[PUBLIC SAFETY] [00:00:03] GOOD MORNING. WELCOME TO THE NUMBER THREE OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE. CLERK, PLEASE TAKE THE ROLL. VICE CHAIR GREENE. TODARO? DUPRE? PRESENT. CHAIR GILMOUR? HERE. KOOSHOIAN? HERE. MEYERS? QUORUM PRESENT. WE'RE HAVING A PRESENTATION BY THE SENATOR RODRIGO AFTER WE GET THROUGH THE AGENDA, SO WE'RE GOING TO START ON PAGE ONE. ITEMS NUMBER ONE, TWO, AND THREE WILL BE TABLED UNDER MY AUTHORITY AS CHAIR. ITEM NUMBER FOUR WILL BE RECEIVED AND FILED UNDER MY AUTHORITY AS CHAIR. ITEM FIVE, WHICH IS COMMUNICATION 5D-16, WHICH, OF COURSE, YOU'RE LISTENING TO. GOOD MORNING. RICHARD ROBILLARD, PROVISION COMMISSIONER, HERE BEFORE THIS HONORABLE BODY FOR THE SUBMISSION OF NAMES TO BE REAPPOINTED AS MEMBERS OF THE ERIE COUNTY LOCAL CONDITIONAL RELEASE COMMISSION. THE TERMS OF THE MEMBERS HAVE EXPIRED AND NEED TO BE RENEWED. ALL FIVE CURRENT MEMBERS HAVE AGREED TO CONTINUE ON FOR ANOTHER FOUR-YEAR TERM. THE NAMES SUBMITTED ARE HONORABLE PENNY M. WOLFGANG, ROBERT LONSKI, WILLIAM CROWE, DIXIE FARR, AND KARIMA AMIN. ANY QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS? MOTION APPROVED. PROPER SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. THANKS, RICH. THANK YOU. LET'S SEE YOU ALL COME UP. GOOD MORNING. SO WE HAVE, JOINING US BY ZOOM, WE HAVE CLARA STUCKER. SHE IS A CONSTITUENT OF MINE WHO'S BEEN DOING A REALLY AWESOME PROJECT. SHE IS WITH, I BELIEVE, THE WEST FALLS FIRE COMPANY. AND HER, ALONG WITH SOME OF HER OTHER COLLEAGUES, HAVE BEEN ACTUALLY GOING AROUND THE COUNTY AND TRAINING SENIOR CITIZENS, FELLOW EMTS IN SELF-DEFENSE. SO I WANTED TO INVITE HER TO THE LEGISLATURE JUST TO TALK THROUGH THE PROGRAM. THEY ARE LOOKING TO KIND OF EXPAND THIS. IT COULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE COUNTY IN THE FUTURE TO GET INVOLVED. BUT RIGHT NOW THEY'RE DOING IT ON THEIR OWN. IT'S REALLY FANTASTIC WORK, SO I JUST WANTED YOU ALL TO BE ABLE TO HEAR ABOUT IT. SO I'LL TURN IT OVER TO CLARA. AND, CLARA, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. I KNOW YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO IN DECEMBER, AND WE HAD TO CANCEL FOR THE SNOW, SO I APPRECIATE YOU MAKING THE TIME TODAY. THANK YOU GUYS FOR HAVING ME. I REALLY APPRECIATE THIS OPPORTUNITY. SO IF YOU GUYS ARE ALL READY, I'M GOING TO GET STARTED WITH MY THING HERE. SO, ALL RIGHT. SO JUST A LITTLE OVERVIEW, MY NAME IS CLARA STUCKER, I'M 18 YEARS OLD AND I'M STUDYING AT MERCYHURST UNIVERSITY IN ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA FOR INTELLIGENCE, INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS, AND RUSSIAN STUDIES. I WAS CERTIFIED AS AN EMT IN 2024 AND I'M A FIREFIGHTER AND EMT WITH THE WEST FALLS FIRE COMPANY THAT'S JUST BY EAST AURORA, IF ANYBODY'S NOT FAMILIAR. I'M A KEMPO KARATE INSTRUCTOR AND I'M A SECOND DEGREE BLACK BELT. I'VE BEEN TRAINING IN KARATE SINCE 2012 WHEN I WAS FIVE. AND I AM THE FOUNDER, ALONG WITH MY PARTNER, BRIANNA WONTUCK, WHO IS PICTURED HERE, FOR THE CODE 13 SAFETY INITIATIVE, WHICH IS A FIRST RESPONDER SAFETY ADVOCATE, ADVOCACY ON FIRST RESPONDER SAFETY. SO THE PROBLEM THAT WE'RE SEEING NOW IS VIOLENCE AGAINST EMS AND FIRST RESPONDER PERSONNEL IS INCREASING. IN NEW YORK CITY, THERE WERE OVER 360 ASSAULTS. OR THREATS AGAINST EMS PROVIDERS IN 2022, AND THAT NUMBER HAS DOUBLED IN JUST A FEW YEARS. BACK IN 2011, IT WAS ONLY 11, AND NOW IT'S IN THE HUNDREDS. NATIONWIDE, WE'RE SEEING MORE INTENSE SCENES, MORE UNSAFE CONDITIONS, AND NO ONE IS TALKING ABOUT IT BECAUSE ASSAULTS AND ATTACKS ARE JUST ASSUMED AS PART OF THE JOB, AS MY EMS INSTRUCTOR SAID, AND DOCUMENTATION BECAUSE OF THAT IS NOT ACCURATE, AND IT'S NOT WHY THEY REPORT IT. THE REALITY IS THAT EMS SCENES ARE UNPREDICTABLE AND UNCONTROLLED. WE'RE WALKING INTO SITUATIONS WHERE ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN, AND WE DON'T HAVE A CLEAR, SAFE FALLBACK FOR WHEN DE-ESCALATION TRAINING, WHICH IS OUR NUMBER ONE THING THAT WE'RE FOCUSING ON, FAILS. SO I UNDERSTAND WHY YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THOSE NUMBERS HERE. WE'RE SEEING IT ACROSS THE NATION THAT THINGS ARE JUST INCREASING, AND THERE'S MORE AND MORE DEATHS FROM PATIENTS, AND WE WANT TO BE PROACTIVE AND NOT REACTIVE. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE OUR RESPONDERS ARE PREPARED BEFORE SOMETHING GOES WRONG. SO WHY IT MATTERS FOR ERIE COUNTY. SO WHEN SOMEBODY IS HURT, THAT UNIT IS OUT OF SERVICE, WHETHER THAT'S AN AMBULANCE, TRUCK, WHATEVER, WHICH REDUCES COVERAGE OF THE COUNTY, WHICH LEADS TO INCREASED COSTS FROM OVERTIME, BACKFILL, AND CLAIMS, [00:05:01] AND ULTIMATELY DECREASED PATIENT CARE, WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE HERE FOR. SO THERE'S ALSO A LIABILITY RISK WITH THIS BECAUSE THERE'S A KNOWN DANGER WITHOUT MEANINGFUL STEPS TO PREVENT IT. IT LEADS TO BURNOUT AND A RETENTION ISSUE, WHICH IS A RETENTION ISSUE, ESPECIALLY IN THE VOLUNTEER SECTORS. SO THIS IS NOT SOMETHING, THIS PROJECT IS NOT SOMETHING I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH ALONE. I'VE HAD SUPPORT FROM PROFESSIONALS AND ORGANIZATIONS. IN THE FIELD, INCLUDING THE NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT, AND THE FIREFIGHTERS. YES, SORRY, I JUST SAID THAT. THE NEW YORK STATE SUICIDE PREVENTION CENTER AND SEVERAL HAVE RECEIVED DIRECT ENDORSEMENT FROM EMS LEADERSHIP IN REINFORCING HOW COMMON THESE SITUATIONS ARE AND HOW IMPORTANT IT IS THAT WE CAN HANDLE THEM. SO WHAT I'M PROPOSING IS A... THE DEFENSIVE ONLY TRAINING PROGRAM IS ON ESCAPE AND DISENGAGEMENT, NOT FIGHTING. IT'S DESIGNED AROUND THE REAL EMS SCENARIOS AND PATIENT CARE SITUATIONS. AND THE GOAL FOR IT IS SIMPLE, IS TO REDUCE INJURIES, REDUCE LIABILITY, AND GIVE RESPONDERS A WAY TO STAY SAFE IN THE SITUATION IF IT TURNS PHYSICAL. SO, ON JANUARY 14TH, I RAN A SELF-DEFENSE TRAINING AT THE ERIE COUNTY FIRE TRAINING CENTER WHERE WE HAD OVER 40 PARTICIPANTS. AND WE SAW EXCELLENT RESULTS, AND I GOT TO SPEAK THROUGH A TAX-BASED EXPERIENCE OR WANTING SOMETHING LIKE THIS OFFERED. ALSO, IN LAST YEAR, IN 2025, I RAN A CLASS WITH AROUND 35 PARTICIPANTS FROM FIVE DIFFERENT FIRE COMPANIES THAT ALL CAME TOGETHER WITH THE SOUTH WALES FIRE DEPARTMENT TO RUN A TRAINING PROGRAM AS WELL. SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE ALL BEEN DOING. WE'VE ALL BEEN TESTED. IT'S BEEN TESTED. WE'VE BEEN, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD STRONG PARTICIPATION WITH VERY GOOD RESULTS. AND I ALSO WANT TO BE VERY CLEAR ON WHAT THIS IS NOT, BECAUSE I GET PEOPLE THINK KARATE OR SELF-DEFENSE, THEY AUTOMATICALLY JUMP TO LIKE THE KARATE KID. THERE'S NO MR. MIYAGI THERE. WE ARE. WE ARE ALL TRYING TO BE AGGRESSIVE TACTICS. IT'S NOT A USE-OF-FORCE PROGRAM, AND IT'S NOT A MANDATE. SO THIS IS A DEFENSIVE LAST RESORT SAFETY SYSTEM FOR EMTS WHEN DE-ESCALATION FAILS. AND THAT'S PART OF THE REASON WHY I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE NEW YORK STATE SUICIDE PREVENTION CENTER, BECAUSE WE DO KNOW THAT THERE ARE VULNERABLE POPULATIONS OR PEOPLE WHO ARE HAVING MENTAL HEALTH CRISES. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING THIS RESPONSIBLY. SO ALL OF THAT HAS BEEN ACCOUNTED FOR IN MY PROPOSAL. HOW IT WORKS. SO FROM WHAT I AM GETTING SO FAR, LIKE I SAID, THIS IS A VERY DYNAMIC PROGRAM. UTILIZING COUNTY TRAINING CENTERS, QUALIFIED INSTRUCTORS, SO VOLUNTEER BASE WITH OPTIONAL PAID COUNTY INSTRUCTORS IF NEEDED. OBVIOUSLY, VOLUNTEER INSTRUCTORS. THAT'S WHAT THIS BOTTOM CORNER HERE CAME OUT. VOLUNTARILY, AND THERE'S OVER 200 YEARS OF COMBINED EXPERIENCE BETWEEN THEM ALL. CME INTEGRATION, WHICH COUNTS TOWARDS CONTINUING MEDICAL EDUCATION HOURS, WHICH WE ALL NEED TO MAINTAIN OUR CERTIFICATION. THERE'S MINIMAL EQUIPMENT INVOLVED, AND THIS KIND OF OPENS THE DOOR FOR GRANTS AND PARTNER SUPPORT FOR DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS. SO THE ASK. SO WHAT I'M ASKING FOR IS AN APPROVED PILOT PROGRAM WITH AUTHORIZATION TO DO TRAINING. SUPPORT FOR EDUCATION, ALLOW DATA COLLECTION, AND THAT COULD HELP WITH THIS PROJECT. ALRIGHT, SO AT THE END OF THE DAY, THIS IS ABOUT PROTECTING THE PEOPLE WHO SHOW UP WHEN OTHERS NEED HELP. WE DON'T WANT TO WAIT UNTIL THIS IS A HUGE PROBLEM HERE. THIS IS ERIE COUNTY'S OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE A PROACTIVE STEP. SO, THANK YOU GUYS FOR LISTENING. [00:10:18] THANK YOU, GUYS. IF ANYBODY NEEDS TO CONTACT ME, MY CONTACT INFORMATION IS AT THE END OF THIS SLIDE. THANK YOU. [HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES] I'M GOING TO CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER. HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES MEETING NUMBER THREE, MARCH 19, 2026. CLERK, PLEASE TAKE THE ROLL. LEGISLATOR LORIGO. LEGISLATOR TODARO. PRESENT. CHAIR DUPRE. PRESENT. LEGISLATOR BARGNESI. HERE. LEGISLATOR VINAL. HERE. CHAIR MEYERS IS PRESENT AS EX-ADMINISTRATIVE MEMBER, ALL MEMBERS PRESENT. THANK YOU. ITEMS 1 THROUGH 8 ARE TABLED UNDER MY AUTHORITY AS CHAIR. ITEMS 10, 11, AND 13 ARE RECEIVED IN FILES. AND WE HAVE ITEMS 9 AND 12 TODAY, ARE ACTIONABLE. WE'RE GOING TO START WITH ITEM 9, COMMUNICATION 5E-8, AUTHORIZATION TO CONTACT WITH PACE ANALYTICAL LABS. TODAY WE HAVE MS. ELIZABETH SERRANOVA AND WE HAVE TREYKE JOINING US. THANK YOU, THE FLOOR IS YOURS THANK YOU, VICE CHAIR DUPRE. GOOD MORNING. BEFORE THIS, HONORABLE BODY GIVES A RESOLUTION TO CONTRACT WITH PACE ANALYTICAL LABS. THE PURPOSE OF THIS RESOLUTION IS THAT WE PREVIOUSLY RESORTED TO CONTRACTING WITH ALPHA ANALYTICAL LABS FOR EMERGENCIES WITHOUT TESTING. PACE ANALYTICAL LABS PURCHASED ALPHA ANALYTICAL LABS FOR CLOSING THE LOOP AND SEEKING TO HAVE THIS BODY SEEN. AUTHORIZATION TO CONTRACT WITH PACE ANALYTICAL LABS SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT THOSE SERVICES CONTINUE UNDER THEIR NEW GUIDELINES. ONE MORE QUESTION? LEGISLATOR LORIGO. SO, IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE NAME OF THIS COMPANY JUST CHANGED? IS THAT CORRECT? YES. IT'S THE SAME LAB, SAME CIRCUMSTANCES, JUST A DIFFERENT NAME. OKAY, SO LOOKING AT HOW LONG THE CONTRACT, DID THE LENGTH OF THE CONTRACT GET EXTENDED, OR ARE WE JUST CHANGING OUT THE NAME UNDER THE EXISTING AGREEMENT? I BELIEVE WE'RE JUST CHANGING OUT THE NAME. OKAY, ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MOTION APPROVED. VICE CHAIR. SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? ALL OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WE HAVE ITEM 12, COMMUNICATIONS 5E-19, REAPPOINTMENT TO THE BUFFALO AND ERIE COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY, BOARD OF DIRECTORS. ALL IN FAVOR? ALL OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. CAN WE GET A MOTION TO ADJOURN? MOTION TO ADJOURN. ALL IN FAVOR? ALL OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU. [ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT] CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE MEETING NUMBER 4, MARCH 19, 2026. TAKE THE ROLL. LORIGO? TODARO? CHAIR ST. JEAN TARD? HERE. DUPRE? PRESENT. VINAL? HERE. CHAIR MEYERS? PRESENT. EXECUTIVE CHAIR MEMBER CORAM? PRESENT. THANK YOU. I AM GOING THROUGH NINE ARE TABLED UNDER MY AUTHORITY AS CHAIR. ITEM 10 IS RECEIVED AND FILED. ITEMS 11 AND 12 ARE ACTIONABLE. ITEMS 11, COMMUNICATION 5G-9. TRACY, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR TO SPEAK ON THESE ITEMS. THANK YOU, AND GOOD MORNING, LEGISLATORS. I'M HERE BEFORE THIS HONORABLE BODY REQUESTING AUTHORIZATION AND OR AN AGREEMENT WITH WATTS ARCHITECTURAL AND ENGINEERING. TO PROVIDE PROFESSIONAL DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION ADMINISTRATION SERVICES FOR THE RATH BUILDING FOURTH FLOOR SPACE ALLOCATION AND RENOVATION PROJECT. THE SCOPE OF WORK WILL INCLUDE EVALUATION OF DEPARTMENTAL NEEDS AND REQUIRED SPACE ALLOCATION ACCOMMODATING STAFFING NEEDS, IMPROVE EFFICIENCY, ADDRESS SAFETY CONCERNS, AND UPGRADE FURNITURE. THIS EVALUATION WILL DETERMINE THE DESIGN OF THE COMPLETE RENOVATION OF THE FOURTH FLOOR AND WATTS WILL ASSIST WITH THE CONSTRUCTION BID DOCUMENTS AND RESULTS WILL BE SUBMITTED BACK TO THE HONARABLE BODY. TO AWARD CONSTRUCTION. TOTAL COST FOR PROFESSIONAL DESIGN [00:15:01] SERVICES FOR WATTS IS $300,000, WHICH INCLUDES... THE DESIGN CONTINGENCY OF $40,170, AND THIS PROJECT WILL BE ELIGIBLE FOR SOME REIMBURSEMENT FROM NEW YORK STATE, BUT IT WILL BE DETERMINED DURING DESIGN WHAT PERCENTAGE IT IS BECAUSE THE DIFFERENT DIVISIONS OF SOCIAL SERVICES HAVE DIFFERENT REIMBURSEMENT LEVELS, BUT ROUGHLY HALF OF THE FLOOR WILL BE ELIGIBLE FOR 53%, THE OTHER HALF FOR 62%. YOU SAID ONE HALF IS 53% AND 62% POTENTIALLY? YES, FOR THE OTHER HALF OF THE PART, BUT THE EXACT NUMBERS I DIDN'T GET TO SPEAK ON WHEN I COME TO OUR WORK CONSTRUCTION. I HAVE A QUESTION. LEGISLATOR LORIGO. I HAVE A QUESTION ON THIS ONE. SO I KNOW YOU JUST TALKED ABOUT DESIGN SERVICES. IN THE RESOLUTION, IT SAYS $300,000 COVERS THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION. SO WILL THIS COVER EVERYTHING, OR IS THERE GOING TO BE ADDITIONAL COVERS? THIS IS JUST DESIGN. I THINK IT'S A CONSTRUCTION ADMINISTRATION. YEAH. SO THEY'LL STAY ON DURING CONSTRUCTION AND JUST MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE SCOPE OF WORK IS BEING MET, YOU KNOW, ALONG WITH OUR COUNTY INSPECTORS AND STUFF. SO THEY STAY ON AND PAY THE MONEY FOR THE PROJECT, BUT IT DOES NOT COVER ANY OF THE CONSTRUCTION. SO WE'RE SPENDING $300,000 JUST TO DESIGN AND THEN MANAGE IT. I MEAN, DO WE HAVE ANY IDEA HOW MUCH IT'S GOING TO COST TO ACTUALLY RENOVATE? USUALLY DESIGNED ABOUT 10 TO 15 PERCENT. I MEAN, IMAGINE THIS COULD BE A COUPLE MILLION, A FEW MILLION DOLLARS FOR ME. SO IF WE'RE GOING TO SPEND A FEW MILLION DOLLARS, I REALIZE YOU'RE PROBABLY NOT THE RIGHT PERSON TO ASK, TRACY, AND YOU GET, YOU KNOW, THE QUESTIONS THAT DON'T ALWAYS HAVE TO DO WITH YOUR DEPARTMENT. BUT IF WE'RE REDESIGNING AN ENTIRE FLOOR AND WE'RE LOOKING AT SPENDING $300,000 ON DESIGN AND POTENTIALLY A LOT ON CONSTRUCTION. WE HAVE A LOT OF CONTRACTS WITH OFFICE SPACE THAT THE COUNTY DOES NOT OWN, SO ARE WE GOING TO LOOK TO LIMIT SOME OF THE OUTSOURCING OF EMPLOYEES THAT WE'RE PUTTING AT THESE BUILDINGS AND LEASES THAT WE APPROVE? I CAN'T REALLY SPEAK ON WHAT WE DON'T OWN, BUT WE'RE TRYING TO MAXIMIZE WHAT WE DO OWN TO INCREASE THE EFFICIENCY. I MEAN, IT'S VERY OBSOLETE UP HERE. THERE'S BEEN LAWS MOVED THAT SHOULD STILL BE ABLE TO SEE AGGRESSIVE INITIATIVES. WE'RE TRYING TO MAXIMIZE WHAT WE CAN FIT. YOU KNOW, IN THEORY, WE SHOULD REDUCE THE NEED, BUT THAT'S OTHER. THAT WILL BE PART OF THIS EVALUATION, BUT I THINK WE'RE MAINLY FOCUSED ON MAXIMIZING THE FOURTH FLOOR. HOW MANY PEOPLE WORK IN THE FOURTH FLOOR RIGHT NOW? I'M NOT QUITE SURE. I COULD FIND THAT OUT. I IMAGINE THAT'S GOING TO BE SO EARLY. I KNOW THIS WILL BE PART OF THE DESIGN, BUT THIS IS JUST A LOT OF MONEY TO SPEND, SO I'D LIKE TO SEE, YOU KNOW, ARE WE GOING TO BE PUTTING MORE PEOPLE AND REDUCING COSTS ELSEWHERE IF WE'RE GOING TO DO THESE TYPES OF UPGRADES? AND I DO JUST HAVE ONE OTHER COMMENT. THE BIDDING SHEET, AND I'VE NOTICED THIS LATELY. I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON, IF IT'S A FAULTY SCANNER OR SOMETHING. BUT THE BIDDING SHEET IS SUPER BLURRY AND IT'S NOT SUPER LEGIBLE. SO I KNOW THAT, AGAIN, IT'S NOT REALLY HERE. I'LL MAKE SURE IT'S LEGIBLE IN THE FUTURE. YOU CAN HAVE THIS ONE PROVIDED TO YOU A LITTLE CLEARER ALSO IF YOU'D LIKE. I ENJOY READING THEM, SO I THINK I WOULD APPRECIATE IT. AND THEN, YOU KNOW, JUST MOVING FORWARD, I WOULD DEFINITELY WANT TO KEEP A TIGHT EYE ON THIS PROJECT BECAUSE IT'S A LOT OF MONEY TO SPEND IF WE DON'T KNOW. ABSOLUTELY. AND WE JUST READ THAT THEY'RE AFFORDABLE, SO I CAN COME UP WITH PRETTY COMPARABLE NUMBERS. OKAY. I WOULD APPRECIATE THAT. AND I APPRECIATE THAT YOU ALSO HAD PERCENTAGES OF HOW MUCH SPEND WAS GOING IN EACH DIRECTION. IT WAS IMPRESSIVE. THANK YOU. GREAT. DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE BY VICE CHAIR DUPRE, SECONDED BY LEGISLATOR VINAL. OH, GO AHEAD. