Highway projects, hospital finances and county budget updates highlight Lewis County committee reports

Several standing committees reported operational updates to the Lewis County Board of Legislators, including highway projects, hospital finances and staffing, and county budget progress.

Highway and general services The highway department reported ongoing and completed projects including: cold-in-place recycling and hot-mix paving on several county roads (3.5 miles on West Road; 2.2 miles on Deer River Road), sealing 37.64 miles of road, hot-mix paving of Number 4 Road from the village line to a new Longle Farmers Co-op location, micro-paving at the Pine Grove Road intersection, repair of a box culvert on Osceola Road damaged in the June 22 storm, culvert replacements on Cemetery Road in Martinsburg and on John Street, Golden Road and Snow Road, shoulder work (29.76 miles), ditching, tree trimming and roadside mowing, and coordination with FEMA for storm recovery. The department said planning continues for bridge bids for 2026 construction and assistance to towns on shoulder applications.

Hospital board of managers Legislator Nords reported that the Lewis County Health System board of managers met July 29 and discussed financial performance and service developments. The board reported a $161,000 gain versus a budgeted loss of $149,000 for the most recent period; year-to-date the hospital shows a loss of $1,800,000 versus a budgeted loss of $753,000. Acute admissions were 77 (four below budget) and observation cases were 72 (16 above budget). Total ER visits were 10 above budget; outpatient visits were 73 below budget. Lewis County Health System received a gold-level recognition from the American Heart Association for stroke efforts, meeting stroke-identification qualifications at 100% compliance, and a bronze recognition for coronary artery disease care. The hospital plans to add a new podiatry doctor, Dr. Ko, with a tentative start date of Sept. 1. The board also reported the hiring of Robert Ardendorski as chief information security officer to meet New York State requirements.

Staffing and partnerships The hospital has hired 10 licensed practical nurses through a care-giver initiative; an eight-week orientation is planned, and the next LPN class will begin in September, the board reported. Fort Drum personnel transitions were noted: Commander Buscher has been transferred and will be replaced by Col. Elizabeth Duque, who is expected to present to the hospital board at an upcoming meeting; Fort Drum representatives have discussed the hospital as a potential OB services option for personnel.

County manager and planning County Manager Tim Hundt said about 80% of department heads have met on budget planning and most departments submitted budgets at or below last year's levels; department of social services (DSS) remains the outstanding area expected to be a major challenge. Hundt said preliminary budget meetings should be wrapped up by mid next week. He also invited legislators to an employee picnic the following day and described an invitation from Naturally Lewis to join a vacant-property revitalization tour funded by the county, offering possible tour dates of Aug. 21, Aug. 26 or Aug. 27, meeting at the JCC building for a half-day event.

Planning and community development Legislator Osborne reported that Planning and Community Development launched a New York Forward-funded downtown Lions Falls small project fund on July 31. The fund provides matching grants of 75%/25% to support improvements to commercial and mixed-use buildings within the New York Forward target area of downtown Lions Falls. Work sessions at the Lions Falls Library will begin this week, with applications due Oct. 3.

Ending Committee reports provided operational detail ahead of formal votes on the consent and individual packets; the board then moved into executive session to discuss contract negotiations.