Washington County supervisors approve bundle of resolutions, authorize $237,500 Legal Aid contract and add parcels to certified agricultural districts

The Washington County Board of Supervisors on March 20 approved a slate of resolutions including a contract with the Legal Aid Society of Northeastern New York to provide family court conflict defender services at a cost not to exceed $237,500 per year.

The board moved and carried a series of budget, procurement and infrastructure items during a meeting in Fort Edward. Clerk read Introductory Local Law B of 2026 — an amendment to local law 7 of 2025 establishing sewage discharge rates for Washington County Sewer District No. 1 — and the board set a public hearing on the proposal.

The most consequential financial item adopted in the session was Resolution 103, authorizing the chairman to execute a one-year contract with the Legal Aid Society of Northeastern New York, located at 55 Calvin Avenue, Albany, to serve as conflict defenders in Washington County Family Court. The contract amount was recorded in the meeting as $237,500 per year, payable in monthly installments of $19,791.67; the resolution also included a budget amendment increasing appropriations and appropriated fund balance by $178,130 to cover the change, per the clerk’s reading.

Votes at a glance (selected items): - Res. 78 — Authorize chairman to sign contract with Trellis Marketing (procurement): moved and carried. - Res. 79 — Award mini-bid 2026E (Ram 4500): moved and carried after brief discussion and a comment against buying a Dodge; carried. - Res. 80 — Set time/place for public hearing on Introductory Local Law B of 2026 (sewer rate schedule): moved, seconded and carried. - Res. 81 — Award various Department of Public Works bids for 2026: moved and carried. - Res. 82 — Award joint replacement project for Hedgeman Bridge and County Route 24: moved and carried; a supervisor noted the item has come before the board previously. - Res. 83 — Award bid for Lockate Way over Bine Creek: moved and carried. - Res. 84 — Reappoint superintendent of public works: moved, unanimously seconded, carried. - Res. 85 — Approve parcels requesting inclusion in certified agricultural districts (pursuant to chapter 523 of the Laws of 2003): moved and carried; one supervisor noted a distant relative relationship to a listed name as a disclosure during discussion. - Res. 86 — Authorize signature of sewer district closeout documents (wastewater treatment plant project): moved and carried. - Res. 87–88 — Amend staffing patterns (county attorney intern; EMS staffing): moved and carried. - Res. 89 — Approve 2026 health insurance renewal plan: moved and carried after brief discussion about continued cost pressures. - Res. 90–92 — Budget amendments for board of elections and county road fund carryovers (including road salt funds): moved and carried. - Res. 93 — Authorize interfund loan from general fund to Capital Project 136 (Lock 8 Way bridge): discussion from Brian noted the $100,000 figure is an estimate and that the county or payer will reconcile differences ("if it comes in higher, we have 30 days to let them know"); motion carried. - Res. 94–99 — Carryovers and capital project appropriations tied to EMS grants and Marshes LA federal-aid transportation funding: moved and carried. - Res. 100–102 — Youth Bureau and public defender budget amendments (runaway and homeless youth funds; part-time assistant public defenders): moved and carried. - Res. 103 — Authorize chairman to sign contract with Legal Aid Society of Northeastern New York for family court conflict cases (contract not to exceed $237,500/year): moved, seconded and carried; at least one supervisor recorded "I opposed."

Many motions were moved and seconded by supervisors named in the clerk’s roll and sponsor list; in most cases the board adopted the recommended action after brief discussion. Where individual supervisors voiced opposition the record notes "I opposed" but a full roll-call tally was not recorded in the transcript for each resolution.

Why it matters: The Legal Aid contract defines how conflict defense in family court will be delivered in Washington County for the coming year and carries an identifiable budget impact. Several capital and grant-related actions (bridge work, Marshes LA federal-aid projects, EMS grant carryovers) set funds and authorities that will let county road and public-safety projects proceed.

What’s next: The board set a public hearing on Introductory Local Law B of 2026; the clerk noted the time and place for hearings tied to various items. Several resolutions referenced budget amendments that will be carried out by the county treasurer and accounting staff in coming weeks.

Provenance: topicintro SEG 238, topfinish SEG 621.