[00:00:02]
          NO. IT'S WORKING. OKAY. LET'S BEGIN. OKAY. WE'RE GOOD. 
          [ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT]
ALL RIGHT. I'D LIKE TO CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER. THE ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT MEETING. 
          NUMBER FIVE, PLEASE TAKE THE MILLS DOT PRESIDENT TODARO CHAIR. 
          BARGNESI. YES. GILMOUR. SAINT JEAN TARDE HERE. 
          CHAIR. MAYA'S PRESENT. EX OFFICIO MEMBER. QUORUM PRESENT. 
          OKAY. ITEMS ONE THROUGH FOUR ARE TABLED. ITEM FIVE IS TABLED. 
          BUT WE WILL HAVE A DISCUSSION AFTER OUR ACTION ITEMS. ITEM SIX THROUGH NINE AND 11 AND 12 ARE ALSO TABLED. 
          ITEMS 13 AND 16 ARE RECEIVED AND FILE. ITEMS TEN,
14, AND 15 ARE ACTIONABLE. 
          WE WILL HAVE SOME INTERVIEWS FROM THE ERIE COUNTY WATER AUTHORITY AS WELL AS THE LET'S
MOVE ON TO OUR ACTIONABLE WE HAVE REAPPROPRIATION OF PUBLIC BENEFITS FROM LEGISLATIVE TODARO DO WE HAVE TO AMEND IT
FIRST? SO I NEED A MOTION. WOULD YOU WANT TO TALK? THERE WE GO. 
          NO. WE SHOULD. OKAY. SO I NEED A MOTION TO AMEND. 
          I HAVE A MOTION. SECOND. SECOND BY A SECOND. ON THE QUESTION. 
          ALL IN FAVOR? OPPOSED? OKAY. WE'RE AMENDED. I NEED A MOTION TO APPROVE. 
          MOTION TO APPROVE. WE HAVE A SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? OPPOSED? OKAY. WE'RE THROUGH. LET'S MOVE ON TO. 
          ITEM 14. ALMA PUMPING STATION. MY DEAR FRIEND JOE,
YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. 
          GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING. WE'VE BEEN OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS,
ACTUALLY WELL OVER A DECADE. 
          WE'VE BEEN WORKING REALLY CLOSELY WITH SUITABLE FLUIDS AND LOOKING AT THEIR POTENTIAL
EXPANSIONS AND SANITARY SEWER NEEDS INTO THE FUTURE. 
          LAST, LAST YEAR, WE SUBMITTED A GRANT APPLICATION THROUGH NRC DEVELOPMENT,
AND IN JANUARY, WE WERE NOTIFIED OF A $500,000 AWARD TO WORK TOWARDS SOME OF THE PRE-DEVELOPMENT PLANNING, THE ENGINEERING AND ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEWS AND ALL THAT TYPE OF THINGS. 
          THERE'S A 50% MATCH THAT'S ASSOCIATED WITH THAT. 
          AND WE'VE WORKED CLOSELY WITH LOEWENSTEIN FOODS TO CONTRIBUTE TOWARDS THAT MATCH. 
          AND SO FOR US TO RECEIVE THOSE FUNDS, WE NEED TO ENTER INTO AGREEMENTS WITH BOTH
COMPANIES. 
          SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING HERE IS PASSING THE RESOLUTION TO AUTHORIZE THE COUNTY
EXECUTIVE TO ENTER INTO AGREEMENTS WITH BOTH COMPANIES. 
          THANK YOU. THANK YOU. QUESTIONS. I JUST HAD ONE QUESTION. 
          JUST LOOKING AT THE. I KNOW WE'RE STILL IN THE BEGINNING PHASE OF THIS. THIS IS SOMETHING
THAT WOULD BE HUGE FOR MY DISTRICT AND WANT. 
          THAT HAS REALLY BEEN ON THE TABLE FOR A WHILE. 
          LOOKING AT THIS PROJECT, SINCE THIS IS JUST KIND OF PHASE ONE,
I KNOW IT LOOKS LIKE IT WOULD BE 5 TO 7 YEARS TO COMPLETE THE PROJECT. 
          WOULD THAT BE COMPLETING THE ENTIRE PROJECT AS A WHOLE,
OR WOULD THAT JUST BE COMPLETING PHASE ONE AND PHASE TWO? SO THAT WOULD BE ALL THE WAY THROUGH CONSTRUCTION. 
          SO WE WOULD THIS IS THE FIRST PART WHERE WE GET ESSENTIALLY TO THE DESIGN PHASE. 
          WE'RE HOPING THAT WITH THAT, ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEWS WILL BE ROUGHLY ABOUT A YEAR. 
          THEN WHAT THAT WILL DO IS WELL POSITIONED US TO LOOK FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDING. 
          AND EMPIRE STATE DEVELOPMENT HAS WHAT THEY REFER TO AS A TRACK C AND TRACK C IS FOR THE
ACTUAL CONSTRUCTION IMPLEMENTATION. 
          SO WE WOULD EXPECT IF THE EFFORT GOES WELL, WE MIGHT BE SUBMITTING THAT. 
          PROBABLY, I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE SOMETIME NEXT YEAR. 
          BUT WITHIN THAT TIME FRAME, WHEN THE WORK IS. 
          WHAT WOULD BE, I GUESS. WOULD THERE BE ANY CHANGES THAT WOULD HAPPEN TO THE WAY OPERATIONS
ARE HAPPENING NOW? LIKE WHILE THE WORK IS BEING UPDATED, WOULD THERE BE ANY LIKE STOPPING SERVICES? NO. OKAY. SO THE WAY THAT WE WOULD THE WAY THAT THE PROJECT IS PRESENTLY IN CONCEPT IS
THAT WE WOULD HAVE A PUMPING STATION, PUMP STATION THAT GOES DIRECTLY ADJACENT TO THE EXISTING ONE. 
          AND THEN WE HAVE THE PIPELINE, OF COURSE, THAT WOULD PARALLEL THE EXISTING. 
          SO THAT WOULD ALLOW FOR A CONTINUATION OF CONTINUING SERVICES. 
          AND THEN, YOU KNOW, ULTIMATELY THAT THAT COULD BE MOTHBALLED ONCE WE HAVE THE
INFRASTRUCTURE IN PLACE. 
          OKAY. AND THEN FINALLY, THERE'S NO COST TO THE COUNTY. 
          OKAY. THANK YOU. ALL SET? YES. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY. I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? OPPOSED? WE'RE APPROVED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. 
          JOE. NEXT UP IS ITEM FIVE. WE HAVE COMMISSIONER. 
          GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU. THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS IS SEEKING AUTHORIZATION TO ENTER
INTO A CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT WITH THE LEGENDS EXCAVATING LLC AND ESTABLISHED A PROJECT 
          [00:05:06]
CONTINGENCY FOR REPLACEMENT OF LARGE CULVERTS,
GROUP ONE. 
          THESE ARE THREE CULVERTS. ONE ON BELCHER ROAD,
LOCATED IN THE TOWN OF CONCORD, ONE ON JENNINGS ROAD IN THE TOWN OF COLLINS AND ONE ON LANE ROAD IN THE TOWN OF WEST SENECA. THESE ARE GOING TO BE REPLACED WITH PRECAST CONCRETE
STRUCTURES. 
          THE CONSTRUCTION UPON APPROVAL WOULD OCCUR PROBABLY LATER IN THE SEASON BECAUSE
FABRICATION NEEDS TO OCCUR FIRST. 
          AND THIS WILL ALLOW US TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE PROJECT. 
          GREAT. ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU. MAYBE I MISSED IT,
BUT WERE THERE BIDS ON THIS? PARDON ME? WERE THERE BIDS? YES. SO OKAY. ALL RIGHT. 
          AND THEN IF YOU DON'T MIND A SLIGHTLY OFF TOPIC QUESTION JUST KIND OF ROAD CONDITIONS IN
GENERAL. 
          YOU KNOW, IT SEEMS MAYBE IT'S EVERY YEAR, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE THIS WAS AN EXCESSIVELY BAD
WINTER FOR OUR ROADS. 
          THEN THERE'S PROBABLY MORE TO ADDRESS THAN WE MAYBE ORIGINALLY HAD PLANNED. 
          IS THAT SOMETHING THAT THE LEGISLATURE SHOULD PROBABLY BE LOOKING AT,
TRYING TO ASSIST IN PROVIDING ADDITIONAL FUNDS TO REPAIR SOME OF THOSE, OR IS THERE AN ADDITIONAL NEED FROM YOUR END? YOU'RE ASKING ME IF SHE WANTS MORE MONEY? WHAT'S THAT? YOU'RE ASKING THE COMMISSIONER IF SHE WANTS MORE MONEY? THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT. 
          JUST FOR THE RECORD, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU WANT TO GIVE HER MORE MONEY. OKAY. 
          GO AHEAD. COMMISSIONER, ANSWER THE QUESTION. ALL RIGHT,
SO THIS WINTER WAS INCREDIBLY HARSH. 
          WITH ALL THE LOW TEMPS AND THEN THE FREEZE THAW,
WE'RE SEEING MORE COMPLAINTS, MORE POTHOLES, MORE DETERIORATION IN THE PLANS FOR OUR SAME GOALS. 
          YOU KNOW, AS FAR AS HOW MUCH MILEAGE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH,
YOU'LL SEE THAT WE HAVE A DELAY ON OUR PROGRAM BECAUSE WE DID HAVE A LONGER TERM, BUT WE ARE IN WORSE CONDITION THAN WE HAD ANTICIPATED GOING INTO LAST YEAR. 
          WE GOT TO EVALUATE. SO YEAH, WE'RE GOING TO,
WE'RE GOING TO NEED EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE AND MAKING IT WORK ACROSS THE DISTRICT. 
          BUT A LOT OF THAT, YOU KNOW, IS FACTUAL, WHICH IS AN OLD APPLICATION,
BUT IT'S WHAT WE HAVE IN OUR PLANS OPENED UP. 
          SO OUR TEAMS ARE OUT THERE NOW AND THOSE THAT WON'T BE RESURFACED AND THEN,
YOU KNOW, PLAN FOR THE WORK THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT. 
          ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? MOTION. 
          SECOND. SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? OPPOSED. MOTION IS PASSED. 
          THANK APPRECIATE IT. ALL RIGHT. NOW WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO INTERVIEWS FOR THE ERIE
COUNTY WATER AUTHORITY. 
          COMMISSIONERS ARE THE THREE APPLICANTS. ARE THEY PRESENT? IF THEY ARE, COME ON UP. PLEASE TAKE A SEAT RIGHT HERE IN THE FRONT,
WHEREVER YOU'D LIKE. 
          I'M GOING TO ASK ALL THREE OF YOU. JUST TAKE A SEAT. 
          DOESN'T MATTER. THANK YOU. WE HAVE TWO. 
          OKAY. I'M GOING TO ASK THAT YOU GUYS, JUST TO GIVE US A BRIEF STATEMENT AND TELL US A
LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF AND TAKE AS MUCH TIME AS YOU WANT. GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS PEGGY LEGREE,
AND I THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH YOU REGARDING MY INTEREST IN REAPPOINTMENT AS A COMMISSIONER OF
THE ERIE COUNTY WATER AUTHORITY. 
          SOME OF YOU I'VE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF WORKING WITH DURING MY TIME IN COUNTY GOVERNMENT. 
          FOR OTHERS, I WOULD LIKE TO BRIEFLY SHARE MY BACKGROUND. 
          I SPENT MORE THAN 30 YEARS WITH THE COUNTY MANAGING OPERATIONS AND THE COMPTROLLER'S
OFFICE, THE BUDGET OFFICE AND THE COUNTY CLERK'S OFFICE. 
          MY RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDED OVERSEEING DAILY OPERATIONS,
IMPLEMENTING PROCESS IMPROVEMENTS IN COMPILING THE COUNTY BUDGET. 
          WHEN I RETIRED, I DID SO WITH A STRONG SENSE OF ACCOMPLISHMENT AND PRIDE IN MY PUBLIC
SERVICE. 
          WHEN I WAS FIRST APPROACHED ABOUT SERVING AS A COMMISSIONER,
I BELIEVED MY EXPERIENCE WOULD ALLOW ME TO MAKE A MEANINGFUL CONTRIBUTION TO THE AUTHORITY. AS I COMPLETE MY SECOND TERM, I AM CONFIDENT THAT I HAVE DONE SO. 
          THE AUTHORITY'S CORE MISSION IS TO PROVIDE CUSTOMERS WITH A RELIABLE SUPPLY OF SAFE,
HIGH QUALITY AND AFFORDABLE DRINKING WATER. 
          ONE OF OUR MOST SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES IS OUR AGING INFRASTRUCTURE,
WHICH WE ARE ADDRESSING THROUGH ONGOING INVESTMENTS. 
          INVESTMENTS OUTLINED IN OUR FIVE YEAR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN. 
          THESE INCLUDE UPGRADES TO OUR WATER TREATMENT FACILITIES,
SYSTEMATIC REPLACEMENT OF TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION MAINS, REHABILITATION OF PUMP STATIONS AND CONTINUED TECHNOLOGY ENHANCEMENTS. 
          WE REVIEW THIS PLAN ON AN ANNUAL BASIS AND CAREFULLY BALANCED PRIORITIES WITH AVAILABLE
FINANCIAL RESOURCES. 
