Franklin County Legislature approves routine resolutions, sets PACE hearing and directs CDBG spending for senior centers

Chairman Donald Dabiew called the Franklin County Legislature to order for meetings on March 7 and March 21, 2019 in the County courthouse chambers in Malone. The board unanimously approved a slate of routine resolutions, set a public hearing on a proposed Sustainable Energy Loan Program (PACE), and authorized spending of unspent Community Development Block Grant funds to support local adult centers.

The most immediate actions included a pair of budget adjustments and routine appointments. The Legislature approved a $1,000 transfer from Stop DWI accounts to the Traffic Safety budget to support Victim Impact Services (Resolution No. 49). Ben Peets was reappointed to the Zone Administrative Board for a three‑year term through February 18, 2022 (Resolution No. 50). The board set an auction date of May 15, 2019 for county property acquired through tax sale and designated NYS Auctions as the auctioneer (Resolution No. 51). The board also authorized payment of a $3,650 legal bill for services provided in 2018 (Resolution No. 52).

The Legislature took several personnel and recognition actions. A resolution congratulated Jonah McDonald of Chateaugay Central School for becoming the school's all‑time leading scorer with 1,301 points (Resolution No. 53). The board extended the Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism (ROOST) contract through February 4, 2020 (Resolution No. 54) and formally congratulated Becky Preve, director of the Office for the Aging, on being named to the Notable Women in Human Services Hall of Fame (Resolution No. 55).

On public safety and administrative rates, the board established all‑inclusive round‑trip travel reimbursement rates for county coroners to key medical facilities — Plattsburgh $230, Burlington $325 and Albany $400 — and later amended that action to make the rates retroactive to Jan. 1, 2019 (Resolutions Nos. 56 and 71).

At the March 21 meeting, the board confirmed several appointments and staffing changes: the Legislature appointed two members to the Youth Advisory Board (Resolution No. 59), named Derek Tracy of Adirondack Health to the North Country Workforce Development Board (Resolution No. 60), and authorized creation of two Social Services positions — a per diem Registered Professional Nurse and a Social Welfare Examiner — with funding from existing appropriations (Resolution No. 61).

The board moved to allocate unspent Community Development Block Grant funds to several adult centers countywide, authorizing partial payments and equipment purchases at Malone, Saranac Lake, Tupper Lake (Adirondack Adult Center), Burke, Fort Covington and St. Regis Falls (Resolutions Nos. 63 and 65). The Legislature also authorized the Social Services commissioner to enter into a short-term contract with the county Transportation Department for a revolving loan program and approved a cooperative bid with St. Lawrence County for highway road salt procurement (Resolutions Nos. 64 and 66).

On capital work and environmental review, the board established itself as lead agency and issued a SEQRA negative declaration for the proposed Malone Sidewalk Extension and Pedestrian Crossing Project (PIN 7806.63), finding no significant adverse environmental impact and directing the Highway Superintendent to sign SEAF Part 3 (Resolution No. 68).

Other board business included authorizing the County Manager to contract with Beardsley Designs to support an LMR (Land Mobile Radio) project to improve local radio communications (Resolution No. 69), accepting a $2,600 incentive payment to Public Health Services from the New York State Department of Health for disease‑reporting performance (Resolution No. 70), approving county work rules under the UPSEU collective bargaining agreement (Resolution No. 72), terminating one Community Services contract after recruitment issues (Resolution No. 73), and amending the 2019 budget and contract to reflect OASAS recoupment adjustments for St. Joseph's Veterans Program (Resolution No. 74).

Votes at a glance: All recorded resolutions during the March 7 meeting (Resolutions Nos. 49–57) were adopted unanimously with all members present. Resolutions considered on March 21 (Resolutions Nos. 58–74) were adopted unanimously with one legislator excused; where indicated, roll-call resulted in six ayes.

The board adjourned both meetings (March 7 adjourned at 11:50 A.M.; March 21 adjourned at 11:48 A.M.).