Delaware County adopts 2026 budget, approves watershed intergovernmental agreement and names FOIL officer

The Delaware County board adopted its 2026 budget and approved a suite of related resolutions during its regular meeting following a public hearing. The board also passed an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) intended to protect watershed programs and prioritized land-acquisition efforts in sensitive areas; the county attorney was named the county's FOIL officer.

The formal adoption of the 2026 county budget passed as Resolution 203 after a roll-call vote. The meeting record shows a series of mostly uncontested resolutions (Res. 191–205) approving budget amendments, tax apportionments, year-end accounting modifications and appropriations that were moved, seconded and carried by roll calls or voice votes.

Resolution 206 authorized the execution of a mitigation/intergovernmental agreement with partners listed in the summary: the Coalition for Watershed Towns (CWT/CWC naming appears in the record), New York City and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). Shelly, a county staff member who gave the public summary at the board's request, said the agreement "protects and preserves a number of our important partnership programs" and directs the county to focus land-acquisition efforts on high-priority, sensitive areas (priority areas 1 and 2), continue flood-mitigation work, support stream-management programs, and pursue septic replacements and wastewater upgrades.

Shelly said the IGA will also allow county and town officials to investigate using some vacant city-owned parcels for renewable energy projects and cell-service improvements and will limit large-scale land acquisition in priority areas 3 and 4 in favor of targeted purchases in the most sensitive watershed locations. The summary said next steps include working with New York City and DEC to modify the recently renewed water-supply permit to reflect the terms of the agreement.

The chair (unnamed) announced the appointment of County Attorney Amy Merkman as the county's FOIL (Freedom of Information Law) officer; members responded with congratulations.

Votes at a glance (selected resolutions reported in the meeting record): - Res. 191 (2025 budget amendment — transfer funds): adopted (roll call). - Res. 192 (2025 budget amendment — Dept. of Public Works): adopted (roll call). - Res. 193 (permitted taxes/property tax services): adopted (roll call). - Res. 194 (direct town tax): adopted (roll call). - Res. 195 (town tax accounts): adopted (roll call). - Res. 196 (apportionment of county self-insurance budget): adopted (roll call). - Res. 197 (apportionment of mortgage tax): adopted (roll call). - Res. 198 (year-end accounting modifications): adopted (voice vote). - Res. 199 (negative declaration — sale of DPW properties): adopted (voice vote). - Res. 200 (authorization of four-day work week — Dept. of Public Works): adopted (voice vote). - Res. 201 (public hearing scheduled — ag district review): scheduled/adopted (voice vote). - Res. 202 (intro local laws 3A–15; public hearings set for Dec. 10): adopted (voice vote). - Res. 203 (adoption of 2026 Delaware County budget): adopted (roll call). - Res. 204 (appropriation resolution): adopted (roll call). - Res. 205 (payment of audit): adopted (roll call). - Res. 206 (execution of mitigation/IGA): adopted (roll call).

What the IGA summary says it will do: county staff said it would prioritize land acquisition and easements for watershed protection, continue flood mitigation and stream-management programs, support septic-system replacement and wastewater upgrades, explore limited land swaps and use of vacant city-owned parcels for renewable energy and improved cell service, and seek permit updates with New York City and the DEC to reflect the agreement.

What the record does not show: The public-comment period raised line-item budget questions earlier in the meeting; the transcript does not record staff answers to those specific queries during the public‑comment slot. The IGA summary and budget adoption were presented and adopted later in the meeting.

Next steps: The county indicated it will work with New York City and New York DEC to modify the water-supply permit and to implement the IGA and related programs; implementation details, timelines and funding sources were not specified in the meeting record.