          [00:10:04]
I AM VERY PROUD OF THE COLLABORATIVE, TRANSPARENT WORKING RELATIONSHIPS I HAVE DEVELOPED
WITH THE STAFF AND MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS. 
          WE SHARE A STRONG COMMITMENT TO SERVING THE AUTHORITY IN OUR COMMUNITIES AND OUR
RATEPAYERS. 
          LOOKING AHEAD, COMPLIANCE WITH THE LEAD AND COPPER RULE,
AN UNFUNDED FEDERAL MANDATE AT AN ESTIMATED COST OF $94 MILLION, AND WE BUDGETED $30 MILLION IN 2026 ALONE IS A MAJOR PRIORITY. 
          OUR GOAL IS TO COMPLETE THE REQUIRED IDENTIFICATION AND REPLACEMENT OF LEAD SERVICE LINES
BY THE END OF 2027, ALLOWING US TO MEET REGULATORY STANDARDS WITHOUT ADDING ORTHOPHOSPHATES TO THE TREATMENT
PROCESS. 
          THIS IS A VERY PROACTIVE APPROACH THAT PROTECTS PUBLIC HEALTH,
PRIORITIZES LONG TERM INFRASTRUCTURE SOLUTIONS, AND MINIMIZES COSTS FOR RATEPAYERS. WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON THE CHALLENGES FACING
THE WATER AUTHORITY, INCLUDING MANDATORY SYSTEM UPGRADES WITH AFFORDABILITY AND PUBLIC TRUST. 
          WE'RE OPERATING A SYSTEM THAT WAS LARGELY BUILT MANY DECADES AGO WHERE MANAGING THE
CHALLENGES OF LC3, ALONG WITH CONTINUED UPGRADES OF OUR TREATMENT FACILITIES TO STAY COMPLIANT WITH THE WATER
QUALITY STANDARDS. 
          AND WE ARE ALSO PREPARING TO MEET NEW REGULATIONS FOR OUR FOREVER CHEMICALS,
WHICH ARE LONG LASTING CHEMICALS THAT CAN ENTER DRINKING WATER AND POSE POTENTIAL HEALTH RISKS AS COMMISSIONERS. OUR GOAL IS TO MAKE SURE THOSE INVESTMENTS ARE DONE EFFICIENTLY
THAT WE AGGRESSIVELY PURSUE STATE AND FEDERAL FUNDING TO REDUCE THE BURDEN ON OUR RATEPAYERS, AND THAT WE'RE HONEST WITH THE PUBLIC ABOUT WHY THIS WORK MATTERS. 
          SAFE DRINKING WATER IS AN OPERATIONAL. IT'S FOUNDATIONAL,
BUT AFFORDABILITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY MANAGED JUST AS MUCH. 
          PROTECTING OUR WATER SUPPLY AND INVESTING WISELY IN CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE ARE
RESPONSIBILITIES I TAKE VERY SERIOUSLY. 
          I AM PROUD OF THE PROGRESS WE HAVE MADE AND REMAIN FOCUSED ON DELIVERING MEASURABLE
RESULTS FOR OUR RESIDENTS AND RATEPAYERS. 
          I RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT SO I CAN CONTINUE THIS IMPORTANT WORK AS COMMISSIONER
OF ERIE COUNTY WATER AUTHORITY. 
          THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT STATEMENT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. 
          HI, MY NAME IS ALBERT. I'M A RESIDENT OF ERIE COUNTY SINCE 1981. 
          I GOT A BACHELOR'S IN CIVIL ENGINEERING FROM UNION COLLEGE IN SCHENECTADY AND AN MBA FROM
LOYOLA UNIVERSITY IN CHICAGO. 
          A LICENSED PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER SINCE RETIRED THAT LAPSED. 
          SINCE I'M NOT THAT ACTIVE IN ACTUALLY PRODUCING WORK LIKE THAT. 
          PREVIOUS TO COMING IN HERE, I WAS IN CHARGE OF ALL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF BUFFALO UTILITY
SYSTEMS, INCLUDING DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS, COLD WATER GENERATION,
STEAM GENERATION. 
          SO WELL, WELL FAMILIAR WITH DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS,
MONITORING, MAINTENANCE, UPGRADE AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS. 
          I WAS RECRUITED BY PURDUE UNIVERSITY TO BECOME THE INAUGURAL DIRECTOR OF THEIR ENERGY AND
UTILITIES ORGANIZATION, THAT THEY PULL TOGETHER DISPARATE OPERATIONS AND WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PRIMARY WEST
LAFAYETTE CAMPUS, THE FARMS AND RESEARCH FACILITIES, AS WELL AS OTHER CAMPUSES. 
          IN THAT ROLE AT PURDUE UNIVERSITY, IT ALSO INCLUDED THE MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION OF WATER
SYSTEMS, GROUNDWATER, WHICH IS USED IN THE TREATMENT OF THE GROUNDWATER DISTRIBUTION,
UPGRADES OF WATER SYSTEMS, TOWERS, THINGS OF THAT NATURE, EVERYTHING THAT THAT YOU WOULD HAVE HERE IN YOUR COUNTY. 
          I WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR IT AS INDIRECT CONTROL. 
          I SUBMITTED MY RESUME AND INFORMATION SIMPLY TO PROVIDE THE COUNTY WITH PERHAPS AN
ALTERNATIVE THOUGHT. 
          WHEN I TOOK OVER AT PURDUE UNIVERSITY, THE ENERGY BUDGET DIRECTED ENERGY,
THAT BEING ELECTRICITY, GAS, THINGS OF THAT NATURE WAS $36 MILLION PLUS EVERY YEAR. 
          OVER THE COURSE OF THREE YEARS, I TOOK THAT DOWN TO ABOUT $30 MILLION PER YEAR,
SAVING THE UNIVERSITY ROUGHLY $6 MILLION. 
          AT THE SAME TIME, WE REDID THEIR ENTIRE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT BUDGET,
WHICH WAS UNDER MY RESPONSIBILITY AND STRUCTURED THAT TO OCCUR IN LONG TERM PLANNING SO THAT THE UNIVERSITY COULD PLAN ITS WORK NOT JUST FOR ONE YEAR OR FIVE YEARS,
BUT OUT AS FAR AS 20 YEARS, SUBJECT TO REVISIONS BASED UPON CONDITIONS THAT OCCURRED WHEN SYSTEMS FAIL. 
          I'VE ALSO GONE THROUGH MAJOR EVENTS WHERE SYSTEMS FAILED,
SUCH AS THE OCTOBER STORM HERE IN BUFFALO, WHICH SHUT DOWN POWER AND AT THAT POINT I WAS RUNNING THE SYSTEMS AT BUFFALO AND WE
EXPERIENCED ELECTRICAL OUTAGES ON THE SOUTH CAMPUS. 
          BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, WE HAD STAGED AT THE UNIVERSITY OF BUFFALO. 
          ALL OF THE GENERATORS, PORTABLE GENERATORS, 1 OR 2 OF WHICH ENDED UP GOING TO THE STORAGE
FACILITY BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANY BACKUP POWER. 
          [00:15:08]
I'VE LIVED THROUGH THOSE BLACK SWAN EVENTS, SO I UNDERSTAND WHAT IT IS. 
          WHEN YOU LOSE ALL SYSTEMS OR MAJOR COMPONENTS SUCH AS WATER AT PANDOO. 
          MY RESPONSIBILITY WAS FOR ROUGHLY 50,000 STUDENTS EVERY DAY ON CAMPUS,
24 HOURS A DAY, PLUS DAILY MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY OF SOMETHING BETWEEN 50 AND 75,000 AND TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN RESEARCH FACILITIES. 
          IN ADDITION TO THAT, IT WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR DEVELOPING THE IT SECURITY SYSTEMS TO MAKE
SURE WE COULD NOT. 
          AND WE WERE NOT ATTACKED BY ANY BAD ACTORS THAT WANT TO CREATE PANIC OR DISRUPTION TO THE
FACILITIES. 
          SO I DO BRING WITH IT A WEALTH OF EXPERIENCE. 
          AND ON TOP OF THAT, I ENDED UP DOING ALL THE BUDGETING AND DIRECT RESPONSIBILITY TO THE
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER AND TREASURER FOR PURDUE, AS WELL AS WORKING THROUGH THE FINANCIAL OFFICES AT UB. 
          I UNDERSTAND THE BUDGETING PROCESS IN THE LONG TERM IMPLICATIONS OF THAT. 
          AND LASTLY, BECAUSE ENERGY AND ENERGY CONSUMPTION IS A MAJOR COMPONENT,
BOTH IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL SIDE, I WAS ABLE TO REDUCE THE CARBON FOOTPRINT OF THE UTILITIES SYSTEMS AT PURDUE BY ABOUT 30%
OVER THE COURSE OF THREE YEARS. 
          AND WHILE WE REDUCED OUR THE CONSUMPTION COST WHILE WE REDUCED OUR OVERALL CONSUMPTION. 
          SO THAT SAID, I UNDERSTAND THE FRAMEWORK OF OPERATING THE TECHNICAL SYSTEMS LIKE THIS,
AS WELL AS THE ABILITY TO WORK WITH DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS. 
          AND I HAD EVERYTHING FROM THE BOOTS ON THE GROUND,
DIGGING THE DITCHES AND TRENCHES TO THE HIGH TECH PEOPLE AND ENGINEERING STAFF. 
          SO I THINK I'M COMPETENT AND CAPABLE ON THAT END. 
          AND, AND I THINK IT MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO BE OF VALUE TO THE ERIE COUNTY,
WHETHER IT'S A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE. 
          THE PERSON THAT TOOK OVER FOR ME AT PURDUE CAME FROM THE BUSINESS SECTOR. 
          HE RAN FACILITIES AROUND THE WORLD WITH OVER 500,000,000FT² OF COVERED STORAGE AT PORTS
AND AIRPORTS. 
          HE'S THE ONE I HAD TO RESPOND TO AND ANSWER TO,
BUT MY TRAINING LED ME UP TO THAT, SO I SUBMITTED FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. 
          I UNDERSTAND THE MISSION PRODUCING THE WATER AFFORDABLE AND QUALITY BASIS TO THE
CUSTOMERS, AND I THINK I WOULD BE WELL SUITED TO PROVIDE THAT LEVEL OF EXPERTISE TO THE COMPANY. 
          THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU TO BOTH OF YOU AND YOUR VERY IMPRESSIVE
PRESIDENT. 
          ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE LEGISLATOR? THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU BOTH FOR COMING AND INTERVIEWING. I READ BOTH OF YOUR RESUMES. 
          BOTH VERY IMPRESSIVE. BUT I WOULD LIKE TO START WITH PEGGY,
IF THAT'S OKAY. 
          SO, PEGGY, YOU MENTIONED IN YOUR OPENING STATEMENT ABOUT THE LEAD PIPE REPLACEMENT PROGRAM
THAT YOU'RE HOPING TO HAVE DONE BY 2027. 
          CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE PLAN THAT YOU'RE CURRENTLY PUSHING FOR OUT OF YOUR DEPARTMENT? WHAT FUNDING HAVE YOU APPLIED FOR TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE NOT ONLY PAYING IT OUT OF OUR
BUCKET OF MONEY OUT OF ERIE COUNTY, BUT THERE'S OTHER FUNDS COMING TO THE COUNTY FOR THAT PROJECT. 
          OKAY. SO OUR PROCESS RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE SIX CONTRACTS CELEBRATE. 
          NOW THAT WE'RE DOING INVESTIGATIONS TO IDENTIFY. 
          THE, THE, THE WHAT THE PIPES ARE MADE OF BECAUSE IN OUR INVENTORY,
WE HAVE A LOT OF UNKNOWNS. 
          SO WE HAVE PEOPLE OUT THERE RIGHT NOW ON A DAILY BASIS INVESTIGATING THAT WHEN WE FIND
THAT IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED OR REPLACING BOTH THE PUBLIC AND THE PRIVATE SIDE. 
          WHATEVER'S NEEDED TO BE DONE. WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT TRYING TO LESSEN THE BURDEN ON OUR
RATEPAYERS, YES, WE HAVE REACHED OUT AND MADE REQUESTS, FORMAL REQUESTS TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND
THE STATE. 
          WE WERE SUCCESSFUL IN GETTING A 2.6 MILLION FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FOR THIS
PARTICULAR PROGRAM. 
          AND WE'RE CONTINUING TO PURSUE THOSE OPTIONS AND HAVE REQUESTED FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR. 
          PEGGY IF YOU CAN EXPLAIN HOW MUCH IS THIS GOING TO COST? AND I KNOW YOU MENTIONED 2.6 MILLION, WHICH IF I'M RIGHT,
THAT'S PROBABLY 200 HOMES ISH, MAYBE 300 FOR THAT COVERAGE OF THE LEAD PIPES. IF YOU COULD KIND OF TALK ABOUT HOW YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS WILL BE
SOMETHING THAT'S NOT GOING TO AFFECT THE RATEPAYERS, ACTUALLY MORE OF MY QUESTION. WELL, THE TOTAL COST OF THE REPLACEMENTS RIGHT NOW IS
ESTIMATED AT 94 MILLION. 
          THAT INCLUDES REMOVING THE LEAD SERVICE LINES AND ALSO THE PIPES REQUIRING REPLACEMENT. 
          SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE FOCUSING ON TRYING TO GET THE LEAD PIPES REPLACED BY THE END OF 2027 TO
MEET THE REQUIREMENTS FOR NOT ADDING ADDITIONAL CHEMICALS TO OUR WATER. THE ORTHOPHOSPHATES, WHICH WOULD THAT WOULD REQUIRE US TO UPDATE THE FEED
SYSTEMS AT A COST OF 8 TO 10. 
          [00:20:07]
WE'D ALSO HAVE TO. IF WE DON'T MEET THAT DEADLINE BY THE END OF 2027,
WE ALSO WOULD HAVE TO GIVE EVERY ONE OF OUR CUSTOMERS A FILTERED WATER PITCHER. WE'D HAVE TO SUPPLY THAT TO THEM. AND THEN THE ONGOING COST TO ADD THOSE
CHEMICALS TO THE WATER. 
          IN TODAY'S DOLLARS, IT'S 1.6 MILLION ON AN ANNUAL BASIS. 
          SO THAT'S WHY WE HAVE TRIED TO BE VERY PROACTIVE AND FOCUS HEAVILY ON GETTING IT DONE BY
THE END OF 2027. 
          IT IS COMING AT A SIGNIFICANT COST. LIKE I SAID,
WE BUDGETED $30 MILLION THIS YEAR JUST FOR THAT. 
          LAST YEAR I THINK WE SPENT 13. AND NEXT YEAR,
YOU KNOW, IT'LL BE ANOTHER 20 MILLION. 
          BUT THEN ONGOING UNTIL 2037 AT THE END OF 2027,
THEN WE'LL HAVE UNTIL 2037 TO REPLACE THE GALVANIZED REQUIRING REPLACEMENT. 
          SO IT'S A LARGE DOLLAR AMOUNT. AND WE WOULD LIKE TO SHARE THAT BURDEN WITH SOME FEDERAL
FUNDS OR SOMETHING. 
          THERE ARE PROGRAMS, I KNOW THAT THEY HAVE INTRODUCED PROGRAMS FOR THIS. 
          UNFORTUNATELY, A LOT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THOSE THAT YOU HAVE TO BE AN ENVIRONMENTAL
JUSTICE AREA AND THE ERIE COUNTY WATER AUTHORITY POPULATION AND THE GEOGRAPHIC AREAS, WE DON'T USUALLY MEET THAT REQUIREMENT TO ARRIVE LAST MONTH,
SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE GOING OUTSIDE. 
          OTHERWISE FOR CONGRESSIONAL EARMARKS. AND ALSO,
YOU KNOW, ASKING THE STATE FOR HELP. 
          THANK YOU PEGGY. ALL FOR. I KNOW YOU HAVE A VERY LENGTHY RESUME OF DOING DIFFERENT WORKS
AS AN ENGINEER AND UNDER ENERGY AND UTILITIES. AND BASICALLY, YOU MENTIONED SAVING MONEY IN THE COMPANY THAT YOU WERE RECENTLY
WITH. 
          SO HOW WOULD YOU SAY ERIE COUNTY DOLLARS FOR 2027? REGARDING KNOWING THAT WE HAVE TO UPDATE SO MUCH OF OUR INFRASTRUCTURE? WELL, I THINK PART OF IT IS I'M A BIG SUPPORTER OF METRICS. 
          AND WHEN I LOOK AT HOW MUCH MONEY IS BEING ALLOCATED OR MONEY THAT'S BEING PROVIDED IN THE
GRANT, HOW IS IT BEING UTILIZED? ONE OF THOSE ITEMS IS WHAT IS THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY TO DELIVER
THE SERVICE TO THE CUSTOMER, AND HOW MUCH OF THOSE FUNDS ACTUALLY GET TO THE END AND USE THAT'S INTENDED. 
          SO IF YOU'RE INTO IF YOU'RE REPLACING LEAD WATER PIPES,
WHICH I DID. 
          AND BOTH BOTH PREVIOUS POSITIONS, IT'S HOW MUCH OF THAT MONEY THAT IS PROVIDED TO US BY A
GRANT, SUPPORT STATE, FEDERAL, WHATEVER. HOW MUCH OF IT IS ACTUALLY USED THERE AS OPPOSED TO
BEING SWALLOWED UP BY OTHER ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS? SO THAT'S ONE AREA THAT CAN BE LOOKED AT FROM A CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT BUDGET BY BUDGET
BASIS. 
          THE OTHER ASPECT IS, PART OF WHAT I DID WITH BOTH UNIVERSITIES WAS I MANAGED THE ENERGY
PURCHASE COSTS, WHERE I NEGOTIATED WITH THE UTILITY COMPANIES,
THE ELECTRICITY, NATURAL GAS, AND ENDED UP BUYING OR HEDGING COSTS. 
          AND THAT CAN SAVE AND PROVIDE A FISCAL STABILITY TO OPERATING EXPENSES. 
          SO THAT'S $6 MILLION THAT I MAY DISAPPEAR. THERE WAS BASICALLY $6 MILLION THAT DIDN'T HAVE
TO BE SPENT. 
          AND THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE I FOCUSED AS I STARTED MOVING INTO THAT WAS,
WELL, THEN WHY WOULD WE SPEND THAT FOR SO MANY YEARS? IT REALLY OPENED UP. WE WERE THE ONLY DEPARTMENT THAT NEVER HAD TO ASK FOR AN INCREASE IN
THE FOUR YEARS THAT I PROVIDED THE BUDGETS. I THINK THERE ARE WAYS TO DO THAT WHERE YOU CAN REDUCE YOUR CONSUMPTION COST. 
          I ALSO LOOKED AT WHAT ARE WE CARRYING AN INVENTORY OF MATERIALS? WHAT DO WE HAVE FOR EMERGENCY BREAKS? AND IN THE INVENTORY,
THINGS OF THAT NATURE WHERE I'M CONFIDENT THAT ERIE COUNTY WATER AUTHORITY HAS STAFF THAT HAS THAT INFORMATION. BUT SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO SPEND $40,000 FOR AN EXPANSION JOINT,
BECAUSE TO GET THE REPLACEMENT ON A CRITICAL LINE MAY TAKE 52 WEEKS BEFORE YOU GET DELIVERED. YOU CAN'T LET PEOPLE GO WITHOUT DELIVERY OF
WATER FOR 52 WEEKS. 
          SO THERE'S A VARIETY OVERALL ARCHING, BUT I DON'T EXPECT TO BE THE PERSON IMPLEMENTING IT. 
          I EXPECT TO ASK THE QUESTIONS AND FROM THE STAFF TO PROVIDE AN ALTERNATIVE PERSPECTIVE
FROM THE WAY THINGS HAVE TRADITIONALLY BEEN DONE. 
          THERE ARE MANY THINGS THAT I'M SURE HAVE BEEN DONE VERY WELL. 
          THANK YOU BOTH. I WANTED TO THANK I WANTED TO THANK PEGGY LEGREE FOR HER SERVICE IN THE COUNTY AND FOR THIS. 
          THESE YEARS. AND I AM FAMILIAR WITH YOUR SERVICE. 
          I HAD A QUESTION FOR ALBERT. AND THAT IS FIRST,
I WANT TO POINT OUT BOTH CANDIDATES ARE FROM AMHERST. 
          [00:25:07]
I WANTED TO JUST SAY THAT THIS IS A JOB THAT IS I THINK LARGELY COMMUNITY SERVICE BECAUSE
THE SALARY IS VERY. 
          IT'S 22,500. AND I KNOW THAT THE COMMISSIONER SPENDS A LOT OF LIKE ALMOST PART TIME WORK,
AT LEAST LIKE FOUR HOURS A DAY OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. 
          I THINK YOUR EDUCATION IS YOU COULDN'T BE A BETTER EDUCATIONAL FIT FOR THE JOB WITH A
DEGREE IN ENGINEERING FROM UNION COLLEGE, WHICH IS A VERY COMPETITIVE AND EXCELLENT SCHOOL,
AND WITH A PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER, WHICH ONLY A SMALL FRACTION OF ENGINEERS GET. 
          AND HAVING AN MBA AS WELL. AND YOUR EXPERIENCE IS PERFECT FOR THE JOB. 
          I WAS WONDERING AS AND I WAS SO IMPRESSED AS MY COLLEAGUE ABOUT THE 60% DECREASE IN COSTS
AT UB AND THEN NO ADDITIONAL COSTS THEREAFTER, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE ARE NEEDING AS WELL AS THE CARBON FOOTPRINT. 
          I WAS WONDERING IF YOU COULD SAY LIKE, WHY DO YOU THINK WHY DID YOU THINK IT WAS SO
IMPORTANT FOR YOU PERSONALLY TO APPLY FOR THIS, GIVEN YOUR EXPERIENCE AND IN EDUCATION AND THE SALARY RATE AND TO DO THIS COMMUNITY
SERVICE AT THIS TIME. 
          WELL, DO YOU MIND IF I SPEAK? YEAH. NUMBER ONE,
I'VE LIVED IN THE COUNTY SINCE 1981. 
          I'VE WORKED HERE. I'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH BUSINESSES,
UNIVERSITIES. 
          AT THIS POINT, I DO NOT WORK FULL TIME. I'M A SEMI-RETIRED. 
          I AM CALLED IN AS A CONSULTANT FOR NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL CORPORATIONS TO PROVIDE
THEIR INSIGHT AND GUIDANCE ON SOME OF THESE VERY THINGS, BUT IT'S ON A VERY CASE SPECIFIC BASIS. BUT BECAUSE I HAVE THE TIME AND ERIE COUNTY HAS
BEEN VERY GOOD TO ME AND MY FOUR CHILDREN, I FELT THAT THIS IS ONE WAY I COULD GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY BY USING THE TALENTS THAT
I'VE GARNERED, NOT JUST IN THE COMMUNITY, BUT EXTERNALLY FROM GOING OUT OF STATE AND BRING SOME OF THOSE
DIFFERING IDEAS OR DIFFERENT APPROACHES BACK TO THE COMMUNITY. IN ADDITION,
WHILE I WAS IN NEW YORK STATE, I ALSO WAS ON THE NYSERDA BOARD AND A COUPLE OF OTHER THINGS RELATIVE TO ENERGY WITHIN THE STATE. 
          THE LARGE PURCHASERS HAD TO TALK ABOUT WHAT THOSE COSTS WERE. 
          SO I WAS ON THAT COMMITTEE AND THE BOARD AND WENT TO THE MEETINGS UP IN ALBANY TO TALK
ABOUT, WELL, HOW DOES THAT HELP OUR COMMUNITIES OR HOW DOES IT HELP OUR UNIVERSITIES? AND CAME UP WITH PROGRAMS THAT CAUSED THEM TO TAKE A STEP BACK AND RETHINK THE SAME OLD
SAME THING. 
          SO TO ME, IT'S A MATTER OF I NOW HAVE THE TIME. 
          IT'S NOT THE MONEY. THAT'S CERTAINLY NOT THE MONEY,
BUT I HAVE THE TIME. 
          I DON'T NEED THAT MONEY. BUT IT IS A WAY FOR ME TO GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY IN A VARIETY
OF WAYS THAT WILL BENEFIT THE ENTIRE SOCIO ECONOMIC STRATA OF THE COMMUNITY. WHOEVER THOSE 174,000 CUSTOMERS ARE,
I FEEL THAT I CAN PROVIDE SOME KIND OF BENEFIT TO THEM. BY TAKING ACTION AND SPEAKING UP,
I HAVE NO POLITICAL AFFILIATION. 
          WHY NOT? YOU KNOW, TRIED AND TRUE. DON'T MAKE ANY CAMPAIGNS OR ANYTHING ELSE. 
          AND I KNOW THAT'S PART OF WHAT COMMISSIONERS ENDED UP EXPECTING TO DO. 
          BUT IN MY FIRST JOB, I WAS IN CHICAGO WORKING FOR THE ORIGINAL MAYOR DALEY ON SPECIFIC
PROJECTS. 
          AND BOY, WAS THAT AN EDUCATION ON HOW POLITICS CAN WORK. 
          SOME OF IT VERY GOOD. A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE EMPLOYED,
SOME OF THEM VERY BAD. 
          A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE TREATED POORLY. I JUST THINK THIS COMMUNITY IS WORTH GIVING MY TIME
AND EFFORT TO. 
          THANK YOU. I DON'T PLAN ON RETIRING BEFORE. ALSO,
THERE MUST BE SOMETHING IN THE WATER BECAUSE YOU'RE VERY LONG WINDED WITH THE LEGISLATIVE VINAL. 
          SO IT MUST BE MY GUEST. IF I COULD. MY FATHER TAUGHT GEOLOGY DOWN AT GANNON COLLEGE IN
ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA, AND HE ALWAYS SAID THE BEST WATER SYSTEMS AROUND WERE ALONG THE GREAT LAKES. 
          THEY HAD A GREAT SOURCE OF WATER. IT WAS AN ASSET. 
          IT NEEDED TO BE PROTECTED. AND HE ALSO SAID,
YOU NEED TO BE CAREFUL OF WHAT YOU PUT INTO THE WATER AND WHAT YOU HAVE TO TAKE OUT. 
          BUT HE DID A LOT OF THAT SERVICE, TOO. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? WE'RE GOOD. THANK YOU TO BOTH OF YOU. VERY IMPRESSIVE. 
          I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. ALL RIGHT. 
