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Franklin County Legislature approves employee recognitions, COVID contact-tracing hires and budget changes
Summary
At its Oct. 1, 2020 meeting the Franklin County Legislature unanimously approved multiple resolutions honoring employee service anniversaries, authorized a temporary part-time law clerk position, contracted three contact tracers using ELC COVID-19 funds, amended CHIPS highway budget lines and set 2021 health insurance premiums.
The Franklin County Legislature met on Oct. 1, 2020, at 11:38 A.M.; Chairman Donald Dabiew called the meeting to order and Clerk Penny A. Premo called the roll, noting Legislator Janisewski was excused. Members voted unanimously on a slate of resolutions covering employee recognitions, personnel actions, budget amendments and public-health contracts.
The Legislature adopted Resolution No. 210 to honor Danise Gratton for 35 years of service with Franklin County Public Health Services and noted her retirement effective Oct. 2, 2020. The resolution was moved by Legislator Maroun and seconded by Legislator Dumas and was adopted by all members present.
Lawmakers also approved a series of monthly employee-recognition resolutions (Nos. 211–215) that list longevity award recipients for May through September 2020; the resolutions were presented by the Administrative Committee, moved and seconded as recorded, and adopted unanimously. Chairman Dabiew presented service pins to employees who were in attendance.
On personnel, the Legislature passed Resolution No. 216 authorizing creation of a temporary Law Clerk (part time, up to one year, 17 hours per week) with a listed base salary of $40,000; the resolution states the position will be abolished once the Part-Time Assistant Conflict Defender position is filled. The resolution was moved by Legislator Ellis, seconded by Legislator Lauzon, and adopted unanimously. The transcript identifies the requesting office as the Conflict Defender; no individual name for that officeholder is listed in the record.
Resolution No. 217 amends a prior appointment to the Franklin County Tourism Advisory Board following the resignation of Todd Papineau as general manager of the Akwesasne Mohawk Casino Resort. The Legislature updated Resolution No. 108 to appoint whoever holds the General Manager position of the casino as the non‑voting member through May 15, 2023; motion by Legislator Lockwood, seconded by Legislator Ellis, and unanimously adopted.
The board approved Resolution No. 218 to cancel interest of $3,727.42 on Parcel ID No. 162600 (393 Church Street, Town of Bombay) under authority cited in the record as Section 1182 of the Real Property Tax Law; Legislator Lauzon moved the measure, Legislator Maroun seconded, and members present voted in the affirmative.
In finance items, Resolution No. 219 authorized payment of four 2019 coroner vouchers from CVPH totaling $7,056 for pathologist services rendered by Laura Schned, MD. Resolution No. 221 amended the county CHIPS (Consolidated Local Street and Highway Improvement Program) budget, increasing specified revenue and allocating funds to plow and equipment lines; the resolution notes 20% of CHIPS revenue will be held pending notification from the New York State Department of Transportation because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
On public health staffing, Resolution No. 220 authorizes the County Manager, with County Attorney review, to enter into agreements for contact tracing with Patricia Lee, Margo Gold and Wendy Austin. The resolution directs that the positions be funded from ELC COVID-19 funds appropriated in the adopted budget; the transcript uses the acronym “ELC” but does not expand it or provide a full program name.
The Legislature concluded with Resolution No. 222, approving Franklin County’s 2021 health insurance premiums (detailed monthly and annual rates for active employees, COBRA and various retiree categories) and establishing the monthly retiree subsidy rates for Medicare supplemental or advantage plans. The measure was moved by Legislator Lockwood, seconded by Legislator Maroun, and adopted unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 11:59 A.M.
Votes at a glance (as recorded in the meeting): - RES 210 (Honoring Danise Gratton): moved by Maroun, seconded by Dumas; adopted (all members present voted in the affirmative). - RES 211–215 (Employee recognitions, May–Sept 2020): moved and seconded as noted in the record; adopted unanimously. - RES 216 (Temporary Law Clerk, Conflict Defender): moved by Ellis, seconded by Lauzon; adopted unanimously. - RES 217 (Tourism Advisory Board appointment amendment): moved by Lockwood, seconded by Ellis; adopted unanimously. - RES 218 (Cancel interest on Parcel ID 162600): moved by Lauzon, seconded by Maroun; adopted unanimously. - RES 219 (Pay 2019 coroner vouchers from 2020 funds): moved by Maroun, seconded by Dumas; adopted unanimously. - RES 220 (Contact tracer agreements): moved by Dumas, seconded by Lauzon; adopted unanimously. - RES 221 (CHIPS budget amendment): moved by Lauzon, seconded by Ellis; adopted unanimously. - RES 222 (2021 health insurance premiums): moved by Lockwood, seconded by Maroun; adopted unanimously.
Context and next steps: Most items were routine, procedural or recognition actions and passed without recorded opposition. The CHIPS budget amendment flags that 20% of CHIPS revenues will be held until New York State Department of Transportation guidance is received; the contact-tracing hires are funded from ELC COVID-19 funds referenced in the transcript but not defined there. No roll-call tally by individual legislator is printed in the transcript; the record states that "all members present voted in the affirmative."
