The Tompkins County Legislature on Aug. 19 authorized county administration to prepare and occupy the property at 31 Dutch Mill Road for temporary relocation of county departments during construction of a planned Center of Government building. The authorization passed 13-1 after extended discussion about access, parking and the project's timeline.

Legislator Lee Shirtliff introduced the motion and noted the county purchased the building at an approximate cost that translates to about $90 per square foot; he said buying the property was an "excellent investment" compared with multi-year rental costs and estimated a purchase could save the county about $1 million if rental alternatives were used for four years.

County Administrator Corso Acunfi and assessment and aging staff described operational considerations for the proposed move. Assessment staff said the department's in-person traffic is limited outside of tax-season peaks and that visits are predominantly by people arriving by car. The County Office for the Aging (COFA) told administration staff they could maintain services and outreach from the Dutch Mill site and saw an opportunity to reconfigure how they deliver services while relocated; staff noted many COFA clients access services via Gadabout paratransit rather than regular bus lines.

Several legislators opposed relocating public-facing services away from the downtown core. Concerns included loss of bus-route access for constituents, limited public transit to the site, and long-term parking obligations for employees. Supporters said the building was a fiscally prudent short-term solution that would provide better workspaces more quickly than continued leasing. Legislators also discussed whether TCAT service adjustments or a county circulator could mitigate access issues.

County staff said initial condition assessments did not identify major capital fixes and that modifications to public-facing meeting spaces at the Dutch Mill location could be completed for under $10,000 using internal staff resources. The resolution authorizes the county administrator to take necessary steps to prepare the building for occupancy, subject to standard administrative steps and with further legislative oversight as required.

The motion passed by a vote of 13 in favor and 1 opposed; no specific permanent department relocations were finalized beyond the temporary move authorization and administration retains responsibility to manage the fit-out and service continuity.