          WE ARE NOW GOING TO HAVE A DISCUSSION. WE HAVE COMMISSIONER TROY HERE. 
          [00:30:02]
AND I'M GOING TO LET YOU GO FIRST ON SOME OPEN DISCUSSION THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AT
CONCEPTION. 
          THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AS ALWAYS, IT'S AN HONOR TO BE HERE THIS MORNING. 
          WE'VE BEEN ASKED TO COME OVER TO HAVE A ENTERTAIN A DISCUSSION,
I GUESS, ON GENERAL DISCUSSION ON CONCESSIONS IN COUNTY PARKS. 
          I JUST WANT TO LEAD IN AND LEVEL SET WITH A FEW THINGS. 
          FOR YEARS WE HAVE STRUGGLED WITH OUR CONCESSIONS. 
          GROVER CLEVELAND, CHOCOLATE RIDGE. THIS IS NOT UNIQUE TO ERIE COUNTY PARKS. 
          THIS IS HAPPENING IN TONAWANDA AND HAMBURG, THE CITY OF BUFFALO. 
          THIS IS HAPPENING ALL OVER. IT'S BEEN IT'S BEEN HAPPENING FOR YEARS. 
          IT CONTINUES TO HAPPEN. WE'VE SPOKEN WITH OUR COLLEAGUES AT THOSE GOVERNMENT LEVELS,
AND WE'RE ALL STRUGGLING TO KEEP GOOD QUALITY CONCESSIONS. 
          FOR THE PERIODS OF TIME WE WANT THEM. THE OTHER THING I WANT TO BRING UP IS PROVIDING
CONCESSIONS IN OUR PARKS IS A BONUS, BUT THAT'S NOT OUR MISSION. OUR MISSION IS TO TAKE CARE OF OUR 10,000 ACRES,
IS TO PROVIDE THE CITIZENS IN ERIE COUNTY AND WESTERN NEW YORK WITH 10,000 ACRES OF PARCELS AND PROPERTIES THEY CAN USE TO PROTECT THEIR NATURAL RESOURCES AND PROTECT OUR
HERITAGE. 
          THAT'S OUR MISSION. THAT'S OUR PRIORITY. AND THE LAST THING I JUST WANT TO MAKE MENTION
TOO IS AND WE'LL TALK. 
          I'M SURE THIS WILL BE A CONVERSATION IS WE RECEIVED NO PROPOSALS FOR THE. 
          RFP. WE RECEIVED ONE PROPOSAL FOR THE RFP. AND REGARDLESS OF THE NAME ATTACHED TO THIS
PROPOSAL, PLEASE UNDERSTAND THIS. AND I'M SURE OF THIS. 
          WE WOULD HAVE REJECTED THAT PROPOSAL REGARDLESS. 
          IT WAS INCOMPLETE. IT COULD NOT EVEN BE SCORED. 
          BUT REGARDLESS OF THAT THE PROPOSAL WAS SUCH WHERE IT DIDN'T MATCH WHAT ERIE WAS LOOKING
FOR OR WAS DESIGNING AT SPECIFICS TO THAT PROPOSAL. DEPUTY COMMISSIONER NICOLE CAN SPEAK ABOUT IF SHE WAS ON THE
SCORING COMMITTEE, WOULD YOU WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK NOW OR NOT? IT'S UP TO YOU. SURE. GOOD MORNING. I CAN ELABORATE A LITTLE BIT ON THE DISCUSSION THAT
THE SCORING COMMITTEE HAD. 
          LEADING TO THE REJECTION OF THE PROPOSAL PROCEDURES. 
          THE SCORING COMMITTEE WAS MADE UP OF MYSELF I,
AS THE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER OF RECREATION, WOULD BE THE PERSON OVERSEEING THE CONTRACT AND THE CONCESSIONS OPERATIONS. JIM JURIC, OUR PARKS SUPERINTENDENT,
AND RAYMOND NOSWORTHY, DEPUTY BUDGET DIRECTOR. 
          THERE WERE SEVERAL LACKING PIECES OF REQUIRED INFORMATION IN THE PROPOSAL,
INCLUDING THE EQUAL PAY CERTIFICATION, THE PRICING ON THE DRINK MENU, A BANQUET MENU,
AND BANQUET PRICING. 
          OPERATIONAL DATES THE RENT PROPOSAL WAS NOT SUBMITTED IN A SEPARATE SEALED ENVELOPE AS
REQUIRED. 
          SO JUST SOME, YOU KNOW, OUTLINING INCONSISTENCIES IN COMPLETENESS,
AND THE PROPOSED PAYMENT SCHEME WAS OUTSIDE OF THE SCOPE OF THE RFP REQUIREMENTS BASED ON ISSUES WITH PREVIOUS VENDORS. 
          WE MADE IT VERY CLEAR THAT WE WOULD ONLY CONSIDER ONE FLAT FEE PAYMENT SCHEME. 
          AND THE PROPOSAL THAT WE RECEIVED LAID OUT SOME CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS. 
          TENANT IMPROVEMENT ALLOCATIONS THAT ARE JUST NOT WITHIN THE SCOPE OF WHAT THE COMPANY IS
LOOKING FOR. 
          OKAY. ALL RIGHT. BEFORE WE GET TO YOU I WOULD LIKE TO ADD I HAVE A LITTLE PERSONAL
EXPERIENCE WITH THIS. 
          ALL MY YEARS SERVING ON THE BOARD, WE STRUGGLED. 
          AND WE HAVE A LARGE PARK SYSTEM. THEY HAVE A LARGE PARK SYSTEM OUT THERE WITH CONCESSIONS. 
          WE WENT THROUGH MANY VENDORS. NONE OF THEM MADE MONEY. 
          ONE OF THEM WENT BANKRUPT. THE TOWN THEN TOOK IT BACK AND TRIED ANOTHER ONE. 
          WE ACTUALLY WENT AROUND TO RESTAURANTS IN THE TOWN ASKING THEM. 
          NONE OF THEM WANTED THEM BECAUSE THEY SAID IT WASN'T A MONEYMAKER,
SO I DO. I DO HAVE QUITE A BIT OF EXPERIENCE IN THAT. 
          AND THEN IT WAS INTERESTING. COMMISSIONER WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT BITS,
BECAUSE IN MY BUSINESS WE DID ALL THE TIME. 
          AND IF THE BIDS ARE INCOMPLETE, YOU'RE AUTOMATICALLY DISMISSED. 
          WE DON'T EVEN GET TO THE OPENING. SO I FOUND THAT INTERESTING. 
          I DIDN'T KNOW THAT PART OF THIS. BUT I'M GOING TO I'M GOING TO ALLOW YOU NOW A FEW MINUTES
TO ADD TO THIS CONVERSATION. 
          PLEASE PUT YOUR MIC ON. PLEASE PUT YOUR MIC ON FOR THE RECORD. JUST HIT THE BUTTON FOR US.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 
          SO MY NAME IS PETER FLANAGAN AND I OWN A BUSINESS TWO BLOCKS AWAY FROM HERE. 
          A LITTLE BACKGROUND OF ME. I HOLD A MASTER'S IN CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION. 
          I HOLD TWO BACHELOR'S IN HOSPITALITY MARKETING AND CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING. 
          DESIGN THINKING ASSOCIATES IN CULINARY ARTS. I BUILT THREE KITCHENS IN NIAGARA COUNTY WITH
THE 
          [00:35:04]
YWCA. IT WAS A CFA CULINARY ARTS PROGRAM IN CULINARY ARTS INSTRUCTOR TRUMAN STREET AND
SIXTH STREET AT CAROLYN'S HOUSE AND COLLEGE STREET. 
          LOCKPORT DOT NINE. DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIMS,
HOW TO COOK SO THEY COULD BECOME FINANCIALLY STABLE ENOUGH TO LEAVE THEIR ABUSERS. 
          THE ADMINISTRATION CHANGED, AND WE LOST THEIR FUNDING. 
          I FOUND MYSELF AT THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR DOWNTOWN. 
          I TOOK AN ABANDONED NEWSSTAND 200FT² OVER THE LAST NINE YEARS,
TURNED IT INTO $1 MILLION BUSINESS THAT STRETCHES 20 500FT² OF THE BUILDING. WHEN I WALKED IN THERE,
EVERYONE SAID I WAS CRAZY, AND NOW IT'S $1 MILLION. 
          IN THE COMPTROLLER'S REPORT ON PAGE ONE. IT STATES THAT THE COUNTY DOES NOT MAINTAIN A
PROCUREMENT POLICY SPECIFICALLY ADDRESSING REVENUE GENERATING SOLICITATIONS, AND THAT CAME OUT OVER THREE MONTHS AGO. 
          I'M WONDERING IF A POLICY HAS BEEN DEVELOPED IN THOSE THREE MONTHS,
BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE WE HAVE A PROBLEM WITH REVENUE GENERATING. 
          RFP AND IT SEEMS LIKE OVER AS FAR AS I COULD AVOID THIS GIANT ENVELOPE HERE FOR EVERY RFP
FOR CONCESSIONS. AND ALL OF THEM HAVE WHAT THE RFP SAYS IS INFORMALITIES. WAIT. THEY CAN'T I DIDN'T ACCEPT MY PROPOSAL BECAUSE I DIDN'T HAVE
THINGS LIKE A PRICING ON AN ALCOHOL MENU. NOW, AS A BUSINESSMAN, I CAN'T JUST COME UP WITH PRICES. 
          I HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE LICENSE COST WITH THE INSURANCE COST,
WHAT MOBILE STATION COSTS, AND THEN FIND A PURVEYOR THAT GIVES YOU THAT PRICING. 
          I COULDN'T JUST SAY, OKAY, I'M GOING TO SELL IT FOR $5. I GET ALL MY COMPS AND IT'S
SUPPOSED TO COST ME $8, AND NOW I'M GOING TO LOSE $3 EVERY TIME I SELL A BEER. 
          THAT'S NOT HOW BUSINESS WORKS. YOU CAN'T JUST COME UP WITH PRICES. 
          PUT IT OUT ON ANYONE. YEAH, OVERHEAD LABOR AND THEN PRODUCT. 
          AND THEN YOU GET TO MAKE A TINY BIT. SO IN THE PROPOSAL,
AFTER REVIEWING ALL OF THE. 
          I VIEWED ALL THREE OF THESE CONCESSIONS AND NONE OF THEM PROVIDE THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT'S
REQUESTED IN THIS RFP. 
          IT SAYS THAT YOU HAVE TO MAINTAIN THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF SANITATION,
ACCORDING TO NEW YORK STATE STANDARDS. 
          NONE OF THEM HAVE A MOP SINK. THERE'S NO DISHWASHING SANITATION EQUIPMENT. 
          THE HAND SINK IS MADE OF PLASTIC, WHICH ISN'T A REGULATION. 
          IT SHOULD BE STAINLESS STEEL BECAUSE IT INHIBITS THE GROWTH OF BACTERIA. 
          THEY WOULD LIKE TO HAVE FOOD AND BEVERAGE SERVED OUT OF THE HALFWAY HOUSE AT EMMA MEADOWS. 
          IT'S A 20 BY 20 SHED WITH A CONCRETE FLOOR AND A PLASTIC WASH TUB. 
          BUT WE'D LIKE TO MAINTAIN THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF SANITATION. 
          OUT OF AN EMPTY ROOM. THE HALFWAY HOUSE IN GROVER CLEVELAND. 
          OUR BATHROOMS. THERE'S A SMALL STORAGE CLOSET WITH A BRICK BUILDING WITH BATHROOMS,
AND THEY'RE ADVERTISING THAT AS A HALFWAY HOUSE. 
          WE'D LIKE TO TO SERVE HIGHLY SANITIZED FOOD AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. 
          OUT OF BATHROOMS AND ALLUDING TO NEXT TO A BATHROOM. 
          I INTENTIONALLY PUT FLOORS IN MY RFP FOR MODELS,
BUT IT WASN'T MY INTENTION TO REALLY GET ON THE BAD ONES. 
          I WAS SEEING HOW FAR IT STRETCHED THE THRESHOLD OF THE COUNTY,
RESERVING THE RIGHT TO WAIVE ANY FORMALITIES. WAIT WAIT WAIT WAIT WAIT WAIT WAIT. 
          YOU INTENTIONALLY LEFT OUT, INTENTIONALLY DID NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE RFP BECAUSE
EVERY SINGLE RFP IN HERE. 
          I'M ONLY CONCERNED RIGHT NOW ABOUT YOUR RFP. YEAH. 
          JUST PUT FORWARD. I INTENTIONALLY LEFT OUT THE CATERING MENU AND THE PRICE. 
          SO YOUR INTENTION LEFT OUT THE REQUIREMENTS TO BE SCORED TO BE CONSIDERED. 
          JUST TO GET HERE. NO. BECAUSE ONE, I COULDN'T HAVE THE PRICE. 
          TWO IN THE PROPOSAL. IT STATES THAT I WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO DO CATERING THE FIRST YEAR
BECAUSE THE INFRASTRUCTURE ISN'T IN THERE. 
          SO I DIDN'T PUT THE CATERING MENU IN THERE. IF YOU UNDERSTOOD,
YOU UNDERSTOOD THE RFP, OBVIOUSLY. 
          I MEAN, YOU'RE VERY SUCCESSFUL, MAN. I DID UNDERSTAND THE RFP. 