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING, TRACY. GOOD MORNING. AGAIN, IT'S A LITTLE BLURRY KIND OF TRYING TO SEE THIS STUFF, BUT FROM WHAT I CAN SEE HERE WAS THE BIG AMOUNT, NONE OF THE FACTORS CONSIDERED. IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE THERE'S A FINANCIAL COMPONENT IN THE WAY WE AWARD QUALIFICATION, BASICALLY. SO WHEN A SELECTION COMMITTEE IS COMPILED, EVER MEETS THE ACTUAL NUMBERS IN THE SEAL BIN, NOBODY REVEALS THEM UNTIL EVERYONE SCORES ALL THE SUBMISSIONS. AND THEN IT'S AWARDED BASED ON QUALIFICATIONS. THEN THEY OPEN UP THE SHEETS. I HAVE THE RESULTS. IF YOU WOULD LIKE. OH. WE DON'T CLOSE THEM UP NOW. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. WHEN WE HAVE THE SELECTION COMMITTEE, IT'S QUALIFICATIONS BASED FOR DESIGN. AND THEN CONSTRUCTION WOULD GO THROUGH THOSE THREE SPOTS. WHAT ABOUT YOU? ALL SET, LEGISLATOR? YES. ALL IN FAVOR? ALL OPPOSED? OKAY, MOTION CARRIES. ITEM 12, COMMUNICATION 5U-10. ALSO, TRACY, THIS ITEM IS YOURS, SO YOU CAN TALK ABOUT THIS ONE REGARDING THE COUNTY'S WIDE GROUP REPLACEMENT. THANK YOU. [00:20:01] IN THIS RESOLUTION, I'M REQUESTING AUTHORIZATION TO ENTER AN AGREEMENT WITH... DONATO ASSOCIATES AND THE CPL TEAM FOR ARCHITECTURAL ENGINEERING SERVICES FOR THE COUNTYWIDE ROOF REPLACEMENT AND EXTERIOR WATERPROOFING TOURNAMENT AGREEMENT PROJECT. THEIR SCOPE WOULD BE TO PROVIDE UNCULTURED PROFESSIONAL DESIGN SERVICES RELATED TO ROOF REPLACEMENT, BUILDING ENVELOPE, AND EXTERIOR COMPONENT REPAIRS AS DIRECTED BY DPW. THIS WILL ALLOW US TO ADDRESS WATER COMPROMISE BUILDING ISSUES QUICKER AND HAVE DESIGN ROOF REPLACEMENT COMPLETE. FOR UPCOMING CAPITAL PROJECTS, THE MEASUREMENTS WITH A NUMBER OF COUNTY-OWNED BUILDING ROOFING SYSTEMS COME TO THE END OF THEIR USEFUL LIFE. APPROVAL IS REQUESTED TO ENTER INTO A THREE-YEAR TERM AGREEMENT WITH BOTH FIRMS IN THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $500,000. QUESTION. LEGISLATOR LORIGO. SO IN THE RESOLUTION, YOU MENTIONED THAT THERE ARE, NOT YOU, BUT THE RESOLUTION MENTIONED THAT THERE'S LIKE 40 GROUPS, IT LOOKS LIKE, THAT ARE GOING TO NEED WORK IN THE COMING, SO IS THIS GOING TO BE PART OF A LARGER PLAN TO ADDRESS IT, OR IS THIS REACTIVE TO PROBLEMS THAT HAPPEN? IT'S MORE OF A PRIORITIZATION OF GETTING DESIGN READY, BECAUSE WE HAVE AN INVENTORY OF ALL THE ROOFS WHERE WE'RE AT WITH THE WARRANTIES. NOT ALL OF THEM ARE ON THE WARRANTY SYSTEM. WE'RE DOING A LIQUID PORT, 20 TO 25 YEAR WARRANTIES NOW. WE'RE TRYING TO GET EVERYONE ON BOARD WITH THAT. EVERY BUILDING, NOT EVERYONE. THEY'RE GOING TO HELP, BASED ON YOUR PRIORITY, GET THE DESIGN READY. SO THE CAPITAL PROJECTS COMMITTEE COMES UP. I'M ASKING FOR CONSTRUCTION FUNDS AND NOT DESIGN. AND WE SELECTED TWO PARTNERS. THERE'S A LOT OF OVERLAP, BUT, YOU KNOW, SOME HAVE DIFFERENT QUALIFICATIONS. AND IF ONE'S BUSY, WE CAN JUST MOVE ON TO THE NEXT. AND THEN FOR THE, YOU KNOW, IT'S AN AGREEMENT BASED ON TIME, NOT ON HOW MANY YEARS. DO YOU HAVE AN IDEA HOW MUCH YOU THINK YOU'LL BE ABLE TO GET DONE IN THE LENGTH OF THIS CONTRACT? I THINK WE'RE GOING TO MOVE SOMETHING TO GET AS MUCH DESIGN AS POSSIBLE, MORE THAN WE'VE ASKED FOR PRETTY MUCH. OKAY. SOUNDS GOOD. THANK YOU. I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE BY LEGISLATOR VINAL, BACKED BY LEGISLATOR DUPRE. ALL IN FAVOR? ALL OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU, TRACY. DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? MOTION TO ADJOURN BY THE LEGISLATOR DUPRE, SECOND BY THE LEGISLATOR TODARO. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ALL OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIED. OKAY, THANK YOU EVERYBODY [ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT] FOR YOUR PATIENCE. LET'S CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT, MEETING NUMBER FOUR. CLERK, PLEASE TAKE THE ROLL. LEGISLATOR MILLS? HERE. TODARO? PRESENT. CHAIR BARGNESI? HERE. LEGISLATOR GILMOUR? PRESENT. LEGISLATOR ST. JEAN TARD? HERE. CHAIR MEYERS, PRESENT. EX-OFFICIO MEMBER, QUORUM PRESENT. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, LET'S GET STARTED. ITEMS ONE THROUGH FOUR, SIX THROUGH NINE, AND 15 ARE TABLED. ITEMS 5, ITEM 5 WAS RECEIVED AND FILED. ITEMS 10 THROUGH 14 ARE ACTIONABLE. LET'S GO ON TO OUR ACTIONABLE ITEMS. ITEM 10, 20, 26, EXTERNAL CAPITAL PROJECTS. WE'RE GOING TO TURN TO CONCHA FOR NON-PROFITS. WE HAVE COMMISSIONER CASTLE AND DEPUTY COMMISSIONER EVANS HERE TO SPEAK. GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. GOOD MORNING. WE ARE HERE TODAY SEEKING AUTHORIZATION FROM THE LEGISLATURE TO ENTER INTO THREE CAPITAL CONTRACTS WITH OUTSIDE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS. THESE ORGANIZATIONS WERE PROPOSED FUNDING IN THE CAPITAL PROJECTS COMMITTEE LAST YEAR. THAT WAS APPROVED. IT WAS INCLUDED IN THE 2026 BUDGET, WHICH WAS ALSO APPROVED. SO HERE'S THE FORMALITY OF SEEKING THAT AUTHORIZATION. THE THREE ORGANIZATIONS ARE THE THE CAMPUS CORPORATION. $173,400 FOR THE RESTORATION OF THE CREECH ON TINTIN'S BASE. AND THEN THERE IS A SPECTRUM OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. $400,000 FOR THE RESTORATION OF THE PRIMARY TREATMENT CENTER ON MAIN STREET IN BUFFALO, WHICH SUSTAINED SEVERE DAMAGE DURING THE 2022 BLIZZARD. AND FINALLY, THE JEWISH FEDERATION OF GREATER BUFFALO FOR THE REHABILITATION OF THE ALDER CHAPEL. TO SERVE AS A VISITOR TO THE HISTORY CENTER JUST FOR CULTURAL EDUCATION. DAN WILL TAKE SOME QUESTIONS. OKAY. ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU, CHAIR. MORNING, DAN. MORNING. JUST REAL QUICK, IN LIGHT OF EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON WITH SENATOR BABCOCK AND THE ATTENTION TO COUNTY GRANTS, CAN YOU JUST EXPLAIN TO US THE ACCOUNTABILITY THAT GOES THROUGH WITH THE APPROVALS OF THESE? TO KIND OF HAVE THAT COMFORT FOR THE PUBLIC THAT WE'RE DOING THE RIGHT THING TO THE RIGHT ORGANIZATION. YEAH, NO, I'M GLAD TO DO THAT. THANK YOU. [00:25:01] SO THESE ARE CAPITAL PROJECTS, OKAY? THESE ARE DIFFERENT. OPERATING CONTRACTS WHICH SENATOR BABCOCK GOT. SO CAPITAL PROJECTS ARE KIND OF A DIFFERENT VOLUME BECAUSE WE ARE USING COUNTY FUNDS TO APPROVE A FACILITY OR A BUILDING THAT WE DON'T OWN. SO IT GETS A LOT OF VETTING. IT WAS VETTED THROUGH THE CAPITAL PROJECTS GROUP THAT WAS SUBMITTED AND THE GROUP, I DON'T REMEMBER HOW MUCH THEY DETERMINED, VETTED IT THAT WAY. WE ALSO, WITHIN DEP, THE CONTRACT FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS IS MORE RIGOROUS IN TERMS OF CLAWBACKS AND PERFORMANCE, DETAILED STROKES OF WORK. WE DO VET THEIR STATUS, AND WE WILL DO THAT. EACH OF THESE THREE ARE LONG-TERM CONTRACTS THAT WE HAVE FOR IT. BUT WE MEET THE CAPITAL PROJECTS COMMITTEE, VETTING THEM, AND THEN DPP WILL VET THEM BEFORE WE FINALIZE THE CONTRACT TO MAKE SURE OF THAT. NONPROFIT PAPERWORK THAT'S UP TO DATE, OTHER COMPLIANCE, 1099, I THINK IT'S THE INVOICE NUMBER. PERFECT. THANK YOU. THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY. YEAH, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT THE CAPITAL PROJECTS ARE DIFFERENT THAN HOW WE'RE DOING IT. WE'RE WORKING THIS COUNTRY. I'LL SIT WITH IT. I HAVE A MOTION. I HAVE A SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, JEAN. ALL RIGHT, ON TO ITEM 11. WE'RE GOING TO AUTHORIZE AND ACCEPT THE FUNDS FOR THE AMERICAN 250 PROGRAM. WE HAVE ZACH LADUKE HERE TO SPEAK ON THIS. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. WE ARE HERE TO SEEK AUTHORIZATION TO BOTH RECEIVE FUNDS FROM NEW YORK STATE ED, IN CONJUNCTION WITH AMERICAN 250, AND THEN ALSO BE AUTHORIZED TO ENTER INTO CONTRACT TO PROVIDE... SOME OF THAT FUNDING TO THE NEW YORK PUBLIC HISTORY TRUST AND ALSO CARRY FORWARD FUNDING FROM 2025'S DPP, PROFESSIONAL SERVICES BUDGET, WITH SOME OF THAT STATE MONEY TO VISIT BUFFALO TO ADMINISTER APPLICATIONS FOR FUNDING FOR THE AMERICAN 250 CELEBRATION, WHICH IS ALL-ENCOMPASSING. MANY DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS ALL ACROSS THE COUNTY ARE WELCOME TO APPLY. VISIT BUFFALO WOULD BE THE FISCAL AGENT FOR THIS. BECAUSE THEY HAVE THE NETWORKS, THE CONNECTION WITH THE REGIONAL TOURISM PROMOTION, SORT OF BUFFALO AND ERIE COUNTY BOOSTERISM NETWORKS, HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL CONTACTS, AND THEY'RE A GOOD CONDUIT TO OVERSEE AND GET THESE FUNDS OUT TO THESE ORGANIZATIONS IN TIME FOR THIS YEAR, AMERICA 250. VERY GOOD. THANK YOU. QUESTIONS? LEGISLATOR LORIGO. SO... AND THAT WAS MY BIGGEST QUESTION WITH THIS, IS REALLY WHAT IS THE MONEY BEING USED FOR? BECAUSE LOOKING THROUGH THIS RESOLUTION, I DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING ABOUT THAT BBN WOULD BE DOING SOME SORT OF THEIR OWN RFP PROCESS FOR THIS. WHY WOULD WE BE OUTSOURCING THAT? WHY AREN'T WE DOING AN RFP? THAT SAYS WE HAVE THIS MONEY AND THAT WILL GIVE US PROPOSALS AND THEN DISTRIBUTING THE MONEY THAT WE WANT, WE WILL BE GIVING TO FINANCIAL AUTHORITY OVER TO THIS PUBLIC SECTOR. SURE. PART OF THAT IS THE TIME AND THIS FACTOR. THE THOUGHT IS HOW THESE CELEBRATIONS ARE BEING HANDLED ACROSS THE STATE BECAUSE ALL DIFFERENT COUNTIES AND COMMUNITIES ARE DOING THEIR OWN. THERE ARE LOTS AND LOTS OF SMALL AND LARGE ORGANIZATIONS WHO WILL BE APPLYING FOR... FUNDING TO DO THEIR OWN 250 CELEBRATION. AND LET'S CALL IT LIKE IT IS. THE RFP AND CONTRACTING PROCESS THROUGH THE COUNTY FOR TONS AND OF SMALL ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THIS WOULD BE VERY COMPLICATED AND IT WOULD BE PROBABLY WELL PAST 250. SO THAT WAS THE FIRST THOUGHT, RIGHT, WOULD BE UNTIL NEXT YEAR BY THE TIME ALL THIS MIGHT HAVE GOTTEN OUT THE DOOR. THE OTHER THING IS BECAUSE VISIT BUFFALO HAS THE NETWORK OF CONTACTS WITH THESE ORGANIZATIONS, THEY ARE BEST POSITIONED TO TAKE IN APPLICATIONS. THEY'LL HOST AN APPLICATION PAGE. THEY'LL HAVE A REVIEW COMMITTEE OF WHICH WE CAN ENSURE THERE IS LEGISLATIVE REPRESENTATION ON THAT REVIEW COMMITTEE. THEY ARE JUST MORE EXPERIENCED, AND AS OUR PARTNER, AS OUR DESIGNATED DESTINATION MARKETING ORGANIZATION, THEY ARE MORE FAMILIAR AND HAVE THE CAPACITY TO HANDLE THIS IN A MUCH MORE EFFICIENT AND MUCH... EASIER WAY FOR THESE SMALLER ORGANIZATIONS TO ENGAGE WITH IF THEY ARE THE ONES WHO INDEED END UP APPLYING. SO YOU SAID THAT THERE'S A TIME ISSUE WITH THIS. WE'VE KNOWN FOR 249 YEARS THAT THIS IS THE 250TH YEAR, RIGHT? CORRECT. SO WHERE DID THIS URGENCY COME FROM? SO THE ISSUE, THE REAL PROBLEM [00:30:01] WITH THAT WAS THIS SOMEWHAT COMPLICATED ARRANGEMENT FROM THE STATE. NEW YORK STATE IS ENCOURAGING ALL COUNTIES TO DO THEIR OWN 250 CELEBRATIONS, RIGHT? THEY'RE SORT OF TELLING YOU, HEY, WE WANT EVERYONE TO DO THIS, WE'RE GOING TO SUPPORT IT WITH MONEY, BUT WE'RE NOT GOING TO TELL YOU HOW MUCH YOU'RE GETTING OR WHEN YOU'RE GETTING IT. SO WE DIDN'T FIND OUT UNTIL THE END OF LAST YEAR THAT THE STATE WAS PROVIDING US MONEY AND HOW MUCH WE WERE GETTING. SO IT MADE IT VERY HARD FOR US TO SAY HOW MUCH WE NEED TO BUDGET AHEAD OF TIME BECAUSE MAYBE THE STATE'S GOING TO GIVE US A BULK OF THE MONEY. MAYBE THEY'RE GOING TO GIVE US MONEY MUCH SOONER THAN THE VERY END OF LAST YEAR. THE OTHER WRINKLE IS THE STATE IS SAYING, HEY, OF THAT MONEY WE'RE GIVING TO YOU, SOME OF IT HAS TO GO TO THIS NEW YORK PUBLIC HISTORY TRUST. WHY THE STATE DOESN'T JUST GIVE IT TO THEM DIRECTLY, THAT'S A QUESTION FOR NEW YORK STATE. SO THOSE COMPLICATED LAYERS AND THE TIMELINESS OF THIS COMING AT THE END OF LAST YEAR AND THE UNKNOWN DOLLAR AMOUNT HERE COMING FROM THE STATE IS WHAT PUSHED BACK THAT TIMELINE BECAUSE I ABSOLUTELY AGREE THAT, YEAH, WE HAVE 249 YEARS THAT THIS WAS COMING UP. SO WHAT IS THE CRITERIA AROUND, I MEAN, JUST GIVING THIS INTO THE BUFFALO NIAGARA, I DON'T LOVE THAT IDEA. I THINK IT'S CONCERNING, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WE'VE GIVEN THEM SO MUCH MONEY OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS. AND I DON'T KNOW, I GET WHAT YOU'RE SAYING THAT THEY HAVE THE NETWORKS, BUT I THINK IT'S A CRAZY STATEMENT THAT THEY WOULD HAVE MORE NETWORKS WITH, LIKE, HISTORICAL SOCIETIES AND THINGS LIKE THAT, AND, YOU KNOW, TOWNS AND ORGANIZATIONS THAT WOULD BE HOLDING THESE TYPES OF EVENTS THAN, LIKE, THE LEGISLATURE. WHAT IS THE CRITERIA, LIKE WHAT IS VBS GOING TO BE LOOKING FOR WHEN WE'RE GIVING UP THIS ABILITY? I MEAN, ARE THEY GOING TO GIVE IT TO, I DON'T KNOW, SOME ORGANIZATIONS THAT BUY T-SHIRTS? LIKE, WHAT ARE, WE HAVE NO CONTROL, WE HAVE NO IDEA WHAT MONEY IS GOING TO SPEND. I WILL, DAVE IS THE ARTS AND CULTURAL AND HISTORICAL LIAISON, SO HE CAN SPEAK MORE TO THE PROGRAM ASPECT. BECAUSE AGAIN, A LOT OF THIS IS FUNNELED DOWN FROM NEW YORK 250 GUIDELINES FOR THEN HOW EACH LOCAL COMMUNITY, LIKE WHAT COUNTS AS A EVENT FOR 250. RIGHT. SO LET'S SAY THE FUNDS HERE, THEY COULD BE ALLOCATED FOR A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT PROGRAMS, A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT PROGRAMMING IDEAS THAT ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THE BUFFALO HISTORY MUSEUM, BIG ORGANIZATIONS ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE BLACK ROCK HISTORICAL SOCIETY COULD APPLY FOR. THEY COULD BE CIVICS PROGRAMS THAT ARE TAILORED TOWARDS THE EDUCATION SIDE OF THINGS. I MEAN, WE'RE ENCOURAGING A WIDE VARIETY OF PROGRAMMING. APPLICATION IDEAS FOR FOLKS TO CONSIDER AND YOU KNOW GOING BACK TO THE TIMELINESS FACTOR THIS IS YOU KNOW, YOU'RE RIGHT THAT WE HAVE KNOWN FOR SOME TIME THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE CELEBRATING THIS YEAR BUT THE COMBINATION OF NOT KNOWING WHEN WHAT YOU KNOW WHAT KIND OF WHAT THE DOLLAR IS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO GET FROM THE STATE AND THE FACT THAT THIS IS BUFFALO IS IN A POSITION A UNIQUE POSITION AS THE PREMIER TOURISM AGENCY IN WESTERN NEW YORK AND ERIE COUNTY, THEY ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO REVIEW THESE APPLICATIONS IN A TIMELY MANNER AND GET THE MONEY OUT THE DOOR FASTER THAN MULTIPLE RESOLUTIONS COMING TO THE ERIE COUNTY LEGISLATURE. AND LET'S BE HONEST, WE ONLY HAVE A FEW WARM WEATHER MONTHS HERE IN ERIE COUNTY, SO JULY 4TH, YOU KNOW, IT'S GOING TO BE A BIG CELEBRATION. WE'RE CERTAINLY HOPEFUL THAT FOLKS WILL TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT. SOMEONE WANTS TO, YOU KNOW, ENGAGE IN THIS PROGRAM. SO DO WE KNOW HOW MANY, I MEAN, IS IT GOING TO BE UP TO VISIT BUFFALO, HOW MANY ORGANIZATIONS THEY GIVE IT TO, OR ARE WE TELLING THEM IT NEEDS TO GO TO A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF ORGANIZATIONS? THAT WILL BE DETERMINED BY VISIT BUFFALO, AND THEY'RE WITH THE COMMITTEE. OKAY. IT'S PROBABLY DETERMINED ALSO BY HOW MANY ATHLETES. RIGHT. I MEAN, IF THERE ARE ANY. IF THERE IS A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT, I'M JUST SAYING IF THERE'S A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF