County legislators demand explanation after FQHC contract left unsigned, delaying dental services

Legislators at a Chemung County meeting pressed county staff on the approval status of a contract with a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), saying the agreement was signed by the FQHC but not signed by the county executive and that the delay has postponed planned dental services.

The FQHC-signed agreement includes added language referencing General Municipal Law §103. A staff member said the FQHC’s attorney added the wording — "are subject to the general municipal law 1 103" — and returned the signed contract to the county, but the county executive did not sign it.

County staff described the change as limited to the county-review requirement. A staff member summarized the difference as: "It's more money because of equipment" and later explained the wording "basically says that if they're required to produce contracts to be reviewed by the county attorney that they would do that."

Several legislators said the delay is harming residents who need dental care. One legislator criticized the hold-up and urged the executive to state any objections in writing so the legislature can address them: "This is ridiculous. People need this health care, and it's being held up by 1 person in this county. Everybody else wants to go. The legislature wants it. The FQHC is ready to do it." The same legislator added: "If he has objections, he needs to put them on paper so we can all see what they are and go with them."

Another legislator said the agreement change appears to bind the FQHC to routine municipal-review processes and that it "doesn't change a lot" even though it required follow-up. County staff said they will "do some research with our attorney and with Hyder to figure out the next step."

Legislators also emphasized the immediate community need for dental services. One lawmaker recounted that parents and residents have reported emergent needs — abscesses and infections — and said, "People are really very concerned about this. We have both children and adults who have an emergent need to have their teeth taken care of. They have abscesses, infections, toothaches. They need to be seen right away, and there's no facility for that."

At least one staff speaker noted that dental services are planned to start at a site called "ABLE 2" and that dental care at that location will begin once infrastructure approval is complete.

Action and next steps recorded in the meeting: staff agreed to follow up with the county attorney and the legislative attorneys to clarify the contractual language and to report back to the legislature. No formal vote or final decision on the agreement was recorded at the meeting.

The record shows repeated appeals from legislators for clarity and a written explanation from the county executive if he objects to the contract language; staff said they would research the outstanding signature and next steps.

The discussion took place during committee business and public legislative sessions; no ordinance or binding action on the FQHC contract was adopted during the meeting.

Ending: Legislators said they expect staff to return with a clear recommendation and to identify whether the county executive’s signature is required to move the FQHC contract forward. The county attorney and legislative attorneys were named as the next contacts for resolving the procedural question.