          SO, SO, SO YOU YOU UNDERSTOOD THE RFP AND THE RFP IS WITHIN THE BUDGETS OF THE PARKS
DEPARTMENT. 
          SO CORRECT. SO THE RFP, NO ONE'S DISAGREEING YOU THAT IT'S LIMITED AND IT'S NOT A FIVE
STAR RESTAURANT AT ANY POINT, BUT IT IS LIMITED TO WHAT IT IS. IT'S A SEASONAL VENUE AND IT'S THERE TO SERVE. 
          SO. RIGHT. YOU'VE CAUGHT ME OFF GUARD HERE. I WAS GIVING YOU THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK
ABOUT WHY YOU WEREN'T CHOSEN FOR RFP, 
          [00:40:09]
AND YOU SAID YOU PURPOSELY MISLED US. CORRECT. 
          SORRY FOR THE INCONVENIENCE. I STILL WANTED TO TALK ABOUT CHESTNUT RIDGE. 
          SO DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADD ABOUT THE RFP THAT YOU'VE SUBMITTED FOR
RFP 2020 6-022? NO. FOR RFP 2023 FOR CHESTNUT RIDGE. IF I HAVEN'T OFFENDED THIS BODY BY INTENTIONALLY NOT PUTTING PRICES ON THE MENU OR PROVIDING A MENU,
THEN YES, WELL, WE'RE GOING TO GET THERE. 
          I WAS GIVING HIM THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLAIN. SO I THINK I'LL GIVE YOU A SECOND. 
          I'M JUST TAKING BACK. I WAS, I WAS OPEN TO A VERY FRANK DISCUSSION ABOUT YOUR PARTICULAR
SITUATION. 
          YES. IT'S VERY DISHEARTENING THAT YOU MISLED US. 
          IT'S DISHEARTENING THAT YOU BROUGHT IT THIS FAR. 
          YOU CONTINUALLY COME TO OUR LEDGE AND COMPLAIN. 
          AND I'M NOT SAYING THEY ARE NOT. YOU'RE NOT ACCURATE,
BUT YOU CAN'T MISS THE BOAT IN SAYING THAT IT WAS ONE RFP FOR THE SITUATION, FOR THIS, FOR THIS ONE THING. AND IT IS WHAT IT IS NOW. 
          WE CAN'T MAKE ANY. THERE WAS NO REMODELING. THERE WAS NO NEW SINKS. 
          IT WAS JUST A STRICT SMALL REQUIREMENT IF YOU DISAGREED WITH IT. 
          IT'S YOUR RIGHT NOT TO BE. BUT YOU DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT TO CHANGE THE RFP,
SO LET SOMEONE ELSE MOVE FORWARD. 
          I'M NOT SAYING THAT YOUR SUGGESTIONS ARE NOT VALID,
BUT THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, THEY HAVE A PLAN AND THEY HAVE SO MUCH THAT THEY HAVE TO DO. 
          SO THEY WERE LOOKING FOR A PARTNER FOR THAT PARTICULAR RFP UNDER THOSE REQUIREMENTS. 
          I THINK IF YOU WEREN'T WILLING TO DO IT, THAT'S FINE. 
          THAT'S YOUR RIGHT. BUT. I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND AND I'M SORRY FOR YOU. 
          I'M NOT SURE YOU DO. CAN I BRING UP IF I HAVEN'T OFFENDED OR WASTED YOUR TIME? DO YOU MIND IF I BRING UP SOMETHING AS WELL? HAVE YOU BEEN ON CHESTNUT RIDGE? I DID, YOU DID? AND HOW DID THAT GO? RIGHT. RESULTED IN A COMPTROLLER REPORT OF A LOT OF
THINGS THAT I WASN'T GIVEN A FAIR OPPORTUNITY TO GET IT. AND THEN IN THE. 
          THEN IT SAYS THAT IT WAS ELECTED. THAT ENDING WOULD BE IN PLACE OF THE CONCESSIONAIRE,
EXCEPT FOR THERE WAS NO ELECTION IN LEGISLATION. NO ONE VOTED ON IT. AND UNDER WHAT AUTHORITY? AND THAT MY PRIMARY OBJECTIVE, CHESTNUT RIDGE,
IS NOT BEING PUT TO AN RFP, AND THAT'S MY PASSION WOULD BE CHESTNUT RIDGE TO SHARE SPACE WITH CHESTNUT RIDGE. 
          AND. I APOLOGIZE IF I REACHED AT ANY TIME, IF I WAS ACCEPTED,
I WOULD HAVE PUT MY FULL EFFORT INTO THIS. IF IT WASN'T MY PRIMARY, IT'S. I FEEL BAD FOR YOU THAT IT'S GONE THIS WAY BECAUSE
YOU SEEM OVERQUALIFIED. 
          YOU HAVE A LOT OF SUCCESS, AND I WISH YOU DIDN'T GO ABOUT IT THIS WAY. 
          BUT BEING THAT WHAT IT IS. I'M GOING TO GIVE TROY AN OPPORTUNITY,
TOO. 
          WOULD YOU LIKE TO RESPOND TO CHESTNUT RIDGE OR YOU CHOOSE NOT TO? THAT'S OKAY. TWO THINGS I'D LIKE TO RESPOND TO. 
          THE HALFWAY HOUSE WAS NOT MEANT TO BE A COOKING KITCHEN. WE HAVE A FULL COOKING KITCHEN IN
THE CLUBHOUSE, SO THAT WAS NOT THE INTENT. THAT'S WHY THE RFP WAS LISTED THAT WAY. 
          SECONDLY, THE CHESTER BRIDGE PROPOSAL THAT MR. FLANAGAN PROPOSED WAS DATING BACK TO 2023. JUST SO WE'RE ALL CLEAR RIGHT NOW WE HAVE
VENDING MACHINES THERE. 
          WE DID THAT UNDER A COUNTY CONTRACT, SO IT DOESN'T NEED ERIE COUNTY APPROVAL. 
          AND THAT WAS DONE IN THE WINTER MONTHS IMMEDIATELY TO GET SOMEONE THERE TO PROVIDE SOME
LIMITED SERVICES TO THE PEOPLE THAT WERE TOBOGGANING, SLEDDING USING CHESTER RIDGE IN THE WINTER MONTHS,
WHICH IS A VERY BUSY PLACE. 
          OKAY. THANK YOU. I'M GOING TO KEEP YOU GUYS. WE'RE GOING TO OPEN UP FOR SOME QUESTIONS. 
          EVERYBODY WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY. I THINK I THINK WE SHOULD STICK TO THE SITUATION
ADDRESS IT. 
          HE'S COME HERE TO TALK ABOUT IT. I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD GO BACK 20 YEARS. 
          IT'S EXPENSIVE. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. MR. KELLY,
I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU PUT IN THIS RFP, AND I. AND I WOULD LIKE TO SAY AN RFP IN A BIT IS NOT THE SAME. 
          AN RFP IS A SEPARATE DOCUMENT WHERE YOU HAVE TO FULFILL EVERYTHING IN THAT RFP TO BE
CONSIDERED. 
          [00:45:03]
YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU KNEW YOU WEREN'T INCLUDING THAT AND YOU HAD CONCERNS. 
          I THINK EVEN US HAVING THIS CONVERSATION WOULD HAVE SEEN THAT THIS BODY WOULD BE WILLING
TO TALK TO THE PARKS DEPARTMENT TO MAKE FUTURE CHANGES. 
          AND THAT COULD HAVE BEEN A WAY THAN YOU APPLYING TO RFP IN THIS WAY. 
          BUT I DID LOOK AT THE RFP AND THERE WERE CERTAIN AREAS THAT WAS A LITTLE ALARMING FOR ME,
A DOLLAR ANNUAL RENT PAYMENT. 
          THAT'S THAT WAS INTERESTING. AND THEN BECAUSE YOU DID NOT INCLUDE YOUR COUNTY'S EQUAL PAY
CERTIFICATION A DRINK MENU, THE PROJECTED OPERATIONAL DATE, WHICH,
YOU KNOW, YOU DIDN'T INCLUDE IN THIS, THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE. AND THEN WHEN YOU'RE SAYING IT AS WE'RE GIVING YOU A PLATFORM HERE THAT YOU
DID ON PURPOSE, I WOULD SAY THAT IS NOT A GOOD LOOK FOR THIS BODY BECAUSE WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT
EVERYONE KNOWS THIS IS THE PEOPLE'S HOUSE. 
          AND IF WE'RE BRINGING OUR DEPARTMENT, COMMISSIONERS HERE TO SPEAK ON IT BECAUSE WE HEARD
YOU WEEK AFTER WEEK, COME AT OUR PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION. WE EXPECT THAT IF YOU'RE GOING TO PUT SOMETHING IN AND
WE'RE GOING TO DEFEND YOU, THAT THIS IS DONE TO THE TOP LEVEL. SO I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S CONCERNS. 
          AND IF THERE ARE CONCERNS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE DONE IS ANOTHER WAY YOU CAN DO THAT. 
          THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. YOU KNOW,
I REQUESTED THIS CONVERSATION ALONG WITH LEGISLATOR MILLS LAST WEEK, AND I APPRECIATE THAT YOU ARE HAVING THE CONVERSATION. 
          I DO JUST WANT TO REDIRECT IT. I THINK WHAT THE GOAL OF THIS CONVERSATION WAS IS THAT
THERE WAS AN AUDIT BY THE COMPTROLLER THAT WAS CONDUCTED SAYING THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE RFP PROCESS AND THE PARKS DEPARTMENT. 
          WE KNOW THAT. WE KNOW THAT YOU'RE WORKING TO ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE ISSUES. 
          WE ALSO KNOW THAT FOR YEARS, THESE PARKS HAVE GONE WITHOUT CONCESSIONS IN THEM. 
          I UNDERSTAND THAT THAT IS NOT THE PRIMARY ROLE OF THE PARKS,
BUT WE DO KNOW AND WE HAVE HEARD FROM CONSTITUENTS, WHETHER IT BE CHESTNUT RIDGE OR IN MY DISTRICT,
ALMA MEADOWS, WE KNOW THAT THE RESIDENTS WANT TO HAVE CONCESSIONS THERE. 
          WE KNOW THAT I DON'T REPRESENT CHESTNUT RIDGE PARK IN ORCHARD PARK. 
          I GOT CALLS TO MY OFFICE COMPLAINING ABOUT THE VENDING MACHINES. 
          THIS IS A PROBLEM. WE CAN'T CONTINUE TO SAY THAT IT'S A PROBLEM WITH ALL OF THE
CONCESSIONAIRES WHEN WE HAVE CONCESSIONAIRES COMING TO US, SAYING THAT THEY ARE LOOKING AT THE RFP, CANNOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS BASED ON THE
KITCHENS THAT ARE STANDING THERE TODAY. 
          WE NEED TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEMS. I DON'T THINK WE CAN KEEP POINTING BACK TO SAYING,
OH, THERE WAS ONLY ONE RFP SUBMITTED. 
          WELL, THEN WHAT'S THE PROBLEM? IS IT THE RFP PROCESS? DO THESE KITCHENS NEED UPGRADES? COMMISSIONER YOU'RE HERE REGULARLY GETTING UPGRADES. 
          WE JUST ACQUIRED A NEW GOLF CART THAT THE KITCHEN HAS BEEN CLOSED FOR TEN YEARS. 
          HOW ARE WE GOING TO GO INTO THAT KITCHEN AND SAY THAT YOU HAVE TO MEET ALL THESE
REQUIREMENTS WHEN THE REALITY IS, AND IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING FROM HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH MR. FLANAGAN,
YOU CANNOT MEET THESE SANITATION REQUIREMENTS THAT ARE REQUIRED BY THE RFP IN THE CURRENT SITUATION. SO I THINK I JUST WANT TO REDIRECT. 
          I ALSO APPRECIATE THAT MR. FLANAGAN HAS COME EVERY WEEK,
AND I WOULD NEVER DISCOURAGE ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC, WHETHER THEY THINK IT'S DISRESPECTFUL OR RESPECTFUL TO US. WE ALL SERVE THE PEOPLE. 
          THE MORE CONVERSATIONS WE HAVE HERE, THE BETTER AND THE MORE PEOPLE THAT COME TO PUBLIC
COMMENT. 
          DOESN'T MATTER WHAT WE THINK ABOUT IT. WHEN PEOPLE SAY,
SO, I DON'T WANT TO GET INTO A CONVERSATION OR A. 
          SCOLDING MR. FLANAGAN FOR THIS RFP WHEN I ACTUALLY THINK HE'S RAISED A FANTASTIC
CONVERSATION THAT IS LARGER THAN JUST THIS RFP. 
          IT'S THE FACT THAT WE CAN'T PROVIDE CONCESSIONS IN THE PARKS. 
          IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING, COMMISSIONER, THAT ALMA MEADOWS AND I,
YOU KNOW, COULDN'T REMEMBER THE NAME OF IT. 
          AND I WAS ACTUALLY RIGHT WHEN I GUESSED IT, IT WAS LEGACY LEGACY HOSPITALITY THAT WAS IN
ALMA MEADOWS. 
