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Allegany County Ways and Means Committee approves multiple staffing requests, accepts ESInet grant funds
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Summary
At its March 11 meeting the Allegany County Ways and Means Committee approved a series of 2026 budgeted hiring requests, accepted a $4,154.25 insurance recovery for a sheriff’s vehicle and established a $689,655 capital project for a New York State ESInet readiness grant; it also authorized applying for a body‑worn camera grant.
The Allegany County Ways and Means Committee on March 11 approved a series of personnel actions included in the county’s 2026 budget, accepted an insurance recovery check for a sheriff’s vehicle and established a capital project to appropriate the county’s share of a New York State ESInet readiness grant.
The committee’s routine agenda items, carried by voice vote, included approval of the agenda, minutes from Feb. 25 and acceptance of an audit. Clerk of the Board Brenda asked the committee to accept a $4,154.25 check from Niemir to cover the repair of a 2023 Chevy Tahoe assigned to the sheriff’s office; “This represents the cost less the $200 deductible to repair our 2023 Chevy Tahoe,” Brenda said. The committee approved the resolution to accept the check.
Director of Real Property Tax Services Mr. Budinger requested permission to fill a Real Property Tax Service Aide position vacated by retirement; he said the position is budgeted with no additional fiscal impact. The committee approved that hiring request.
The committee also approved staffing requests reported for the Office of Community Mental Health Services, including permission (pending formal Board approval later in the day) to fill a part‑time office manager (funded entirely with state funds; annual salary presented as about $26,300 plus benefits) and a full‑time deputy director (estimated salary range $66,300–$96,000; funding split 25% county, 25% state, 50% other). A committee member described both hires as part of a succession plan.
County Administrator Kristen Knapp requested approval to fill a seasonal lifeguard supervisor position (May 23–Sept. 8, $22/hour) and 12 seasonal lifeguard slots (May 23–Sept. 8, $16–$18/hour), funded 88% by county and 12% by state funds; those requests were approved and the chair invited interested residents to apply.
Public Works Superintendent Thomas Windus asked to fill three full‑time laborer positions (AFSCME bargaining unit; annual salary ranges read into the record) and one full‑time welder/fabricator (grade 15). Windus said those positions are funded by county funds and are included in the 2026 budget; the committee approved those requests.
On public safety items, the acting district attorney’s office requested a full‑time confidential secretary (county‑funded, salary range read into the record) and the Conflict Defender’s office requested a full‑time secretary (funded with state funds). Both were approved, and committee members thanked Michael Regan for taking on the conflict defender role.
The committee established a capital project to appropriate Allegany County’s $689,655 share of a New York State ESInet readiness grant to help prepare counties for next‑generation 9‑1‑1 systems. The motion to accept and appropriate those funds was approved by the committee. The sheriff’s office was also authorized to apply for the Bureau of Justice small rural/tribal body‑worn camera program grant; the program would support cameras at up to $2,000 per camera, but the total award available to the county was not specified in the request.
Personnel Committee referrals were approved to fill a full‑time deputy personnel officer and a full‑time human resources specialist, both budgeted for 2026. Transcript entries contained inconsistent spellings for the personnel director’s name and an implausible benefits number for one listing; the committee discussion clarified these positions are budgeted and part of succession planning. Where the transcript presented unclear numeric values, this article notes benefits or detailed dollar figures as not specified.
All motions on the record were carried by voice vote with no recorded roll‑call tallies in the meeting transcript. The committee announced a caucus to meet at 1:30 p.m. in the Public Works conference room and recessed toward adjournment.
Next steps: several of the staffing approvals were described as contingent on formal creation or final Board approval later in the day; the ESInet capital project will be processed to accept the grant funds and the sheriff’s office may proceed with the body‑worn camera grant application process.
