Highlights of the January 19, 2010 meeting of the Tompkins County
Legislature
Recognizing Challenges, Chair Expresses Optimism in Annual State of
County Message
In the Annual State of the County message, Legislature Chair Martha
Robertson notes that, while there is no doubt that Tompkins County face
challenges in the year ahead, the Legislature and stakeholders
throughout the county can and will meet those challenges through
ingenuity, initiative, and collaboration. Reflecting on a recent
conversation with past Legislature Chair Stuart Stein, Robertson
observes that past “problems” tackled by the Legislature became
solutions now taken for granted, prompting the realization that “as
slowly as government sometimes seems to move, we can make things happen
when we have a goal and work toward it together.”
Cautioning that how the County addresses its “number one” challenge,
the budget, could shape county government and Tompkins County itself
for years to come, the Chair states that the County “must find new ways
to think about our programs and services and organize our work.”
Supporting the program just beginning to anticipate challenges over the
next three years and how to meet them, Robertson challenges the County
to do more than that. “I submit that three years is not long enough”
Robertson states. “This economy will improve. We will see employment
rise and sales tax receipts with it. And most importantly, if we make
the right investments – even now, when it's hardest to do – we will
position our community to rebound ahead of the curve and be ready for
even better things in the future.” The County, she adds, has solved
very difficult problems before, and is recognized as a “leadership
county” by others, including New York State.
Among challenges the Chair identifies that will demand leadership:
The issue of gas drilling which, she cautions, could “transform our
region” ;
Global warming as a local problem, with continued local initiatives to
address it;
The need to improve diversity of the County’s workforce, especially in
light of limited hiring;
Continuing to strengthen the county’s tourism program;
Continuing to build the effort to secure outside grants and resources
to support needed programs;
Becoming an even stronger voice among New York’s counties and within
New York State, making the County’s voice heard on issues of
importance.
The Chair expresses confidence that the County will weather its
immediate budget woes, considering “the fairness, the immediate impact,
and the future ramifications” of each choice that is made. “We can do
this,” Robertson concludes. “The ingenuity, the generosity, the passion
for what we do are not just hallmarks of Tompkins County government.
They are essential qualities of Tompkins County's people…We must
nurture these qualities. This economic slump won't last forever. It is
our job to steer a course through it, and position our community for
even better things in the days and years to come.”
The Chair’s full message is posted on the County website at
http://www.tompkins-co.org/legislature/welcome.html
Contact: Martha Robertson, Chair of the Legislature, 607-274-5434 or
607-272-0584.
2010 Committees Assignments
In her committee appointments, Chair Robertson notes that the 2010
committee structure closely follows that of past years. Standing
committees remain at six. The Chair’s appointments move Human
Resources oversight to the Legislature’s Budget Committee; otherwise,
the standing committee structure remains largely unchanged. There also
will be two special committees during 2010: a Capital Plan Review
Committee and the continued Census Committee, which will function
through June 2010.
The Budget and Capital Committee will continue to be chaired by James
Dennis; Frank Proto will continue to chair Health and Human Services,
and Pam Mackesey will continue to lead the Planning committee. Dooley
Kiefer will chair the Facilities and Infrastructure Committee; Nathan
Shinagawa becomes chair of Public Safety; and Legislator Michael Lane,
who is returning to the Legislature after a four-year absence, will
chair the Government Operations Committee. Regarding special
committees, Chair Robertson will lead the Capital Plan Review Committee
(which will review the County’s 20-year Capital Plan, adopted in 2006,
considering possible changes in priorities and potential additions),
and Pam Mackesey will continue as chair of the Census Committee.
Committee assignments are as follows:
Budget and Capital: James Dennis, Chair; Kathy Luz Herrera, Vice
Chair; Pamela Mackesey; Brian Robison; Peter Stein
Government Operations: Michael Lane, Chair; Dooley Kiefer Vice Chair;
Carol Chock David McKenna; Pat Pryor
Health and Human Services: Frank Proto, Chair; Will Burbank, Vice
Chair; James Dennis; Kathy Luz Herrera; Nathan Shinagawa
Planning, Development and Environmental Quality: Pamela Mackesey,
Chair; Carol Chock, Vice Chair; Will Burbank; Frank Proto; Pat Pryor
Facilities and Infrastructure: Dooley Kiefer, Chair; Leslyn
McBean-Clairborne, Vice Chair; Pam Mackesey; David McKenna; Michael Lane
Public Safety: Nathan Shinagawa, Chair, Leslyn McBean-Clairborne, Vice
Chair; James Dennis; Brian Robison; Peter Stein
Capital Plan Review Committee (special committee): Martha Robertson,
Chair; Dooley Kiefer, Vice Chair;
James Dennis; Kathy Luz Herrera; Michael Lane; Frank Proto
Census Committee (special committee): Pamela Mackesey, Chair; Carol
Chock; Frank Proto; Kathy Luz Herrera; Michael Lane
Contact: Martha Robertson, Chair of the Legislature, 607-274-5434 or
607-272-0584.
