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Franklin County Legislature adopts series of budget, personnel and grant measures; public hearings set for 2017 tentative budget
Summary
At its Nov. 3 and Nov. 17 meetings the Franklin County Legislature approved multiple resolutions covering tourism grant applications, budget amendments, personnel adjustments, and grant acceptances; it set public hearings on the 2017 tentative budget for Nov. 16 (Harrietstown) and Nov. 17 (Malone).
The Franklin County Legislature met Nov. 3 and Nov. 17, 2016 and adopted a package of routine and substantive measures ranging from grant acceptances to budget reallocations.
The Legislature authorized James McKenna, the county’s tourism promotion agent, to apply for $215,750 in State matching tourism funds for 2017. It accepted a mortgage recording tax schedule for the period April 1 through Sept. 30, 2016 and approved a $200 correction reallocating mortgage tax between the Towns of Harrietstown and Tupper Lake. The Legislature also approved final Office for the Aging allocations and a budget amendment to reflect those state and federal funds, with any unspent dollars to roll into the adopted 2017 budget.
County leaders amended multiple highway and road project budgets across the two meetings, ultimately reallocating funds to County Route 18/Forest Home Road and shifting smaller amounts away from other projects. The Legislature created a short‑term part‑time election clerk position (Nov. 1–19) to permit proper payroll reporting for an individual who exceeded an income threshold during the 2016 election cycle.
On public safety and grants, the Legislature authorized payment to a special prosecutor in People v. Patrick White, accepted $33,500 from the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee and an $800 child‑passenger safety grant, and accepted a $10,000 Byrne JAG award to supplement the county drug task force. It also authorized a 22% commission payment to Justice Benefits, Inc., from recently received SCAAP funds and transferred the balance to jail medical supplies.
The Legislature adopted personnel and policy actions, including increases to certain exempt salaries to meet new Fair Labor Standards Act thresholds, adoption of an updated Family and Medical Leave Act policy that adds military family leave provisions, and approval of 2017 county health insurance premium rates while retaining the option to adjust premiums if a change in third‑party administrator yields savings.
The Legislature set public hearings on the 2017 tentative budget for Nov. 16 at Harrietstown Town Hall and Nov. 17 in the Malone courthouse chambers. Both meetings concluded with unanimous votes on adjournment.
The Legislature’s next steps include implementing approved budget transfers, pursuing the tourism grant application, and proceeding with the scheduled budget hearings in mid‑November.
