[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-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",[32,74,86],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":44,"_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":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},"mediaId",6576964,"mediaKeyId","3200266-680b78fe62d7f8fd1ec34c21f65f8166","parentId",3200266,"title","Albany County Legislature takes up several routine property, tax and capital items; public hearings scheduled","audioSeconds",0,"startMs",1554000,"endMs","viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3200266-680b78fe62d7f8fd1ec34c21f65f8166&start=1554&end=1554","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3200266-680b78fe62d7f8fd1ec34c21f65f8166/thumbnail_1554000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6576964/Albany-County/New-York/Albany-County-Legislature-takes-up-several-routine-property-tax-and-capital-items-public-hearings-scheduled","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6576964-34d782adc97863e59914011fc8ca6462/orig.mp4?Expires=1770448502&Signature=i-neCIrPVAL0EH0NKHlhrxSdAq35rvBErHshSLsRtNXphCbmqhesYCI6u0kOlu~Ozfm7cjbLGKf5dMZKywXeq7BkCdbHQqgiPUZQfkCuKL-47SGcFlFpSbfP3vuz6Ui4IlMupZ4g8vir~nm3J2VlwPM63y~ZO0SLH~Aq7pS~X3KkwHQdp3N74CV6rvRiEvLh7YFyJ3y8LYQJy-TgdWBkPnxALg-Yiq4g9oplWWiahOln7FppetNyjb0oa2lnleJEU8WKc2NAzu21AQxfzIjAZcrQDlYzayZ1P2huxHeHaVDiRjxiFNB79EMocKxoOLSAjvGcxTr2pQwDNfNd38SKCg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Albany County, NY","date","2025-05-02T16:49:53.763Z","article","The Albany County Legislature considered multiple consent and committee items at the meeting, including a Parks & Recreation grant, requests related to agricultural districts, tax-correction measures, a conveyance of county-owned property and the county capital program.

Key items presented:
- Parks and Recreation grant: Albany County Parks and Recreation requested authorization to accept a $50,000 New York State grant to provide lifeguard training and swim instruction to municipalities and town entities. Staff said the funds would be used to address lifeguard staffing shortages and to help recruit lifeguards; the department currently uses the College of Saint Rose pool for training.

- Agricultural district additions: The Albany County Agriculture and Farmland Protection Board asked the Legislature to adopt a resolution to go to public hearing on proposed additions to the Albany Agricultural District. The board proposed 11 additions totaling 583.12 acres.

- Correction to taxable status: County staff asked for correction of a 2024 school tax bill for 157 Homestead Avenue following acquisition by the Albany County Land Bank (acquired Aug. 20, 2020). Staff said properties owned by the Land Bank are exempt upon acquisition and requested the county correct the school tax bill.

- Cancellation of unenforceable delinquent taxes: Staff presented a request to cancel certain non‑enforceable delinquent real property taxes on 453 Delaware Avenue after the city reinstated a religious-institution tax exemption that had been removed in 2015. Staff said there is no legal mechanism to enforce taxes that were issued in error and asked the Legislature to declare those amounts unenforceable.

- Conveyance of 194 North Lake Ave: Staff presented a request to convey county-owned property at 194 North Lake Avenue to Patrick Chu for $1,000 under a legally adopted disposition plan; the buyer intends remediation and economic development efforts.

- Capital program: Commissioner Dave Radley presented the proposed 2026–2030 Albany County Capital Program and said the plan had been passed unanimously out of committee and was being submitted to the Legislature for public hearing and adoption.

Why it matters: these items affect local services (lifeguard training), farmland district boundaries, tax liability and county property disposition. Several presentations were brief; questions from legislators focused on criteria for grant distribution, property timeline and administrative checks for tax corrections.

