Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Safety Facility topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Resident warns of ballooning costs for proposed Yates County public safety facility
Summary
At a Yates County Legislature special session on April 8, 2026, resident John Prendergast warned that a proposed public safety facility could suffer cost overruns similar to a recent Benton project, citing specific figures and urging caution from legislators.
John Prendergast, a Yates County resident, used the public comment period at the April 8 special session to warn that the county's proposed public safety facility could dramatically overrun initial cost estimates. He cited the county's recent Highway/OES/Public Health Facility in Benton, saying it "started at $11 million and finished at around $28 million," and added, "If they start out at $50 million and do the same thing, it's going to cost $100 or $150 million."
Prendergast said his main concern was the burden on taxpayers and urged legislators to be "very careful" as planning proceeds. His remarks came after Legislative Chair Leslie Church opened the session to hear presentations from SMRT Architects & Engineers and Pike Construction Services; the meeting later moved into executive session, so no public presentation occurred on the record before the session closed.
