Franklin County Legislature approves budget amendments, public-health measures and transportation hires in unanimous votes

The Franklin County Legislature, chaired by Chairwoman Barbara Rice, met Feb. 2 and Feb. 16, 2017 and unanimously approved a series of administrative and programmatic resolutions affecting county budgets, public-health services, transportation staffing and county policies.

Clerk Gloria J. Valone called the roll at each meeting and read correspondence before the Legislature moved through agenda items. Key financial actions included amending the 2016 budget to record $300,000 in Casino Compact revenue and appropriating those funds for towns, and multiple 2017 budget amendments to accept grant or program funding for Community Services and the Suicide Prevention Coalition. The Legislature approved use of $14,450 for countywide suicide-prevention awareness and training (funds routed through the North Country Behavioral Health Network via the office of Senator Betty Little), and authorized $23,250 from Adirondack Health Institute DSRIP resources for Community Services travel and training.

On public health and workforce issues, the Legislature: authorized retention incentives for Home Health Aides (HHA) using Health Care Worker Recruitment and Retention funds (calculated at 7.70% of contracted hourly rate times Medicaid hours, contingent on continued funding); approved therapist retention incentives based on $7.00 per Medicaid therapy visit (capped as stated in the resolution); adopted an increased contracted Home Health Aide Medicaid rate of $27.67 per hour effective Jan. 1, 2017; and authorized a contract with Adirondack Community Action Program (ACAP) for a shared Cancer Services liaison (up to $43,000 for Jan. 23–Mar. 31, 2017). Pending written attestations required under FLSA guidance, the county also authorized a pass-through payment to North Country Home Care Services totaling $40.80 for April–Dec. 2016.

On transportation, the Legislature authorized creation and filling of multiple positions to support the county's newly assumed Public Transportation System and to meet NYSDOT requirements. The positions approved include a temporary head bus driver, full-time and per-diem bus drivers, an administrative aide and transportation assistants; funding is to come from existing highway funds and positions will be revisited during the year.

Other actions included: authorizing cooperative purchasing for copy paper through St. Lawrence BOCES; approving a small grant-funded change order of $2,653.18 for 2015 tower upgrades at West Hill and Mt. Pisgah; authorizing payment of 2016 administrative fees to Lifetime Benefit Solutions from 2017 funds; adopting county Cash Management and Procurement Policy & Procedures; approving multiple leases for probation office space (including a $800/year arrangement with the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe and a $1,200 2017 lease with the Town of Tupper Lake); and authorizing Office for the Aging contracts with local adult centers for nutrition and services for 2017 at a total cost not to exceed $549,596.

The Legislature also approved several appointments and recognitions, including Warren W. Gaggin to the County Solid Waste Management Authority, William Ritchie and Kelly L. Metzgar to the Youth Advisory Board, and ceremonial resolutions congratulating Lavina Mae Patenaude Boyea on her 100th birthday and the Town of Fort Covington on its bicentennial.

Votes at a glance (resolution number — summary — outcome): RES 27 — Accept $14,450 for Suicide Prevention Coalition awareness/training (amend 2017 budget) — adopted unanimously. RES 28 — Amend Resolution No. 346 to add account numbers for St. Joseph's outpatient/veterans programs — adopted unanimously. RES 29 — Accept $23,250 from AHI DSRIP for Community Services travel/training — adopted unanimously. RES 30 — Multiple 2017 Community Services budget/contract adjustments (Lakeside House, St. Regis Mohawk programs, CAI/NSI line items, etc.) — adopted unanimously. RES 31 — Authorize cooperative bid with St. Lawrence BOCES for copy paper — adopted unanimously. RES 32 — Amend 2016 budget to record $300,000 Casino Compact revenue and appropriate to towns — adopted unanimously. RES 33 — Create and fill positions to operate Public Transportation System (drivers, aides, assistants) — adopted unanimously. RES 34 — Authorize HHA retention incentives using HCWRRA funds (7.70% formula) — adopted unanimously. RES 35 — Authorize Public Health Services 2017 contracts (various county agencies and contractors) — adopted unanimously. RES 36 — Authorize therapist retention incentives based on $7.00 per Medicaid visit (cap as specified) — adopted unanimously. RES 37 — Increase HHA Medicaid contract rate to $27.67/hour effective Jan. 1, 2017 — adopted unanimously. RES 38 — Approve contract with Adirondack Community Action Program for Cancer Services liaison (up to $43,000) — adopted unanimously. RES 39 — Pass-through FLSA payment ($40.80) to North Country Home Care Services for Apr–Dec 2016, pending attestations — adopted unanimously. RES 40 — Adopt Public Health policies and procedures recommended by the Professional Advisory Committee — adopted unanimously. RES 41 — Transfer $8,068.19 from 2016 Contingency to Assigned Counsel insurance line — adopted unanimously. RES 42 — Authorize payment of Lifetime Benefit Solutions November/December 2016 fees from 2017 funds — adopted unanimously. RES 43 — Employee longevity recognitions for February 2017 — adopted unanimously. RES 44 — Amend retiree eligibility language in Resolution No. 349 (retiree definition) — adopted unanimously. RES 45 — Align Non-Bargaining Unit management retiree benefit language with Big Unit contract — adopted unanimously. RES 46 — Amend Social Networking Policy to disable public comment on official department sites where possible — adopted unanimously. RES 47 — Amend Travel and Training Policy (meal per diem, lodging, authorization requirements) — adopted unanimously. RES 48 — Authorize change order and payment of $2,653.18 for 2015 West Hill/Mt. Pisgah tower upgrades (grant-funded) — adopted unanimously. RES 49 — Appoint Warren W. Gaggin to the County Solid Waste Management Authority (term to 12/31/2019) — adopted unanimously. RES 50 — Appoint William Ritchie and Kelly L. Metzgar to the Youth Advisory Board (terms to 2/15/2020) — adopted unanimously. RES 51 — Lease office space from St. Regis Mohawk Tribe for probation staff (2017–2021 total $4,000) — adopted unanimously. RES 52 — Lease office space from Town of Tupper Lake for probation (2017, $1,200) — adopted unanimously. RES 53 — Authorize Office for the Aging contracts with adult centers for 2017 nutrition/services, not to exceed $549,596 — adopted unanimously. RES 54 — Honor Lavina Mae Patenaude Boyea on her 100th birthday — adopted unanimously. RES 55 — Congratulate Town of Fort Covington on its bicentennial — adopted unanimously. RES 56 — Amend Resolution No. 33 (transportation staffing) to adjust temporary/long-term position mix — adopted unanimously. RES 57 — Adopt Cash Management and Procurement Policy & Procedures for Franklin County — adopted unanimously. RES 58 — Strongly support Franklin County's application for a NY Rising countywide resiliency grant — adopted unanimously. RES 59 — Temporarily increase part-time clerk hours in the Public Defender's Office (Feb. 26–Mar. 25, 2017) to assist the Assigned Counsel Coordinator — adopted unanimously.

Meeting procedure and context: the minutes record that most items were routine and were approved unanimously with motions and seconds recorded; specific vote counts (number of 'yes' votes) are not specified in the minutes beyond “All Members present voted in the affirmative.” The minutes are framed as formal legislative minutes rather than verbatim testimony, so no direct speaker quotations appear in the transcript record.

Next steps: several of the budget and contract changes require execution by the County Manager and review by the County Attorney before contracts or payments proceed; certain actions are contingent on continued grant funding or required attestations (for pass-through FLSA payments).