          IT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING, EVEN WHEN THEY CAME IN AND WE HAD THE CONVERSATION,
I REMEMBER YOU WERE SITTING RIGHT OVER THERE BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T HAD A CONCESSION THERE FOR A LONG TIME. AND WE HAD THE CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW THAT WAS AN ORGANIZATION THAT
SUCCESSFULLY RUNS CONCESSIONS IN OTHER PARKS ACROSS THE NATION, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, BUT YET THEY STILL COULD NOT COME IN AND SUCCESSFULLY HOLD
CONCESSIONS IN ALMA MEADOWS, WHICH IS A BUSY GOLF COURSE. SO MY QUESTION IS FIRST TO YOU ARE THE KITCHENS UP TO CODE? AND CAN YOU ACTUALLY HAVE SOMEBODY COME IN AND OPERATE CONCESSIONS SUCCESSFULLY IN
FULFILLING THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE RFP TODAY? YES OR NO? WE HAD THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ACTUALLY COME OUT TO EMMA MEADOWS THIS PAST
TUESDAY, BECAUSE WE WANTED TO HAVE THE FACTS IN FRONT OF US. 
          AND THE HALFWAY HOUSE WAS APPROVED TO ALLOW FOR A GRILL OUTDOORS AND PROVIDE DRINK SERVICE
WITH THE IDEA THAT ALL 
          [00:50:07]
COOKING WOULD BE DONE IN THE KITCHEN, IN THE CLUBHOUSE. 
          AND ANY ADDITIONAL FOOD ITEMS WOULD BE TRANSPORTED DOWN TO THE HALFWAY HOUSE TO SERVE
OTTAWA. 
          WE HAVE NO INTENTIONS OF EXPANDING THE COOKING OPERATION AT THE HALFWAY HOUSE. 
          IF WE DID, YES, INFRASTRUCTURE WOULD NEED TO BE IMPLEMENTED THERE,
INCLUDING A THREE BAY BASTING, PREP SINK, HANDWASH SINK, THINGS LIKE THAT. THE VINYL FLOOR WOULD NEED TO BE VINYL TILE
WOULD NEED TO BE INSTALLED OR IMPROVED SEALER. WOOD WALLS WOULD NEED TO BE PAINTED AND THINGS LIKE THAT. 
          WE UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT THAT WAS NEVER THE INTENT OF A HALFWAY HOUSE. 
          MOST MUNICIPAL GOLF COURSES THAT HAVE HALFWAY HOUSES,
THEY DON'T HAVE KITCHENS. 
          IT'S JUST AN ADDITIONAL SERVING SPACE. AND GENERALLY IT'S CHIPS AND BEER. 
          THERE WAS NO DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH CONCERNS WITH THE PLACEMENT OF THE WATER TANK,
WHICH WAS BROUGHT UP BY MR. FLANAGAN. THE CLUBHOUSE KITCHEN THEY'VE ONLY POINTED OUT A COUPLE CORRECTIONS THAT WE NEED
TO MAKE, INCLUDING SEALING THE EXPOSED WOOD. EVERYTHING ELSE,
IT MAY NOT BE IDEAL. 
          IT'S NOT A RESTAURANT. BUT IT IS ADEQUATE. IS THERE A SINK? THEY HAVE ACCESS TO A MOP SINK THAT IS NOT LOCATED IN THE KITCHEN. 
          WHERE IS IT? THAT IS DOWN THE HALLWAY. DOWN THE HALLWAY. 
          YES. OKAY. WHEN WE ARE ONLY GETTING A SINGLE RFP THAT'S COMING IN OR A SINGLE RESPONDENT, WHAT ARE YOU HEARING? BECAUSE I KNOW OTHER COMPANIES HAVE COME IN TOWARDS THE KITCHENS. 
          CORRECT? WHY ARE THEY NOT APPLYING? WHAT IS WHAT IS THE DETERRENT FOR THEM THAT YOU HAVE
HEARD? BECAUSE I'VE HEARD AS WELL THAT THEY DO NOT WANT TO BE IN THEIR OPERATING LAYOUT WAS
BROUGHT UP AS A CONCERN, BUT ALSO JUST LEARNING THE OPERATION ISN'T WORTH THEM CARTING INVENTORY OUT THERE. 
          IT'S VERY WEATHER DEPENDENT, SO IT'S A HUGE GAMBLE FOR A LOT OF THESE BUSINESSES. 
          AND I HAVE PERSONAL EXPERIENCE IN TONAWANDA AND HAMBURG AS WELL. 
          AGAIN, THIS IS NOT UNIQUE TO ERIE COUNTY. AND WHEN WE HAVE A LIMITED BUDGET,
DOES IT MAKE SENSE FOR US TO ALLOCATE DOLLARS IN APPROVING KITCHEN SPACE FOR AN OUTSIDE VENDOR TO MAY OR MAY NOT EVEN BE ABLE TO COME IN,
AND MAY OR MAY NOT BE ABLE TO BE SUCCESSFUL. 
          WE FEEL WHAT IS THERE IS ADEQUATE. WE WILL DO WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO MEET CODE
REQUIREMENTS. 
          BUT WE'RE JUST NOT IN A POSITION TO TURN THIS INTO A COMMERCIAL KITCHEN. 
          LOOKING AT CHESTNUT RIDGE AS WELL. CAN AN OPERATOR GO IN THERE TODAY AND MEET THE
REQUIREMENTS OF THE RFP? I UNDERSTAND THAT THEY CAN. YES. SO WE JUST CAN'T GET ANYBODY THAT WANTS TO OPERATE A
BUSINESS OUT OF THERE. 
          BUT WE DO HAVE SOMEBODY WHO WANTS TO. AND I UNDERSTAND THE LEGISLATURE'S CONCERN WHEN YOU
MENTIONED THE $1 RENT. 
          RIGHT NOW WE'RE GETTING WE'RE GETTING NOTHING AT ALL. 
          THEY ACTUALLY OH, WE ACTUALLY HAVE AN OUTSTANDING $10,000 THAT WAS UNPAID FROM LEGACY
HOSPITALITY. 
          CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT. I BELIEVE WAS $10,000. 
          SO MY THOUGHT, AND I THINK IT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE A LARGER DISCUSSION WITH
THIS BODY. 
          IF WE CANNOT HAVE AN OPERATION, IF WE CAN'T GET ANYBODY IN THERE,
WHAT CAN WE DO TO GET SOMEBODY IN THERE? SOMETHING'S BETTER THAN NOTHING. AND WE DO HAVE RESIDENTS THAT DO HAVE EXPECTATIONS. 
          GOING BACK TO THE VENDING MACHINE, WHAT WAS THE DECISION PROCESS? BECAUSE IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THERE WAS AN RFP OUT TO GET CONCESSIONS IN THERE. 
          WHO MADE THE DECISION TO PUT IN THE VENDING MACHINES? BECAUSE I DON'T BELIEVE THAT CAME
OVER TO THE LEGISLATURE. DID IT? ARE WE TALKING CHESTNUT RIDGE? CHESTNUT RIDGE, YES. SO AFTER THE VENDOR AT CHESTNUT RIDGE FAILED TO PAY,
WE TERMINATED THE CONTRACT WITH THE LAW DEPARTMENT. 
          THIS WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF WINTER, SO WE IMMEDIATELY GOT VENDING. 
          THAT'S A COUNTY CONTRACT. WE DON'T NEED ERIE COUNTY APPROVAL TO USE A COUNTY CONTRACT TO
PROVIDE ANY MACHINES AT ANY OF OUR US. 
          SO WE QUICKLY GOT VENDING MACHINES AT CHESTNUT RIDGE PARK TO PROVIDE MINIMAL HOT DRINKS,
HOT CHOCOLATE, COFFEE, SNACKS, FOOD IN THE WINTER MONTHS WHEN WE HAVE TOBOGGAN SLEDDING IN THE PACK OF
THE PACK. 
          SO WE PROVIDED THOSE AT THE PARK AS SOON AS WE CAN TO GET SOME SORT OF SERVICE THERE. 
          OKAY. MOVING FORWARD, SINCE THE COMPTROLLER'S AUDIT,
WHAT CHANGES HAVE BEEN MADE TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE GAPS THAT WERE IDENTIFIED? NICOLE COULD SPEAK ON THIS A LITTLE BIT TOO,
BUT WE THE TIMING OF THIS WAS A LITTLE OFF. 
          WE WAITED FOR THE CONTROLLERS. IT WAS AN ANALYSIS ACTUALLY DONE AN AUDIT. 
          IT WAS AN ANALYSIS. WE WAITED FOR THAT TO BE COMPLETE SO WE COULD TAKE SOME OF THAT
INFORMATION INTO OUR NEXT RFP PROCESS, WHICH WORKED WITH YOUR DEPARTMENT. GREAT CAMERA HERE. 
          WE'VE MADE SOME CHANGES AND TWEAKS TO CONCESSIONS FOR THE PROPOSALS,
WHICH IS IRONIC. 
          WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THAT RIGHT NOW. JUST THE LANGUAGE,
THE TERMINOLOGY, MORE CONSISTENCY BETWEEN THE TWO RFP AND ALL THE, 
          [00:55:07]
ALL THE LOCATIONS WE GO TO. SO AND THEY ACKNOWLEDGED IN THEIR ANALYSIS THAT WE WERE
MAKING, WE ARE MAKING CHANGES IN ADVANCE OF THEIR ANALYSIS. 
          I LED OFF THIS CONVERSATION BY SAYING THIS. THIS IS NOT AN ERIE COUNTY PARKS ISSUE. 
          IT'S AN ISSUE ALL ACROSS THE COUNTY. WE'RE WORKING TO COMBAT IT OR COME UP WITH NEW IDEAS. 
          WE'RE THINKING FOOD TRUCKS ON BUSY WEEKENDS. SO WE HAVE A RESOLUTION WHICH ALLOWS US TO DO
THAT. 
          SO WE'RE JUST THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX OF DIFFERENT WAYS TO PROVIDE THIS ADDITIONAL
SERVICE. 
          I'M JUST GOING TO SAY THIS PEOPLE DO NOT GO TO HAMMEL MEADOWS TO GET FOOD. 
          IT'S IN A PERFECT WORLD. WE CAN OFFER SOMETHING MORE,
BUT WE'RE FOCUSED ON THE GOLF COURSE. 
          WE'RE FOCUSED ON GREENS AND TEES. WE'RE FOCUSED ON THE 10,000 ACRES WE GOT. 
          WE'RE FOCUSED ON WHAT OUR REAL MISSION IS. THESE ARE EXTRA PARTS THAT WE WANT. 
          WE WANT TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL SERVICES, BUT ALSO TO WHAT POINT? AND SIMPLY PUT, IN THIS CASE, THE RFP WAS PUT OUT THAT WAS NOT RESPONSIVE IN SOME WAY
BECAUSE IT WAS INTENTIONALLY LACKING INFORMATION, WHICH IS INTERESTING. BUT AND WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO LOOK AT WAYS TO PROVIDE
ADDITIONAL SERVICES AT CHESTNUT RIDGE. 
          ALMOST. EVERY SINGLE RFP THAT YOU GUYS RECEIVE IS COMPLETE AND TIMELY. 
          OTHERWISE, YOU PROMISED THAT EVERY SINGLE ONE. NO,
BUT THAT'S WHY WE'VE MADE THESE CHANGES SINCE, YOU KNOW, I CAME ON BOARD IN JULY. WE BROUGHT THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT IN. 
          WHEN WE STARTED NOTICING ISSUES IN SEPTEMBER,
WE WORKED ON TERMINATE CONTRACTS. 
          WE WENT THROUGH THE COMPTROLLER'S ANALYSIS, WE TOOK ALL THAT. 
          WE LEARNED ALL THE ISSUES THAT WE WERE SEEING TO DO BETTER IN THE FUTURE. 
          SO I CAN'T SPEAK FOR ISSUES THAT WERE MADE IN THE PAST. 
          ALL WE CAN DO IS CORRECT THEM GOING FORWARD AND GOING FORWARD,
KNOWING WHAT WE KNOW, KNOWING WHAT WE SHOULD BE DOING, THE CHECKS AND BALANCES IN PLACE. WE CANNOT,
WE SHOULD NOT BE ACCEPTING A PROPOSAL THAT IS INCOMPLETE AND NOT A GOOD FIT JUST BECAUSE IT'S THE ONLY ONE. SO MOVING FORWARD, EVERY INCOMPLETE RFP WILL BE TOSSED. 
          WAS THERE A PROCESS BEFORE WHERE YOU WOULD CONTACT THE PERSON WHO COMPLETED THE RFP AND
WORKED WITH THEM, BECAUSE I KNOW OTHER DEPARTMENTS HAVE DONE SOMETHING SIMILAR. YEAH,
I BELIEVE EVERYONE GOT A COPY OF THE LETTER THAT FLANAGAN RECEIVED AND WHY WE REJECTED IT. 
          AND IT CLEARLY STATES THAT YOU PROPOSED A DOLLAR ANNUAL RENT IN CONJUNCTION WITH REQUESTED
UNSPECIFIED TENANT IMPROVEMENT ALLOCATIONS IN NUMEROUS CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS TO THE HALFWAY HOUSE AND CLUBHOUSE AT EMMA MEADOWS PROPERTY,
AS CONTAINED IN YOUR RESPONSE, ARE NOT IN THE BEST INTEREST OF ERIE COUNTY AT THIS TIME. 
          IT THEN GOES ON TO SAY, WE FURTHER ADVISE. YOUR PROPOSAL WAS NOT SCORED BY THE COMMITTEE
DUE TO THE FOLLOWING. 
