Putnam County committee approves multiple budget and capital adjustments and starts environmental review for radio/911 tower

Putnam County's Physical Services Committee on Tuesday approved a slate of budgetary and capital-reserve amendments and authorized the county to act as lead agency to start an environmental review for a radio/911 tower project.

Items approved by voice vote included a budgetary amendment for guardrail damage (no fiscal impact reported), a $77,000 transfer for the Soil and Water Conservation District to buy equipment for culvert and stormwater work (funded from Part B and Soil & Water Trust accounts), and a parks-and-recreation amendment to move funds for water and sewer charges and wastewater-plant upgrades (UV disinfection, sensors, a sludge mixer and a desktop pH analyzer).

Committee members also approved a series of capital-reserve additions: architectural/engineering reserve funding for time-sensitive projects, additional funds for roof repairs (staff said earlier $45,000 had not been spent), $20,000 for access control and video swipe upgrades, $25,000 for sidewalk and stair safety repairs, $75,000 for flooring repairs across county buildings, and $25,000 for doors, frames and hardware repairs. Project staff described these as pooled funds to be used for multiple small repair orders and explained procurement and in-house capabilities.

On infrastructure, the committee considered a resolution to declare the county lead agency to start an environmental review for a radio/911 tower project. Staff said the project would use a lease of highway property (a salt-shed site on Fishkill Road) and noted town support and use of an Open Space Institute easement; the committee moved and approved declaration of lead agency to proceed with the review.

All items recorded at the meeting were moved, seconded and approved by voice vote; individual roll-call tallies were not recorded in the transcript.