June 22, 2015
St. Lawrence County DRAFT Special Board Meeting
Board of Legislators Monday, June 22, 2015
Board Room 5:15 p.m.
Chair Lightfoot called the Special Board Meeting to order at 5:24 p.m.
ROLL CALL: All Legislators were present
APPROVAL OF AGENDA: Mr. Putman moved to amend the agenda to add two resolutions to
the agenda as numbers 4 and 5 under presentation of resolutions, and a discussion on the deficit
in the Budget, seconded by Mr. Timmerman, and carried unanimously by a voice vote with
fifteen (15) yes votes. Mr. Arquiett moved to approve the agenda as amended, seconded by
Mr. Perkins and Ms. Bell, and carried unanimously by a voice vote with fifteen (15) yes votes.
CITIZEN PARTICIPATION: There was none.
PRESENTATION OF RESOLUTIONS:
Finance Committee: 6-22-2015
RESOLUTION NO. 177-2015
AUTHORIZING AN APPLICATION TO THE NORTHERN BORDER REGIONAL COMMISSION (2015) FOR THE ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY PUBLIC SAFETY COMMUNICATIONS INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT
By Mr. Hooper, Chair, Finance Committee
WHEREAS, St. Lawrence County suffers from high unemployment rates, low per capita income, high poverty rates, and a variety of other indicators of economic stress, and
WHEREAS, the Northern Border Regional Commission (NBRC) has announced the availability of funds for distressed counties within the northern border area, including
St. Lawrence County, and
WHEREAS, these funds may be used for certain projects under the following categories: transportation infrastructure; basic public infrastructure; telecommunications infrastructure; business and workforce development; basic health care; resource conservation, tourism and recreation; and renewable and alternative energy, and
WHEREAS, a significant need for major improvements to public safety communications infrastructure exists in St. Lawrence County,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Legislators authorizes an application to the Northern Border Regional Commission (2015) for the St. Lawrence County Public Safety Communications Infrastructure Project, and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Board of Legislatures authorizes the Chair to sign this application to the Northern Border Regional Commission and to sign any additional grant documents required for the purpose of application and/or administration should funds be awarded.
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Mr. Perkins moved to adopt Resolution No. 177-2015, seconded by Mr. Denesha, and carried unanimously by a voice vote with fifteen (15) yes votes.
RESOLUTION NO. 178-2015
APPOINTING A DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC HEALTH
FOR THE ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY
By Mr. Burke, District 12
WHEREAS, Resolution No. 339-2009 adopted October 5, 2009 was the last time a full time Director was appointed for St. Lawrence County, and
WHEREAS, since that time the Department has experienced interim leadership to maintain the Department until a Director could be appointed, and
WHEREAS, Resolution No. 215-2013 adopted September 9, 2013 was the last resolution that appointed an Interim Director who departed in the fall of 2014, and
WHEREAS, an ongoing search has been conducted and a recommendation by the Board of Health has been made to the Board of Legislators,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Legislators hereby appoints James O. Rich as the St. Lawrence County Director of Public Health effective no later than July 13, 2015, at a salary of $77,978 (Grade VI Step II) conditioned upon appointment by the New York State Department of Health, and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that after a six month review by the County Administrator and a permanent appointment by the New York State Department of Health, that in January 2016 the salary for the Public Health Director be increased to Grade VI Step V.
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Mr. Burke moved to adopt Resolution No. 178-2015, seconded by Mr. Forsythe, Mr. LaPierre, and Ms. Bell, and carried unanimously by a voice vote with fifteen (15) yes votes.
RESOLUTION NO. 179-2015
APPOINTING AN INTERIM PUBLIC DEFENDER
FOR THE ST. LAWERNCE COUNTY
By Mr. Acres, District 8; Mr. LaPierre, District 4;
Mr. Denesha, District 6; and Mr. Perkins; District 7
WHEREAS, the Position of Public Defender has been vacant since February, and
WHEREAS, a Search Committee has been appointed and they are conducting an ongoing search to locate a permanent Public Defender for St. Lawrence County, and
WHEREAS, while the search continues, it is the recommendation of the Search Committee that an Interim Public Defender be appointed to provide leadership until such time as there is a recommendation for a permanent appointment,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Legislators hereby appoints Stephen Ballan as the St. Lawrence County Public Defender effective immediately until August 3, 2015 at a salary of $79,510, pro-rated.
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Mr. Acres moved to adopt Resolution No. 179-2015, seconded by Mr. Forsythe.
Mr. Dann moved to go to Executive Session to discuss personnel at 5:31p.m., seconded by Mr. Timmerman, and carried by a voice vote with eleven (11) yes votes, and four (4) no votes (Paquin, Putman, Acres, and Forsythe).
Mr. Perkins moved to go to Open Session at 5:39 p.m., seconded by Mr. Denesha and Ms. Bell,
and carried by a voice vote with fifteen (15) yes votes.
