Putnam County lawmakers split over using $1 million in ARPA funds for Camp Herlick building

Putnam County legislators spent the bulk of a rules committee meeting debating whether to use $1,000,000 in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to build a new structure at Camp Herlick, a county-owned site that runs before- and after-school childcare and summer programs.

The administration told the committee the allocation is ARPA-compliant, that Camp Herlick has provided pandemic childcare for first responders and that the funds could be encumbered immediately. "We still think it's the best use of those funds," Deputy County Executive Burpo said while outlining the proposal.

Opposition centered on unanswered design and legal questions. One legislator said they had submitted written questions and received either generic answers or none at all and cited uncertainty over whether the county could safely rely on a letter of intent in lieu of an executed contract. "I don't feel comfortable approving these funds under these conditions and putting these funds at potential risk," the legislator said, listing missing details on site-plan approvals and a pending DEC review of septic capacity.

The law department, represented in the meeting by Conrad Pasquale, said the department had been asked to review whether improvements to the leased property would constitute county-owned property under the terms of the lease and that they had confirmed, in principle, the improvements would be county property; outstanding legal questions, including the gift-and-loan clause of the New York State Constitution, remained under review.

Supporters argued the project addresses an urgent safety need at a county-owned facility. "They're providing a service that is sorely lacking throughout the county," said Legislator Montgomery, who expressed strong support for the program's services and recalled its assistance during the pandemic. Other members countered that the scope, costs and timeline were unclear and that ARPA encumbrance deadlines raised risk if permits or DEC approval delayed the project.

Committee members also discussed alternative funding sources: several suggested moving the project to the capital budget to remove the legal uncertainty about ARPA eligibility and to reduce the county's risk, while leaving open the prospect of returning with full plans and cost estimates. One lawmaker said the county would not be able to enter a contract until the legislature approved the appropriation, limiting officials’ ability to produce an executed contract before any vote.

The item did not reach a motion to approve. Committee members agreed to seek additional design and legal information, and proponents signaled a willingness to bring refined plans back to the physical or rules committee once more details — square footage, schematic plans, permitting expectations and a signed contract or binding commitment — were available. The matter remains pending; no formal ARPA reallocation was approved for Camp Herlick during the meeting.