[{"_1":2,"_110":-5,"_111":-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",[32,74,86,98],{"_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",5979886,"mediaKeyId","5806158-dab5df689c808f0cc72663633f11b5bb","parentId",5806158,"title","Emergency services to provide EMT standby at county fire‑training events to cover shrinking volunteer ambulance availability","audioSeconds",0,"startMs",12132000,"endMs","viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5806158-dab5df689c808f0cc72663633f11b5bb&start=12132&end=12132","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5806158-dab5df689c808f0cc72663633f11b5bb/thumbnail_12132000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/5979886/Putnam-County/New-York/Emergency-services-to-provide-EMT-standby-at-county-firetraining-events-to-cover-shrinking-volunteer-ambulance-availability","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5979886-14f20e0bffe6420e898bc0763da33bd8/orig.mp4?Expires=1770999678&Signature=k4FTnRfvOvC1pQ3K0OdtCz32c0z4T0AUtlYTDwizI08yTQmXPBdbOWGBYsqHv-3JMKQ4-4BbRZVxFg~NBwBqEax0yXvCg6BX73GTsHNyLhg1tvr0jmvAJMek5gQDFvBSxNpYOLEJVfqMwRQeYLOzWsqTcHFnk6evv57txnwiAKYN1c-2qK8zl1sJbuo~-RWV7WXZYUY10e1bICDsfy1OhRYoFzua~4vavniBbV1eId8JkPE2m0cn8ZPWODI3yIgk2Q9HaeNvyOVEnMJMQ~ULCp~RJjWCA38oa24zJufrFZqPY0PIfGME0PsnZSc6Qx7PIPYPMFhD6Q8KHr4cyDCCrw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","putnamcountygov","date","2025-09-18T00:00:00Z","article","County emergency‑services staff told the Protective Services Committee they plan to use trained county EMS/Fire‑Training staff to provide Basic Life Support (BLS) standby at fire‑training evolutions where volunteer or paid ambulance providers decline a stand‑by because ambulances must remain available for commercial calls.

Committee members were told the service would be offered on a course‑by‑course basis; staff would be paid for the specific training session hours and no ongoing staffing change is proposed. Director Cuomo (not present at the meeting) had briefed staff and the commissioner in advance, and Bureau staff said the arrangement is largely an administrative assignment of existing training personnel rather than a request for new county appropriations.

Officials said the approach aims to avoid gaps in on‑site medical coverage during training and to reduce barriers for departments seeking multi‑unit live‑fire or rescue training. The committee accepted the update as informational and asked staff to return with any required administrative procedures.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Putnam County Personnel & Protective Meetings - September 18, 2025 - Putnam County Legislature","oneSentenceSummary","With volunteer and paid ambulance availability declining, Bureau of Emergency Services staff plan to provide on‑site EMT coverage for county fire‑training sessions; the proposal is administrative and requires no new legislative authorization, officials said Sept. 18.","taxTitle","Putnam County, New York","taxId",59456,"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},5979892,"Putnam County radio system online; additional towers and fail‑safe measures coming",653,10783000,11436000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5806158-dab5df689c808f0cc72663633f11b5bb&start=10783&end=11436","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5806158-dab5df689c808f0cc72663633f11b5bb/thumbnail_10783000.jpg","/articles/5979892/Putnam-County/New-York/Putnam-County-radio-system-online-additional-towers-and-failsafe-measures-coming","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5979892-fd5392de988c05897896ddc5c85407c8/orig.mp4?Expires=1770999678&Signature=YMD8biNJnfSrR6YKp9lmqGz8D7id2gVJn6JaHEOz8qwB8Tdw8WWeMyetZMM0VhgX3vpEBdIdRCK16S61GaY8YqLXluFwg6BdYPXFkGYEwbFCszQc3iKN9V8iDdeAMCd2~c-z7CCVViPfAod0kx1TyEElubqtObUye9l1H6RAgXUmvIAXuMzqn2899TIzrIT9DcQUaVcxyRd~K5MHYBsjo28Nqj3KoC-nEFBC81Da2eG7Ef5ctejKxbcAEw7rZ2gybZO4XbRLZ3bOzern~eflAUaxnw1XPSOdatBbOEousRCqYhVnl07yVgyhmxEQALdPIrAyldkcMWuShtVrvhHhuA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Putnam County emergency‑communications staff told the Protective Services Committee on Sept. 18 that the new countywide trunked radio system is in everyday operation for fire, EMS and law‑enforcement agencies and that officials are installing additional towers and redundancy measures to improve coverage.

Director Lannon (Bureau of Emergency Services) said the system has about 4,470 radios registered and that peak use of the trunked channels had reached only 12 percent during the heaviest load periods, leaving significant capacity for incident traffic. “The peak that we've had of usage on our system is 12%,” he told the committee.

