Orange County Ways and Means approves internships, $4 million open‑space funding and multiple capital projects

The Orange County Ways and Means Committee voted on a range of budget and capital requests, approving a proposal to create up to 35 paid intern positions and moving ahead on several capital projects and open‑space acquisitions.

The committee approved a county internship program that would create up to 35 temporary, state‑funded intern positions to be managed by Human Resources and assigned to departments based on need. A county staff member leading the proposal said, "We're asking for 35 because it's still in flux," and described pay ranging from the New York State minimum up to amounts set under the CSEA salary schedule (the presenter said $20.25 as a typical rate and noted a minimum of $15.50). The program was described as positions of roughly 20–40 hours per week for up to 90 days, with a not‑to‑exceed appropriation of $300,000.

The committee also moved $4,000,000 into the Orange County Open Space Fund. Planning Commissioner Alan Sorensen said last year the legislature authorized $1 million and that demand has grown; the county’s program provides matching grants (typically up to 50% of project cost, and often 25% when other state funds apply) to support municipal or nonprofit land acquisition for parks, conservation easements and purchase of development rights on farms.

A series of land acquisitions were set for public hearings under New York State General Municipal Law §247, including a 136‑acre community forest project (referred to in the meeting as the Gibraltar…