[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-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],{"_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",6203373,"mediaKeyId","3783167-66cd872d964f57c33adc27f50fe8e56e","parentId",3783167,"title","Putnam County legislators debate adding public-comment periods to full meetings before votes","audioSeconds",1238,"startMs",4267000,"endMs",5505000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3783167-66cd872d964f57c33adc27f50fe8e56e&start=4267&end=5505","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3783167-66cd872d964f57c33adc27f50fe8e56e/thumbnail_4267000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6203373/Putnam-County/New-York/Putnam-County-legislators-debate-adding-public-comment-periods-to-full-meetings-before-votes","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6203373-2bf6a17d72015971733f402e46fad645/orig.mp4?Expires=1775249157&Signature=DlyR7kRYeFHzvCErP6zOYs7CAXG0NpkVbk4uzpCXPZZKQjThefUr~-YfiZZ-BG6dSHQ9c104XvkkdjdBsLD2qH-Ifs2GUzsVD2Mw~BeenMm-dWJwUYTrx6YyGWyjYAVMYD7D4Vf~k-zxdyrwYWICh060ZY2M~Z~mAySCThsnJHp94X~Y2uSMNY8P8-HYbwyFBOUyJh7iwcd35tJeMebgvZitARPb3x7243TaL6~Z5KmQBIQLa24fU41PfaE72FNh0R88zDtr1gpIh3Uf8sJ8Ay9wTgxIhX6LGxFjRHF8fHBhxgMLES2loJ-4cFdeHLDcsRSStgMtHUbY7xEgtITF5g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Putnam County, NY","date","2025-05-16T00:00:00Z","article","The Putnam County Legislature’s rules committee held an extended discussion about a proposed amendment to the legislative manual that would formalize public-comment periods before votes at committee meetings and in certain full legislative sessions.

The chair (identified in the meeting as the committee chair) presented a revised, compromised draft intended to preserve the committee process while guaranteeing public input in two limited situations: (1) during committee meetings prior to any vote on agenda items, and (2) when a pre-filed resolution or “additional business” item reaches the full legislature without prior committee review. The draft also calls for reasonable public notice of agendas and says the public should have a fair opportunity to speak consistent with legislative order.

Committee members debated details that included whether the time allotted to each speaker should be a fixed standard (for example, three minutes) or be set by the meeting chair, how to handle an unusually large number of speakers, and how to provide advance notice of public-comment opportunities. Several legislators said they preferred a predictable, standard time allocation and that adopting the manual later in the year — in February rather than at the January reorganization meeting — could allow the process to include a full committee review before the manual takes effect.

Members also noted competing priorities: committee deliberations are the principal venue for detailed policy review, and moving substantive items directly to the full legislature is appropriate only in limited, time-sensitive situations. The draft limits full-legislature public comment to those time-sensitive items that arrive without committee review and to reorganization appointments that are not typically subjects of public comment.

No formal motion to change the manual was adopted at this meeting; committee members agreed to continue deliberations and to circulate a redline comparing the original February proposal to the chair’s revisions. Several legislators asked that the changes be discussed further in committee, and one proposed schedule change would defer adoption of any new manual language until the February meeting cycle so the existing rules would govern the January reorganization.