Actions and outcomes: the transcript records presentations and motions to move certain items to committee or to public hearing, but the provided excerpt does not always include final roll-call votes for each item. The items above were presented and referred according to standard legislative process in the session excerpt.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Audit & Finance Committee Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","At the session, county staff presented a set of routine items including a Parks & Recreation grant, agricultural district additions, corrections to tax bills, conveyance of a vacant parcel, and submission of the capital program for public hearing. Several items drew brief questions; recorded final votes are not always present in the transcript.","taxTitle","Albany County, New York","taxId",3730,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_46":80,"_48":81,"_50":82,"_52":83,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":84,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":85,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6576969,"Legislators question timing and process of proposed sale of 60 South Pearl to Liberty Park Development",394,842000,1236000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3200266-680b78fe62d7f8fd1ec34c21f65f8166&start=842&end=1236","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3200266-680b78fe62d7f8fd1ec34c21f65f8166/thumbnail_842000.jpg","/articles/6576969/Albany-County/New-York/Legislators-question-timing-and-process-of-proposed-sale-of-60-South-Pearl-to-Liberty-Park-Development","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6576969-5441b10e258b883289f16a843fbc6e10/orig.mp4?Expires=1770448502&Signature=gOByhvPBmxqWmTb8igPgxuArB4wyDxZOvEvIUx8vIbLVaIjm-b9M~DE6EL7PpU3iq1pOZUOe8l562DalbkGoww13NUsAU91IMHHvN5z9STF3THpiXb1YVCdxPJwSMsT3KwMxwda2AQ662s6l3HTGtxBMvZ7oYa1CYOdmj-VcKIuItsZc2cgy-KOXzGkRVWd396VQzmQdz59yGfDtJPQpphyqysp1jdjM9W4Xd~ZMk9kb-NKRHMy-X1D7HBJMp3G1w368~RjR7hCzz-Fc-aqan4IOcyAL2F5L62afgcIgAzC08In5w6CxN3HPfSTupw5a6x0GqKdVfMwpLBiP-jtzKQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","County staff asked the Albany County Legislature to designate 60 South Pearl as surplus property and approve selling the building to Liberty Park Development for $1,480,000.

The request included updated appraisal and marketing information. A prior appraisal had valued the property at $2,830,000 on Sept. 14, 2023; a new appraisal dated March 30, 2025, placed the value at $1,420,000. The presenter said the March 30 appraisal was about $69,000 less than the received offer and outlined the listing and offer timeline: the county received the Liberty Park offer on Oct. 7, 2024, listed the property Feb. 19, 2025, received offers in March, and the listing expired March 16.

Several legislators said they had detailed, process-related questions they preferred to discuss privately with staff before the sale proceeded. One member said there were “questions about process and timing and documents and real property vendor choice,” and referenced documents and communications that suggested decisions may have occurred before public disclosure. That member said they would vote no unless the issues were satisfactorily addressed.

County staff and supporters responded that the county attorney had reviewed the matter and was comfortable there were no legal issues. One legislator said the item had been “thoroughly discussed” at the prior night’s economic development meeting with the county attorney and county executive and that “the selling price of the property itself was all done legally.” The purchasing officer, Pamela Hill, was named as the county official overseeing the listing process.

Why it matters: the sale involves a downtown county building, a significant change to county property holdings and potential development impacts. Legislators flagged concerns about fairness of the marketing and whether all proposers received the same information.

Actions and outcomes: the presenter asked the Legislature to declare the parcel surplus and approve the sale to Liberty Park Development. The transcript records robust questions and at least one legislator saying they would vote no; the provided excerpt does not include a final roll-call vote or formal adoption recorded in the transcript.