AFFLUENCE, I'M SURE WE'LL HAVE MORE DIVERSE. THE WAY THEY'RE STRUGGLING TO GET THE MONEY OUT. MY HOPE IS, AND I DON'T MEAN TO CUT YOU OFF, I'M SORRY. MY HOPE IS THAT. THEY RESTRICTED THE COUNTY WALK-ON. YES. THAT IS NOT JUST A PRICE RANGE OF ONE AREA. SO EVERYBODY GETS A LITTLE PIECE OF THE PIE. IF WE COULD ALL ENCOURAGE APPLICANTS FROM OUR OWN DISTRICTS TO APPLY, THAT'S MY QUESTION. YEAH, SO THAT WOULD BE A LITTLE MORE BLUNT ABOUT MY CONCERN. YOU KNOW, I CARE THAT, YOU KNOW, SERGANT AND CONCORD HAVE A MEANINGFUL CHANCE OF GETTING THIS. THE BUFFALO MIGHT NOT CARE AS MUCH ABOUT THOSE AREAS, BUT I CERTAINLY DO. AND I KNOW THAT THERE'S ALREADY A PLAN. THEY'VE BEEN PLANNING FOR 240 YEARS, YOU KNOW, AND I HAVE THE WONDERFUL VILLAGE OF AURORA IN MY DISTRICT, WHICH, YOU KNOW, THE HOME OF MILLER'S SOMEWHERE. I'M SURE THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE PLANS TO DO THINGS THERE. SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHAT MRS. BUFILL DOES, WHICH I WISH WE WEREN'T GIVING THE MONEY TO THEM. I DON'T THINK THAT THAT'S THE [00:35:01] BEST WAY TO HANDLE THIS. I UNDERSTAND THE TIMING MAKES MORE SENSE FROM WHAT YOU SAID, THOUGH. YEAH. THE FUNDING FOR THIS, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW, ONE, WHEN THEY DO ANNOUNCE, YOU KNOW, HOW THEY'RE GOING TO TAKE APPLICATIONS, THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT THE PROPER PEOPLE IN OUR DISTRICT GET IT. AND I WANT TO MAKE IT VERY CLEAR THAT WE'RE GOING TO KEEP A CLOSE EYE ON HOW THIS MONEY IS SPENT BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO SEE IT JUST GOING TO, YOU KNOW, CERTAIN AREAS OR JUST ONE $64,000 FUND OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GIVING HUGE POWER TO THIS FUND. WE SHOULD BE KEEPING WITH THE COUNTY, SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THAT SORT OF FOLLOW-UP. SURE, AND IF I CAN... THREADING THAT NEEDLE OF HOW WE NEED TO GIVE OUT THE FOURTH SIZE, THE GEOGRAPHIC REPRESENTATION OF THE WHOLE COUNTY, MAKING SURE EVERY DISTRICT GETS SOME OF THIS FUNDING, ABSOLUTELY. AND WE WILL PUT STIPULATIONS IN OUR CONTRACT FOR THIS PUBLIC TO TAKE THAT INTO ACCOUNT. AS I THINK ALL OF YOU KNOW, IT CAN BE VERY, VERY TOUGH TO HIT THAT SWEET SPOT WITH ALL THOSE GRANDERS. BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT THE COUNTY HAS DONE FOR IT, AND THE COUNTY HAS ENSURED IN THE PAST THAT WHEN WE HAVE A THIRD-PARTY FISCAL AGENT, THAT GETS WHAT THOSE CALLS ARE. THANK YOU. I'D ALSO LIKE TO ADD THAT I REPRESENT YOUR COUNTY ON THIS PUBLIC BOARD, SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT MESSAGE IS LOUD AND CLEAR. I DID. I'D LIKE TO NOTE THAT. MAKE SURE THAT'S IN THE MINUTES, PLEASE. TO PIGGYBACK ON LEGISLATURE, THE REGAL COMMENTS, CAN YOU PROVIDE US WITH A LINK SO WE CAN ADVERTISE IT? I'VE ALREADY CALLED IN THE START SOCIETIES IN MY DISTRICT. ARE YOU MAKING THEM AWARE THAT THIS IS COMING? OR MAYBE WE ALL CAN. PUT IT OUT ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA, SO YOU MIGHT GET SOME CONTACTS THAT MIGHT WANT TO PUT IT OUT. YEAH, THE PLAN IS, YOU KNOW, IF AND WHEN THIS GETS APPROVED BY THE SECRETARY OF THE BODY, ONCE VISITBUFFALO SETS UP THAT APPLICATION PORTAL, WE WILL SHARE ALL OF THE AND AS BEN SAID, PROBABLY ALL OF THE MUNICIPALITIES IN THE REGION AS WELL. ALRIGHT, I THINK LEGISLATOR GREENE, YOU'RE NEXT. THANK YOU. SO IT SOUNDS LIKE WE'VE KNOWN ABOUT THE MONEY FOR A WHILE, BUT WE DIDN'T KNOW THE AMOUNT UNTIL THE LAST THREE MONTHS. WE KNEW THAT NEW YORK STATE WAS PROVIDING COUNTIES MONEY FOR 250 CELEBRATIONS, AND THAT IT WAS COMING IN TIME FOR 250. THAT'S, YOU KNOW, NOT TO THROW SHADE ON NEW YORK STATE, BUT THAT'S A CLASSIC. NO, NO, I THINK EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM THINKS ALBANY DOESN'T HAVE A STANDING JOB. CORRECT. SO THAT GAVE US, THAT DID NOT GIVE US THE LEAD TIME WE ALL WANT. THAT'S AN HONEST ANSWER. AND OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, FOR, YOU KNOW, PIGGYBACKING ON WHAT CHAIR CARDINESE SAID AS WELL, AS WELL AS LEGISLATOR ARRIGO, WE ALL HAVE HISTORICAL SOCIETIES THAT I'M SURE... COULD BE CREATED WITH THE IDEAS. I WOULD HAVE LOVED TO HAVE SEEN THIS, I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE TIME-WISE IT WOULDN'T HAVE WORKED OUT FOR ME TO GET THIS OVER TO US IN CHANGE FOR HELP WITH PREPARATION. OBVIOUSLY, A LOT OF THESE HISTORICAL SOCIETIES WORK WITH A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF VOLUNTEERS AS WELL. CERTAINLY, AT NORTH AMHERST, THE BUFFALO BANNER CHARACTER WAS BUILT TO BE, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE NINE. BUT WHAT WAS... SO WHEN I'M LOOKING FROM AN OUTSIDER IN, I WOULD HAVE ASSUMED THAT THE BUFFALO-NERDY COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY PROBABLY WOULD HAVE BEEN THE BEST TO ADMINISTER THAT. WHY VISIT BUFFALO NOW AND GO TO THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY? THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY, THE BUFFALO-NERDY COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY, I THINK THE THOUGHT IS THAT THEY MIGHT BE APPLYING FOR THE FUNDING AS WELL. SO YOU WOULDN'T WANT THE PERCEPTION OF DOUBLE-DIPPING YOURSELF. RIGHT, SO THEN BUFFALO, VISIT BUFFALO-NERDY, WHERE IT'S NOT GOING TO BE KEEPING ANY OF THIS MONEY. THEY WILL HAVE A SMALL 5% ADDED FEE TO THE MANAGEMENT OF THIS BECAUSE IT'S A LOT OF STAFF TIME THAT THAT CAN GO THROUGH ALL THESE APPLICATIONS. BUT THEY'RE NOT, BUT THEY'RE NOT APPLYING FOR A BIG, NO, NO. OKAY. AWESOME. LET'S SEE WHAT WE'VE GOT. THANK YOU. SO ZACH, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT YOU NOTED THAT IT WOULD TAKE A LONG TIME FOR THIS MONEY TO GET OUT THE DOORS AS WE'VE PROBABLY DONE A LOT OF CONTRACTS FOR OUR SMALL ORGANIZATIONS. AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE TIMELINE THAT WE'RE AWARE OF, SO WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT OUR ORGANIZATIONS WITHIN ALL OUR DISTRICTS ARE TRULY HAVING A FAIR SHOT OF APPLYING, AND THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT IT ENCOMPASSES TO HAVE A SUCCESSFUL APPLICATION FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO HAVE. SOME FUNDING OUT OF THIS, BUT I ALSO THINK, LET'S SAY RIGO MADE A GOOD POINT, WE SHOULDN'T BE GIVING ONE ORGANIZATION $64,000 IF WE KNOW WE HAVE A SMALL POT OF MONEY IN A WAY. SO I WOULD LOVE TO SEE SOME SORT OF MAX CAP SO THEN WE CAN MAKE SURE WE'RE SPREADING THAT LOVE WITHIN ERIE COUNTY BECAUSE WE ALL HAVE ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE KNOW WOULD DO A GREAT JOB. WITH PROGRAMMING, WITH GETTING MESSAGING OUT, WITH HISTORICAL SOCIETY, PROBABLY PARTNERSHIPS WHERE TWO ORGANIZATIONS CAN COME TOGETHER AND MAYBE DO AN EVENT. SO I WOULD LOVE [00:40:01] TO SEE THAT INCLUDED IN THIS PROGRAM. SURE. AND WHAT DAVE AND I TALKED ABOUT, THE THOUGHT WOULD BE... SEE WHAT SOME OF THE OTHER COUNTIES ARE DOING, AND THEN JUST DO SIMPLE MATH. IF WE HAVE X AMOUNT IN THE POT, WHAT REASONABLY, YOU KNOW, IT CAN ECHO TO 100 ORGANIZATIONS, 50. AGAIN, THAT BALANCING ACT THAT I MENTIONED EARLIER, BUT I WILL TAKE THAT ADVICE, AND WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT THIS COUPLE UNDERSTANDS THAT. AWESOME. LEGISLATOR VINAL, YOU'RE UP. I HAVE TWO QUESTIONS. ONE IS... YOU DID MENTION THAT THERE WOULD BE A BIG EVENT FROM THE COUNTY AND WOULD A PORTION OF THIS MONEY GO TO THAT COUNTY EVENT ON AUGUST 2ND OR WHATEVER YOU SAID IT WAS? THAT'S CORRECT. AND WOULD THE 5% COME OFF OF THAT? AND THE SECOND QUESTION WAS, WOULD IT JUST FOR ORGANIZATIONS OR ALSO FOR MUNICIPALITIES? SO, THE STATE WANTS EVERY COUNTY TO HAVE A SIGNATURE EVENT. IT IS NOT AN EVENT PRODUCED BY EVERY COUNTY. RIGHT. SO, IT'S NOT LIKE... ERIE COUNTY IS GOING TO BE PUTTING OUT A ERIE COUNTY STUDENT AT THE PUBLIC SCHOOL. THE PLAN IS TO HAVE SOME SORT OF SIGNATURE EVENT THAT, YOU KNOW, THE ISLE OF NEW YORK FOLKS CAN ADVERTISE AS A MISSISSIPPI OR A COUNTY CENTER. SO THAT WOULD BE, IF ANOTHER ENTITY APPLIES, THAT COULD GO TO THAT, BUT IT'S NOT LIKE THE COUNTY IS TAKING THAT ONE. OKAY. AND THEN IS IT JUST FOR ORGANIZATIONS OR FOR ALSO PAYING THIS PILOT? I THINK THE IDEA HERE IS TO MAXIMIZE NON-PROFIT PARTIES. THANK YOU. SO WE'RE CLEAR. THE CAMERAS GET NO MONEY. I'M JOKING. I'M JOKING. JUST A JOKING. I'M JOKING. DON'T GET FIRED. WE HAVE A MOTION BY THE LEGISLATURE TODARO. WE HAVE A SECOND. I HAVE A QUESTION. ALL IN FAVOR? OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. THANKS, GUYS. GREAT JOB. I BELIEVE THAT BRINGS US TO ITEM 12. WE'RE GOING TO GO ON TO SOME REALLY GOOD TALK FROM LANDFILL. LANDFILL, JOE, THE FLOOR IS YOURS. ANYBODY WANT TO HELP YOU DISTRIBUTE LANDFILL MONEY? I NEVER PREDICT THESE THINGS, BUT I DON'T THINK THIS WILL SOLICIT AS MUCH DISCUSSION. SO WE HAVE A CLOSEOUT OF A CONTRACT WITH A CONSTRUCTION COMPANY. THE FINAL CONTRACT AMOUNT IS ROUGHLY ABOUT $7 MILLION, SO $300,000 DECREASE ESSENTIALLY BETWEEN THE MATERIALS THAT WE HAD TO REMOVE. SO THAT'S WHY WE HAVE DECREASED IN THE CONTRACT. THAT'S HOW IT WOULD WORK, AND I WOULD RECOMMEND IT. THIS IS ACTUALLY VERY INTERESTING TO ME, BUT IS THIS THE LAST PHASE THEN? IS THIS THE FINAL AND THEN THE CAP WHEN WE'RE DONE? SO WE NOW HAVE TO SUBMIT REPORTING TO NEW YORK STATE, AND THEN THERE'S MONITORING WELLS ON SITE. THEN WE HAVE TO GO FOR A CERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME, AND ONCE THOSE COME BACK CLEAN. THEN WE CAN REPORT PART OF THE COURSE AT ALL. I'M VERY SURE OF MONITORING WELLS AND DOWN THE LINE. YEP. HOW LONG? I'M JUST CURIOUS. HOW LONG IS THE LONGEST MONITORING? HOW MANY YEARS? WE HAVE TO SUBMIT A REPORT TO EDC THAT SUGGESTS. I THINK IT ONLY HAS TO BE ONE YEAR. OH. BECAUSE WELLS HAVE COME BACK WITH NOTHING FOR MANY, MANY YEARS. THAT'S HUGE. THAT'S HUGE. ANY QUESTIONS? I'VE GOT TO GET A MOTION. I'VE GOT A SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? OPPOSED? MOTION PASSED. ALL RIGHT, JOE, YOU ARE STILL HERE. ITEM 13. BATTERY ENERGY STORAGE. WE HAD A SMALL PROJECT WHERE WE INSTALLED A BATTERY BACK UP AT ONE OF OUR PUMPING STATIONS. WE THINK THIS MIGHT BE THE FIRST ONE IN THE COUNTRY THAT HAS A BATTERY BACK UP LIKE THIS. INSTEAD OF LIKE A DIESEL OR A NATURAL GAS GENERATOR. IT WAS SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED. A SMALL DECREASE IN THE PROJECT, ABOUT $2500. WE'RE SATISFIED WITH THE WORK AND RECOMMEND IT GOES OUT. ANY QUESTIONS? YEAH. LEGISLATOR VINAL. THANK YOU, CHAIR. THE ONLY QUESTION I HAVE IS WHAT IS THE CAPACITY OF THE BACKUP OF THE BATTERY? I'LL GET THAT BACK TO YOU. THIS IS ONE OF OUR SMART PUMPING STATIONS. IF WE'RE GOING TO BE PILOTING THIS TECHNOLOGY, WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE IT'S IN A LOCATION WHERE WE'RE SURE THAT IT SHOULD NOT DELIVER AS WE THINK IT'S GOING TO WHEN THERE'S A LOT OF BENEFITS TO GO ALONG WITH IT. WE DIDN'T WANT TO HAVE THE RISK OF NOT HAVING THAT FUNCTION PROPERLY, BUT I THINK THERE'S A BEST TIME. BEING THAT THIS IS A PILOT PROGRAM, IS THE GAS BACKUP GENERATOR STILL GOING TO BE CONNECTED? SO WE HAVE A LOT OF BELTS SUSPENDED. SO WE STILL HAVE THE ABILITY TO BRING THE FORCE TO THE SITE. IF WE NEED TO POWER THE STATION, BY ALL THOSE MEANS. WE ALSO HAVE A WORK PUMP THAT WE CAN GO DIRECTLY FROM THE WEATHER LINES, OF COURSE, BEING A FIVE-MINUTE STATION. AND JUST MAKING SURE THERE'S SECURITY THERE. OKAY. [00:45:01] THAT'S ALL. THANK YOU. THANKS, GENTLEMEN. AMAZING. THANK YOU, SIR. WE HAVE NO PROBLEM. WE'LL BE BACK WITH YOU. BYE. I'M SAYING THAT AT LEAST 10 YEARS AGO WE HAD NO BACKUPS, AND NOW WE HAVE A BACKUP TO THE BACKUP. THAT'S WHAT KEEPS US UP AT NIGHT, MAKING SURE THAT WE CONTINUE TO KEEP SERVICES GOING. VERY GOOD. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I HAVE A MOTION. TARD. DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? NOT IN FAVOR? MOTION CARRIES. ITEM 14. JOE, THIS IS STILL YOU. BOARD OF MANAGERS. HISTORICALLY THE TOWN OF LANCASTER HAS HAD TWO MEMBERS ON THE SERVICE REPORT BOARD OF MANAGERS. RECOMMENDATION WAS PUT FORTH BY THE TOWN BOARD FOR LANCASTER FOR COUNCILMAN MARK BOOKHART TO BE PART OF THE BOARD. THE COUNTY SECRETARY HAS ACCEPTED THAT RECOMMENDATION AND PUT FORTH THE APPOINTMENT AND THAT RECORD IS THE CONFIRMATION OF THE LEGISLATURE. VERY NICE. ANY QUESTIONS? MOTION BY TARD. DO WE HAVE A SECOND? ALL IN FAVOR? OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU. MOTION TO ADJOURN. SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? MOTION CARRIES. THANKS, EVERYONE. [FINANCE & MANAGEMENT] WELCOME TO MEETING NUMBER THREE OF THE FINANCE AND MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE. CLERK, PLEASE TAKE THE ROLL. LEGISLATOR GREENE? HERE. LEGISLATOR MILLS? HERE. LEGISLATOR BARGNESI? HERE. CHAIR KOOSHOIAN? HERE. LEGISLATOR VINAL? HERE. CHAIR MEYERS, PRESIDENT OF THE DISTRICT OF CENTRAL, QUORUM IS PRESENT. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, ITEMS ONE THROUGH FIVE WILL BE CHAIN ROLLS. ITEM 6 THROUGH 12 WILL BE TABLED. ITEMS 13 THROUGH 8 WILL BE TABLED. ITEM 9 IS GOING TO BE RECEIVED AND FILED. ITEM 20 IS TABLED. ITEM 21 WE WANT TO DISCUSS WITH MR. PICO. DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING? VERY NICE. I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, WE'LL MOVE ON. ITEMS 22 THROUGH 24 WILL BE TABLED. AND NOW WE'RE BACK TO ITEM 21, PUBLICATION 5E-6. FROM THE CONTROLLER. WE'RE GOING TO CLARIFY AN AMENDMENT OF BOND RESOLUTION. YEAH. THE FLOOR IS YOURS. SO APPARENTLY LAWYERS DISAGREE FROM TIME TO TIME. YEAH, RIGHT. LAST JULY, THE LEGISLATURE PASSED A BOND RESOLUTION FOR A THREE-STAR SAUCON TREATMENT FACILITY. WE MOVED WRONG STEPS, AND THAT RESOLUTION WAS DEVELOPED BY THE CAMPUS TIMING COUNCIL. SO FAST FORWARD, WE'RE WORKING WITH THE NEW YORK STATE MARKETING FACILITIES CORPORATION, AND ONE OF THEIR ATTORNEYS SAID, YOU KNOW, WE REALLY WOULD LIKE THIS CLAUSE TO SAY THIS, AND NEITHER ONE OF US COULD BE FRANK ON WHAT WAS REALLY NEEDED. BYE-BYE. THE STATE FUNDS AUCTION, AS OUR BOND COUNCIL STATED, THEY RECOMMENDED THAT WE GO FORTH AND CLARIFY THAT ONE CLAUSE IN THE BOND SOLUTION. SO IT'S ABSOLUTELY CRYSTAL CLEAR, AND THERE'S NO DEBATE EVEN A FEW YEARS FROM NOW. WE MIGHT HAVE TO GO EITHER THROUGH A REFINANCING OR WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE. SO I WORKED WITH TIM CALLEN, AND IT'S NOT HERE, BUT IT USUALLY SITS OVER THERE. I DON'T KNOW. SO WE PUT TOGETHER THE RESOLUTION TO CLARIFY THAT POINT. WE CONFIRMED IT DOES NOT REQUIRE US TO GO THROUGH THE STOPOVER OR PUBLIC HEARINGS OR ANY OF THAT TYPE OF STUFF. AND I'M ALSO CONFIRMED THAT WITH THE UNITED STATES FEDERAL FACILITIES CORPORATION AS WELL. SO IT'S A VERY HYPER-TECHNICAL TYPE OF THING, BUT WITH NO REQUIREMENT OF FULL CODE OF THE LEGISLATION, IT DOES REQUIRE A 2.3 MAJORITY. SO I HOPE THAT KIND OF EXPLAINS THE SITUATION HERE. I DID READ THROUGH IT. THE AMOUNT BEING BORROWED IS NOT CHANGING. NOPE. IT'S JUST LANGUAGE IN THE RESOLUTION. AND ONE OF THE CHALLENGES THEY SAID WAS, EVEN THOUGH THE WHERE'S CLAUSE IS ALSO THE AMOUNT, THE SPECIFIC CLAUSE THAT SAID THAT WE'RE AUTHORIZED TO BORROW DIDN'T SPECIFICALLY DENOTE THAT DOLLAR AMOUNT. EVEN THOUGH IT'S A NEAT SWING, I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW MANY OTHER TIMES IN THE RESOLUTION, BECAUSE THAT ONE CLAUSE DIDN'T HAVE THAT SPECIFICALLY, AND THAT'S WHY YOUR STATE, YOUR DEPARTMENT, HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH IT. THAT WILL NOT MAKE THE SAME ENTIRE TIME. IT'S JUST A CLARIFYING POINT. AND IT'S ALL TO DO WITH SEWER IMPROVEMENTS? IT'S ALL FOR OUR, YEAH, YEAH, IMPROVEMENTS IN US, YOUR DISTRICT, LITERALLY. [00:50:02] THANK YOU. IT HAS QUITE A PULL. IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE? IS THERE NO SECOND? JOE, HAS THIS BEEN LOOKED AT? THIS IS FOR BASICALLY THE RATE PAYERS INTO A DISTRICT 3. CAN ANY AFFORD THIS OVER A PERIOD OF HOW MANY YEARS SINCE THEN? SO IT WOULD BE A BORROWING OVER 30 YEARS. 