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Veterans Service Agency report: donation accepted, internship partnership authorized and county discusses new veterans tax exemption and suicide‑risk study
Summary
The committee accepted a $2,000 donation for the Dwyer Peer-to-Peer Program, authorized two Alfred State Empire State Service Corps veteran interns for Fall 2026 and Spring 2027, discussed a new NY RPTL § 458‑a exemption that municipalities must opt into, and heard a Purdue study ranking Allegany County high on veteran suicide-risk factors.
Director of Veterans’ Service Agency Michael Middaugh briefed the Personnel Committee on several items on June 3, including a donation, internship partnership, a change to state law on veterans’ property-tax exemptions, and a recently released study on suicide-risk factors.
The committee approved a request to accept and appropriate a $2,000 donation from Jones Memorial Hospital and the Legion Riders to support the county’s Dwyer Peer‑to‑Peer Program (motion by Legislator Steven A. Havey, seconded by Legislator J. Ricketts‑Swales). Middaugh said the funds, raised during the 13th Annual Field of Flags, will be appropriated into the 2026 budget and used by the end of the fiscal year.
Middaugh also requested authorization to utilize two veteran student interns through Alfred State’s Empire State Service Corps (an AmeriCorps component) for Fall 2026 and Spring 2027; the interns would each work 300 hours providing hands‑on support to Veterans’ Service Agency programs such as Onward Ops and the Dwyer Program. The committee approved the internship partnership (motion by Legislator Havey, seconded by Legislator J. Ricci).
On policy, Middaugh summarized a New York State amendment to Real Property Tax Law § 458‑a that provides a 100% property tax exemption for veterans who are 100% permanently and totally disabled; he noted the amendment does not apply to exemptions authorized under RPTL § 458‑b (Cold War veterans). Committee discussion focused on implementation: Chairman W. Brooke Harris and County Administrator Carissa Knapp advised referral to the Ways & Means Committee for a broader work session with municipalities because local governments must opt in individually if they choose to adopt the exemption.
Middaugh also described a Purdue University study commissioned by the New York State Department of Veterans Services ranking counties on nine suicide‑risk factors; he said Allegany County received a rating of five and was ranked "third worst" in the state for veteran suicide‑risk factors. Middaugh cautioned that some of the results are difficult to interpret at the county level and stressed the county’s comparatively strong performance in connecting veterans to services through its Dwyer program. He said his office is coordinating with the Sheriff’s Office, Probation, the District Attorney, the Public Defender and the Olean Veterans Court to screen jail intakes and probationers for prior military service and to refer eligible people to veterans services.