Ending: Legislators asked for follow-up documents and indicated they would continue review in committee; the county attorney’s office advised county staff it saw no legal bar to proceeding.","County staff asked the Legislature to declare 60 South Pearl surplus and approve sale to Liberty Park Development for $1,480,000. Legislators raised procurement and timing concerns and asked for further review; county attorney said legal review found no issues.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_46":92,"_48":93,"_50":94,"_52":95,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":96,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":97,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6576973,"Albany County DA asks legislature to normalize state grant 'bonuses' into salaries; outside communications contract draws questions",689,81000,770000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3200266-680b78fe62d7f8fd1ec34c21f65f8166&start=81&end=770","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3200266-680b78fe62d7f8fd1ec34c21f65f8166/thumbnail_81000.jpg","/articles/6576973/Albany-County/New-York/Albany-County-DA-asks-legislature-to-normalize-state-grant-bonuses-into-salaries-outside-communications-contract-draws-questions","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6576973-7397630c5439e8ee89f1e0edec7e27c4/orig.mp4?Expires=1770448502&Signature=iCDjP7kXQExLy7lLnL-wMJ5GyuX9ito-AQVxFznKalcuU5ZrSIpEb2Og6B5vgkTWdT~nwSk15kG7RNThAduIdD8Ab927q6nfu2VOBklseyuCS5WgTcB407SfC52NZcNafQFWy7D5kUubgq6hvYakpc68UJk1lOMxsiCJBD003z9glAN2iR1XLtW9x78TGgsWPHaI1A7JmIPf238YFgWcuSYZtEU93Cfx2mEHM6p5HEsz98aIbtqp3bTQ2PQa4yFsNwUY5WaE50mj1uHyg3BhKJqj87AFqfo-2HyD1huDSSPBh49hv47Q-y~boous6t8kK5y0vudrVOlSh~ZfUe89OQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Albany County District Attorney Jacob requested a budget amendment at the Albany County Legislature meeting to fold state grant-funded bonus payments into the office’s regular salary structure and to move line items within the existing budget rather than raise the overall appropriation.

The amendment, presented by the DA, would reclassify recurring grant-funded payments that had been treated as variable bonuses into fixed salary lines ranging from deputy positions through entry-level assistant district attorney classifications. The DA said this is “budget neutral,” adding that the office “built those bonuses into a new salary structure.”

The change follows years in which state grant money arrived as uneven bonus payments, the DA said, producing “wildly different” payouts among attorneys. He told legislators the office eliminated ad hoc bonuses and instead set formal salary bands (“deputy, assistant deputy, bureau chiefs, and then VA 6 5 4 3 2 1”) to standardize pay.

Why it matters: the revision affects how grant funds appear in the county budget and how staff pay is administered, and it prompted detailed questions about specific line items and outside contracts from members of the Legislature.

Legislators pressed the DA about two communications-related expenses. A county member asked about an $80,000 director of communications position (filled); the DA confirmed the position is filled by an internal staff member, Ben Dellamater, and said the office also has a $45,000 contract for outside communications services administered through the Contract Administration Board (CAB). The DA acknowledged that the outside contractor who scored highest in the solicitation was also the DA’s former campaign manager. He said, “I wasn't involved in the scoring room,” and that the outside vendor’s proposal included communications, social media and lobbying support that the DA said helped him advance legislative priorities.

Several legislators expressed concern about appearance and procurement. One member said, “I have some issues with that,” and questioned whether it was appropriate to hire a former campaign manager. Another member noted inflammatory opinions they had seen associated with the outside communications output but said they would still support the budget reclassification.

The DA sought to emphasize transparency. He told the Legislature he had “put all the numbers on paper and [was] handing it to you,” asserting the change was intended to remove off‑book bonus authority and make the pay structure auditable.

Authorities and funding: the DA referenced state grant programs including aid-to-prosecution and discovery-related grants, and referenced New York State prosecutorial training and association entities in explaining the persistence of that funding stream. The DA described that funding as effectively permanent based on his experience with prior administrations and state practice, saying, “As best as we can tell it’s permanent.”

Actions and next steps: the DA presented the amendment for the committee’s consideration and asked the Legislature to approve the reclassification. The transcript records questions and debate but does not include a recorded final vote tally or a formal passage statement for the amendment in the provided excerpt.

Ending: Legislators said they would continue to review the proposal and related procurement records through the appropriate committee and oversight channels; the DA said he would provide the documentation and that his office’s goal is to streamline pay while maintaining transparency.","Albany County District Attorney asked the legislature to approve a budget amendment that folds state grant-funded bonus payments into regular salary lines and to authorize related spending. Legislators pressed the DA over an outside communications contract and a contract award process.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Albany County Legislature takes up several routine property, tax and capital items; public hearings scheduled

Legislators question timing and process of proposed sale of 60 South Pearl to Liberty Park Development

Albany County DA asks legislature to normalize state grant 'bonuses' into salaries; outside communications contract draws questions