Three towers remain to be completed: an installation at Piano Mountain, a Nelsonville (Philipstown) site and a longer‑lead project at Airport Park. The Nelsonville site and Piano Mountain were described as imminently approaching buildout; Airport Park will require additional permitting and site work, officials said.

Officials described several resilience steps already under way. A second “core” (duplicate master controller equipment) has been ordered and will be installed to provide near‑instant failover if primary infrastructure fails. Staff also described a fall‑back or analog mode that preserves point‑to‑point radio traffic should a catastrophic failure occur, and the county has a documented contingency for dispatch and unit accountability in such a scenario.

The county will roll out a Motorola “SmartConnect” feature allowing radios to use commercial data/Wi‑Fi when trunk coverage is unavailable; the feature will help ensure officers retain voice connectivity where cellular service is present. Officials also reported expanding the system to non‑public‑safety users: social‑services field staff were provided radios and used the devices during a recent lobby incident.

Committee members asked about school coverage and building‑interior gaps. Officials said some large buildings still require in‑building bidirectional amplifiers (BDAs) and that schools should be addressed in a phased program tied to budget and grant funding. Staff said they will continue outreach with municipal building departments and school districts on BDA installations and building testing.

Officials said the vendor and county will continue acceptance testing and that grants have covered a substantial portion of the system’s cost to date. The committee thanked staff for the update and requested periodic briefings as the remaining towers and redundancy hardware come online.","County emergency communications staff reported that the new countywide trunked radio system is operational and in daily use across fire, law enforcement and EMS; three remaining towers and redundancy upgrades are scheduled to improve coverage and resilience.",{"_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},5979897,"Putnam County negotiates lower employee health‑insurance share; personnel committee tables MOA approval pending further review",2642,5505000,8147000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5806158-dab5df689c808f0cc72663633f11b5bb&start=5505&end=8147","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5806158-dab5df689c808f0cc72663633f11b5bb/thumbnail_5505000.jpg","/articles/5979897/Putnam-County/New-York/Putnam-County-negotiates-lower-employee-healthinsurance-share-personnel-committee-tables-MOA-approval-pending-further-review","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5979897-d2684d4768fa0560ce8847c81f304766/orig.mp4?Expires=1770999678&Signature=Y8eMA8sInm5q2YrshM5eDa5Z~a4TtJk3M4xQS4KFJgPNYUqcUcZy8paRFBJZNRLKJGUveTpKEXRRL8FEOksqOErWXAcue9MdEOe1c9uJbzLCbNx23kSow~AVWJ6O3SxP~vFVOYkBvo-SptxWtpngtcpqrLzkqhYYhk5tETSWRdhx3nRy-mLFZrNYeaxF-v9cE5D6n42pMymraMtqCKGDK9GDA1FlPX8Kynlo9GtlWvgthqMDEv5ke8e-~Mrgk8wA4grEGhHP2hyj~~fheUMcNHekJ7qAI4ZVuLOdKDD43AOF-VELL3vRK52r2fNhYgszEPWABouczo6xVzATSSI-qA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","County and union negotiators presented a memorandum of agreement on Sept. 18 that would reduce active employees’ health insurance contribution rates where they exceeded 17 percent and preserve step‑based progression thereafter. County officials described the arrangement as an interim measure intended to ease recruitment and retention pressures while other structural changes are studied.

Christopher York, a member of the county’s employee health insurance review committee, told the committee the change was fiscally prudent and framed the proposal as an investment in workforce stability. York said, “This is money well spent.”

Officials said the committee and county executive sought an expedited resolution because high employee contribution rates disproportionately affected lower‑paid workers and worsened recruitment for critical roles. County staff said one option presented to the executive and unions capped contributions at levels between 15% and 17%; county leadership recommended 17% as a compromise between employee relief and fiscal prudence. County staff reported that of roughly 612 full‑time county positions, about 225 would benefit immediately from the change.

At the Sept. 18 Personnel Committee meeting, members debated the appropriate cap and the timing of implementation. One legislator urged a lower cap and additional measures, such as buyouts for employees who decline county insurance, while committee members and staff emphasized the complexity of broader retiree‑health and buyout proposals and the need to move quickly on active‑employee relief. After discussion and public comment, the committee voted 2–1 to table consideration to the next personnel meeting to allow additional review.

County officials said the county executive had already negotiated with several unions and that three of four represented units had signed MOAs; one bargaining unit (the PBA) had expressed reservations and sought further review before signing. The committee was presented with fiscal scenarios showing projected costs for several contribution levels and a table estimating the short‑term fiscal impact, which county finance staff said would be incorporated into the 2026 budget deliberations.