30 YEARS? YEAH, SO ACTUALLY AS PART OF THE PROCESS, WE HAD TO GO THROUGH REVIEW BY STATE AUDIT CONTROL. AND SO THEY REVIEWED THAT MATTER BASED UPON, YOU KNOW, IF IT WOULD BE AN UNDUE BURDEN. AND THEY DETERMINED IN THE AUDIT LAST YEAR THAT IT WOULD NOT BE AN UNDUE BURDEN. THIS IS IN ADDITION TO THE MONEY RECEIVED FOR COVID. THE SITUATION IS BEYOND THAT. SO YOU'RE AWARE, WE RECEIVED WORD THAT YOUR STATE HAS AWARDED US A $25 MILLION GRANT FOR THE PROJECT. SO WE CONTINUE TO APPLY AND RECEIVE GRANT MONIES FOR IT. FOR THE UPGRADES. THANK YOU. EDUCATE ME A LITTLE HERE. IF WE'RE APPLYING FOR GRANTS FOR LIVES, HOW DOES THAT IMPACT OUR BORROWING? SO THE WAY THAT WE DO IT A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY THAN THE COUNTY CHIEF GENERAL, SO WE DO NOT BORROW OUR FUNDS UP FRONT AND THEN EXECUTE THE CONTRACTS. WE AWARD THE CONTRACTS. AND THEN WE BORROW HALF OF THE FACT GENERALLY. BUT FOR SOMETHING LIKE THIS, BECAUSE IT'S SUCH A LARGE DOLLAR AMOUNT, WE WOULD END UP... IT CAME UP ON ANTICIPATION, THOUGH, FOR SHORT-TERM FINANCING TO BRIDGE THAT, AND THEN GO TO LONG-TERM FINANCING. THAT'S WHY WE'RE WORKING THROUGH NEW YORK STATE AND THE FARM AND FACILITIES CORPORATION, BECAUSE THEY HAVE VERY BENEFICIAL RATES FOR THAT TYPE OF THING. SO THE LONG AND THE SHORT OF IT IS, BECAUSE WE HAVE NOT BEEN IN A PROJECT, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT AMOUNT IS GOING TO BE, BUT THAT WOULD JUST TAKE A HAIRCUT ON THE OVERALL COST. SO LONG-TERM, IF WE'RE SUCCESSFUL IN GETTING GRANTS, THAT'S GOING TO BE A MISTAKE. WE COULD ACTUALLY REDUCE THIS BY... ABSOLUTELY. WOULD THAT MEAN THAT IT WOULD ALSO REDUCE... IF WE'RE NOT BORROWING IT, THEN WOULD THAT REDUCE THE INTEREST OF THE LOAN? OH, I MEAN, LIKE, IF WE HAVE A LOWER PRINCIPAL, YES, WE WOULD DECREASE THE INTEREST. THAT'S ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. THANKS FOR YOUR TIME. WE HOPE YOU ENJOYED THIS ITEM. SOUNDS GOOD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THAT CONCLUDES OUR BUSINESS FOR TODAY. WE'LL TAKE A MOTION TO AGREE ON THE SECOND BY LEGISLATURE 3. ALL IN FAVOR? WE ARE ADJOURNED. THANK YOU. I'D LIKE TO WELCOME EVERYONE TO THE THIRD MEETING OF THE FLEET SUBCOMMITTEE, AND I ASK THE CLERK TO TAKE THE ROLL. LEGISLATURE MILLS. HERE. LEGISLATOR TODARO. PRESENT. LEGISLATOR DUPRE. PRESENT. LEGISLATOR ST. JEAN TARD. HERE. CHAIR VINAL. HERE. ALL MEMBERS PRESENT. THANK YOU. TODAY WE HAVE THE SHERIFF IS HERE ON THE SHERIFF PORTION, AND WE HAVE MR. MARABELLI ON THE FLEET, IN CHARGE OF THE FLEET DEPARTMENT. AND I JUST WANTED TO GO OVER WHAT WE HAD TALKED ABOUT AT OUR LAST MEETING AND VOTED ON, AND ONE IS WITH REGARD TO THE DEPUTIES THAT THERE'S... SIX CATEGORIES, NOT COUNTING THE SPARE VEHICLES THAT JUST GOT PULLED OUT. BUT THE FIRST IS THE CATEGORY OF DEPUTIES WHO CAN ARREST PEOPLE USING CARS THAT HAVE LIGHTS INSIDE THEM, ACTUAL SQUAD CARS AT HOME. AND WE VOTED LAST TIME AMONGST US THAT THAT'S NOT GOING TO BE PART OF THIS COMMITTEE. IT'LL BE A LATER DATE IF NEED BE, BUT IT'S NOT PART OF THIS COMMITTEE, WHICH WE VOTED ON LAST TIME, RIGHT? SECOND IS UNMARKED CARS THAT ARE USED BY PEOPLE WHO CAN'T ARREST THEM. THAT HAVE A LOT OF EQUIPMENT TO THE POINT, THIS IS BY THE TAX LAW, A LOT OF EQUIPMENT THAT WOULD MAKE IT UNLIKELY FOR THEM TO USE IT FOR PERSONAL USE. AND THERE'S THIRD CATEGORIES. THE EXCEPTION TO THAT IS FOR LIGHT PICKUP TRUCKS ARE EXCLUDED FROM THE LAW OFFICER SECTION BY THE TAX CODE. AND TOP END CARS ARE EXCLUDED FROM THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT EXEMPTION. THE FOURTH CATEGORY IS CARS WITHOUT EQUIPMENT USED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT. MEANING DEPUTIES WHO CAN ARREST THEM, OKAY? NOT DAS, NOT PRISON GUARDS, NOT CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES. [00:55:01] FIFTH CATEGORY IS CARS ASSIGNED TO PRISON GUARDS OTHER THAN POOL VANS FOR TRANSPORT THAT ARE KEPT THERE. AND THE SIXTH CATEGORY ARE VEHICLES FOR CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES, INCLUDING THOSE WHO CAN'T ARREST THEM. AND INCLUDING THAT FOR THEM TAKE TO AND FROM HOME IS PERSONAL USE, OBVIOUSLY. AND THEN WHEN ANSWERING YOUR QUESTIONS, IF YOU COULD CONSIDER THE COST TO THE COUNTY, TAX PAYERS, AND THE LIABILITY EXPOSURE TO THE COUNTY. FIRST, THE CHOICE OF LETTING PEOPLE USE THEIR OWN VEHICLES AND CHARGING MILEAGE. TWO, USING POOL VEHICLES THAT STAY ON, THAT ARE THERE, THE WAY LIKE STATE INSURANCE FUND HAS THREE FOR ALL THOSE EMPLOYEES, THAT KIND OF THING. THIRD IS VEHICLES ASSIGNED FOR INDIVIDUALS BUT KEPT HERE, SUCH AS THE DA USES FOR INVESTIGATORS. KEPT HERE ALL NIGHT, WHEREVER THEY MIGHT BE, THAT ARE USED FOR A SPECIFIC PERSON. AND THEN TAKE-HOME VEHICLES WITHOUT PERSONAL USE, OTHER THAN TO AND FROM, WHICH IS PERSONAL USE. AND THEN TAKE-HOME VEHICLES INCLUDING PERSONAL USE. AND THEN THE IDEA OF SPARE CARS IS SOMETHING THAT I JUST THOUGHT FOR THE FIRST TIME, WHICH I'M NOT SURE WHERE THAT IS IN THE BUDGET OR WHERE THAT COMES FROM, BUT I HAD SAID THAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE QUESTIONS. THAT ARE FIRST ARE GOING TO HAVE THE MAJORITY CAUCUS AND THEN THE MINORITY CAUCUS HAS QUESTIONS BEFORE I WRAP UP AND WE'RE STARTING WITH ST. THANK YOU. I'M ACTUALLY GOING TO GIVE THE FLOOR FIRST TO THE SHERIFF. FIRST OF ALL, I CLOCKED IN THE LETTER. I EMAILED YOUR DEPARTMENT TO CLOCK IN SOME INTERNAL POLICIES IN THE LETTER. I REQUESTED JUST WHAT DOCUMENTS DID YOU USE FOR THE FLEET AUDIT? WHAT IS YOUR INTERNAL POLICY? OBVIOUSLY, YOU'LL KNOW HOW TO HANDLE YOUR OWN FLEET. MORE THAN I WOULD, SO I WANTED THOSE COMPARING DOCUMENTS AS I'M GOING THROUGH WRITING A NEW FLEET POLICY, AND I WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE HAD A LOT OF COMMUNICATION. YOU CLOCKED IN THIS POLICY BY MARCH 5TH, AND YOU'RE HERE FOR THE MEETING, SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. SO IF YOU CAN TALK TO US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS POLICY THAT YOU CLOCKED IN. AND I KNOW IN THE LETTER YOU'RE SAYING IN 18 MONTHS THERE'S GOING TO BE A MORE UPDATED POLICY. SO IF YOU CAN GIVE US A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL, HOW MANY VEHICLES, A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE LEASE, AND JUST FOR EVERYONE WHO IS NOT FAMILIAR ABOUT THE WAY YOU HANDLE BUSINESS REGARDING TAKE-HOME VEHICLES, IF YOU CAN GIVE US A BACKGROUND ON THAT, SHERIFF. SHERIFF, CAN YOU PLEASE HEAR MY NAME? HELLO? YES. SO. UNDER THE CONDITIONS THAT WE'RE WORKING UNDER, AND BY THAT I MEAN WE'RE A COUNTY LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY, NOT A CITY, NOT A TOWN, NOT A VILLAGE. SO WE'RE DEALING WITH 1,000 SQUARE MILES. WE COVER THE FOUR QUARTERS OF ERIE COUNTY, THE SECOND NATION OF INDIANS. WE'RE THE PRIMARY LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY FOR APPROXIMATELY 60% OF THE COUNTY, WHICH IS ABOUT 600 SQUARE MILES. OVER 130 RESIDENTS DEPEND ON US. IT'S THE PRIMARY LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY. AND WE DO THAT WITH 177 DEPUTIES. WE ARE ALSO A UNIQUE AGENCY IN THAT WE ARE THE REGIONAL RESOURCE AND FORCE MULTIPLIER FOR MANY OF THE OTHER AGENCIES THAT DON'T HAVE SWAT TEAMS. ALL ARSON INVESTIGATIONS, OUR CANINES TO TRACK HUMANS OR EXPLOSIVES. ASIDE FROM THAT, WE HAVE OUR HOSTAGE NEGOTIATORS, OUR BOMB TECHNICIANS. WE COVER, OBVIOUSLY, THE STADIUM. TODAY WE HAVE 40,000 PEOPLE THAT KEEP BEING CARRIED OUT. THEY'RE COMING IN AND COMING OUT. AND WE PATROL 90 MILES OF COASTLINE. OBVIOUSLY, WE COVER THE AIR WITH A HELICOPTER. AND ASIDE FROM THAT, WE DO ALL THE COURT PROCESS PAPERWORK, EVICTIONS AND SO FORTH, THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE COUNTY FOR THE EXCEPTION OF THE CITY OF BUFFALO. AND WE DO ALL PISTOL PERMITS FOR THE ENTIRE COUNTY FOR THE EXCEPTION OF THE TOWN OF AMHERST. SO AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, WE'RE SPREAD OUT VERY, VERY THIN. AND TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA, MONROE COUNTY IS SMALLER THAN US, AND THEY HAVE 500 DEPUTIES WORKING THE ROAD. SO WE DEAL WITH 177 DEPUTIES AT A COST OF $53 MILLION TO THE COUNTY ON THE POLICE SERVICES SIDE. TO PUT THAT, SO YOU GET AN IDEA, AM VERSUS 50 SQUARE [01:00:03] MILES, THEY HAVE THE SAME AMOUNT OF PERSONNEL, AND IT COSTS THEM $48 MILLION. SO I THINK WE DO A VERY GOOD JOB OF FISCALLY BEING RESPONSIBLE, EFFICIENT, AND EFFECTIVE. AND I SAY THAT BECAUSE WHAT WE DON'T HAVE, AND I WORKED AT BUFFALO POLICE FOR 25 YEARS, THERE'S FIVE DISTRICTS WITHIN A 27-MILE SECTION OF ERIE COUNTY, THE CITY OF BUFFALO. AND IN THOSE FIVE DISTRICTS, THEY'RE SECURED BY FENCING, LIGHTING, CAMERAS. AND THEY'RE COMPLETELY MANNED AT ALL TIMES. WE DON'T HAVE ONE LOCATION AT ALL WHERE THAT IS SIMILAR TO, LET'S SAY, BUFFALO, AMHERST, CHICOAGUA, HAMBURG, WEST SENECA, ORCHARD PARK, YOU NAME IT. WE'RE GIVING, IN OUR DISTRICTS, WE'RE GIVING A ROOM BY THE TOWNS WHERE OUR DISTRICTS ARE LOCATED. THEY COST ZERO DOLLARS TO ERIE COUNTY. THOSE ARE PROVIDED BY THE TOWNS. SO IF WE WERE TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT, THEN WE WOULD HAVE TO BUILD OUT IN EACH DISTRICT A SECURE LOCATION TO LEAVE THE VEHICLES. SINCE WE DON'T HAVE THAT LEGISLATOR, THE BEST... THE WAY TO OPERATE IS FOR EACH DEPUTY TO TAKE THAT HOME. NOW, THAT DOES NOT MEAN PERSONAL USE. OTHER TOWNS, WHAT THEY DO IS, IF YOU FINISH A SHIFT, YOU COME TO MY HOUSE, YOU PICK ME OUT, I TAKE YOU HOME, AND THEN I GO ON TO MY SHIFT. AND WEST SENECA DOES THAT, AND HAMBURG DOES THAT. BUT WE'RE A COUNTY. YOU CAN LIVE IN GRAND ISLAND, AND YOU'RE, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE PETROLEUM BRAND. THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT'S DONE. SO WHAT WE DID WAS, WHAT'S THE BEST POLICY? WELL, THE BEST POLICY IS TAKE-HOME CARS, AND 92% OF COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICES THROUGHOUT THE NATION HAVE THEIR DEPUTIES TAKE THEIR CARS HOME. IT'S THE MOST EFFICIENT, EFFECTIVE WAY TO DO IT, AND IT'S FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE TO DO SO, BECAUSE THE BUILD-OUT WOULD BE TREMENDOUS. THE COUNTY DOESN'T HAVE THE MONEY TO DO SO. I MEAN, WE CAN'T EVEN BUILD A JAIL. CAN YOU EXPLAIN THE ELIGIBILITY FOR A TAKE-HOME VEHICLE? I KNOW THAT IT'S BEEN AN INTERESTING TALKING POINT OF, LIKE, WHO GETS THE VEHICLE? IS THERE A POLICY THAT IMMEDIATELY WHEN THEY GET A VEHICLE, DO THEY HAVE SOMETHING THEY SIGN OFF ON SO THEY KNOW THE RULES THAT YOU'RE EXPECTED WITH THAT VEHICLE? YES. SO IF YOU COULD TALK ABOUT THAT ELIGIBILITY AND THEN WHAT THAT PROCESS IS. SO THE DEPUTIES THAT ARE ON PATROL, THEY ALL HAVE A VEHICLE. OUR DETECTIVES HAVE A VEHICLE. AND SO WE HAVE 183 TAKE-HOME VEHICLES WITH 177 DEPUTIES. SO ASIDE FROM THEM, THE SUPERINTENDENT OF THE JAIL, THE MEDICAL DIRECTOR. THE DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENTS AND THE CHIEFS HAVE A TAKE-HOME VEHICLE. NOW, THERE'S TAKE-HOME VEHICLES, AND THEN THERE'S PERSONAL VEHICLES. AND THE PERSONAL VEHICLES ARE, FOR EACH PERSON, IT'S SOMETHING YOU MIGHT SAY, WELL, THAT'S A NICE THING TO HAVE. BUT YOU'VE GOT TO REMEMBER, IF YOU'RE A SWAT OPERATOR, IF YOU'RE A PILOT, IF YOU'RE... A BOMB TECHNICIAN, IF YOU'RE AN ARSON INVESTIGATOR, IT'S A DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD. BECAUSE NOW, YOUR PERSONAL LIFE, IF THERE'S A CALL, YOU'RE EXPECTED TO RESPOND. AND IT COMES WITH THAT WORK-LIFE BALANCE. AND SINCE WE ARE A VERY SMALL AGENCY FOR A VERY LARGE COUNTY, WE EXPECT YOU TO RESPOND TO THESE CALLS. ON THAT 183 VEHICLES, HOW MANY ARE PERSONAL? I'M SORRY? OUT OF THE 183 VEHICLES, HOW MANY ARE PERSONAL USE VEHICLES? WELL, TAKE HOME VEHICLE VEHICLES, I WANTED TO HAVE PERSONAL VEHICLES. I COULD GET YOU THOSE NUMBERS. OKAY. BUT THOSE ARE VERY SMALL AMOUNT OF THE VEHICLES. I'M PUTTING DOWN THE GAS ON THE SWAT. [01:05:01] OH, SO ALL THE SWORN DEPUTIES THAT ARE TAKING HOME THE VEHICLE, IT DOES NOT MEAN PERSONAL USE. IF THAT'S THE QUESTION YOU'RE ASKING. NO, I KNOW YOU SAID THEY'RE DIFFERENT, SO I JUST WANTED TO KNOW FROM THAT NUMBER HOW MANY ARE. OUT OF THE 183? AND IF YOU DON'T KNOW, YOU CAN EMAIL ME. I DON'T KNOW, BUT I'M GOING TO MENTION, YOU KNOW, AS FAR AS THE, YOU KNOW, MYSELF AND THE UNDERSHERIFF, AND THEN YOU HAVE THE CHIEF OF PATROL AND SUPERINTENDENT OF THE JAIL AND THE DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENTS, THE SWAT OPERATORS, THE ARSON INVESTIGATORS, THE PILOTS, THE MARINE PATROL. DO YOU THINK IT'S ABOUT 20, ABOUT 20 PERSONNEL? I DON'T WANT TO GUESS RIGHT NOW. I'LL GIVE YOU A NUMBER. YEAH, YOU CAN SEND ME THE NUMBER FROM THAT. YES. FOR THOSE PERSONAL USE SPECIFICALLY, DO THEY HAVE ANY MARKINGS SUCH AS THE LOGO OF ERIE COUNTY OR LITERALLY UNDERCOVER, IT LOOKS LIKE JUST A REGULAR, I'M JUST USING A TATT HOLE, WE WOULD KNOW IT WOULD BE A LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSONAL USE VEHICLE? I WOULD SAY MOST OF THEM ARE GOING TO HAVE NO MARKINGS. YEAH, NO MARKINGS ON THE VEHICLES. OKAY. THOSE ARE... IT'S JUST GOING TO BE UNMARKED WITH LICENSE IRONS, RADIO. BUT ON THE OUTSIDE, NO MARKINGS. OKAY. AND THEN, SO ON THE POLICY THAT YOUR OFFICE CLOCKED IN, UNDER SECTION D, UNDER PERSONAL USE, ON PAGE THREE OUT OF EIGHT, IF YOU HAVE THAT IN FRONT OF YOU, SHERIFF. NUMBER TWO, SO IT TALKS ABOUT AS LONG AS THE EMPLOYEE RESIDES OUTSIDE OF CARY COUNTY BUT WITHIN 20 MILES ARE... ARE AUTHORIZED TO USE THEIR ASSIGNED VEHICLE FOR PERSONAL USE UNDER THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS. SO THEY'RE ALLOWED TO STOP TRAVELING FROM WORK AS LONG AS IT'S ON THE ROUTE HOME. SO LET'S SAY THEY'RE COMING HOME FROM A LONG SHIFT AND THEIR WIFE SAYS, GO PICK UP SOME MILK ON YOUR WAY HOME. THEY CAN STOP FOR MILK AT A GROCERY STORE AS LONG AS IT'S ON THAT ROUTE, CORRECT? NUMBER THREE? PERSONAL USE, SO D, NUMBER TWO, AND THEN UNDERNEATH IT SAYS PERSONAL USE UNDER THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS. WHICH LETTER IS IT? IT'S A. SO D, PERSONAL USE, UNDERNEATH IS NUMBER TWO, AND I'M SPEAKING REGARDING NUMBER A UNDER THAT SECOND. AND THAT IS PAGE THREE. PAGE THREE. SO IF YOU LOOK AT YOUR POLICY AFTER VEHICLE ASSIGNMENTS, THEN IT'S D, PERSONAL USE, NUMBER TWO, AND THEN A. IF YOU DON'T HAVE THAT, I CAN HAVE MY STAFF. NO, I HAVE IT. I'M JUST LOOKING HERE. SO OUR SERGEANT IN CHARGE OF THE FLEET, 23 VEHICLES PER PERSON. OKAY, THANK YOU. AND SO THE 23 VEHICLES, THOSE ARE MORE LEADERSHIP VEHICLES, CORRECT? THOSE ARE, YEAH. TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, TOO, THERE ARE... OUR SPECIAL OPERATIONS UNIT. THOSE VEHICLES, THERE'S TWO MARKS THAT ARE 21 OR UNDER. THOSE VEHICLES, IF YOU LOOKED AT THEM, YOU KNOW IT'S A POLICE VEHICLE. IT'S A PERSON-CENTERED POLICE VEHICLE. THE HUBCAPS, THEY COME WITH IT. THERE'S THREE RADIO ANTENNAS ON TOP OF THE VEHICLES. THERE IS LIGHTS IN THE VISOR OF THE VEHICLES AND A RADIO INSIDE THE VEHICLE. IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE A... WITH MOM AND DAD AND FAMILY VEHICLES. OKAY. SO THAT'S GREAT. THANK YOU. I