~ZB1kHOiRdE-hMBfSXxyhj4obEWW7NLjRSUSKUOJyILtRCF~iXWvO9XBl5ZBZF6XFnqLz9JkA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Legislator Osterlik presented and the Schenectady County Legislature adopted a resolution recognizing the Schenectady County Food Council and its advocacy work, while a group of trained community advocates and several residents urged legislators to press state lawmakers to raise the SNAP minimum benefit and fund statewide nutrition programs.

The resolution recognized the Food Council as “a collaborative group that unites local farmers, health professionals, business leaders, policymakers, and residents to address food insecurity,” and commended the council’s work to build a more equitable and locally rooted food system in Schenectady County. The Legislature’s Rules Committee moved the resolution to the floor and the full body recorded a roll call of 13 ayes and 2 excused when it passed.

Why it matters: Advocates at the meeting said the countywide rise in need — and gaps in SNAP and other programs — is driving higher demand at food pantries and emergency providers in Schenectady County. Advocates asked the Legislature to sign a letter urging the state to increase the SNAP minimum to $100 and to fully fund the Health, Prevention and Nutrition Assistance Program (HIPNAP) and Nourish New York at $75,000,000 each.

Legislator Osterlik introduced the resolution and presented certificates to community members who completed the Food Council’s 10‑week advocacy training. He read the resolution into the record and said the council’s work is “central to all the work that the food council does.” The resolution text, as read, notes the Food Council’s 14‑person steering committee, three working groups with about 60 members, and an advocates program that trained 11 participants.

Reverend Joe Paparon, speaking for the advocates program and identifying himself as an organizer with the Poor People’s Campaign, described the program’s purpose in organizing residents with lived experience of food insecurity. “Our task as community advocates is to begin to get organized, to share our experiences and break the fundamental isolation that divides us so that we can more effectively take action together,” Reverend Paparon said.

Melissa, a program participant, described learning advocacy and public‑speaking skills during the training: “I learned to share my story with clarity, with purpose, to help others see our commonalities and to find a shared path to overcome our common struggles,” she said.

Several residents who served at food pantries or spoke from lived experience called for state action. Carmel Patrick, a City of Schenectady councilwoman who identified herself as a volunteer with the Food Council’s Advocacy and Empowerment Committee, said the Daily Bread food pantry — which she described as the county’s largest provider — distributes close to 28,000 pounds of food per month and spent about $14,000 monthly to do so. Patrick told the Legislature that Daily Bread served 22,543 individuals in 2024, a 24% increase from 2023, and urged support for the council’s state funding priorities.

Other public commenters described the pressures of living on fixed incomes and the difficulty of navigating benefit applications. Darlene Jeloso said she lives on $1,400 a month in Social Security disability and asked legislators to “go to the store” and see how far $100 in SNAP would go. Justice Dazzle, who said they have been unhoused at times, criticized the current SNAP minimum as insufficient and asked legislators to support the Food Council’s letter to Albany.

The Legislature’s chair said copies of the Food Council letter would be made available to members and that he intended to sign it and circulate it to colleagues.

Votes at the meeting: The Rules Committee reported the resolution recognizing and honoring the Schenectady County Food Council (Resolution 17‑25) and the full Legislature approved the resolution by roll call, 13 ayes, 2 excused.

Looking ahead: Food Council members said they will continue to set more specific annual goals and return to the Legislature with additional requests and updates.

","The Schenectady County Legislature adopted a resolution recognizing the Schenectady County Food Council and heard advocates and residents urge the county to back state funding priorities including a $100 SNAP minimum and full funding for HIPNAP and Nourish New York at $75 million each.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Votes at a glance: key Schenectady County Legislature actions, Feb. 3, 2025

Longtime library patron says new Schenectady catalog rollout reduced access, increased costs

Schenectady County approves three-year tentative agreement with Public Defenders union

Schenectady Legislature honors Food Council as advocates press state to boost SNAP and other funding