The measure is an administrative and bargaining outcome that must be finalized in MOAs and implemented through payroll processes. Committee members asked staff to provide additional fiscal scenarios and proposed buyout options before returning the MOAs for a final vote.","County officials and union representatives reached a tentative agreement to cap active employee health‑insurance contributions at 17% for existing employees who were paying higher rates, affecting roughly 225 full‑time employees. The Personnel Committee took public comment and voted to table final action to its next meeting for additional review.",{"_33":99,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":100,"_41":101,"_43":102,"_45":103,"_46":104,"_48":105,"_50":106,"_52":107,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":108,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":109,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},5979902,"Consultant: Putnam County’s pay broadly near market but public health nurses and tech roles need adjustments",2629,87000,2716000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5806158-dab5df689c808f0cc72663633f11b5bb&start=87&end=2716","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5806158-dab5df689c808f0cc72663633f11b5bb/thumbnail_87000.jpg","/articles/5979902/Putnam-County/New-York/Consultant-Putnam-Countys-pay-broadly-near-market-but-public-health-nurses-and-tech-roles-need-adjustments","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5979902-5d65f44bba80bcceed882917fb4d5399/orig.mp4?Expires=1770999678&Signature=K3VDreSznvS4MvD7pPoJuAANzohyyvM-~2QhhZLhBQbdEvYJT0juEpdJC1feSatGqLVx5VR2RDYuKmidnXhg5WXrepzuo-vu3GyNhtdmVmAqT5dO-7PHLlaa2ncz61gnMOpPxPBrInplKBgyEdQgnQ1zzdcQWn6BcPqZRKRkqKcwOirpUjpYwS3IRMiEeeAqBKw3UXQfHzC6t~UyfW4owFtxgmet5q~YDnQ3h3oZJXPvfHDIvrpHo-YmFGf0mD1THxNEiTRfJgnZSyVWLH38xSth3D6hHWn0~460J2K~MU5wIUP00axb1aCGCDGOPznfS0oIo-dN2ivwjdGOdYAVVg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Catapult Consulting principal consultant Julia Jacobia on Sept. 18 presented a market analysis comparing Putnam County base pay to regional public- and private-sector benchmarks and proposed a new management salary structure and targeted regrades. Jacobia said the county used peer-county data weighted 60% and private-market survey data weighted 40% and “were looking for some to ensure that they were externally competitive within the local market as well as within their peer counties.”

The report, prepared for Putnam County’s director of personnel, examined about 42 benchmark positions and used those to slot other management confidential roles. It recommended creating a 12-grade management structure with 28 percent range spreads and 10 percent grade-to-grade differentials up to a mid level, then 7.5 percent between higher grades. The recommended structure would give administration a minimum, midpoint and maximum with guidance for hires depending on experience.

Jacobia recommended moving the public health nurse (including the Spanish‑speaking position) to CSEA grade 19 and the public health nurse 2 to grade 20 in order to address recruitment and retention pressures. She said the county’s reported employee base salary figures included longevity pay while private‑market survey medians did not, a factor that can make Putnam appear closer to or above the median when compared directly.

Committee members pressed for clarity on how the analysis treated step tables and seniority. One lawmaker asked whether market medians were compared to step 4 (a typical fully‑qualified step); Jacobia confirmed the analysis used a fiftieth‑percentile (median) target and compared the market median to an established step used by the county for grading. The presenter recommended a typical acceptable pay band at roughly 20 percent below to 25–30 percent above the market median to accommodate seniority and longevity in county service.

Commissioner and staff comments emphasized recruitment challenges driven by neighboring Westchester County’s higher pay and by county health‑insurance contribution levels; several legislators and department heads said those benefits gaps had hampered hiring and retention. County staff and union representatives later discussed health‑insurance contribution changes in a separate agenda item.

The presentation also included numerous position‑level suggestions: targeted increases for county auditor and deputy county attorney positions (7–10%), a 5% adjustment recommended for several county clerical/confidential posts, and a larger increase (up to 21–28% inclusive of COLA) recommended for an IT system specialist the consultant judged to be paid well below market.

The report was presented for committee review; the consultant and personnel staff characterized the recommendations as advisory and said any implementation would require budget decisions and additional administrative review.

The county chair closed the presentation noting the analysis would inform upcoming budget work and follow‑up conversations with departments about internal equity and recruitment strategies.","Catapult Consulting presented a countywide compensation analysis to the Personnel Committee on Sept. 18, recommending targeted grade and range changes — most notably raising public health nurse grades and creating a new management pay structure — while advising continued attention to recruitment and longevity effects on pay.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Emergency services to provide EMT standby at county fire‑training events to cover shrinking volunteer ambulance availability

Putnam County radio system online; additional towers and fail‑safe measures coming

Putnam County negotiates lower employee health‑insurance share; personnel committee tables MOA approval pending further review

Consultant: Putnam County’s pay broadly near market but public health nurses and tech roles need adjustments