Madison County Board adopts multiple resolutions, including two local laws and grants

The Madison County Board of Supervisors on Wednesday adopted a slate of committee resolutions that included opioid-settlement agreements, procurement contracts, grant acceptances, transit and broadband project approvals and the adoption of two local laws.

The package moved forward largely on committee motions and roll-call votes. Pete Walrod, chairman of the Government Operations Committee, summarized his committee’s preferred agenda as including two opioid settlement agreements, contracts with ClearBallot Group and Day Automation, and a new freedom-of-information policy. "We have two settlements on the opioid crisis," Walrod said during his overview; he then moved the GOC resolutions for adoption and the board approved them by roll call.

Finance chair Matt Roberts told supervisors county sales-tax receipts were running above last year, saying, "so far this year, we're 8% over last year, and we actually exceeded $11,000,000 for the second quarter." The finance committee advanced three budget modifications and other routine items and scheduled department-level budget hearings for September.

The planning committee approved extending a public-transit agreement, called for a public hearing on a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) submission, and accepted a New York State ConnectALL MIP broadband grant with program oversight by ECC Technologies. The criminal-justice committee authorized continuation of special-patrol officers at several schools and approved a local agreement related to DeRuyter village facilities. The highway committee approved surplus property disposals, a guardrail contract and a snow-and-ice control contract, and facilities reported more than 20 active capital projects.

On the regular agenda the board: authorized a two-day-per-week satellite mental-health clinic agreement with DeRuyter Central School using an existing vacant position rather than adding staff; authorized aerial spraying; accepted a New York State Department of Environmental Conservation grant for solid-waste education and recycling projects; and adopted Local Law No. 3 (mortgage-recording tax) and Local Law No. 4 (extension of tax on real-estate transfers) for 2025. One resolution (No. 32 in the packet) was pulled from the packet, and the board approved a request to waive rules 24 and 24a by a two-thirds vote and called a public hearing to consider selling county-owned real property.

Votes at a glance

- Resolutions 2–8 (Government Operations preferred agenda: opioid settlements; ClearBallot and Day Automation contracts; FOIA policy): motion moved by Pete Walrod, seconded by Mary (surname in roll), roll call: 1,241 votes in favor; outcome: approved. - Resolutions 9–12 (Finance preferred agenda: budget modifications, tax refunds): moved by Matt Roberts, roll call: 1,241 votes in favor; outcome: approved. - Resolutions 13–18 (Planning preferred agenda: transit agreement, CDBG public hearing call, NYS ConnectALL MIP grant, ECC oversight): moved by Joe Wicks, roll call: 1,241 votes in favor; outcome: approved. - Resolutions 19–22 (Criminal Justice public safety: special-patrol officers at Morsell Eaton, Madison, Canastota; DeRuyter agreement): moved by Rex Vosberg, roll call: 1,241 votes in favor; outcome: approved. - Resolutions 23–26 (Highway and Buildings: surplus vehicle, guardrail agreement, snow/ice contract): moved by Lauren Corbin, roll call: 1,241 votes in favor; outcome: approved. - Resolution 27 (Agreement with DeRuyter CSD for a satellite mental-health clinic, two days per week; uses existing vacant position): moved by Mary (chairwoman health/human services), voice vote: approved. - Resolution 28 (Authorize aerial spraying): moved by Mary (chairwoman health/human services), voice vote: approved. - Resolution 29 (Accept NYS DEC grant for Solid Waste education/recycling): moved by Melissa Dearing, voice vote: approved. - Resolution 30 (Adopt Local Law No. 3 for 2025 — additional mortgage-recording tax): moved by Matt Roberts, voice/roll call: adopted. - Resolution 31 (Adopt Local Law No. 4 for 2025 — extend tax on real-estate transfers): moved by Matt Roberts, voice/roll call: adopted. - Waiver of Rule 24/24a (two-thirds vote request): moved by Pete Walrod, seconded by Rex Vosberg, roll call: 1,256 votes in favor; outcome: approved. - Resolution calling a public hearing to authorize the chairman to enter an agreement to sell county real property: moved by Joe Wicks, voice vote: public hearing scheduled.

No formal board action on the sheriff’s agreement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement was taken at the session; members of the public raised the matter during the public-comment period (see separate coverage).

Context and next steps

Supervisors were presented routine committee reports and were encouraged to attend upcoming budget hearings in September. The planning committee expects to advance CDBG and broadband grant work through the public-hearing process. The Solid Waste technical committee will present landfill recommendations at the board’s September meeting.

The board also noted one resolution was pulled from today’s packet; the chairman instructed clerks to correct a drafting error in the sale-of-property resolution before it moves forward.