The Lewis County Board of Legislators voted to approve a slate of resolutions and took a separate action to remove a member of the county Community Services Board following a closed hearing.

The board accepted the finance committee's report and approved claims totaling $3,642,372.92. The board then passed multiple resolutions on construction, property sales, digital codification of county laws, and grant-funded hazardous-material abatement work. After the resolutions, the board voted to remove Wyatt Wagner from his positions on the Community Services Board (CSB) and the CSB's developmental disability subcommittee, effective immediately, following a closed hearing held under Mental Hygiene Law
641.11.

Why it matters: The slate of routine fiscal and contracting actions clears funding and authorizations for county facilities work and grant projects; the CSB removal is a personnel action taken after a closed hearing the board said was authorized by state mental hygiene law.

Most significant votes and actions

- Claims audit: The finance and rules committee reported it had examined claims presented for payment totaling $3,642,372.92. The board approved the claims. During the roll call on this item one legislator recused themself (speaker did not state name on the record) and Legislator Moser abstained; several legislators were recorded as excused/absent. The motion carried.

- Resolution 37: Authorized an agreement with Train US Inc. to design and install condensing boilers, domestic hot water and venting on the county side of the courthouse. The measure carried after discussion about integration with the existing HMI/control system.

- Resolution 48: Authorized sale of a portion of county rail property on East Bridal Lane to David C. Hodge and Michelle L. Smith. The resolution passed on a roll call vote.

- Resolution 49: Urged approval of a home-rule request to adopt New York State Senate bill S4858 and companion Assembly bill A5514 (the measure continues a local sales-tax authorization; speakers emphasized it does not raise the current 8% rate). The resolution passed.

- Resolution 51: Authorized an agreement with General Code LLC for digital codification of county local laws, funded in part by a Department of State grant. The board approved the contract; staff said the project will inventory and clean up decades of local laws and take roughly 18 months.

- Late resolution 62: Authorized change orders to an agreement with Bronze Contracting for hazardous-materials abatement at 68-32 McAlpine Street in Lyons Falls under the Round 8 Restore NY grant. The resolution carried.

- CSB removal: After a closed hearing held pursuant to Mental Hygiene Law
641.11, the board voted to remove Wyatt Wagner from his roles on the Community Services Board and its developmental disability subcommittee, effective immediately. The motion was moved and seconded and carried on the record.

Board process and votes: Several resolutions were moved as a slate and carried by voice vote; a small subset (items 36, 37, 48 and 49) were pulled for separate votes or roll call as requested. For the claims audit (Resolution 36) a recusal was entered on the record prior to the roll call; the roll call recorded multiple "yes" votes, one abstention (Legislator Moser) and two excused legislators.

What the board directed staff to do: The board authorized the self-insurance administrator to set up a severity fund and obtain an employer's liability policy, with a plan to cancel the Midwest workers' compensation excess liability policy by April 1, 2025; that motion was moved, seconded and carried.

Context and next steps: County staff said several of the contracts and grants (boiler work, hazardous-materials abatement, digital codification) will proceed under existing appropriations or grant funds and that some will require follow-up oversight by committees. The CSB removal takes immediate effect; the board did not provide additional details about subsequent appointments in the public portion of the meeting.

Votes at a glance

- Resolution 36 (claims audit, $3,642,372.92): approved; roll call recorded multiple yes votes, Legislator Moser abstained; one legislator recused; Legislators North and Leyendecker excused.
- Resolution 37 (Train US Inc. courthouse boilers): approved (mover: Legislator Tom Kalmus; second: Legislator Verb/Herb as recorded).
- Resolution 48 (sale of county rail property to David C. Hodge and Michelle L. Smith): approved (roll call recorded yes votes reported on the record).
- Resolution 49 (home-rule request to continue sales tax authorization under S4858/A5514): approved.
- Resolution 51 (General Code LLC digital codification): approved.
- Resolution 62 (change orders to Bronze Contracting for hazardous-materials abatement, Lyons Falls Restore NY grant): approved.
- Motion to establish severity fund and obtain employer's liability policy (self-insurance plan): approved; effective action to cancel existing excess policy by 04/01/2025.
- Motion to remove Wyatt Wagner from the Community Services Board and its developmental disability subcommittee (per Mental Hygiene Law
641.11): approved; removal effective immediately.

Ending: The board adjourned after the votes and the chair closed the meeting.