The discussion showed broad support for preserving the committee review process while increasing transparency and public access where votes are taken without prior committee consideration.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Putnam County Economic Development & Rules Meetings - May 15, 2025 - Putnam County Legislature, NY","oneSentenceSummary","Legislators discussed a proposed amendment to the legislative manual that would require designated public-comment periods before votes at committee and, in limited cases, at full legislative meetings; no final vote was taken.","taxTitle","Putnam County, New York","taxId",59456,"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},6203378,"County adopts state weights-and-measures fee updates; MOU with IBEW Local 363 approved",218,3794000,4012000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3783167-66cd872d964f57c33adc27f50fe8e56e&start=3794&end=4012","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3783167-66cd872d964f57c33adc27f50fe8e56e/thumbnail_3794000.jpg","/articles/6203378/Putnam-County/New-York/County-adopts-state-weights-and-measures-fee-updates-MOU-with-IBEW-Local-363-approved","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6203378-7490f82290f7d1f4c8b049965ea611e8/orig.mp4?Expires=1775249157&Signature=fyQyJWpBqskBypqzrUwkp5B8wMtGNf3val3jPMVX6vSEiSmSwYgDk56FvOKIcrCgUni3KJ0JH-cZmDwNcDm3WqKx11EdzoIfDUVNXeW8gtidQRXo8DiAVdGr7MaxWfr9HWHYPD7KEH14OaMxJgEadYBgZx9o~o58ZdS2v1lep9-xpoSnF058BE5wgg16q76m8A4vYZgxusWvdX3Mf3XMlM~x6Vm91fcdy5gPLw5872Y0OGl0SIkF2c7PdpgdnzFnTT3PRkBrh9lEsIQV7fTj-ygKnGHAM6iz~eTg8vNp5Eqgy6fKqBIaFTGYI9NzsB5jXW5LzlKxuyIwehRmNc23OA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","County consumer-affairs director Mike Keficinski told the committee that New York State Agriculture and Markets revised its weights-and-measures regulations; the county moved to align its local fee schedule with the state’s changes. Keficinski said the key fee change affects scales: under the new state rules every scale inspected will be charged the same $20 fee; previously the fee had been structured as $20 for up to five scales and $10 for each additional scale.

Keficinski also said the new state rules include electric-vehicle (EV) charging-station meters; the county currently does not have testing equipment for EV chargers. Legislators asked whether the county may need to acquire specialized equipment or participate in regional testing; Keficinski said he would raise the question at a regional training session and follow up.

The legislature also approved a resolution authorizing the county attorney to draft a memorandum of understanding with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 363 (IBEW Local 363). Keficinski and committee members said the Putnam County Electrical Board found Local 363’s training and testing to be equivalent to county requirements and recommended reciprocal licensing for union journeymen working on county union projects. The resolution authorizes the county executive to execute an MOU that would permit reciprocal recognition for qualified Local 363 journeymen for union jobs in Putnam County.

Both items were approved by the committee; the weights-and-measures local-law change was adopted and the MOU resolution passed on voice votes. No specific roll-call tallies were stated on the record.

Committee members requested follow-up on two points: whether other jurisdictions in the region are testing EV charging meters yet, and whether the county will face any reporting or compliance obligations if it does not immediately acquire EV-meter testing equipment. Keficinski said he would report back after the regional training.

The committee’s actions align the county with recent state regulatory changes and establish a path for streamlined recognition of IBEW Local 363 journeymen on union projects in the county.","Putnam County amended its local code to align inspection fees with new New York State Agriculture and Markets regulations (including a per-scale fee change) and authorized a memorandum of understanding to grant reciprocal recognition for IBEW Local 363 journeymen on union jobs.",{"_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},6203383,"Southern County EDC reports mixed development outlook; warehouses, a small data center and film production draw attention",137,1983000,2120000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3783167-66cd872d964f57c33adc27f50fe8e56e&start=1983&end=2120","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3783167-66cd872d964f57c33adc27f50fe8e56e/thumbnail_1983000.jpg","/articles/6203383/Putnam-County/New-York/Southern-County-EDC-reports-mixed-development-outlook-warehouses-a-small-data-center-and-film-production-draw-attention","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6203383-824c22ccea2394a65c0e1c8ae7e22606/orig.mp4?Expires=1775249157&Signature=HTiDWFfMnn3G4KPqsRXiLrMD3jbD5JHgVEjSJ7SWTZ79AEVVw0OjARwpIXfXa27cTo6m9Aw~zj2uUuIZ7VuMvOtEO4Py5TMRb-KGFCQms0JDgEIa5aBF5amh0DFqTJiXJxt7SpnCDhFLOYRN3ckgTRbK-OOULkJELekkZe4DathJV5HMMW1f458BOg~Oulv2y4rBi-7ucv1ei0vkC46SFz7b7Ntji1jrq4Hj8e8vR68UTCgF1A4q2f0gZYLqhd~L3w2KDqY9YtOAlxwPiJRE~DG3aQ6dBJTFQp20QElbONWLnqU3Eu3wq7l0bzZErhiX~o7XJG6orvypXWNFIcv1Wg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Kathleen Abel, president of the Southern County Economic Development Corporation, gave the committee a broad quarterly update on development across Putnam County, saying, “There’s a lot going on. Some of it’s good news, some of it’s a little bit of worrying, but we persevere.”