Mr. Putman moved to amend the resolution to add pro-rated at the end of the now, therefore, be it resolved, seconded by Mr. Acres, and carried unanimously by a voice vote with fifteen (15) yes votes.
Resolution No. 179-2015 was adopted by a voice vote with fourteen (14) yes votes, and one (1) no vote (Dann).
RESOLUTION NO. 180-2015
RESOLUTION CENSURING A ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY LEGISLATOR
By Mr. Putman, District 9
WHEREAS, the St. Lawrence County Board of Legislators is the elected body representing the citizens of St. Lawrence County with the public expectation of conducting business in an honorable and professional manner, and
WHEREAS, Legislator Travis Dann has referred to Assemblywoman Addie Russell as a “commie princess”, which is below the dignity of the office to which he was elected, and
WHEREAS, the comments made by Legislator Dann are an insult to women everywhere and have brought shame and embarrassment to the county legislature and the citizens of St. Lawrence County,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Legislators does hereby censure Legislator Travis Dann for his very inappropriate behavior.
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Mr. Putman moved to adopt Resolution No. 180-2015, seconded by Mr. LaPierre, Mr. Paquin, and Ms. Bell, and carried by a roll call vote with eight (8) yes votes and seven (7) no votes (Dann, Denesha, Perkins, Timmerman, Burke, Hooper, and Forsythe).
RESOLUTION NO. 181-2015
RESOLUTION IN OPPOSITION OF STATE LEGISLATIVE ACTION COUPLING SALES TAX EXTENSION WITH RENT CONTROL AND URGING STATE LEGISLATIVE GRANT OF COUNTY AUTONOMY OVER FUTURE SALES TAX EXTENSION
By Mr. Lightfoot, District 3
WHEREAS, in 2013, St. Lawrence County was one of few remaining counties in the State that had not previously increased its sales tax over the three (3%) percent sales tax authorized by Tax Law Section 1210, and
WHEREAS, subparagraph (iii) of the opening paragraph of Tax Law Section 1210 was amended, effective July 31, 2013, to include St. Lawrence County in the group of counties authorized to impose sales and compensating use taxes at a rate that was one percent (1%) additional to the three percent (3%) rate for the period beginning December 1, 2013 and ending November 30, 2015, and
WHEREAS, on May 4, 2015, the St. Lawrence County Board of Legislators adopted Resolution No. 157-2015 requesting Home Rule Regulation of Sales and Compensating Use Tax to extend the sales tax rate as previously authorized from three percent (3%) to four percent (4%), and
WHEREAS, on June 1, 2015 the Board of Legis1ators requested enactment of two bills; New York State Senate Bill No. S5172 and New York State Assembly Bill No. A7678 to allow the extension of the authorization of the County to impose additional sales and compensating use taxes, and
WHEREAS, the current economic environment requires the County to continue to impose the sales tax rate as previously authorized and extend through 2017, and
WHEREAS, the request to allow the extension of the authorization of the County to impose additional sales and compensating use taxes has now been linked to the renewal of Long Island and Upstate New York tax extensions to rent control and other NYC specific issues, and
WHEREAS, since sales tax revenues are shared between the various counties and the local municipalities, this move affects hundreds of municipalities and their residents, holding these municipalities and their citizens hostage,
WHEREAS, Senator Joseph Griffo and Assemblyman Anthony Brindisi have introduced legislation in both the Senate and the Assembly (S5321/A2387) that would block the State Legislature from holding county sales tax bills hostage in the future,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Legislators oppose State Legislators’ action coupling sales tax extension with rent control and urging State Legislative Grant of County autonomy over future sales tax extension, and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Board of Legislators requests enactment of Senate Bill No. S5172 and Assembly Bill No. A7678 to extend the authorization of St. Lawrence County to impose an additional one percent (1%) of sales and compensating use taxes, and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Board of Legislators supports the efforts of Senator Griffo and Assemblyman Brindisi and urge the passage of Senate Bill No. S5321 and Assembly Bill No. A2387 which will block the State Legislature from holding county sales tax bills hostage in the future, and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to Governor Andrew Cuomo, Senator Patricia Ritchie, Assemblywoman Addie Russell, Assemblyman Kenneth Blankenbush, Assemblyman Mark Butler, Assemblywoman Janet Duprey, Assemblyman Anthony Brindisi, Senator Joseph Griffo, Senator Elizabeth O'C Little, and the Chairs of the Senate Finance Committee and the Assembly Ways and Means Committee.
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Mr. Acres moved to adopt Resolution No. 181-2015, seconded by Mr. Putman, and carried by a voice vote with fourteen (14) yes votes, and one (1) no vote (Dann).
CHAIR’S APPOINTMENTS: There were none.
ADJOURNMENT: Chair Lightfoot moved to adjourn the Special Board Meeting at 5:58 p.m., as there was no further business.
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