HAVE IT UP. YOU HAVE IT. I DO HAVE IT, YEAH. SO YOU'VE GOT TO REMEMBER, I MEAN, BACK IN OCTOBER WHEN I SAID I WAS GOING TO COME UP WITH A NEW VEHICLE POLICY, WE WENT TO THE PEOPLE THAT ARE EXPERTS IN THIS AND WE, YOU KNOW, THEY GO OFF THROUGH THE COUNTY ATTORNEY. AND, YOU KNOW, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT... WE COULD WORK ON, OBVIOUSLY. THE REASON FOR THE, WHAT WAS YOUR QUESTION REGARDING? SO ON THE SECTION, IT SAYS BASICALLY THE EMPLOYEE, I'M GOING TO USE THE DEPUTY SHERIFF THAT'S TAKING HOME THE VEHICLE, THEY CAN STOP WHILE TRAVELING THROUGH THEIR HOME. TO, LET'S SAY, A GROCERY STORE AS LONG AS IT'S ON THAT ROUTE HOME, IT SOUNDS LIKE, FROM THIS POLICY. SO IT SAYS YOU CAN STOP AT A STORE WHILE TRAVELING FROM WORK [01:10:02] TO HOME AND BACK AND FORTH. SO IF YOU CAN TALK ABOUT WHY YOU ALLOW THAT WITH THAT TAKE-HOME. I KNOW THE PERSONAL USE VEHICLE, THAT'S A DIFFERENT CATEGORY. SO, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE GUIDELINES. YOU KNOW, THIS IS A WORK. IN PROGRESS, AND THESE ARE GUIDELINES FROM THE EXPERTS THAT HAVE DONE THIS OVER THE YEARS. BUT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN'T TALK ABOUT AND RECTIFY AND CHANGE. AND THAT WAS MY NEXT QUESTION. YES. OBVIOUSLY, FOR ME, I WANT TO WORK WITH ALL THE DEPARTMENTS AS WE'RE TRYING TO BUILD A POLICY THAT MAKES SENSE. IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE WILLING TO WORK WITH OUR GROUP TO SEE IF WE CAN IMPROVE AND LOOK AT OTHERS? I KNOW YOU HAVE A LAW FIRM LOOKING AT THIS, AND I KNOW YOU WANT TO PROVIDE SOMETHING IN 18 MONTHS, BUT THAT SPECIFIC SECTION, I WOULD SAY, IT'S NOT A GOOD LOOK FOR THE DEPARTMENT. SO THIS OFFICE IS CELEBRATED 205 YEARS. YOU KNOW, SERVING THE PEOPLE AND PROTECTING THE PEOPLE OF ERIE COUNTY. AND I WALKED INTO AN OFFICE THAT WAS VERY ANTIQUATED WITH LACK OF POLICIES, PROCEDURES, BEST PRACTICES. WE'VE HAD THAT ACCREDITATION THROUGHOUT THE AGENCY AND THE JAIL AND OUTSIDE. AND THIS IS A WORK IN PROGRESS. AND I KNOW IT COMES ON THE HEEL OF AN INCIDENT THAT OCCURRED AND NOW WE'RE TAKING CARE OF IT. BUT, YEAH, I HAD NO ISSUES WITH IT. TAKING THIS DOCUMENT AND MAKING IT WORK FOR EVERYBODY. I UNDERSTAND HOW IT LOOKS. THIS IS, OF COURSE, COMING FROM A LAW OFFICE THAT WORKS WITH BEST PRACTICES. BUT WITH THAT BEING SAID, IT'S ALWAYS GUIDELINES. RIGHT. WHICH SUPERSEDES REALLY ANYTHING. IF YOU LOOK AT, LET'S SEE, RIGHT, SO IT WOULD BE... YEP. ANY OFF-DUTY USE OF AN ASSIGNED VEHICLE THAT COMPROMISES THE PROFESSIONAL IMAGE OF THE AGENCY WILL BE CAUSED FOR REVOKING THE ASSIGNED VEHICLE PRIVILEGE AND COULD RESULT IN DISCIPLINARY ACTION UP UNTIL INCLUDING TERMINATION. SO THAT'S THE CATCH-ALL. IF YOU DON'T DO WHAT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING, THEN YOU'RE PAYING THE CONSEQUENCES. AND THEN I HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION, CHAIR, IF THAT'S OKAY. SO... REGARDING, WE'RE GOING TO THE 23 VEHICLES PERSONAL USE, FOR THAT ONE, ARE THEY USING THEIR OWN FUNDS TO GAS UP THAT CAR, OR ARE THEY USING COUNTY FUNDS TO REFUEL? SO, EACH AND EVERY VEHICLE, IT COMES WITH A GAS KEY, AND YOU FUEL AT EACH OF THE MANY COUNTY LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY. YOU HAVE TO PUT YOUR ID, YOU HAVE TO PUT YOUR MILEAGE IN, THERE'S CAMERAS. I KNOW THAT WE'RE LOOKING WITH THE DIRECTOR MARIVELLI ABOUT IMPROVING THAT PORTION OF IT BECAUSE THE TECHNOLOGY IS LACKING ON THE PART OF GAS BOY. YOU KNOW, THERE'S CERTAIN ISSUES THERE, BUT WE WOULD ALSO LIKE TO TAKE OVER THE OVERSIGHT FOR THAT SO WE COULD, IF THERE ARE ANY ISSUES THAT ARISE, BE ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF THOSE ISSUES THROUGH DISCIPLINE OR ANYTHING FURTHER. OKAY. IN YOUR OPINION, FROM THE POLICY THAT YOU CLOCKED IN, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU FEEL LIKE IS MISSING BASED ON YOUR DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS? WELL, THIS IS, LIKE I SAID, SINCE TAKING OFFICE, WE'VE MODERNIZED THE OFFICE AND BROUGHT IT UP TO THE 21ST CENTURY. AND WITH THAT, THIS DOCUMENT HERE. THIS IS A WORK IN PROGRESS, AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE MEETING. AND THERE'S CERTAIN THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, STICK OUT LIKE THAT, AND I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT IT UP. BECAUSE, NO, IT'S NOT A GOOD LOOK. SO ONE LAST ONE, SORRY. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WHEN INDIVIDUALS, YOU CLEAR THEM TO HAVE A TAKE-HOME VEHICLE, THEY KNOW THE GUIDELINES. I'M ASSUMING THEY SIGNED SOMETHING UNDERSTANDING THE RULES WITH THE VEHICLE. ABSOLUTELY. IS THERE A FORM? I DON'T SEE A FORM ON THIS. LIKE WHAT PROCESS DO YOU START TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE ALL THEIR INFORMATION? AND DO THEY GIVE YOU REPORTS OF HOW MUCH MILEAGE? I KNOW YOU HAVE YOUR FLEET DIRECTOR HERE. HE COULD PROBABLY TALK A LITTLE [01:15:02] BIT MORE IN DETAIL ON THAT. BUT HOW DO YOU, WHEN THEY FIRST GET THIS VEHICLE, WHAT IS THAT PROCESS OF FILLING OUT THE FORM OR EMAIL? WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? SO THEY'RE TOLD WHAT'S EXPECTED OF THEM WITH THE TAKE-HOME VEHICLE, WHICH IS THAT TAKE-HOME, GO TO WORK. AND THEY UNDERSTAND THAT THEY NEED TO KEEP THE MAINTENANCE CLEAN INSIDE AND OUTSIDE. THE MILEAGE, THEY HAVE TO GET THE OIL CHANGES. THAT'S WHY THE FLEET SERGEANT DIRECTOR WILL KEEP TABS ON ALL THAT. AND I BELIEVE UNDER THE CONDITIONS THAT WE HAVE, THAT WORKS VERY, VERY WELL. I COME FROM A POLICE AGENCY WHERE THE CARS WERE AMASSED. THEY HAD A WHOLE TEAM OF MECHANICS WORKING ON THESE CARS. THE WAY WE'RE ABLE TO FIX THEM UNDER WARRANTY AND KEEP ON CHANGING THEM IS A HUGE SAVINGS, I BELIEVE. I'M SURE COMMISSIONER MARABELLI CAN TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE. AND ALSO... BUT THE SARGENT, A LOT BETTER. SARGENT, CAN YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT THAT PROCESS OF THE MAINTENANCE AND WHAT DO YOU EXPECT WHEN THEY HAVE THESE VEHICLES? YEAH, WELL, WE FIRST GIVE OVER THE VEHICLE. WE GO OVER THE VEHICLE WITH THEM. WE LAND WELL WITH THE EXPECTED ID ON GOAL. WE DO THE ALL CHANGES EVERY 05,000 MILES. THEN THE NEXT TIME WE DO A FULL INSPECTION AT THE BRAKES, THE TIRES, ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS. WE MAKE SURE THE VEHICLES HAPPEN IN A CAR ACCIDENT, NO DENSE COLLISIONS, NOTHING MISSING. SO WE DO A PRETTY GOOD OVERCHECK OF IT. WE USE A SYSTEM CALLED AUTOSYS THAT WE LOG THIS STUFF INTO. WE KEEP TRACK OF OIL CHANGES. WE KEEP TRACK OF ANYTHING WE PUT ON THE BRAKES, INSPECTIONS, WHATEVER IT IS WE DO TO KEEP THESE VEHICLES SAFELY OPERATING ON THE STREETS OF ERIE COUNTY. IF A PROBLEM COMES UP DURING A DEPUTY SHIFT, HE WILL NOTIFY ME OR MY SENIOR MECHANIC SAYING THAT WE HAVE THIS PROBLEM. WE'LL ADDRESS THE PROBLEM. IS IT SOMETHING HE NEEDS TO COME IN RIGHT AWAY? IS IT A HAZARD TO HIM, A HAZARD TO OTHER DRIVERS ON THE ROAD? IF IT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF, WE TAKE CARE OF IT RIGHT AWAY. WE EVEN HAVE A FLEET TRUCK THAT CAN GO TO THAT VEHICLE AND DO SERVICE WORK OUT IN THE FIELD IF WE DON'T THINK IT'S SAFE ENOUGH TO DRIVE THAT TO THE GARAGE. UNFORTUNATELY RIGHT NOW WE'RE KIND OF UNCENTRALIZED IN THE COUNTY, OUR FLEET GARAGE, SO SOMETIMES WE'LL JUST GO TO THE DISTRICT AND SEE IF WE CAN HELP OUT. IF THAT COULD WAIT, THEN WE'LL SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT AND BRING IT IN. BUT AS THE SHERIFF SAID, WHAT'S SAVING US A LOT OF MONEY AND TIME, LABOR, AND PARTS IS THESE VEHICLES ARE IN THE WORKS. ACTUALLY TELL THE DEPUTY, YOU KNOW WHAT, TAKE HER TO A FORD DEALER BY YOUR HOUSE. SCHEDULE A SERVICE CALL WITH THAT FORD DEALER. AND THEN I DON'T HAVE TO WASTE MY TIME. MY LIEUTENANTS DON'T HAVE TO WASTE THEIR TIME. THE DEPUTY TAKES THEM RIGHT TO THE DEALERSHIP. IT'S COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THERE'S NO COST TO THE COMPANY. WHAT IF THEY'RE IN A CAR ACCIDENT? SO IF THEY'RE IN A CAR ACCIDENT AND I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK, I RETURN THE BOOK. WE HAVE A RECORDING BY THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE. THEIR IMMEDIATE SUPERVISOR, WATCH COMMANDER, IS NOTIFIED. THAT WATCH COMMANDER NOTIFIES DISPATCH. DISPATCH NOTIFIES A TRAPPED UNIT. SERGEANT SIMON EITHER WILL RESPOND HIMSELF OR ONE OF HIS THREE STAFF MEMBERS WHO ARE ALL IN THE CRASH INVESTIGATION WILL COME DOWN, TAKE PHOTOGRAPHS, TAKE A STATEMENT, AND THEN THEY DO AN INTERNAL INVESTIGATION OF THE CRASH. SERGEANT SIMON WILL MAKE A DETERMINATION OF FAULT OF CRASH AND THEN FORWARD THAT INTO EITHER OUR CHIEF OF PATROL OR OUR INTERNAL AFFAIRS PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS DIVISION WHO WILL THEN LOOK AT IT AND DETERMINE WAS THE DEPUTY AT FAULT? COULD HE HAVE DONE SOMETHING DIFFERENT? SHOULD WE TALK TO HIM ABOUT DRIVING HABITS? SO THERE'S A WHOLE STEPS THAT GO IN THERE. DURING THAT WHOLE PROCESS, I AM LOOKING AT THE VEHICLE FROM REPAIRMAN. WE CAN DO A LOT OF COLLISION WORK, MINOR COLLISION WORK IN-HOUSE, WHICH WE DO. LIKE THE SHERIFF SAID, WE COVER A LARGE AREA OF THE COUNTY. THERE'S A LOT OF CAR DARE PBOS THAT WE ACTUALLY, INSTEAD OF SENDING TO A COLLISION SHOP FOR $6,200, WE CAN FIX IN-HOUSE MAYBE FOR $1,700. UM, BY GETTING THE PARTS WHOLESALE, WE'RE DOING THE WORK OURSELVES. MAJOR COLLISION, WE HAVE TO SEND OUT, UNFORTUNATELY. BUT THAT'S, THANK YOU. THAT'S PERFECT. [01:20:01] THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANKS FOR COMING IN, SHERIFF. AND JUST LOOKING OVER THE HOUSE IN HERE. I'M GOING TO TALK FROM EXPERIENCE WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT. I SPENT 22 YEARS AS A COUNSELOR IN THE TOWN OF ORCHARD PARK. MY FIRST DAY ON THE JOB, I ROLLED WITH THE POLICE CHIEF. I KNEW WHAT WAS GOING ON. IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON. THERE'S NOTHING REALLY SERIOUSLY WRONG WITH THIS POLICY. I THINK YOU'RE DOING A GOOD JOB. SPEAKING FROM THE FOOD DISTRIBUTION SIDE OF WHAT I DO IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR, A CONVENIENT FOOD MART ANYWHERE IN ERIE COUNTY IS ECSTATIC TO SEE A LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSON GO INTO THEIR STORE TO PURCHASE A GALLON OF MILK. QUITE FRANKLY, THAT'S PASSIVE ENFORCEMENT AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED. AND FOR US TO MICROMANAGE, TRY TO MICROMANAGE WHAT YOU PEOPLE ARE DOING IS A BIG THING. I'M A DISSERVICE TO LAW ENFORCEMENT, AND I'LL MAKE THAT STATEMENT COMING FROM JEAN MILLS AND THAT'S FOR THE REST OF MY CAUCUS FOR THE LEGISLATURE. BUT PASSIVE ENFORCEMENT IS VERY IMPORTANT. SO IF THEY GO IN ANY, ANY, TO DRY CLEAN, IF THEY DROP OFF TO DRY CLEAN, GET A GALLON OF MILK, THE BOTTOM LINE IS THEY'RE SHOWING ENFORCEMENT IN THAT FACILITY. AND IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO THE OWNER OF THOSE FACILITIES. AND THAT'S SPEAKING FROM THE PEOPLE THAT I DELIVER IN MY TRUCKS THROUGHOUT ERIE AND 26 OTHER COUNTIES. SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE THAT VERY CLEAR BECAUSE THIS IS TURNING INTO A WITCH HUNT. AND I'M VERY DISAPPOINTED IN THE WAY THIS IS GOING. SO THAT'S ALL I CAN SAY. SHERIFF, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. THE ONLY QUESTION I HAVE THAT WE DIDN'T REALLY TOUCH ON IS IF A VEHICLE IS IN MAINTENANCE MODE, IS EITHER TWO PEOPLE GOING TO RETRIEVE THE VEHICLE TO GIVE IT SERVICE, OR IS IT BEING DROPPED OFF? AND THEN WHAT HAPPENS WITH THAT DEPUTY THAT DOES NOT HAVE A VEHICLE WHILE IT'S BEING SERVICED? I JUST WANTED TO KNOW HOW THAT'S HANDLED. SO, AGAIN, DEPENDING ON THE ISSUE WITH THE VEHICLE, IF THE VEHICLE CAN COME TO THE GARAGE, WE DO HAVE A SMALL... WE HAVE A FLEET OF LAWN VEHICLES, SO WE WILL ASSIGN A DIFFERENT VEHICLE. IF THE VEHICLE HAS TO BE TOWED, THEN WE WORK WITH EITHER DEPUTIES OUT IN THE FIELD OR MY STAFF AT THE GARAGE TO EITHER GET A NEW, WHAT WE CALL THE LAWN VEHICLE, GOOD MORNING. VEHICLE OUT TO THAT DISTRICT, TO THAT DEPUTY, OR HAVE THAT DEPUTY DRIVEN UP TO THE GARAGE TO GET INTO A MOTOR VEHICLE. THE SAME THING GOES FOR SERVICING. SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO SERVICE WATER PUMPS OR OTHER THINGS IN THE VEHICLE THAT TAKE A DAY OR TWO. SO DEPUTIES ARE ALWAYS GOING OUT TO HAVE VEHICLES, SWITCHING VEHICLES BACK AND FORTH. WE TRY TO KEEP, AND AGAIN, LIKE THE SHERIFF SAID EARLIER, WE COVER A LARGE AREA. I SPOKE TO A FEW OF YOU THIS MORNING, AND I EXPLAINED THERE WAS TIMES WHERE I WOULD COVER FIVE TIMES MYSELF. AND IF THAT CAR BROKE DOWN, THEN I HAD TO LEAVE FOR THREE HOURS, AND THAT TOWN HAS NO COVERAGE. IT'S FIVE TIMES THAT COVERAGE. SO WE TRY TO KEEP DEPUTIES GOING NONSTOP. AND OBVIOUSLY, I THINK YOUR SOFTWARE, IF THAT VEHICLE'S BECOMING A MAINTENANCE NIGHTMARE, DO WE JUST, YOU KNOW, CHANGE THEM OUT? IT'S BEEN POSSIBLE, AND THAT'S WHY I THINK THAT'S GREAT WITH WHAT JOE AND I HAVE WORKED ON WITH THE ENTERPRISE. WE'RE IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE ENTERPRISE ALL THE TIME ON VEHICLE MILEAGE, VEHICLE IDLE, FUEL EXPENSE. SO WE KNOW WHEN IT'S TIME TO TURN THAT VEHICLE IN, AND THEN THEY'LL GIVE US AN EQUITY ON THE VEHICLE, AND THEN IT'S A CONSTANT WEEKLY, WE'RE CONSTANTLY UPDATING INFORMATION TO GET THE BEST TIME, GET THE BEST EQUITY. FOR THE COUNTY TO TURN THAT VEHICLE IN. BUT MY MECHANICS WON'T COME TO ME. MY MECHANICS WILL SAY, THIS VEHICLE NEEDS LIKE $7,000 WORTH OF WORK AND IT'S PROBABLY NOT WARRANTED. SO I'LL MAKE THE INITIAL CALL TO ENTERPRISE AND GET THE BALL ROLLING THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO DUMP $7,000 INTO A VEHICLE THAT WE'RE PROBABLY GOING TO GET RID OF IN THREE MONTHS. SO LET'S GET RID OF IT SOONER. OKAY, AND IF IT'S UNDER WARRANTY? DO WE HAVE THAT BUILT INTO OUR AGREEMENTS IF IT'S GOING TO A LOCAL FORD OR CHEVY DEALER? IF THEY PROVIDE A LOANER? [01:25:01] YEAH. SO, I MEAN, SOME DEALERSHIPS WILL GIVE A LOANER TO GET THE DEPUTY BACK TO WHEREVER THEY CAME FROM. BUT THAT DEPUTY IS GOING TO NEED TO GET INTO A VEHICLE WITH LIGHTS, SIGNS, CAGES, COMPUTERS. SO WE HAVE A SMALL FLEET OF VEHICLES THAT WE KEEP AT THE GARAGE THAT WE CAN... ISSUE IN A SITUATION LIKE THAT. BUT TO ANSWER THE QUESTION ABOUT THE WARRANTY, IF THE VEHICLE IS UNDER WARRANTY NO MATTER WHAT THE ISSUE IS, IT GOES TO A DEALER SIMPLY TO GET IT FIXED FOR FREE. YEAH, SO WE DON'T NEED THE TEAM OF MECHANICS LIKE SOME OTHER CITIES AND TOWNS HAVE TO CONTINUOUSLY WORK ON VEHICLES, ESPECIALLY THE ONES THAT WERE BUILT ON MONDAYS. YOU KNOW THOSE VEHICLES, RIGHT? SO WE'RE ABLE TO GET AHEAD OF THAT AND TRADE THOSE IN. AND NOT BE, YOU KNOW, HAVING TO FIX THOSE ISSUES FOREVER. AND BASICALLY, NOW LEGISLATOR, YOU KNOW, COMPARED TO THE 90S, 2000S, THE VEHICLE IS YOUR MOBILE OFFICE. THE DEPUTY COULD DO EVERYTHING FROM THAT VEHICLE. WHEN THAT DEPUTY GETS ON THE ROAD FOR 12 HOURS, THEY'RE IN THEIR VEHICLE. THEY'RE DRIVING THAT VEHICLE EVERYWHERE. THEY'RE DOING EVERYTHING OUT OF THAT VEHICLE. IT'S NOT LIKE THE DAYS LIKE, HEY, COME BACK TO THE STATION HOUSE. NOT THAT WE HAVE ANY, BUT COME BACK TO THE STATION HOUSE. WE'LL DO THE REPORT AND SO FORTH. THOSE DAYS FOR THE ERIE COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE ARE GONE. WE NEED OUR PEOPLE ON THE STREET. I AGREE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. NOBODY IS OBJECTING TO DEPUTY USE OF THE... LIGHTS AND SIRENS CARS. WE EVEN HAD AT OUR LAST MEETING, WHICH LEGISLATIVE MILLS WASN'T THERE, WE HAD SPECIFICALLY A VOTE TO EXCLUDE THOSE CARS. THAT'S WHY