The report summarized dozens of active and proposed projects across villages and towns: senior-oriented condos and townhomes north of Route 6; a 50-unit multifamily proposal on Seminary Hill Road; a proposed 120-room boutique hotel in Patterson; a planned 80-unit second phase at Fox Run; and multiple warehouse proposals along Route 22 and elsewhere. Abel said a 100,000-square-foot warehouse is proposed next to Stack and Store in Patterson and at least six additional warehouse proposals are active in the southeast part of the county.

The EDC also called attention to a small commercial data-center proposal presented to McGrath Realty for a site off Valley Hack Grove. Abel said the prospective facility is roughly 10,500 square feet with an estimated 36 employees and raised power-delivery questions: \"Datacenters take a whole lot of power,\" Abel said, noting the property would be served from the Haviland Hollow substation and urging follow-up on transmission capacity.

The report named several projects that stalled or changed because of financing or ownership changes: the Village of Brewster development after the death of a developer, a distillery succession after an owner’s death, and an assisted-living project that lost financing. Abel also noted the sale of Cimarron Ranch in Putnam Valley to the Hudson Highlands Land Trust and Salinger's Orchard near the county border seeking approval to host events.

Economic and land-use concerns threaded through the update. Abel said an influx of warehouses can depress local median wages because warehouse jobs generally do not pay as much as other industries; she told the committee she had heard that in neighboring counties. She also described reuse obstacles for large warehouse buildings — notably septic and Board of Health constraints that complicate conversion for human-occupied uses — and said local developers are exploring repurposing some buildings for indoor sports like pickleball.

Abel singled out film and television location work as a growing local economic opportunity and described a recent “Film Putnam” launch to attract location scouts. She said location scouts need quick, consistent responses from towns and property owners because productions move fast and will take alternate sites if a location is slow to respond.

Committee members asked Abel to follow up on two practical items: whether Carmel Cinema’s landlord refused to negotiate with the tenant and to provide the committee with the Southern County EDC quarterly report on a recurring basis. The committee also discussed infrastructure constraints — particularly electricity for data centers and road capacity for heavy truck traffic — and asked staff and developers to coordinate with utility providers and the state Department of Transportation as needed.

The update contained no formal votes. Committee members praised the EDC’s outreach and asked for follow-up reports on the data-center power assessment and the Carmel Cinema leasing situation.

For residents, Abel urged that town planning boards and property owners respond promptly to film-location inquiries and that towns address conversion barriers for existing industrial buildings. The EDC planned to continue quarterly reporting to the committee and to pursue outreach to utilities and county health officials on repurposing and capacity issues.","Southern County Economic Development Corporation quarterly report to the Putnam County committee highlighted multiple residential and commercial projects across the county, concerns about warehouse proliferation and repurposing, a small proposed data center, and growing interest from the film industry.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Putnam County legislators debate adding public-comment periods to full meetings before votes

County adopts state weights-and-measures fee updates; MOU with IBEW Local 363 approved

Southern County EDC reports mixed development outlook; warehouses, a small data center and film production draw attention