          SO THERE WAS AN EFFICIENCY FROM THE RFP SEPARATE FROM THAT. 
          THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS WERE OUTSIDE THE SCOPE OF WORK AND WHAT THE RFP CLEARLY CONTAINED
AND WAS DESIRED TO SEE. 
          THAT'S RIGHT. SO MOVING FORWARD, THAT WAS MY QUESTION WAS MOVING FORWARD,
EVERY RFP THAT IS NOT COMPLETE AND WILL BE TOSSED. 
          IT DEPENDS LEGALLY, IF WE CAN WORK WITH CONFINES OF THE RFP PROCESS. 
          BUT IN THIS, WE'RE NOT MAKING CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS AND WAS ASKED TO HAVE PARK STAFF ASSIST
IN THESE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS. 
          THIS IS APRIL. WE'RE READY TO OPEN A GOLF COURSE. 
          WE'RE NOT PUTTING OUR CARPENTERS, ELECTRICIANS AND PLUMBERS ESPECIALLY WITH TO DO WORK IN
A HALFWAY HOUSE, WHICH IS MEANT TO BE A HALFWAY HOUSE. THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO ASK THE QUESTION BECAUSE I
THINK THIS IS TIMELY. 
          AND THAT'S, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE RFP NOT BEING FULLY COMPLETE,
IT'S NOT UNUSUAL FROM THE SOUNDS OF IT. 
          I DO HAVE ONE OTHER QUESTION. IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE SCORING COMMITTEE FOR THE
CHESTNUT RIDGE RFP IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER WAS ALSO LISTED AS A REFERENCE BY THE WINNING BIDDER. IS THAT A PROCESS THAT YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE DOESN'T
HAPPEN AGAIN? AND HOW DID THAT HAPPEN? IT'S KIND OF MIND BLOWING TO ME THAT THE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER WAS LISTED AS A REFERENCE FOR THE WINNING BIDDER. AND THAT EVEN MOVED
FORWARD, AS THEY SAID, ON THE SCORING COMMITTEE. YEAH,
THAT WAS THAT WAS REFERENCED IN THE COMPTROLLER'S ANALYSIS. 
          WE HAVE TAKEN STEPS SINCE THEN. SO THE ANY ANY PROPOSALS CANNOT LIST ERIE COUNTY AS,
AS AS ON THEIR ON THEIR SHEET SAYING THAT THAT THAT'S A PREVIOUS DEPUTY COMMISSIONER RECREATION AND THEY ALREADY HAD A CONTRACT WITH
US AND WORKED WITH THE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER OF RECREATION. 
          SO THEY LISTED THAT PROFESSIONAL RELATIONSHIP ON THAT SHEET. 
          AND THAT WAS ALL CALLED OUT, SPELLED FOR IN THE ANALYSIS. 
          AND WE'VE TAKEN STEPS TO REMEDY THAT MOVING FORWARD,
INCLUDING THIS ITEM. OKAY. 
          YOU KNOW, I THINK MOVING FORWARD AND I APPRECIATE,
YOU KNOW, I APPRECIATE THE SENTIMENT OF WHAT WE WANT IN THE PARKS AND WHAT WE WANT FROM PARKS. BUT I WOULD JUST BE CAUTIOUS THAT, YOU KNOW,
THIS IS THE PEOPLE'S BODY OF THE LEGISLATURE AND THE THE DECISIONS HAVE TO HAPPEN HERE AND THAT ARE MANAGED BY THE DEPARTMENTS. IF WE KNOW THAT THE CONCESSION PROCESS RIGHT NOW IS
NOT WORKING, 
          [01:00:04]
THEN SOMETHING NEEDS TO CHANGE. WE CAN'T JUST KEEP WORKING AT IT. 
          I UNDERSTAND, AND I APPRECIATE THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT FOOD TRUCKS AND OTHER OPTIONS. BUT
WE NEED TO BE TRANSPARENT ABOUT THOSE PROCESSES AND NOT JUST KICK THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD WHEN WE KNOW THERE'S NO INTEREST TO OPERATE IN THESE KITCHENS. 
          DO THE KITCHENS NEED TO BE UPGRADED? WE ARE CONSTANTLY SPENDING IN PARKS. 
          WE HAVE A NEW PARK THAT WE JUST ACQUIRED. WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF THE ASSETS THAT WE HAVE. 
          AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE MAKING THESE PARTNERSHIPS FUNCTIONAL AND ABLE TO SERVE THE PUBLIC
AS POSSIBLE. 
          THANK YOU. OKAY. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE LEGISLATORS? I THINK WE NEED TO WRAP THIS UP. IF WE WANT TO HAVE A FURTHER DISCUSSION ON POLICY IN
PARKS, WE CAN HAVE THAT IN THE FUTURE ON WHAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING. 
          BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME FOR COMING. 
          LET'S MOVE FORWARD. ALL RIGHT. WE ARE ON TO WHERE ARE WE? NO, WE'RE NOT EVEN CLOSE TO DONE. WE HAVE A HUNTING. 
          HUNTING RIFLE? YES. ALL RIGHT. WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A DISCUSSION ON ALL 3-1. 
          I THINK WE HAVE A FEW SPEAKERS THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK FOR AND AGAINST. 
          EASY PEASY. EVERYBODY WHO'S HERE TO SPEAK ON THIS COME ON UP HERE,
BECAUSE I BELIEVE THERE'S MORE THAN ONE. 
          AND WE'RE ALL GOOD. HOPEFULLY. OKAY, THEN I WILL MAKE THAT ANNOUNCEMENT AS LONG AS WE HAVE SOMEBODY. OKAY. 
          OKAY. IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST? COME ON UP, PLEASE. YEAH, THERE'S ANOTHER PERSON. 
          COME ON UP. COME ON UP. I WANT EVERYBODY UP HERE AT ONCE. WE'RE GOING TO LET EVERYBODY
HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK SO WE CAN KEEP IT MOVING. 
          OKAY. IS THAT IT? ALL RIGHT. THIS IS NO RANDOM ORDER. 
          I'M GOING TO GIVE EVERYBODY AN OPPORTUNITY TO SAY YOUR PIECE IS GOING TO BE TWO MINUTES,
THOUGH, SO WE CAN KEEP MOVING. AND I DON'T KNOW YOUR NAME, SO YOU CAN GO FIRST. PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD. 
          OKAY, SO I WAS CHECKING TO SEE. OKAY. MY NAME IS JACK COHEN. 
          I AM A RESIDENT OF ERIE COUNTY SINCE 1962, AND I AM A HUNTER SAFETY INSTRUCTOR FOR FOR THE
STATE OF NEW YORK FOR 25 YEARS. WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO CONTINUE WITH MY COMMENTS. 
          OKAY. I'M PRIMARILY HERE TO ADDRESS THE LOCAL LAW THAT LEGISLATOR TODARO INTRODUCED
REGARDING THE ABILITY OF 12 AND 13 YEAR OLD HUNTERS TO BE ABLE TO HUNT DEER IN NEW YORK AND IN ERIE COUNTY. 
          CURRENTLY, THEY ARE HUNTERS. THEY TAKE A COURSE,
I CERTIFY THEM, WHICH I HAVE DONE THOUSANDS OF HUNTERS OVER BEGINNING HUNTERS OVER THE LAST 25 YEARS, INCLUDING 12 AND 13 YEAR OLD KIDS. 
          THEY ARE ABLE TO HUNT WITH FIREARMS IN SMALL GAME,
BUT THEY'RE NOT ALLOWED TO HUNT WITH THE SAME FIREARMS DURING DEER SEASON. 
          THERE ARE CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS THAT A 12 AND 13 YEAR OLD MUST MEET IN ORDER TO
SUCCESSFULLY BE A HUNTER IN NEW YORK STATE. 
          HE'S GOT TO TAKE THE SAME COURSE THAT ALL HUNTERS HAVE TO TAKE. 
          HE HAS TO PASS IT. HE HAS TO TAKE A TEST AND HE'S GOT TO BE CERTIFIED,
AND HE'S GOT TO MEET THE CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS THAT I, MYSELF AND MY OTHER INSTRUCTORS NEED, WHICH IS THE PROOF PROFICIENCY IN HANDLING OF
FIREARMS AND ALL THE SAFETY REASONS THAT WE HAVE. 
          SO THEY SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETE THAT THEY'RE GIVEN THEIR CERTIFICATE. 
          THEY ARE RELATIVE TO DEER HUNTING, WHICH WITH THIS PROPOSAL IS,
IS THAT THEY HAVE TO GO OUT WITH A MENTOR. 
          IT'S NOT LIKE THEY CAN JUST GO OUT ON THEIR OWN IN THEIR BACKYARD AND HUNT. 
          THEY HAVE TO HAVE SOMEBODY WHO IS OVER 21 YEARS OLD,
IS AN ACTIVE HUNTER AT THIS TIME AND HAS AT LEAST THREE YEARS OF EXPERIENCE. SO IT'S NOT LIKE HE'S JUST GOING TO BE SITTING ON HIS BACK PORCH WATCHING THIS
KID GO OUT. 
          HE WILL BE WITHIN HAND'S REACH, ARMS REACH OF THIS CHILD TO MENTOR HIM AND MAKE SURE THAT
THE CHOICES THAT HE'S DOING ARE SAFE AND ETHICAL. AS A HUNTER IN NEW YORK STATE AND ESPECIALLY IN ERIE COUNTY RIGHT NOW. 
          [01:05:04]
THEY CAN'T DO THAT RIGHT NOW. DC HAS A RESPONSIBILITY OF CONTROLLING OUR WILDLIFE. 
          WE HAVE A HARD, HIGH PROBLEM OF EXCESSIVE POPULATION OF DEER. 
          SO THIS ONLY STOPS DC FROM PUTTING HUNTERS IN ERIE COUNTY THAT CAN HELP THEM AS THEIR
NUMBER ONE TOOL TOWARD REDUCING THE POPULATION OR ATTEMPTING TO EVEN CONTROL THEM THERE. 
          THEY'RE SAFE, THEY'RE SUPERVISED. AND AND WE NEED IT. 
          AND WE SUPPORTED DC SUPPORTS THE PROGRAM TOO. 
          AND WE ARE THE ONLY COUNTY IN UPSTATE NEW YORK THAT DOES NOT ALLOW IT. 
          THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE YOU COMING. I'M GOING TO ASK YOU TO STAY. WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS
I'M GOING TO GIVE EVERYBODY AN OPPORTUNITY AND THEN WE'LL TAKE QUESTIONS. SO EVERYBODY HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. THANK YOU. YOU'RE NEXT. 
          WOULD YOU PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD? IAN PEARSON,
CHAIRMAN OF WESTERN AIRLINES, DELTA WATERFOWL. I'VE BEEN ERIE COUNTY RESIDENT FOR OVER 30 YEARS. 
          I LIVED IN THE CITY OF BUFFALO. A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR ORGANIZATION. 
          WE ARE A WATERFOWL HUNTING ORGANIZATION WHERE WE BUILD,
INSTALL AND MAINTAIN WATERFOWL NESTING STRUCTURES ACROSS WESTERN NEW YORK, NOT JUST HERE IN TOWN. IT WAS TO MY SURPRISE,
JUST FINDING RECENTLY THAT WE DO NOT ALLOW YOU IN ERIE COUNTY TO TARGET SMALL, BIG GAME. 
          I DID NOT KNOW THAT. I LEARNED TO. STATISTICALLY HUNTING INCIDENTS INJURIES, FIREARM RELATED ARE VERY, VERY STATISTICALLY LOW. 
          YOU HAVE A STATISTICALLY BETTER CHANCE TO GET HURT PLAYING YOUTH FOOTBALL,
SWIMMING AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. 
          I'M HERE BECAUSE HAVING THE YOUTH BE ABLE TO PROVIDE FOR THEIR FAMILY WHILE THEY'RE FRESH
OUT OF THE HUNTER SAFETY EDUCATION CLASSES. NOT WHEN THEY'RE ADULTS MAKING POOR DECISIONS LIKE
GOING OUT INTO THE FOREST AND DRINKING AND, YOU KNOW, DOING THINGS LIKE THAT IS OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE. 
          AND THAT'S WHY I SUPPORT THIS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 
          STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE. MY NAME IS DALE HOFFMAN,
AND I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT OF ERIE COUNTY SINCE I WAS FOUR YEARS OLD. 
          I'M NOW 74. I'VE TAUGHT MANY KIDS. I MAINLY TEACH JUNIOR OLYMPIC ARCHERY DEVELOPMENT. 
          THAT'S ARCHERY COURSE THROUGH USA ARCHERY. AS FAR AS HUNTER SAFETY GOES,
I DO NOT BECAUSE OF THE JOBS I HAD. 
          SOMETIMES THEY COULDN'T DO IT. I'VE PROBABLY PUT THROUGH A FEW THOUSAND KIDS THROUGH THAT
COURSE. 
          AND AS FAR AS THE MENTOR HUNTING GOES, I FEEL IT'S GOT TO BE ONE OF THE SAFEST PROGRAMS
GOING BECAUSE AS MY COLLEAGUE SAID, YOU HAVE TO BE WITHIN ARM'S REACH OF THAT CHILD. 
          AND MOST OF THE HUNTING THAT THE YOUTH ARE GOING TO BE DOING,
ESPECIALLY IN ERIE COUNTY, IS GOING TO BE ON PRIVATE LANES. 