Legislators Briefed on AES Cayuga Payment in Lieu of Taxes Agreement
The Legislature heard a more than hour-long detailed briefing on the
20-year payment-in-lieu-of-taxes agreement approved in early 2009
between the county Industrial Development Agency (IDA) and Lansing’s
AES Cayuga power generating facility and why modification is necessary,
as allowed by the agreement and agreed to by the IDA/County negotiating
team. At its next meeting, the Legislature will be asked to support
renegotiation of the agreement, which governs a system of valuation and
tax for the facility, and is not a tax abatement. AES Cayuga plant
manager Jerry Goodenough told legislators that market factors over the
past year (including the economic meltdown, falling energy demand, and
low natural gas pricing that sets market clearing prices) have caused a
rapid decline in the plant’s financial condition, thus, requiring lower
market values from what was initially negotiated and creating an
extraordinary situation, as defined in the agreement. Terms of a value
and phasing plan agreed to by IDA and utility negotiating teams, over
five years would decrease the plant’s valuation from the current $160
million for 2009 to $100 million in 2013, instead of an increase in
value during that period to $255 million. The agreement will be
revisited later this year to review validity of the $100 million
figure in light of economic conditions and plant finances.
Former County Administrator and County Assessor Steve Whicher, who
played a key role in negotiating the agreement, provided a detailed
explanation of the provisions and valuation in a highly volatile and
difficult-to-forecast market, especially in today’s regulatory
environment. Administrator Joe Mareane said bailing out of the
agreement would open municipalities and taxpayers to abrupt value
changes and the full effect of the volatility. Both Whicher and
Mareane had high praise for AES as an extraordinary and responsible
corporate citizen. Lansing legislator Pat Pryor said the AES valuation
decline is of concern to her constituents and will be especially
difficult for the school district, but that the county should work we
the utility as it struggles through a very difficult period.
A proposal to vote on the support resolution tonight, instead of later,
failed by a vote of 5-10, with Legislators Pryor, Frank Proto, Jim
Dennis, Mike Lane, and Chair Robertson voting in favor. Several other
legislators said the delay would permit citizens to learn more about
the issue before a vote is taken.
Contact: County Administrator Joe Mareane, 607-274-5551.
Wesley McDermott Confirmed as Interim Assigned Council Director
By unanimous vote, the Legislature confirmed Administrator Joe
Mareane’s appointment of Ithaca attorney Wesley McDermott as Interim
Supervising Attorney of the County Assigned Program. Mr. McDermott
will serve on a contract basis for a period not to exceed 120 days
while the County engages in the search for a permanent replacement for
the late Robert Stolp, who died last week. At the beginning of the
meeting, the Legislature also observed a moment of silence in honor of
Mr. Stolp and his many, many contributions to the County over more than
30 years.
Contact: County Administrator Joe Mareane, 607-274-5551.
Among other actions, the Legislature
§ Heard from County Administrator Joe Mareane on Governor
Paterson’s 2010-11 Budget Message, delivered today. County
Administration and departments will be reviewing the Executive Budget
to determine potential effects on county departments. The administrator
noted that the effect on county budgets is more difficult to determine
than other municipalities, since revenue is determined by formula and
program. He said early indications are that the Governor may have
refrained from burden-shifting to counties, as has happened in the
past. Areas of potential funding concern at this early stage include
health, social services, probation, as well as community college
funding and mass transit. Mr. Mareane reminded legislators that this is
only “day one of a very long budget process” and that the situation may
look significantly different at the end.
§ Recognized Ithaca High School student John Nord as the
County’s Distinguished Youth for January. Nominated by Mary Arlin,
John was recognized for taking the initiative to design and build a
natural trail to create a natural outdoor study area behind Ithaca’s
DeWitt Middle School as an Eagle Scout project, including building
picnic tables and benches for visitors to use. The Distinguished Youth
Award is cosponsored by A&B Awards and Engraving, Bangs Ambulance,
Purity Ice Cream, and Cayuga Radio Group.
§ Authorized a conservation easement on a 3.8 acre woodland
parcel located on Brooktondale Road and bordering Six Mile Creek in the
Town of Caroline.
§ Accepted a more than $168,000 one-year state grant to the
Tompkins County Health Department (with the possibility of two one-year
extensions) to support a year-long Healthy Neighborhoods Program in
targeted areas of the County, and accepted more than $36,000 in
emergency preparedness funding for the department from the New York
State Department of Health and Office of Homeland Security.
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Marcia E. Lynch
Public Information Officer
Tompkins County
125 E. Court Street
Ithaca, NY 14850
Tel: 607-274-5555/Fax: 607-274-5558
_______________________________________________
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