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Allegany County Ways & Means Committee approves audit, grants, budget tweaks and staffing fills
Summary
The committee voted May 27 to forward a $3,985,710.53 audit to the full Board, accept multiple small grants and donations, authorize a multiyear radon grant application, reallocate public‑health grant funds and approve several personnel fills and a $113,000 budget amendment for youth services.
The Allegany County Ways & Means Committee, chaired by Philip Stockin, voted May 27 to forward an audit of claims totaling $3,985,710.53 to the full Board and approved a package of grants, budget adjustments and staffing requests across health, social services and workforce programs.
The most significant financial item was the forwarding of the audit of claims, which the committee agreed to send to the full Board for payment consideration. Committee members then approved a series of funding acceptances: a $1,000 donation from the First United Methodist Church to the Alzheimer’s Caregiver Support Program and a $400 donation to the Cuba Luncheon Center for senior programming, both requested by Anita Mattison, Director of the Office for Aging. Mattison also secured a $5,000 contribution from the Alzheimer’s Association to support in‑home respite under the Exhale Program, and a $4,000 internal transfer within the Expanded In‑Home Services for the Elderly (EISEP) grant was approved to pay for ancillary items such as medical lift chairs.
Public Health Director Tyler Shaw asked the committee to accept a $700 grant from the Allegany County Area Foundation to cover registration and meals for an October regional Lead Smart Coalition meeting. Shaw also won authorization to apply for the New York State Department of Health Bureau of Environmental Radiation Protection’s Indoor Radon Exposure Risk Grant — a five‑year, $10,000‑per‑year award ($50,000 total) that requires a $10,000 in‑kind match — and the committee approved the application request. The committee approved acceptance and appropriation of $19,034 in Year 13 Performance Incentive funds from the state (to cover equipment, supplies, contracted biller services and related items) and reallocated $8,656 of unbudgeted Public Health Infrastructure Grant (PHIG) funding for branded apparel and workforce visibility items to support PHIG objectives.
On personnel and program spending, the committee authorized several hires and budget changes. Mr. Shaw was authorized to fill a full‑time Public Health Educator position (estimated salary $49,188–$52,815; benefits estimates provided), and Don Horan, Commissioner of Social Services, received approval to fill a full‑time Caseworker position (estimated salary $47,907–$59,767) and to amend the 2026 budget to add $113,000 in appropriations and matching State revenue to support the Rise Together/Home Base/Pathways initiative aimed at diverting Raise‑the‑Age eligible youth from court and out‑of‑home placement. Dr. Robert Anderson received approval to fill a temporary Assistant Director of Community Mental Health Services, and Rita Sobeck‑Lynch obtained approval to accept a $100 donation to help fund a Practical Nursing School entrance exam and to fill a Senior Account Clerk Typist in Employment & Training.
All voting items recorded in the minutes carried on motions and seconds as noted; routine items such as approval of prior minutes and adjournment were handled by voice motions. The committee concluded business and adjourned at 1:10 p.m.; Majority Leader Steven Havey announced a legislators‑only caucus would follow at 1:20 p.m.
Votes at a glance: forward audit to full Board (audit: $3,985,710.53) — motion by K. Demick, seconded by C. Bessette — carried; accept First United Methodist Church donation $1,000 — moved J. Burdick, second D. Healy — carried; accept Cuba Luncheon Center donation $400 — moved J. Burdick, second D. Healy — carried; accept Alzheimer’s Association funding $5,000 — moved J. Burdick, second K. Demick — carried; EISEP transfer $4,000 — moved J. Burdick, second S. Havey — carried; accept Allegany County Area Foundation grant $700 — moved J. Burdick, second C. Bessette — carried; authorize radon grant application ($50,000 total, $10,000/year) — moved J. Burdick, second G. Hanchett — carried; accept Performance Incentive $19,034 — moved J. Burdick, second G. Hanchett — carried; reappropriate PHIG $8,656 — moved J. Burdick, second S. Havey — carried; fill Public Health Educator — moved J. Burdick, second C. Bessette — carried; fill Caseworker — moved J. Burdick, second K. Demick — carried; RTA CORE Pathways budget amendment $113,000 — moved J. Burdick, second S. Havey — carried; fill temporary Assistant Director, Community Mental Health Services — moved J. Burdick, second D. Healy — carried; accept exam donation $100 — moved G. Hanchett, second D. Healy — carried; fill Senior Account Clerk Typist — moved G. Hanchett, second K. Demick — carried.
The committee’s approvals will be memorialized as resolutions where required and Human Resources was to be notified for approved hires. No substantive public controversy or contested votes are recorded in the minutes.
