Albany County public safety panel approves three state grants for traffic enforcement, rescue equipment and staff wellness

The Albany County Legislature Public Safety Committee approved three state grant measures during a meeting Thursday, advancing funding for traffic enforcement, search-and-rescue equipment and a mental-health wellness event for county agency staff.

Committee Chair Susan Pedo presided as members voted to authorize an agreement with the New York State Governor's Traffic Safety Committee for a 2025 Police Traffic Safety Services grant, approve a sheriff's office grant application to the New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services for technical rescue and urban search-and-rescue equipment, and amend resolutions to accept a New York State Office of Mental Health suicide-prevention grant to fund a staff wellness event.

The traffic-safety item authorizes a $12,000 grant from the Governor's Traffic Safety Committee intended to support additional traffic enforcement details. "So this is a $12,000 grant from the governor's traffic safety committee. It basically has a few stipulations that we participate multiple traffic safety details," a county staff member said during the discussion. Members moved the item, seconded, and the motion carried.

The committee next approved a $50,000 grant application and budget amendment to accept funding from the New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services for a fiscal-year 2022 technical rescue and urban search-and-rescue grant program. A sheriff's office representative told the committee that Albany County is serving as the fiduciary for the award and that the funds primarily support the Town of Colonie's search-and-rescue teams, including purchasing equipment. "Basically, on this, we're just a fiduciary agent. This is more so for the town of Colony. It's to get the search and rescue teams up to par with new equipment and such, but we are just the fiduciary on this," the representative said. Committee members asked for clarification about the fiduciary role and purchasing; the presenter said purchases would be made through the county and the equipment provided to the town's teams. The motion to authorize submission and budget amendment passed.

Finally, the committee approved amendments to resolution numbers 132 and 103 for 2025 related to a 2025–26 sustainability grant and amended the sheriff's office budget to accept a $6,000 award from the New York State Office of Mental Health Suicide Prevention Center. The presenter said the $6,000 grant is to "host a huge wellness event for agency staff and their families and talk about counseling and mental health wellness." Committee members noted the timing is "very timely," since September is Suicide Prevention Month. The motion passed.

Votes at a glance: all three items were moved, seconded and approved by the committee; roll-call tallies were not specified in the meeting transcript.

The committee then adjourned.