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Committee approves grant, capital and tax measures; several routine budget moves pass unanimously
Summary
The Budget, Capital, and Personnel Committee approved five resolutions including a state discovery reform grant acceptance, a contingent fund transfer for voting machines, an amendment to opioid settlement contracts, extension of a 1% sales tax authorization, and an appropriation for legislator travel; all passed unanimously by roll call.
Tompkins County’s Budget, Capital and Personnel Committee on Jan. 9 approved five resolutions related to grants, capital project closeouts, opioid-settlement spending, the county sales tax authorization and a transfer for legislator travel and training.
The committee voted unanimously on each item, with Chair Mike Lane and legislators Shauna Black, Rich John, Deborah Dawson and Lee Shirtliff recorded as voting “yes” on the measures during roll-call votes.
The measures included acceptance of the 2024–2025 New York State Criminal Justice Discovery Reform grant (ID 12970); a contingent fund appropriation to close a voting-machine capital project (ID 12986); an amendment to a Tompkins County Opioid Settlement Fund contract with Keuka Addiction Recovery Services (CARS) to change budget line items; a request to authorize extension of the additional 1 percent sales tax rate for Tompkins County; and an appropriation from the contingent fund moving legislator travel and training money into the legislature’s budget line.
Committee discussion was procedural and budgetary for most items. On the discovery reform grant, committee members described the resolution as “budget neutral,” noting the funds reimburse costs tied to discovery reform work. On the voting-machine contingent fund request, staff said anticipated state aid did not materialize and the county needed to close a capital project deficit to finish the purchase. On the opioid settlement amendment, a staff explanation said some nonprofit providers are using or upgrading electronic medical records systems (EPIC) to improve data sharing; the committee heard that a portion of the award will cover software and hardware costs and that other vendors or grants may cover vending-machine purchases previously discussed.
Roll-call outcomes (all unanimous): - Acceptance of 2024–2025 New York State Criminal Justice Discovery Reform Grant Funding (ID 12970): Yes — Shauna Black, Rich John, Deborah Dawson, Lee Shirtliff, Mike Lane; outcome: approved. - Contingent fund request, 2024 capital program for voting machines (ID 12986): Yes — Shauna Black, Rich John, Deborah Dawson, Lee Shirtliff, Mike Lane; outcome: approved. - Request to amend Tompkins County Opioid Settlement Fund contract with Keuka Addiction Recovery Services (CARS): Yes — Shauna Black, Rich John, Deborah Dawson, Lee Shirtliff, Mike Lane; outcome: approved. - Request for authorization to extend the additional 1 percent sales tax rate in Tompkins County: Yes — Shauna Black, Rich John, Deborah Dawson, Lee Shirtliff, Mike Lane; outcome: approved. - Appropriation from contingent fund to move legislator travel and training funds into the legislature budget line: Yes — Shauna Black, Rich John, Deborah Dawson, Lee Shirtliff, Mike Lane; outcome: approved.
The committee also approved the minutes of its Dec. 12 meeting at the start of the session.