I SAID IN THE BEGINNING THAT DIVERTING ISSUE TO THOSE CARS TAKES AWAY FROM WHAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING, WHICH IS FOR EVERYONE THAT ISN'T UNDER THOSE, UNDER THAT CIRCUMSTANCE, FOR PERSONAL USE OF ANY CAR, AND FOR CARS THAT AREN'T THAT. WE, ONE OF THE REASONS IS WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE SUPPOSED TO BE PAYING TAXES NOT PAYING TAXES AND COMMITTING A CRIME BECAUSE WE CAN DO OUR JOB. OKAY? SO I'M NOT TRYING TO... WHAT WAS THAT, THE LAST ONE? THE PERSON, LIKE SAY YOU HAVE SOMEBODY, DO YOU HAVE ANYONE IN YOUR OFFICE THAT HAS A TAKE-HOME VEHICLE, HAS A VEHICLE, WHETHER YOU CALL IT A SPARE VEHICLE OR A VEHICLE THEY USE TO GET TO AND FROM WORK THAT'S NOT A DEPUTY? SO THE ONLY PERSON THAT WE HAVE THE MEDICAL DIRECTOR, DR. KEVIN MICKEY, THAT TAKES HIS CAR HOME BECAUSE HE NEEDS TO REPORT TO... OR THEIR CORRECTIONAL FACILITY TO THE HOLY CENTER, AND HE ALSO GOES OUT WITH SWAT ON THEIR ENTRIES AS THE MEDICAL PERSONNEL. AND ASIDE FROM HIM, IT'S THE DIRECTOR OF CORRECTIONAL HEALTH, SARAH COFFEY. NOBODY THAT'S IN THE OFFICE THAT, WHAT ABOUT THESE SPARE CARS THAT YOU HAVE IN YOUR POLICY THAT I NEVER HEARD THAT TERM BEFORE, BUT THE SPARE CARS YOU SAY, IF YOU HAVE SPARE CARS AND YOU CAN ASSIGN THEM TO ANY EMPLOYEE. THEY'RE NOT TAKE-HOME VEHICLES. IF THEY'RE USED, IT'S BECAUSE IT'S A WORK-RELATED USE OF THE CAR. YOU'VE GOT TO REMEMBER, IT'S 01,000 SQUARE MILES. WE HAVE FIVE DISTRICTS. WE HAVE 13 CENTERS. WE HAVE... WE HAVE TWO CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES. WE MAN THE ERIE COUNTY LIBRARY. EVERY SINGLE COUNTY BUILDING, EVERY COUNTY PARK, WE STILL MAINTAIN A PRESENCE IN THE BUNKER. AND THANK YOU FOR GETTING US OUT OF THERE FINALLY. THE MORALE WENT THROUGH THE ROOF, AND HOPEFULLY DISEASES WENT WAY DOWN. SO WE'RE SPREAD OUT. I THINK WE COUNTED 40 LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY. SO I'M NOT GOING TO HAVE... A CLERK THAT MAKES ZERO DOLLARS BECAUSE THE COUNTY PAYS THEM AS THREES, THEY MAKE $18 AN HOUR, USE THEIR OWN GAS TO GO FROM DOWNTOWN TO ORCHARD PARK WHILE YOU'RE DOING WORK-RELATED THINGS. RIGHT, YOU PAY THEIR MILEAGE OR THEY USE A POOL CARD. YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? THEY'RE NOT TAKING THE CAR HOME. YEAH, I GET WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. BUT IF IT'S A CAR THAT YOU'RE SAYING IS ASSIGNED TO ONE PERSON THAT STAYS THERE THAT MIGHT HAVE TO GO DOWNTOWN? NO. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. WELL, THE ONE THING I GUESS THE FIRST QUESTION IS THAT. I HAVE 183 VEHICLES, 182. WELL, I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO SAY 182, BUT CLOSE TO 182 HAVE LICENSE. SORRY, RUSS. YOU HAVE ONE VEHICLE THAT DOESN'T HAVE IT THAT'S CORRECTIONAL HEALTH, AND THEN YOU HAVE UNMARKED CARS THAT ARE. UNMARKED WITH NO RADIO, NO LIGHTS, NO SIRENS, NOTHING, BECAUSE THOSE ARE THE CARS WE USE TO MAKE DRUG BUYS, TO DO PROSTITUTION THINGS. [01:30:01] AND SO THOSE STAY WITH YOU SO THAT PEOPLE DON'T, TO KEEP THE PRIVACY OF IT, THE SECRECY OF IT? THOSE CARS THAT YOU'RE MENTIONING THAT ARE USED FOR UNDERCOVER, THOSE STAY AT THE POLICE STATION SO PEOPLE DON'T USE THEM IN THEIR HOUSES? YEP. WE HOUSE SOME CARS AROUND THE COUNTY. THERE ARE MANY FACILITIES. NONE OF THOSE ONES WITHOUT ANY EQUIPMENT AND GO HOME. OUR BUY VEHICLES DON'T GO HOME. SO WE HAVE BUY VEHICLES. I DON'T KNOW. I CAN'T SPEAK IF OUR NARCOTICS AGENCY COMES UP ON SOMETHING AND THEY USE ONE OF THE VEHICLES THAT WAS SIGNED AS NARCOTICS FOR A BUY. BUT WE DO HAVE VEHICLES THERE. AND TO ALSO GO BACK TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION ON THE POOL VEHICLES, WE DO HAVE POOL VEHICLES FOR OUR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. ...ADVERTISEMENTS THAT ARE PARTNERS OR VEHICLES, AND THEY THINK THAT EITHER PERSON WOULD HAVE TO WORK, AND THAT THEY HAVE TO USE IT, THEY WOULD THINK THAT PEOPLE... AND I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE OF THOSE FULL VEHICLES. DURING THE STORM, WE HAD TWO DEPUTIES THAT WENT AND PICKED UP BABY FORMULA IN PENNSYLVANIA AND BROUGHT IT BACK. SO OBVIOUSLY THE FULL VEHICLES ARE FOR STUFF LIKE THAT. YEAH. I'M ASKING 435 WHEN YOU GET THIS POLICY. WAS THERE A POLICY THAT YOU USED DIFFERENT FROM THE COUNTY POLICY, OR WERE YOU SUBJECT TO THE COUNTY POLICY? I DON'T KNOW. I'M ASKING YOU. WAS IT BEFORE 3-5 WHEN YOU HAD THIS DRAFT OF A POLICY THERE, BEFORE THAT, DID YOU HAVE A POLICY SEPARATE FROM THE COUNTY'S POLICY, OR WERE YOU SUBJECT FULLY TO THE COUNTY'S POLICY? I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE COUNTY POLICY IS BECAUSE THE COUNTY POLICY REALLY DOESN'T, YEAH, I KNOW YOU HAVE, BUT WHAT I'M SAYING IS THE COUNTY POLICY DOESN'T REALLY PLAY TO US BECAUSE WE'RE NOT IN A FIGHT. AND THIS IS ALL DUE RESPECT TO THE COUNTY WORKERS. WE'RE NOT A NINE-TO-FIVE, YOU KNOW, PROFESSION FOR 24 HOURS. SO THIS POLICY BASICALLY, THIS POLICY RIGHT HERE, THE NEW ONE, IS WHAT WE WERE DOING PRIOR TO THAT. BEFORE YOU, SO... WE KNOW THAT'S NOT, I MEAN, I KNOW THAT CAN'T BE RIGHT BECAUSE YOU SAID THAT BEFORE YOU CAME HERE, YOU SAID THEY COULD NEVER USE IT FOR PERSONAL USE, AND NOW YOU HAVE PRETTY MUCH UNLIMITED PERSONAL USE, AND YOU SAID THAT YOU ALWAYS HAVE TO CALL IN BEFORE, AND NOW YOU DON'T HAVE TO CALL IN BEFORE. WHEN YOU'RE DOING PASSIVE POLICING, GOING AND GETTING YOUR MILK TO REDUCE CRIME, NOW THEY CAN CHARGE THE COUNTY FOR THAT UNDER THIS POLICY THAT YOU HAVE. I SUPPOSE THOSE, I THINK, ARE REASONS, NOT A WITCH HUNT. I'M JUST TRYING TO PROTECT THE TAXPAYERS. WELL, I JUST GOT TO SAY THIS. OF ALL THE ISSUES THAT YOUR DISTRICT HAS, I DON'T THINK THIS IS IN THE TOP TEN. SO THIS IS DEFINITELY A POLITICAL ATTACK IN MY OFFICE AND ME PERSONALLY. IT IS. LEGISLATOR, YOU KNOW IT AND I KNOW IT. AFFORDABILITY, HOUSING, PUBLIC SAFETY, THAT'S WHAT PEOPLE IN AMHERST CARE. THIS IS FOR SOMETHING THAT YOU WANT TO DO WHEN YOU LEAVE HERE OR WHENEVER YOU'RE CARRYING THE WATER FOR SOMEBODY ELSE. BUT I HAVE TO MAKE THE STATEMENT AS SHERIFF JEAN. GARCIA ON THAT, AND IT'S VERY TRANSPARENT WHAT YOU'RE DOING BECAUSE THIS IS, WE SAVED OVER 3% LAST YEAR IN OUR BUDGET. THIS IS THE BEST WAY TO CONDUCT BUSINESS ABOUT VEHICLES. WE HAVE 177 DEPUTIES THAT COVER 600 SQUARE MILES IN OUR REGIONAL RESOURCE, AND EVERYBODY WANTS TO COME TO THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE TO WORK. IT'S THE BEST AGENCY IN WESTERN NEW YORK. AND FOR SOME REASON... YOU'VE GOT TO FIND SOMETHING, REALLY, A VEHICLE POLICY. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU READ, DID YOU READ THE AUDIT? DID YOU LISTEN TO ANYTHING THAT HAPPENED WITH GRANVILLE? DID YOU LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE'S OBJECTIONS ABOUT THE AMOUNT OF YOUR BUDGET? DO YOU LISTEN TO YOUR VOTERS, TO THE RESIDENTS OF AMHERST? YES, I GO DOOR TO DOOR. AFFORDABLE LIVING, HOUSING, PUBLIC SAFETY. I'VE NEVER HEARD ANYBODY ASK ABOUT THE ERIE COUNTY SHERIFF'S POLICY. OKAY, ALL RIGHT, LET'S PUT THAT ASIDE. YOU CAN QUESTION MY MOTIVES, AND I CAN QUESTION YOUR DIVERSIONIST MOTIVES. I THINK EVERYBODY IS. BUT I THINK EVERYBODY IS. OKAY. NO, ONLY A CERTAIN SET OF PEOPLE THAT YOU'RE AFFILIATED WITH. OKAY. WHICH SIDE IS THAT? BOTTOM LINE IS THIS, IS DO YOU HAVE ANY FORM ON ANY THAT YOU USE TO HAVE SOMEBODY ACTUALLY APPROVE, I AM ASSIGNING THIS VEHICLE TO YOU, EACH YEAR OR ANY OTHER TIME. DO YOU HAVE ANY FORM THAT WAS EVER SIGNED? YES, WE DO. AND THEN WHEN DID THAT, WHY DIDN'T YOU PRODUCE THOSE FORMS WHEN WE ASKED FOR THEM? BECAUSE, AS I SAID BEFORE, I'M NOT GOING TO GIVE YOU POLICE-SENSITIVE INFORMATION THAT COULD BE PUT OUT THAT SAYS THAT JEAN DOE LIVES AT 123 MAIN STREET IN ELMA, AND HE'S DRIVING THE FOLLOWING VEHICLE WITH THE FOLLOWING LICENSE PLATE, AND THE CONTROLLER EVEN WANTED HIS DRIVER'S LICENSE. THAT'S POLICE-SENSITIVE INFORMATION, AND THEY SHOULDN'T KNOW THAT THESE CARS AND THEIR VEHICLES, I HAVE A SAFE, AND I HAVE AN ARSENAL. AND IF I DRIVE DOWN THE STREET AND MY RADIO IS ON AND THERE'S AN ACTIVE SHOOTING, I'M GOING TO PUT MY VEST [01:35:01] ON AND I'M GOING IN THERE TO STOP IT, OKAY? YOU KNOW WHO'S NOT DOING THAT? YOU. SO OUR DEPUTIES ARE DOING THAT. IT COMES WITH A GREAT RISK TO LIFE, BUT WE DO IT BECAUSE IT'S AN HONORABLE PROFESSION. SO WHEN I TELL PEOPLE TO TAKE THEIR CARS HOME, I GOT TO TELL YOU, LEGISLATOR, IT'S A LOT EASIER TO KEEP YOUR CAR AT HOME. AND NOT BEING HELD RESPONSIBLE IF YOU DRIVE BY SOMEWHERE TO ENGAGE, OKAY? THESE PEOPLE ARE TOLD THEY HAVE TO ENGAGE BECAUSE WITH THE WORLD WE LIVE IN AND WHAT WE'VE SEEN LAST WEEK IN BOTH MICHIGAN AND OLD DOMINION, THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE. BUT YOU FORGET ABOUT THAT. YOU FORGET ABOUT IT UNTIL SOMETHING HAPPENS. AND THEN THERE'S A SHOOTING SOMEWHERE. AND YOU SAY, MY GOD, WE NEED A NEW POLICY OF SOMETHING TO DO. AND LIKE MR. MILLS SAID, THE PEOPLE LOVE TO SEE POLICE ALL OVER THE PLACE. EVERYBODY DOES. AND WHEN WE'RE OUT THERE, WE'RE OUT THERE. AND I EXPECT YOU, IF YOU'RE DRIVING YOUR VEHICLE, YOU STOP AND YOU STOP THE THREAT. YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS? IT MEANS NOT HIDING BEHIND A TREE LIKE THAT GUY DID IN FLORIDA. IT MEANS ENCOUNTERING THE SHOOTER LIKE THAT GENTLEMAN DID IN MICHIGAN AND STOP. A SHOOTING. SO YOU TALK ABOUT PETTIES, AND YOU SAY THAT IT'S ACTUALLY FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE TO TAKE HOME CARE. AND STILL, YOU'RE HAMMERING ON THIS POLICY, WHICH IS THE BEST POLICY. IT'S THE MOST EFFICIENT, EFFECTIVE, AND FISCALLY AFFORDABLE TO THE COUNTY. ALL RIGHT. SO SOMEONE DID SIGN OUT ON EACH OF THESE EVERY WEEK. EVERY VEHICLE THAT WAS GIVEN OUT, SOMEONE SIGNED OFF ON IT, YOU'RE SAYING? BUT YOU'RE NOT PRODUCING THEM. BUT SOMEBODY DID SIGN OFF ON THEM. AND WAS THAT YOU OR WAS IT THE PERSON? THE SURGEON SAID, LISTEN, EVERYBODY IS TOLD WHAT THE RULES ARE, WHAT YOUR EXPECTATIONS ARE. I'M SAYING YOU JUST SAID THAT SOMEBODY SIGNED OFF ON A PIECE OF PAPER. I'M ASKING, IS THAT TRUE OR NOT TRUE? I THINK THERE'S A CONFUSION HERE. SO ONE OF THE REASONS, THE OLD COUNTING FORM, AND MAYBE DON'T WANT TO KNOCK ME OUT, WHEN I TOOK OVER THE FLEET OPERATIONS, WE WEREN'T USED TO IT BECAUSE THE VEHICLES CHANGE WEEKLY. VEHICLES ARE CONSTANTLY CHANGING. VIN NUMBERS ARE CHANGING. VEHICLES THAT DEPUTIES ARE ASSIGNED TO ARE CHANGING. SO WE HAVE OUR OWN INTERNAL SIT-DOWN WITH THE DEPUTY AND DISCUSS EVERYTHING. ALL OF THE MILEAGE THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, ALL THIS, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS IT? MY MECHANICS LOG THE MILEAGE. WE PROBABLY TRIED THE FUEL. IT WAS NOT PERFECT FOR THE TECHNOLOGY. BUT WE DO, WE DO LOOK AT THE MILEAGE OF THE VEHICLES. WE DO LOOK AT THE WEAR AND TEAR. THIS IS WHAT I WAS WANTING TO KNOW, IS THAT, SO THERE'S NO FORM, IS THERE A DOCUMENT THAT YOU SIGNED? WHEN YOU GAVE THAT INSTRUCTION TO THE WORKER? NO, I DON'T NEED THE DEPUTY SIGN. IT'S A VERY SIMPLE, UNDERSTANDABLE POLICY. I KEEP TRACK OF THE VEHICLES, WHO THEY'RE ASSIGNED TO, THE MID-DIVERS. THE SHERIFF MADE A GOOD POINT THAT THE WAY WE DO THE BUSINESS WITH THE OUTFITTING, THERE'S A LOT OF EQUIPMENT THAT'S INVOLVED IN THESE VEHICLES THAT'S ASSIGNED TO A MID-DIVER. AND YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE DEPUTY? BUT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A MAJORITY OF THE VEHICLES HERE. A BIG MAJORITY OF THE VEHICLES HERE. AND THERE IS A WORRY THAT DEPUTIES WHO ARE OUT THERE MAKING ARRESTS ALL OF A SUDDEN HAVE THEIR PERSONAL INFORMATION LEAKED OR WHAT EQUIPMENT IS PARKED IN THEIR DRIVEWAY. BECAUSE THERE IS ALSO A SENSE ON OUR SIDE WHERE WE HAVE TO PROTECT THAT EQUIPMENT AND PROTECT OUR EMPLOYEES. SO THERE IS SOME CONCERN OF JUST TURNING OVER INFORMATION ON WHAT VEHICLES HAVE. I THINK WE DID A PRETTY GOOD JOB IN THE AUDIT PROVIDING HOW MANY VEHICLES WE HAVE, WHAT THEY'RE IN USE FOR. AND SINCE I'VE BEEN IN CHARGE OF THE FLEET, I HAVEN'T SEEN ANY RED FLAGS OF ANY VEHICLE USAGE OR ANY FUEL USAGE. UNLESS YOU CAN BRING UP A GOOD POINT, IF YOU CAN SHOW ME A CONCERN WITH THE FUEL USAGE, I'LL BE HAPPY TO LOOK AT IT. BUT JOE AND I WORK EVERY DAY. THE THING IS THAT PEOPLE WHO AREN'T DEPUTIES OR WHOSE VEHICLE DOESN'T GO UNDER THE LAW ENFORCEMENT EXEMPTION, NOT EVERYONE IN YOUR DEPARTMENT IS UNDER THAT EXEMPTION. THAT THEY HAVE TO KEEP TRACK OF THEIR PERSONAL USE OF, IF THEY HAVE A VEHICLE THAT THEY'RE USING, THEY HAVE TO KEEP TRACK OF THEIR PERSONAL USE AND BE TAXED ON THAT. SO I'M SAYING NOT FOR DEPUTIES WHO HAVE A TAKE-HOME VEHICLE, NOT THOSE THAT HAVE A LICENSE, A SQUAD CAR, THAT LEGISLATOR MILLS WAS SAYING THAT PEOPLE LIKE TO SEE IN FRONT OF THE STORE. NOT THAT VEHICLE. BUT THE OTHER VEHICLES, IF THERE'S NOT THAT MUCH EQUIPMENT, OR IF THEY'RE CIVILIAN, LIKE ANYONE WHO WORKS IN THE JAIL, ALL THEIR PERSONAL USE IS TAXED. THOSE ARE CERTIFIED PEACE OFFICERS. THEY'RE ACTUALLY SWORN. [01:40:01] THEY CAN'T. CAN THEY ARREST OR THEY CAN'T ARREST? OF COURSE THEY CAN'T. THE IRS PUT IN THAT. I'M SORRY. OF COURSE YOU COULD ARREST. YES. YEAH. THE ONLY PERSON THAT'S A CIVILIAN THAT HAS A VEHICLE IS THE DIRECTOR OF PROFESSIONAL HEALTH. AND SHE HAS TO TAKE HOME THE VEHICLE. YEAH. EVEN SHE HAS TO REPORT PERSONAL ABUSE. SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PERSONAL ABUSE VERSUS NON-PERSONAL ABUSE. THAT ISN'T A CERTIFIED PEACE OFFICER OR CERTIFIED POLICE OFFICER? LAW ENFORCEMENT HAS TO BE SOMEBODY THAT ARRESTS. IS IT IRS REGULATIONS? A PEACE OFFICER COULD ARREST? NO, A POLICE OFFICER. ARE YOU AN ATTORNEY? YOU'RE AN ATTORNEY, RIGHT? YEAH, I SENT THE IRS REGULATIONS TO THEM. I'M SORRY? I SENT THE IRS REGULATIONS. THEY SPECIFICALLY EXCLUDE PEOPLE WHO WORK IN PRISONS AND DISTRICT ATTORNEYS. IT'S ONLY PEOPLE WHO ARE ACTUAL POLICE OFFICERS WHO CAN ARREST. SO IT'S NOT PEOPLE WHO WORK IN A JAIL. RIGHT? THEY AREN'T PART OF THAT EXEMPTION. PEACE OFFICERS ARE EXEMPT. OKAY. MAYBE YOU CAN FIND THAT SECTION OF THE IRS. ARE WE TALKING ABOUT IRS RULES OR THE EFFICIENCY OF BEING EFFICIENT, EFFECTIVE, AND FISCALLY CONSERVATIVE POLICY? NOW YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT IRS. I'M TALKING TO YOU. WE'RE SUPPOSED TO DO PERSONAL USE. I'M JUST SAYING THAT IF IT'S... ALL RIGHT, SO I'M JUST SAYING THAT YOU KEEP TRACK OF ANY PERSONAL MILEAGE NOW? YES, YEAH. OH, SO YOU HAVE FORMS THAT KEEP TRACK OF PERSONAL MILEAGE NOW? YES. SO YOU HAVE DOCUMENTS THAT KEEP TRACK OF PERSONAL MILEAGE? WE'RE TALKING THE ONE VEHICLE. DO YOU HAVE DOCUMENTS THAT SHOW PERSONAL USE VERSUS NON-PERSONAL USE? WE TRACK MILEAGE FOR MAINTENANCE AND MILEAGE FOR FUEL. SO, I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW. YEAH, IT'S NOT SURE HOW MUCH WEIGHT IT WILL BE. I'M GOING TO RAISE THE QUESTION. I'M NOT REALLY SURE. NOBODY HAS QUESTIONS. BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO BREAK THE, I DON'T UNDERSTAND IT. TO BREAK DOWN THE LIST THAT WHEN I WAS ON PATROL, I MIGHT HAVE STOPPED AT THOMPSON HIGHWAY HOME, YES. AND I WOULD GET. 100 THANK YOUS OR SMILES OR THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. BUT I PASS THAT TOPS EVERY DAY. AND THE WAY WE WORK AS A DEPARTMENT, IT'S A LITTLE SUFFICIENT WAY. I DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT PERSONAL USE AND WHEN IT'S NOT PERSONAL USE AND ALL PERSONAL USE AND WHEN YOU'RE CALLED FOR A CALL. BECAUSE WE HAVE DEPUTIES THAT GET OFF SHIFT AND GO RIGHT BACK ON SHIFT. THEY GET HALFWAY HOME, THEY GET CALLED TO ANOTHER DISTRICT, THEY GET CALLED TO ANOTHER CALL, THEY PASS AN ACCIDENT CARD. SO IF YOU WANT TO LOG EVERY MINUTE, THAT'S JUST NOT TO LOG EVERY MINUTE YOU'RE USING THE CARD. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THAT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE. OKAY, SO AS THE FLEET MANAGER, YOU... YOU DON'T RECORD THEM TO KEEP TRACK OF PERSONAL USE, WHICH IS FINE, IF THAT'S YOUR ANSWER. I'M JUST SAYING THAT'S YOUR ANSWER. YOU'RE THE FLEET MANAGER. I DON'T THINK PERSONAL USE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE BFOS. I DON'T SEE DEPUTIES DOING IT. I DON'T SEE DEPUTIES TAKING THEIR FAMILIES OUT TO DINNER OR THEIR KIDS OR GOING ON VACATION WITH THEM. I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU ENVISION. I MEAN, IF THEY HAVE TO RESPOND TO A CALL AFTER THEY'VE BEEN HOME OR BECAUSE YOU'RE ON THE SWAT TEAM. OR BECAUSE YOU'RE AN SBU DETECTIVE, OR BECAUSE YOU'RE A DETECTIVE GOING TO DEAL WITH A HOMICIDE, WHEN DO YOU SWITCH THE CLOCK ON AND OFF? YOU SHOULD BE SAYING THANK YOU TO THE DEPUTIES THAT ARE WILLING TO TAKE HOME A CAR, AND AT 2 O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING THEY GET A CALL LIKE WE HAD AT THE GRAND ISLAND THE OTHER DAY OF A BARRICADED INDIVIDUAL THAT CAME OUT WITH A GUN, AND THEY RESPONDED. THOSE ARE THE REALITIES. YOU'RE PLAYING POLITICAL GAMES RIGHT NOW WITH THIS LEGISLATOR. WE'VE GOT BIGGER ISSUES. AND I JUST WANTED TO MENTION THIS. YOU KNOW, YOU TELL ME ABOUT SENDING OVER MATERIALS AND SOMETHING. WE SPENT THREE-QUARTERS OF A MILLION DOLLARS DOING A JAIL STUDY. OUR PEOPLE DID A LOT OF MAN HOURS OF COMPILING INFORMATION, DATA. THEY CAME OUT WITH A STUDY IN MAY OF LAST YEAR. AND IN NOVEMBER OF LAST YEAR, YOU TOLD ME RIGHT HERE IN THIS ROOM THAT YOU HADN'T READ IT. THAT'S EMBARRASSING. I'M TELLING YOU RIGHT NOW, WE CAN'T AFFORD A $3 MILLION JOB RIGHT NOW. YOU NEVER READ THE STUDY. ALL RIGHT. YOU'RE A VORACIOUS READER. YOU NEVER READ THE STUDY. ALL RIGHT. YEAH. SO I'LL SEND YOU MORE INFORMATION. THE CONTROLLER HAS ALL THE INFORMATION AND THE RED DAMPER. [01:45:04] THE CONTROLLER HAS INFORMATION OF WHAT? THE AUDIT. YEAH, HE HAD THE AUDIT BACK IN US. WE WENT OVER WITH THE SHERIFF. WE MET WITH THE PARTS THAT WEREN'T LISTED AS CONFIDENTIAL. ALL RIGHT. LET ME ASK YOU THIS. IS THERE ANYTHING THAT SOMEONE THAT WORKS IN YOUR DEPARTMENT COULD DO THAT WOULD RESULT IN THEM TAKING AWAY? THEY'RE RIGHT. THEY'RE PRIVILEGED TO HAVE A CAR, SUCH AS A DWI OR... ANY OFF-DUTY USE OF AN ASSIGNED VEHICLE THAT COMPROMISES THE PROFESSIONAL IMAGE OF THE AGENCY WILL CAUSE FOR REVOKING THE ASSIGNED VEHICLE PRIVILEGE. IT COULD RESULT IN DISCIPLINARY ACTION UP TO AND INCLUDING TERMINATION. ONE MORE QUESTION. OKAY. THE OTHER THING IS, AND TO DATE, HAVE YOU DONE THAT WITH ANYONE? I'M SORRY? HAVE YOU REMOVED SOMEONE FROM USING A CAR FOR PERSONAL USE THAT HAD ANY... THINGS THAT IN A REGULAR COMPANY THEY WOULD REMOVE SOME OF THEM. IN FIVE YEARS, WE'VE HAD SOME VENDOR VENDORS THAT PEOPLE HAVE BEEN TAKING, YOU KNOW, HAD PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS DIVISION CASES ON THEM, AND WE'VE TAKEN THE NECESSARY ACTIONS. OKAY. AND THEN AS FAR AS THE FINAL QUESTION IS, WITH THE NEW POLICY THAT YOU HAVE SAYING THAT SOMEBODY CAN OF THE NOT CALLED INTO WORK, BUT THEN AFTER THE FACT, SAY, I WAS WORKING FOR A NUMBER OF HOURS BY HELPING A CITIZEN OR PREVENTING CRIME. THOSE SEEM VERY BROAD AND HARD TO BUDGET. THAT PERSON, ANYBODY THAT COMES ACROSS, LET'S SAY, YOU'RE OFF DUTY, YOU'RE HEADED HOME, AND YOU COME ACROSS A STRANDED MOTORIST, A FIGHT, WHATEVER. IT'S AFTER WORKING 12 HOURS IN ANY JOB FOR THEM TO ENGAGE. THAT'S WHAT THEY SHOULD DO. I WOULD BE UPSET IF THEY DIDN'T DO THAT. NOW, WHEN THEY DO THAT, THEY HAVE TO CALL THE WATCH COMMANDER. THE WATCH COMMANDER DETERMINES IF THEY'RE OUTSIDE, LET'S SAY, OUR PRIMARY LAW ENFORCEMENT AREA IN AMHERST OR HAMBURG. THEY CALL THE RESPECTIVE DEPARTMENT TO SEND A CAR OVER, AND THEY WAIT UNTIL THEY GO. AND I'VE GOT TO TELL YOU, THEY NEVER PUT IN FOR ANYTHING. SO, IF YOU'RE ACCUSING DEPUTIES OF STEALING, WELL, YOU JUST SAID IT. I'M SAYING THAT NOW WITH THIS NEW POLICY... NO, IT NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE. PARDON? IT NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE. I'VE HAD MANY PEOPLE THAT HAVE STOPPED, THEY'VE CALLED THE WATCH COMMANDER, AND THEY STAY THERE FOR HALF AN HOUR, 45 MINUTES OUT OF THEIR OWN TIME, AND I SAY THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT. BECAUSE WE'RE IN THE IRVING COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE. WE'RE THE SHINING STAR OF ANY AND ALL COUNTY SHERIFF OFFICES IN NEW YORK STATE. AND THAT'S THE REPUTATION WE HAVE WITH EVERYONE EXCEPT YOURSELF, LEGISLATOR, AND IT'S POLITICAL. I THINK THE MISCONCEPTION THAT DEPUTIES ARE GOING TO CREATE ZERO OVERTIME IS A LITTLE RIDICULOUS. I'VE BEEN AT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE 24 YEARS OLD, AND I DEDICATE A LOT OF TIME OF MY LIFE TO THIS PLACE. AND I KNOW A LOT OF DEPUTIES WHO LOVE THIS JOB AND RESPECT IT AND RESPECT THE CITIZENS OF THE COUNTY. AND THEY PUT A LOT OF HOURS IN, A LOT OF HOURS. AND THERE'S POLICY AND PROCEDURE ON THE END OF OVERTIME, AS THE SHERIFF SAID. WE JUST DON'T GO OUT THERE AND MAKE OUR OWN SHIFTS. SHIFTS ARE SCHEDULED. SHIFTS ARE SIGNED OFF ON BY LIEUTENANTS, CAPTAINS, AND CHIEFS. THERE ARE CALL-INS, THERE ARE SITUATIONS WHERE DETECTIVES ARE CALLED IN, ARSONISTS AND INVESTIGATORS ARE CALLED IN, TRAFFIC IS CALLED IN, AND OTHER UNITS ARE CALLED IN. BUT THAT'S ALL GENERATED FROM A SITUATION. IT'S ALL GENERATED FROM A 911 CALL OR SOMETHING THAT JUST STARTED. SO THE ASSUMPTION THAT DEPUTIES ARE JUST HOPPING IN THEIR POLICE VEHICLES AND DRIVING AROUND AND CHARGING OVERTIME, I DON'T SEE IT HAPPENING. AND I CAN ALSO SAY... I'M SORRY? I'M SAYING, NOT SAYING... I'M NOT SAYING IT WORKS IN THE PAST BECAUSE YOU SAID THAT... WELL, THAT'S JUST COMMON SENSE. IF YOU'RE NOT WORKING, YOU DON'T HELP YOUR CAR AND START WORKING AND EXPECT TO GET PAID. THAT'S NOT HAPPENING. AND IF THAT HAPPENS, NOT ONLY THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A BIGGER PROBLEM WITH THAT INDIVIDUAL AND THAT PERSON WHO GETS HIM OR HER. SO YOU'RE SAYING THAT PEOPLE ARE JUMPING IN THEIR CARS AND GOING TO WORK WHEN THEY'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO? NO, NO, I'M SAYING THAT WHEN YOU CAME HERE BEFORE, YOU SAID THAT BEFORE... IT'S A FUNDAMENTAL RULE THAT BEFORE SOMEBODY STARTS WORKING, THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO CALL UP AND SAY, I'M WORKING, I'M ON THE CLOCK. NOW THIS NEW POLICY DOESN'T SAY THAT. IT SAYS THAT... WELL, AS I WAS SAYING TO LEGISLATOR ST. JEAN, THIS IS A WORK IN PROGRESS. IF YOU WANT TO PUT MORE DETAILS IN THERE, I'M NOT AGAINST PUTTING THE DETAILS IN THERE, BUT THIS KIND OF TRUMPS EVERYTHING RIGHT HERE. IF YOU DO SOMETHING UNPROFESSIONAL, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE WORKING WITH US, LEGISLATOR. WE HAVE 177 DEPUTIES, AND THEY'RE GREAT MEN AND WOMEN. AND THEY WORK THEIR BUTT OFF, AND WE COVER 1,000 SQUARE MILES [01:50:02] WITH 177 DEPUTIES. MONROE COUNTY IS SMALLER. THEY HAVE 500 DEPUTIES. YOUR TOWN HAS THE SAME AMOUNT OF PEOPLE FOR 50 SQUARE MILES WITH THE SAME BUDGET. I THINK WE DO THINGS A LOT MORE AFFORDABLE, AND I JUST DON'T SEE THAT THE SYSTEM IS BROKEN, BUT I'M WILLING TO. HEY, LISTEN. IF THERE'S WORK TO BE DONE, AND I'M WILLING TO DO IT, I WANT TO LEAVE THIS OFFICE IN A BETTER PLACE THAN I FOUND IT. SO SOMEDAY ALL OF US WON'T BE HERE, AND I WOULD SAY I DID A HELL OF A JOB. AND WE'VE DONE VERY BIG, BIG LIFTS WITHIN THE JAIL AND OUTSIDE. AND, YOU KNOW, YOU SAID THE JAIL IS VERY EXPENSIVE, AND I AGREE WITH YOU AS A TAXPAYER. AND I JUST SAID MY TAXES, OH MY GOD. I DON'T MAKE A LOT OF MONEY, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, TAXES ARE IMPORTANT. I'M A TAXPAYER. I'M VERY CONSERVATIVE WHEN IT COMES TO BEING FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE. I HAVE A COUPLE OTHER LEGISLATORS, BERNICE, WHO WANTED TO ASK A QUESTION, AND THEN ALSO, LURIE, WHO WANTED TO ASK A QUESTION. OKAY. SHERIFF, THANKS FOR COMING. I KNOW THIS IS A LITTLE HEATED, SO I'M GOING TO TRY TO BRING IT DOWN. THIS IS OUR NORMAL COURSE OF ACTION HERE AT A LEGISLATOR. THIS IS OUR PROFESSION. WHEN I GET LOUD, IT'S NOT BECAUSE I'M AGITATED. I CAN'T HEAR. I GOT HEARING AIDS, BUT I STILL CAN'T HEAR. SO MY TONE, DON'T TAKE IT. YOU DID WELL IN MY ITALIAN FAMILY DINNER, SO COME ON OVER. OH, ABSOLUTELY. I HAVE A QUESTION. ABOUT NON-PATROL TAKE-HOME VEHICLES ACCORDING TO THE TAX LAW. SO NON-PATROL, PATROLMEN ARE EXEMPT, BUT NON-PATROL TAKE-HOME VEHICLES, WHEN THEY USE IT FOR PERSONAL TIME, HAS TO BE RECORDED AND SENT TO PERSONNEL BECAUSE IT CHANGES THEIR TAXABLE INCOME, BECAUSE IT'S A BENEFIT THAT THEY'RE RECEIVING FROM THE COUNTY. IS THAT BEING DONE AND HOW DOES THAT BE? SO, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE TAX LAW. I'M SORRY. I'M JUST SAYING THIS. I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE TAX LAW. OKAY. BUT WE HAVE ONE VEHICLE THAT'S TO A NON-CERTIFIED PEACE OFFICER OR POLICE OFFICER. ONE. AND IF THAT'S THE CASE, THEN I WILL ADVISE THAT PERSON. AND I DIDN'T KNOW WE WERE GOING TO TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, TELLING COUNTY EMPLOYEES ABOUT PERSONAL USE. HOW TO DO THEIR TAXES TODAY, BUT NOW THAT I KNOW, I'LL MAKE SURE THAT THEY UNDERSTAND. OUR RESPONSIBILITY IS TO COUNT. ONE PERSON. BUT, MEL, I THINK YOU'RE MISUNDERSTANDING THE TAX CODE. BECAUSE IT DEFINES PATROL MODE, NOT POLICE OFFICER, ACTUAL PATROL MODE. SO ANYBODY ELSE, THAT IS A TAXABLE INCOME. THAT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY AS A COUNTY TO REPORT TO PAYROLL BECAUSE IT'S A BENEFIT THAT THEY'RE RECEIVING, BUT NOT THE EXACT NUMBER. IT CHANGES THEIR TAXABLE INCOME. IT'S A BENEFIT THAT THEY'RE RECEIVING. AND I THINK THOSE NUMBERS, SO THAT, APPLIES, I BELIEVE, NOT ONLY, I BELIEVE, IT COULD BE WRONG, TO YOUR DEPARTMENT, BUT ALL DEPARTMENTS. I COULD BE WRONG ON THAT, BUT I'M NOT 100% BECAUSE I ONLY LIVE FOR PATROLMEN. SO IT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY. THOSE NUMBERS HAVE TO BE REPORTED TO PAYROLL. OKAY. SO, YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, THE JAIL, NO, NO, BUT YOU'RE REFERRING TO WITH THE WITH THE JAIL PEACE OFFICER STATUS AND THE K-9S, I... SO, OR ANYBODY ELSE THAT IS A NON-PROCUREMENT. YEAH. SO IF THEY USE IT FOR PERSONAL USE, LIKE YOU SAID, POINT THE TOP, OR THE RIGHT SIDE, THAT IS PERSONAL USE THAT HAS TO BE REPORTED BECAUSE THEY'RE RECEIVING... A BENEFIT FROM LOSS OF THE COUNTY, THAT HAS TO BE TESTED. IT RAISES THEIR TAX MONEY. DID YOU LET THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE KNOW THAT? THAT HE HAS TO PUT IT ON HIS TAX BILL? I DON'T KNOW WHAT HE FEELS. BECAUSE HE'S NOT A PATROLMAN. I'M SORRY, THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE DOESN'T HAVE A TAKE-HOME VEHICLE. OH, THEN HE DOESN'T HAVE A TAKE-HOME VEHICLE. SO, TO ANSWER THE QUESTION, WE DON'T DO THAT. MY QUESTION, OR WE DO NEED TO. OKAY. WE CAN LOOK INTO IT. I PERSONALLY HAVEN'T. I'VE BEEN MADE AWARE [01:55:01] OF THIS CATCH NOW. YOU KNOW, AND THERE'S NOT A LOT OF VEHICLES OUT THERE THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE. AND, AGAIN, I WANT TO STRESS, AS A PERSON, I ALWAYS THINK, LIKE, EVERYONE'S A STRATEGY VEHICLE, GROUND-AND-TIME MODEL. I PUT A LOT OF HOURS IN THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE. I PAY $650 FOR A PICKUP TRUCK THAT I BARELY DRIVE. AND I MAKE THAT PAYMENT EVERY MONTH. I LOOK FOR REASONS TO DRIVE TO THE TRUCK BECAUSE I MAKE THAT PAYMENT EVERY MONTH. I LIVE AT WORK BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT OF WORK THAT WE HAVE THERE. I UNDERSTAND THAT. BUT I WOULD BE HAPPY TO SIT DOWN AND LOOK AT WHAT'S COVERED AND WHAT'S NOT COVERED. AND THEN EVEN LOOKING BACK WHEN I WAS WHOLE THING ABOUT DRIVING VEHICLES BACK AND FORTH AND STUFF, IS THAT THE WAY, BECAUSE WE DON'T ALL HAVE AN OFFICE FROM THERE, WE WORK AND WE PATROL THE ENTIRE COUNTY. WE USUALLY START AND END OUR SHIFT IN OUR DRIVEWAY. ALRIGHT, SO IT'S A MISCONCEPTION THAT WE END THE SHIFT IN ELMA. AND I DRIVE HOME TO ORCHARD PARK AND I'M AT LOWE'S AND TOP-UP'S AND PET AND GROCERIES. FIRST OF ALL, I'D BE EMBARRASSED IF I WAS IN THE CAR DOING THAT. IF I STOPPED IN TOP FOR SOME MILK AND STUFF LIKE THAT OR SOMETHING SMALL, THAT'S FINE. BUT WE'RE NOT JUST DRIVING AROUND WITH THESE CARS. FIRST OF ALL, THEY'RE POLICE VEHICLES. THEY'RE INTERCEPTOR PURSUIT VEHICLES. THEY'RE VERY UNCOMFORTABLE. THEY'RE NOT THE CAR YOU TAKE ON FAMILY VACATIONS. SO, BUT, WE'LL DEFINE THE PATCH LAW, WE'LL LOOK AT IT, WE'LL FIGURE IT OUT. I'LL BE ABLE TO CONFER WITH THE, UM, THE TEAM CIRCUIT UNION, TO SEE HOW THEIR MEMBERS THAT WORK IN THE JAIL, THEIR CANINES, UM, HAVE BEEN DOING IT, AND, UM, DON'T, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THEY'LL GET BACK TO YOU OR MYSELF WITH, THE DETAILS OF... YOU KNOW, A CANINE TAKING HIS DOG HOME, IF HE HAS TO OR SHE HAS TO, PUTTING MILEAGE IN AS A BENEFIT FOR TAKING A DOG HOME, I'M SO GLAD THAT SOMEBODY, FIRST OF ALL, WANTS TO DO THE JOB, AND TWO, THAT THEY WANT TO BE A CANINE. WELL, LEGISLATOR, YOU'RE DOING FEDERAL TAX LAW NOW, SO. I MEAN, I THINK THIS IS... IT'S A REQUIREMENT ON US. YEAH, I KNOW, BUT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A VEHICLE POLICY. NOBODY MENTIONED ABOUT FEDERAL TAX LAW. I'M NOT PREPARED TO ANSWER ANY OF THOSE QUESTIONS. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY ARE. WELL, IT'S UP TO EACH DEPARTMENT TO REPORT. YEAH, SO I'LL LET THE TEAMSTERS KNOW TO TELL THEIR MEMBERS HOW TO DEAL WITH IT. LEGISLATORS THAT WANTED TO SAY SOMETHING, SO I DON'T THINK WE'RE GOING TO GET TO YOU GUYS TODAY, IF THAT'S OKAY. AND THEN WE CAN COME BACK ANOTHER DAY. AND THEN, SO I HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF WAITING, SO THEN I'LL LET MY RECEPTION GO. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR COMING TODAY. I WANTED TO START, THE LAW FIRM THAT YOU HAD CREATE THIS POLICY, DO THEY HAVE, HOW WERE THEY CHOSEN? BECAUSE THEY HAD SOME SORT OF EXPERIENCE DEALING WITH POLICIES LIKE THIS? SO, DAGLE LAW IS KIND OF THE LAW FIRM THAT CREATES A LOT OF THE POLICIES, PROCEDURES, BEST PRACTICES FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT THROUGHOUT THE NATION. SO, I MEAN, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE CHECKED WITH THE ERIE COUNTY LAW DEPARTMENT ON WHO TO DO THIS, AND THEY CAME UP WITH THIS. NOW, A LOT OF IT IS GUIDELINES FOR LEGISLATORS, AND LIKE I SAID TO A LEGISLATOR AT ST. JEAN, THIS IS A WORK IN PROGRESS, AND WE SAID WE WOULD TAKE SOME TIME BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF DETAILS IN IT, RIGHT? I MEAN, NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IRS AND FEDERAL, YOU KNOW, THAT'S SOMETHING NEW, AND, YOU KNOW, THAT WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT MOVING FORWARD, YOU KNOW. AND, YOU KNOW, THE IRS THING IS GOING TO AFFECT NOT ONLY THE ERIE COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE, BUT PROBABLY EVERY SINGLE... GOVERNMENT THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE COUNTY. NO, NO, I'M JUST SAYING, SO THAT'S WHY IT'S NOT IN HERE, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THAT'S SOMETHING NEW. BUT THAT'S GOING TO AFFECT EVERYBODY FROM TONAWANDA TO AMHERST, EVERYBODY IN THE COUNTY ABOUT IF YOU'RE NOT A PATROLMAN, YOU'RE JUST A PEACE OFFICER, BECAUSE NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS ARE NOT POLICE OFFICERS, AND THEIR COMMAND STAFF TAKES CARS HOME. THERE'S GOT TO BE AN ANSWER, I GUESS I'M SAYING. WITH DENTAL FEES, YOU KNOW, IN MY REAL LIFE, WHEN I THINK OF THE IRS FEES, I'M JUST GOING TO COMMENT. LET'S MOVE ON. I'M NOT ASKED ABOUT THAT. I JUST WANT TO KNOW, THROUGH THE LAW FIRM THAT DRAFTED THIS POLICY, THEY HAVE EXPERIENCE WITH NATIONWIDE, BUT THEY RECOMMEND THAT PEOPLE... THIS IS WHAT THEY DRAFTED. WE DID SOME TWEAKS. YOU KNOW, THERE'S SOME STUFF IN HERE THAT... [02:00:01] 10 STOOD OUT AS LEGISLATOR ST. JEAN POINTED OUT. THANK YOU, CONGRESSWOMAN. LEGISLATOR, CAN I MAYBE SHED A LITTLE MORE LIGHT ON THIS? SO THIS IS THE CONNECTICUT-BASED LAW GROUP. APPROXIMATELY 10 TO 12 LAWYERS OR CONSULTANTS ON STAFF WHO ALL HAVE SOME BACKGROUND IN EITHER LAW ENFORCEMENT SPECIFICALLY OR SOME SORT OF... CRIMINAL JUSTICE-RELATED FIELD. DECADES AND CENTURIES OF EXPERIENCE BEHIND THEM COMBINED. SO THIS IS CRAFTED BY PEOPLE THAT HAVE EXPERIENCE NATIONWIDE DOING CHARITABLE POLICIES, CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT, MA'AM. AND THE WAY THIS IS GOING TO GO OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT YEAR, YEAR AND A HALF, IS WE WILL BE SPEAKING WITH THEM ABOUT POLICIES WE'RE LOOKING TO DRAFT. THEY WILL SEND US A DRAFT. WE'LL REVIEW IT. WE WILL GO BACK AND FORTH WITH THEM ON OUR THOUGHTS ON IT. IF WE THINK THAT CHANGES NEED TO BE MADE, WE'LL ASK THEM IF IT STILL COMPLIES WITH BEST PRACTICES, CASE LAW, ET CETERA. AND ONCE WE GET TO THE END OF THAT ROAD, THE SHERIFF WILL PUT A SIGNATURE ON IT, AND IT WILL BE POLICY. IT'S AN OPEN-ENDED PROCESS THAT WILL CONTINUE FOR YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS AT THE U.S. COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE. WE WANT TO KEEP LOOKING AT OUR POLICIES. AND ADJUST THEM TO COMPLY WITH EXISTING CASE LAW AS IT DEVELOPS. THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WAS HAPPENING PREVIOUS TO SHERIFF GARCIA TAKING OFFICE. IT IS HAPPENING NOW. AND I'M HAPPY TO HEAR THAT. AND THAT'S THE REASON I ASKED. YOU KNOW, EVEN AS WE SIT HERE AND WE HAVE THIS SUBCOMMITTEE, I'M NOT GOING TO PRETEND THAT I'M AN EXPERT IN POLICE. I'M GOING TO ASK COMMISSIONER GEARY AND HIS FLEET MANAGER WHAT THEY NEED TO DO THEIR JOB. JUST LIKE I'M NOT GOING TO PRETEND I'M A SHERIFF'S DEPUTY OR A SHERIFF OR I HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT YOU NEED TO DO YOUR JOB. I AM HAPPY THAT WE HAVE A POLICY THAT'S DRAFTED BY PEOPLE THAT ARE PROFESSIONALS IN THIS AND WHAT THEY DO. I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE IS GETTING WHAT YOU GUYS NEED TO DO YOUR JOB. AND I REALIZE THAT, YOU KNOW, PERSONAL VEHICLES, I AGREE WITH LEGISLATOR MILLS, IT'S PART OF THE JOB. YOU KNOW, AND I THINK A CLARIFYING POINT WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, BECAUSE I DID READ THE POLICY, AND I THINK WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE PERSONAL USE OF THEM, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT... YOU KNOW, STOPPING AT WEGMANS OR WHEREVER ON THEIR WAY HOME. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO LOOK AT SECTION 2, AND IF YOU READ IT CAREFULLY, IT SAYS EMPLOYEES WHO RESIDE OUTSIDE OF ERIE COUNTY BUT WITHIN 20 MILES OF IT. SO THESE ARE PERSONAL USE VEHICLES THAT ARE GOING, LET'S SAY WE HAVE A SWAT COMMANDER WHO LIVES IN, I DON'T KNOW, OUTSIDE OF ERIE COUNTY SOMEWHERE. IN THAT 20 MILES, WITHIN 20 MILES, THEY CAN STOP ON THEIR WAY HOME. IT'S SPECIFICALLY IN HERE FOR THAT. I THINK I... BE CAUTIOUS TO TAKE THAT OUT. POLICIES ARE MADE TO SET UP SAFEGUARDS. IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT PEOPLE ARE GOING TO STEP OUTSIDE OF THE GATE, BUT THEN IT'S YOUR JOB AS THE SHERIFF TO JUST, I DON'T WANT THE LEGISLATOR FOR IT TO BE MY JOB. HE MIGHT COME INTO YOUR DEPARTMENT JUST AS MUCH AS HE MIGHT WANT US IN THERE. RESPECTFULLY, I DIDN'T MEAN TO MAKE AN ASSUMPTION THERE. BUT I ALSO KNOW, YOU KNOW, OTHER LEGISLATORS HAVE MADE PUBLIC COMMENTS ABOUT SEEING THAT THE INSPECTION OF E ABOUT RESTRICTING VEHICLES CAN'T BE USED. IF ANY HEALTH AND WELLNESS IS CONSUMED, FANTASTIC. PUT IT IN WRITING. I THINK THAT GIVES YOU GUYS PROTECTION TO THEN POINT BACK TO AND SAY YOU VIOLATED THE POLICY HERE. SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY I SUPPORT THOSE THINGS. I THINK IT IS GOOD TO SEE A POLICY LIKE THIS DRAFTED BY PEOPLE THAT ARE EXPERTS IN THIS FIELD. I DO HAVE ONE, I HAVE TWO MORE QUESTIONS. ONE IS JUST A TECHNICAL QUESTION. IN THAT PERSONAL USE SECTION, IT SAYS THAT DEPUTIES WHO RESIDE WITHIN ERIE COUNTY AND HAVE SPECIALIZED TECHNICAL INVESTIGATORS OR COMMAND RESPONSIBILITIES. WHAT ARE COMMAND RESPONSIBILITIES? I JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS. YES. YOUR MICROPHONE, I'M SORRY. THE ACOUSTICS ARE IN HERE. YOU'RE SITTING RIGHT THERE. I WON'T BE ABLE TO HEAR YOU. I'M SORRY? I WON'T BE ABLE TO HEAR YOU. NO, I, YEAH. SO YOU HAVE THE CHIEFS THAT ARE GOING TO BE ANSWERING. ALL THE CALLS THAT ARE MAJOR INCIDENTS, THEY'RE GOING TO BE AT THE CALLS. THOSE ARE, YOU KNOW, YOU SOMETIMES HAVE TO HAVE CAPTAINS, LIEUTENANTS. IT'S ALL LEADERSHIP, SUPERVISION. THAT IS THE FUNDAMENTAL BASIS OF POLICING IS TO HAVE A SUPERVISOR TO ENSURE THAT BEST PRACTICES ARE BEING PERFORMED, RECORDED, AND, YOU KNOW. WHEN YOU PUT IT THAT WAY, IT SOUNDS VERY OBVIOUS, BUT JUST READING THAT, IF NOT AN EXPERT, I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THE COMMAND RESPONSE WAS. THAT MAKES PRETTY SENSE. AND THAT'S WHY WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THIS. THE LAW FIRM DID THIS. THEY DO IT FOR A LOT OF POLICE AGENCIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY. THAT'S WHY THEY WERE SELECTED. WE HAVE TO MAKE SOME TWEAKS, YOU KNOW, AND I'M WILLING TO DO SO. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, I BELIEVE, I STRONGLY BELIEVE [02:05:03] THAT OUR DEPUTIES ARE DOING A GREAT JOB. WE'RE SPREAD OUT THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE COUNTY. AND ANYBODY THAT'S GONE FROM HERE... TO NEWSTEAD, TO BRAND, TO THE SENECA NATION OF INDIANS, THAT'S HOW FAR WE'RE GOING. SARDINIA, WE'RE NOT IN A TOWN LIKE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT IN THE CITY OF BUFFALO. WE'RE NOT IN A TOWN. WE ARE ALL OVER THE PLACE. AND WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE HAVE TO RESPOND TO THAT. SO IT COMES WITH A BENEFIT, BUT IT COMES WITH A GREAT RESPONSIBILITY THAT YOU'RE ON CALL. AND I APPRECIATE THAT YOU SAID THAT WITH SOMETHING ELSE. I THINK THE ASSUMPTION OR MAKING AN ASSUMPTION. AND UNLIKE MANY OTHER DEPARTMENTS, WE ALL DO RESPECT TO THEM. WHEN YOU'RE NOT THERE, IT'S NEXT WOMAN OR MAN UP. OKAY, WE HAVE MINIMUM STAFFING REQUIREMENTS, SO IT'S... ERIC CAN'T SHOW UP, THEN THE NEXT DEPUTY FROM THEIR HOUSE GETS CALLED IN, MANDATED, THEY'RE IN THEIR CAR, THEY RESPOND IMMEDIATELY TO THE DISTRICT TO ANSWER CALLS. BECAUSE THEY GET SICK, THEIR FAMILIES GET SICK, WHITE FAMILIES. AND I, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT'S WHERE, WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS POLICY, YOU CAN'T, WE HAVE TO TAKE THE ASSUMPTION THAT OUR POLICE ARE GOING TO CLOSE IN YOUR DEPARTMENT. AND I DON'T WANT TO MAKE ANY ASSUMPTIONS THAT THERE'S, YOU KNOW. I DO JUST HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION. THE TECHNOLOGY NEEDS TO BE IMPROVED. IT'S IN PLACE, BUT WHAT I WANT TO DO IN MEETING WITH COMMISSIONERS GARY AND MARIVELLI IS I WANT OUR TEAM TO TAKE OVER THE DATA OF THE GAS BOY DATA SO WE CAN KEEP TRACK OF EACH DEPUTY'S CONSUMPTION OF FUEL. RIGHT NOW, WE DON'T HAVE THAT. AND I KNOW IT COULD BE... ENHANCED SOMEHOW TECHNOLOGY BUT IT COMES WITH A COST AND I WAS IN HERE ONE DAY WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE SCANNING IN AND SCANNING OUT IN THE JAIL AND THE DIRECTOR CORNELL MENTIONED HOW WE HADN'T IMPLEMENTED THAT BECAUSE OF THE COST AND NOT HAVING A VENDOR YET SO THERE'S A LOT OF STUFF THAT WE WANT TO DO BUT IT COSTS MONEY SO IT UNDER THESE CONDITIONS AND THAT'S WHY WE... IF THIS BODY WANTS TO SPEND ON EACH DISTRICT BEING LIT, FENCED, SECURED, MANNED, INSTEAD OF COSTING US ZERO, DOING IT THIS WAY, THEN WE'LL CHANGE OUR POLICIES. AND ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, I THINK THE DEPUTIES, THEY WON'T CARE. BECAUSE TAKING HOME A MARKED CARD BRINGS A LOT OF ATTENTION AND RESPONSIBILITY, YOU KNOW. BECAUSE YOU ARE LOOKED UPON BY EVERYBODY, AND IF YOU DO ANYTHING, THEN IT AFFECTS EVERYBODY. SO, YOU KNOW, I EXPECT THEM TO RESPOND, LEGISLATORS, AND THAT'S WHAT THEY HAVE TO DO. UNFORTUNATELY, WE ONLY HAVE 177, WHICH I THINK IS INCREDIBLE TO WORK INTO. I APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU FOR ANSWERING. HOPEFULLY, THEN, YOU DON'T HAVE TO STOP. AND THE FINAL QUESTION IS FROM MEYERS. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, SHERIFF, FOR BEING HERE. I KNOW WE'RE HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE FLEET POLICY, BUT WE GOT INTO THIS IRS STUFF. SO I JUST HAVE A QUESTION. LEGISLATURE NEEDS A BROAD LIST OF PERSONNEL. THE DEPARTMENT NEEDS TO KNOW WHAT TO ADJUST, YOU KNOW, THE INCOME LEVEL OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, SOMETHING THAT THEY'RE OVERSEEING. YOU SAID THAT YOU ONLY HAD ONE OFFICER ON ONE. TAKE-HOME VEHICLE FOR ONE PERSON, BUT WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW, IT'S BEEN SAID HERE THAT IT GOES TO THE PERSONNEL DIRECTOR. SO I'M ASSUMING THERE'S PROBABLY A COUPLE HUNDRED VEHICLES THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE COUNTY THAT ARE TAKE-HOME VEHICLES. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW, WE HAVE A PERSONNEL DIRECTOR HERE, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE FILED THAT PAPERWORK AS AN ADDED BENEFIT THAT THEY'VE USED THAT VEHICLE. THAT'S WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IN THE FUTURE. THAT'S RICK'S PERSONALITY. HE'S HERE NOW, [02:10:01] BUT WE ALREADY SAID... YEAH, BUT THAT WAS MY POINT, JEAN. THAT WAS MY POINT. YES, YES. IT WAS OUR RESPONSIBILITY AS A SHERIFF. SO WE HAVE CERTIFIED POLICE, WE HAVE CERTIFIED PEACE OFFICERS, WE HAVE ONE CIVILIAN. MY POINT IS THAT THAT'S... IF THE RULE, AND THAT'S THE LAW FOR THE IRS FOR THEM TO DO THAT, THEN THAT'S THE LAW FOR EVERYBODY. AND I APOLOGIZE ABOUT SAYING, YOU KNOW, I THOUGHT THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE HAD A TAKE-HOME CARD. I IMAGINE NOW WE KNOW IF HE DOESN'T. SO, YOU KNOW, I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT PART ABOUT BRINGING HIS NAME UP. BUT LET'S FACE IT, THERE'S A LOT OF PERSONNEL IN THE COUNTY THAT ARE NOT. CERTIFIED POLICE OFFICERS. MY POINT IS, HONESTLY, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE IRS LAW, AND I WASN'T HERE TO RESPOND TO THAT, BUT IF THIS BODY WANTS TO PUT THE THUMB DOWN ON ALL THE COUNTY EMPLOYEES THAT ARE MAKING NO MONEY, THEN SO BE IT. WE HAVE WON. MY QUESTION IS FOR THE PEOPLE THAT ARE REQUIRED TO DO THAT, HOW MANY OF THEM DID THAT? THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO KNOW. YEAH. AND THAT'S NOT FOR YOU. I'M TALKING TO YOU. THE CONTROLLER HAS A QUESTION. YEAH, JUST A POINT OF INFORMATION. THE AUDIT SPENT QUITE A BIT OF TIME COVERING THIS WHOLE IRS QUESTION. I THINK PERHAPS THAT'S WHY IT'S BEING BROUGHT UP. AND THE NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES AND WHERE THEY ARE AND EVERYTHING LIKE THAT, I THINK IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT, YOU'LL FIND IT IF YOU LOOK BACK AT THE AUDIT. SO WE DID, YOU KNOW, THAT INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE. WE DID LOOK AT IT. AND IT SHOULD BE THERE ALREADY. WE DID, AND SEVERAL DEPARTMENTS DO REPORT. MOST DEPARTMENTS, YEAH, TAKE CARE OF IT. THERE ARE DEPARTMENTS THAT ALREADY REPORT. CORRECT. OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, I THINK JOE FIEGEL WAS HERE EARLIER TODAY TO SPEAK TO YOU, AND HE WAS ONE I THINK TO GIVE MONEY FOR ME. THERE'S A PHOTO OF, OR THERE'S A REFERENCE TO IT IN THE AUDIT THAT IS REPORTED ON HIS PAY STUB, AND HE DOESN'T HAVE A TAKE-HOME VEHICLE, RIGHTLY SO, BECAUSE THE DIRECTOR OF STORAGE MANAGED IT. SO THAT INFORMATION IS SENT OVER TO PERSONNEL, AND THAT'S ADJUSTED? YES. CORRECT. SO WE'VE BEEN DOING IT COUNTYWIDE, RIGHT? THE AUDIT NOTED, YOU KNOW, NOBODY WAS PERFECT, BUT, YES, THE MECHANISMS ARE AVAILABLE, AND THERE ARE EMPLOYEES WITH VEHICLES THAT REPORT TO... TO PERSONNEL AND IS ACCOUNTED FOR IN THEIR PAYCHECK. SO I WAS ACCURATELY SAYING THAT IT'S A NON-TEXTUAL BENEFIT THAT HAS TO BE REPORTED. CORRECT. IT'S A BENEFIT OF EMPLOYMENT. IT'S THE IRS REGULATIONS, RIGHT? WE DON'T MAKE THEM, AND THE COUNTY DOESN'T MAKE THEM. IT'S THE IRS, AND IF WE'RE FOUND IN VIOLATION OF THEM, YOU KNOW, WE... AND THAT WAS MY QUESTION. DO WE HAVE A SYSTEM IN PLACE ALREADY? I WASN'T, YOU KNOW... IT WAS A COUNTY-WIDE QUESTION, MAYBE NOT DIRECTLY READ TO THE CHAIR. WELL, IF YOU'RE ASKING A QUESTION, CAN PERSONNEL ACCOUNT FOR THAT? YEAH, THEY DO IT IN A NUMBER OF DEPARTMENTS. SO WE HAVE IT UP AND RUNNING? YES. OKAY. AND IT'S UP TO EACH INDIVIDUAL DEPARTMENT THEN TO REPORT THAT? IS THAT CORRECT? THE COMMISSIONER OF PERSONNEL IS BEHIND THE SHAPE YOU'VE HAD, I WOULD IMAGINE. YEAH, IT IS REPORTED BY THE DEPARTMENT. UP TO EACH INDIVIDUAL DEPARTMENT THEN TO REPORT THEIR FINDINGS FROM YOUR DEPARTMENT. OKAY. THANK YOU. ONE FINAL QUESTION. THANK YOU. SHERIFF, JUST MAYBE THE SERGEANT CAN ANSWER. DO YOU GUYS USE THE SYSTEMS APP TO LOG ALL YOUR VEHICLES? THE SYSTEMS APP? I THINK SO. OH, SYSTEMS. THE SYSTEM THAT WE ARE LOGGING OUR VEHICLES IN, YES. DO YOU GUYS USE THAT? OH. OH, I BELIEVE THEY'RE ALL IN THE SYSTEM, RIGHT? EVEN WHEN YOU DO THE LEASES? NO, THE LEASE ONES ARE NOT IN THERE. WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO PUT IN THE LEASES, JUST SO WE KNOW? I JUST WANTED TO SEE IF THAT'S EVEN SOMETHING THAT YOU WANT TO EXPLORE. I MEAN, WE CAN DEFINITELY DISCUSS IT. I THINK IT'S A LOT OF WORK. THERE'S A LOT OF WORK THAT FOLLOWS THAT JOB. COMMISSIONER GARY. COMMISSIONER, DO YOU WANT TO? IT'S JUST THE SAP ASSET TRACKING THAT'S FOR ASSETS OWNED BY THE COUNTY, BUT WE HAVE 750 LEASED VEHICLES. THOSE AREN'T LEASED. OKAY. BECAUSE WE DON'T OWN THEM. WE'RE RENTING THEM. BUT FOR ONE LEASED VEHICLE, THOSE ARE LEASED. AND I KNOW WE'VE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE THEY'RE SEPARATE DATABASES, AND JUST [02:15:01] FOR MY THOUGHT PROCESS, IS THERE SOMETHING THAT WE CAN CENTRALIZE MAYBE SO WE KNOW EXACTLY? AS MANY VEHICLES. AND THEN THE LAST THING, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR COMING. I REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING TOGETHER BECAUSE ONCE AGAIN, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THIS FLEET POLICY MAKES SENSE. AND OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW YOUR NEEDS. COMMISSIONER KNOWS HIS NEEDS MORE THAN THE SUBCOMMITTEE WHO'S WRITING THIS UP. SO AS LONG AS WE WILL BE ABLE TO HAVE OPEN COMMUNICATION MOVING FORWARD FOR THIS. AS I'M DRAFTING THIS UP, IT WOULD BE VERY IMPORTANT FOR ME, AND I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU, LEGISLATOR. YEAH. THANK YOU, LEGISLATORS. JAMIE, THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING. APPRECIATE IT. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.