Ways and Means committee approves outside counsel, staff hires and 911 grants for Allegany County

The Allegany County Ways and Means Committee on March 12 approved a package of personnel actions, two New York State grants for the county 9-1-1 center and a resolution authorizing the county attorney to retain outside counsel to review a proposed local ethics law.

The committee approved a resolution authorizing the county attorney’s office to employ Grossman PC as outside counsel to assist with review of the proposed local ethics law. County attorney told the committee the firm would be retained “under such terms as my office deems reasonable and in the county's best interest,” and said he had followed procurement rules and spoken with other firms before making the request.

The approvals also included multiple staffing actions: the county treasurer requested permission to re-open recruitment for an accountant position the office has been unable to fill since 2023; the public defender’s office received permission to create and fill a full-time junior accountant role (salary $40,000–$48,000, benefits $16,000–$19,000); the public defender’s office also received permission to create and fill a full-time legal services case manager (salary $45,000–$56,000, benefits $18,000–$23,000); the conflict defender’s office received permission to create and fill a full-time legal services case manager with the same estimated salary and benefits; and the sheriff’s office received permission to fill a full-time cook position (salary $43,000–$53,000, benefits $17,000–$21,000). The treasurer said funding for some positions is held in contingency and that specific budget requests will return to the committee when hires are made.

The committee also approved a request from public works (moved by Mr. Scholes) to hire up to 19 seasonal employees at $15.50 per hour; the committee record states those positions are included in the 2025 budget.

Sheriff Scott Ciccarello requested two state grant appropriations for the county’s 9-1-1 center. The committee approved acceptance and establishment of a capital project for a New York State 2024 Statewide Interoperable Communications grant in the amount of $736,507 to update electrical equipment in the 9-1-1 center. The committee also approved acceptance and establishment of a capital project for the New York State 2024 Public Safety Answering Points Operations Grant; the statewide program total in the transcript is stated as $10,000,000 with Allegany County’s share listed as $127,563. Both grants were described as funding electronic/equipment needs in the 9-1-1 center.

The committee voted to forward a recommendation to the full board to fill a vacant District 3 seat. The Allegany County Democratic Committee submitted Julie Fletcher and the Allegany County Republican Committee submitted Charles Bissett; committee member Havey moved to recommend Charles Bissett, Root seconded, and the committee carried the motion. The recommendation will go to the full board for appointment.

Votes at a glance - Approval of audit distributed to the committee — motion carried. - Resolution to employ Grossman PC as outside counsel (review of proposed local ethics law) — approved. - County treasurer: permission to re-open recruitment for an accountant position — approved. - Public Works: permission to hire up to 19 seasonal employees at $15.50/hour (positions in 2025 budget) — approved. - Public Defender (J.R. Santana Carter): create and fill 1 full-time junior accountant (salary $40,000–$48,000; benefits $16,000–$19,000) — approved. - Public Defender: create and fill 1 full-time legal services case manager (salary $45,000–$56,000; benefits $18,000–$23,000) — approved. - Conflict Defender (Peter Degnan): create and fill 1 full-time legal services case manager (salary $45,000–$56,000; benefits $18,000–$23,000) — approved. - Sheriff (Scott Ciccarello): accept NYS 2024 Statewide Interoperable Communications grant, $736,507, for 9-1-1 electrical equipment — approved. - Sheriff: accept NYS 2024 Public Safety Answering Points Operations Grant; statewide program $10,000,000, Allegany County share $127,563 — approved. - Sheriff: permission to fill 1 full-time cook (salary $43,000–$53,000; benefits $17,000–$21,000; county-funded) — approved. - Recommendation to full board to appoint Charles Bissett to fill vacancy in District 3 (names submitted by county party committees) — approved and sent to full board for final appointment.

The committee record shows most motions carried on unanimous voice votes; individual roll-call tallies were not recorded in the transcript. Several motions noted that positions are funded either 100% by state funds or by county funds and are included in the 2025 budget; the treasurer said some positions will only be funded out of contingency until an actual hire is made.

Why it matters: The actions affect county staffing and 9-1-1 operations and authorize outside legal review of a proposed ethics local law, each of which can have operational and budgetary effects on Allegany County despite the committee-level nature of the approvals. Several items require further action at the full board, including the District 3 appointment and position creations that were noted as pending formal creation at the full board meeting.

Subsequent steps: The committee’s recommendations and resolutions will proceed to the Allegany County Board for final approvals and any necessary budget adjustments or formal position creation. The county attorney indicated his office will negotiate terms with Grossman PC and follow procurement and county law requirements.