          IN OTHER WORDS, THE PERSON THAT'S GOING OUT THERE OWNS THE LAND MORE THAN LIKELY. 
          AND WITH THE THREE YEARS EXPERIENCE, THEY SHOULD KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON. 
          AND IF YOU TRAIN YOUR KIDS RIGHT, WHICH IS DONE,
YOU LET THEM SHOOT. 
          YOU TEACH THEM HOW TO HANDLE THE FIREARMS. THEY WILL KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING. 
          PLUS, THEY HAVE TO WEAR 200IN SQUARE INCHES OF HUNTER ORANGE. 
          BOTH MENTOR AND THE CHILD HAS TO WEAR THAT. SO AS FAR AS ACCIDENTS GOES,
I LOOKED IT UP FROM 2021 TO 2025. FOR THE MENTOR HUNT IN NEW YORK STATE,
THERE ARE ZERO ACCIDENTS IN THAT PROGRAM. 
          IT'S ABOUT WHAT I HAVE TO SAY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. 
          PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD. HI, MY NAME IS. 
          SORRY, MY NAME IS PAUL AND I'M HERE TO SHOW MY SUPPORT FOR THE PROPOSED LEGISLATION ALSO. 
          I'M GOING TO TAKE A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT APPROACH THAN MY FRIENDS HERE. 
          I'M GOING TO MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT MORE PERSONAL AND TELL MY STORY IF THAT'S OKAY. 
          SO I'VE BEEN ON THE, ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR ALLIED SPORTSMAN CLUB FOR ABOUT TWO
YEARS. 
          OUR CLUB WAS FOUNDED IN 1936 IN ERIE COUNTY,
AND WE ARE CURRENTLY CELEBRATING OUR 90TH YEAR AS A CLUB. 
          AND WE HAVE ANYWHERE FROM, YOU KNOW, FROM 250 TO 400 ACTIVE MEMBERS,
DEPENDING ON THE TIME OF THE YEAR. 
          AND OUR CLUB REALLY SUPPORTS FAMILY ACTIVITIES,
SUCH AS, YOU KNOW, SHOOTING SPORTS AND HUNTING, RIGHT? SO LET ME JUST TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ME. 
          [01:10:03]
I BROKE MY NECK WHEN I WAS 14 AND I'M A QUADRIPLEGIC AND I GOT INTO SHOOTING SPORTS AS A
FORM OF PHYSICAL THERAPY. 
          IT, IT HELPED ME GET STRONGER AND SHARPEN MY FOCUS. 
          AND WHEN I WAS AN ADULT, MY, I STARTED MY UNCLE,
HE INTRODUCED ME TO HUNTING. 
          RIGHT? HE TOOK ME OUT TO HIS PROPERTY AND TAUGHT ME ABOUT SAFETY,
BEING QUIET AND OTHER HUNTING TECHNIQUES. 
          AND HUNTING IS SOMETHING THAT'S BEST TAUGHT BY SOMEONE WHO ALREADY DOES IT TO TEACH US
WHAT IS, WHAT TO DO, AND WHAT NOT TO DO. THERE'S A LOT MORE TO HUNTING THAN YOU KNOW THAN WHAT'S IN
THE SAFE, OF COURSE. ULTIMATELY, HUNTING IS IS A FAMILY ACTIVITY. 
          IT ALLOWED ME TO BOND WITH MY DAD. I WANTED TO DO THAT BONDING TIME WITH MY KIDS. 
          I HAVE AN OLDER BOY AND A YOUNGER BOY WHO'S RIDING THE SAME TRAIN. 
          CURRENTLY CURRENTLY AT 11, 11 YEARS OLD. RIGHT? AND SO, YOU KNOW, MY OLDER SON AND I GOT INTO HUNTING,
WE STARTED GOING, AND MY YOUNGER SON ALWAYS WANTED TO COME ALONG. 
          RIGHT. ALTHOUGH HE CAN'T HE'S, HE'S ONLY 11 RIGHT NOW AND HE CAN'T PARTICIPATE IN NEW YORK
STATE. 
          HE STILL WANTS TO BE PART OF OUR TEAM, RIGHT? SO HE DRESSES UP IN HIS CAMERA, HE PUTS ON HIS ORANGE OUTFIT AND COMES THERE. 
          YOU KNOW, WE CURRENTLY I CURRENTLY HUNT FROM A FROM A GROUND BLIND,
YOU KNOW AND HE AND HE SITS IN THERE WITH HIM. 
          RIGHT? ONE OF THE BIGGEST PROBLEMS IS YOU CAN'T GO OUT THERE RIGHT NOW. 
          AND LAST YEAR I HAD TO SPEND OVER $8,000 TO GO TO PENNSYLVANIA TO DO SOME HUNTING. 
          MY YOUNG SON GOT A, I GOT A WAR AND MY OTHER SON GOT AROUND. 
          WE ACTUALLY JUST USED SOME OF THAT MEAT THAT WE GOT FROM LAST YEAR TO,
TO MAKE UP SOME OF OUR SAUSAGE FOR EASTER DINNER. 
          SO IT'S KIND OF LIKE, YOU KNOW, YOU GOT TO GRIND,
GRIND AND EVERYTHING ELSE LIKE THAT. 
          ANYWAYS YOU KNOW, IT'S I WANT HIM TO RESPECT NATURE AND LEARN ABOUT WHY WE HARVEST AN
ANIMAL FOR FOOD, NOT JUST FOR FORMS, FOR THE SPORT. YOU KNOW,
HUNTERS PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT AND THE HABITAT. 
          RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE AN OVERPOPULATION OF DEER IN NEW YORK,
AND THE DEER ARE BEING HIT BY CARS AT ALARMING RATES. 
          AND ALSO THE DEER ARE DAMAGING SOME OF OUR CROPS. 
          YOU KNOW, LAND CAN ONLY SUPPORT SO MANY DEER PER ACRE,
AND HUNTERS CONTROL THAT BALANCE. 
          ALSO, CONSERVATION IS SUPPORTED BY THE SALES OF HUNTING EQUIPMENT THROUGH THE 1937
PITTMAN-ROBERTSON WILDLIFE RESTORATION ACT AND THE SALES OF LICENSES. 
          I'M A SOFTWARE ENGINEER BY TRADE. SO THE LAST THING I WANT TO DO IN MY FREE TIME IS REALLY
TO BE ON THE SCREEN. 
          WHAT'S THAT? OH. ANYWAYS I JUST WANT TO CONCLUDE BY,
I THINK I THINK THAT 12 YEARS OLD IS A GOOD AGE TO START. BY THE TIME THEY'RE TEENAGERS,
THEY DISCOVER GIRLS AND THEY WANT TO BE WITH THEIR FRIENDS. 
          THAT JUST ISN'T COOL ANYMORE. I FEEL THAT IF YOU IF THEY TEACH THEM YOUNG AND MAKE IT A
TRADITION, IT BECOMES SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO. IT BECOMES A YEARLY BONDING EXPERIENCE WITH LIKE
HOLIDAYS. 
          KIDS STARTING AT 12 CAN ALREADY HUNT SMALL GAME WITH FIREARM AND THE LONG SPANS OF TIME,
WHICH IS JUST ANOTHER TYPE OF ANIMAL. 
          IT'S NOT IF A 12 YEAR OLD. SO JUST WRAP IT UP A LITTLE BIT. 
          THANK YOU KNOW, THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THE TIME TO TALK. 
          YOU'RE WELCOME. THANK YOU FOR COMING. YOU'RE UP. 
          GOOD AFTERNOON, DEAR MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE. 
          I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT I WILL HAVE TO RUN OUT PRETTY QUICKLY BECAUSE I HAVE A MEETING FOR
MY DAUGHTER THAT I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR TWO MONTHS NOW, SO I'M VERY SORRY ABOUT THAT. OKAY. OKAY. SO AS A PARENT,
THIS PROPOSAL REALLY DOESN'T SIT RIGHT WITH ME. 
          12 AND 13 YEAR OLDS ARE STILL KIDS. THEY'RE VERY MUCH LEARNING HOW TO HANDLE EMOTIONS,
HOW TO MAKE GOOD DECISIONS, HOW TO UNDERSTAND CONSEQUENCES. ASKING THEM TO TAKE ON SOMETHING AS SERIOUS AS KILLING AN
ANIMAL WITH A FIREARM FEELS LIKE FAR TOO MUCH AND FAR TOO SOON. BUT WHAT WEIGHS ON ME EVEN MORE IS THE DYNAMIC BETWEEN PARENTS AND CHILDREN
AT THAT AGE. 
          KIDS WANT TO MAKE US PROUD. THEY WANT OUR APPROVAL,
AND THEY OFTEN DON'T FEEL LIKE THEY CAN SAY NO, ESPECIALLY IF THEY THINK IT MIGHT DISAPPOINT US. 
          SO WHEN WE SAY THAT THIS WOULD BE A CHOICE, I THINK WE NEED TO BE HONEST ABOUT WHAT THAT
LOOKS LIKE IN REAL LIFE. 
          HOW MANY 12 YEAR OLDS WOULD FEEL COMFORTABLE SAYING,
I DON'T WANT TO DO THIS? IF A PARENT IS ENCOURAGING THEM, HOW MANY WOULD GO ALONG WITH IT,
EVEN IF IT DOESN'T FEEL RIGHT TO THEM? AS PARENTS, IT'S OUR JOB TO PROTECT OUR CHILDREN,
NOT TO PUT THEM IN SITUATIONS WHERE THEY MAY FEEL PRESSURED TO DO SOMETHING THEY'RE NOT EMOTIONALLY READY FOR. AND AS A COMMUNITY, OUR LAWS SHOULD REFLECT THAT. 
          THEY SHOULD PROTECT KIDS NOT JUST FROM OBVIOUS HARM,
BUT FROM EXPECTATIONS THAT ARE TOO HEAVY FOR THEM TO CARRY. 
          [01:15:05]
THERE ARE ALSO SAFETY CONCERNS. ERIE COUNTY ISN'T ISOLATED WILDERNESS,
WILDERNESS. 
          IT'S A PLACE WHERE FAMILIES ARE OUT WALKING,
HIKING, ENJOYING THE OUTDOORS. 
          INTRODUCING YOUNGER, LESS EXPERIENCED HUNTERS INTO THAT ENVIRONMENT ADDS RISK THAT JUST
DOESN'T NEED TO BE THERE. 
          AND IF THE GOAL IS TO MANAGE THEIR POPULATION,
THERE ARE MORE THOUGHTFUL, MODERN APPROACHES THAT DON'T INVOLVE PUTTING WEAPONS IN THE HANDS OF CHILDREN. I WANT MY CHILD AND ALL CHILDREN TO GROW UP IN A WORLD WHERE WE
ENCOURAGE EMPATHY, RESPONSIBILITY AND THOUGHTFUL DECISION MAKING. 
          THIS PROPOSAL DOES NOT MOVE US IN THAT DIRECTION. 
          FOR ALL THESE REASONS, I STRONGLY OPPOSE EXPANDING DEER HUNTING TO CHILDREN THIS YOUNG. 
          THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU FOR COMING. 
          FLOOR IS YOURS. HELLO. THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY. 
          OF ALL THE RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED IN ERIE COUNTY,
PERMITTING 12 AND 13 YEAR OLD KIDS TO HUNT DEER WITH FIREARMS AND CROSSBOWS SHOULD NOT BE ON THE LIST. THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION HAS EXTOLLED THE SAFETY RECORD
OF YOUTH HUNTING IN PAST YEARS, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THERE WON'T BE HUNTING INCIDENTS OR FATALITIES IN THE FUTURE. 
          THE SO-CALLED SAFETY RECORD OF ALL AROUND INCIDENTS FOR 2025 CITED SEVEN. 
          FIVE WERE SELF-INFLICTED AND TO INVOLVE MORE THAN ONE PERSON. 
          THE DECK ALSO DOCUMENTED NINE FALLS FROM TREE STANDS OR ELEVATED PLATFORMS,
INCLUDING ONE FATALITY. 
          I TAKE IT ALL THESE LEGAL HUNTERS WERE EXPERIENCED HUNTERS. 
          ACCORDING TO THE WEBSITE FOR PERSONAL INJURY ATTORNEYS AT THE MILEY LEGAL GROUP IN WEST
VIRGINIA, THE NATIONAL SHOOTING SPORTS FOUNDATION REPORTED THAT,
QUOTE, YOUTH HUNTING ACCIDENTS MAY OCCUR MORE OFTEN BECAUSE OF LOW SKILLED YOUTH, DON'T HAVE THE SAME DISCERNMENT AND HANDLING SKILLS AS ADULTS WHEN IT COMES TO HUNTING,
THEY ARE MORE LIKELY TO MAKE SIMPLE MISTAKES AND INJURE THEMSELVES OR OTHERS. LATER IN THE REPORT, JONATHAN GUSSOW OF THE WASHINGTON TRAIL ASSOCIATION IS QUOTED
AS SAYING YOUNG PEOPLE DO NOT HAVE THE JUDGMENT. 
          ADULTS HAVE. FOR THE MOST PART, 14 YEAR OLDS DO NOT HAVE THE JUDGMENT THAT A 16 YEAR OLD
HAS. 
          SO THAT'S 14 POUNDS. I MENTIONED THE ABOVE INCIDENTS BECAUSE DOWN THE ROAD THERE ARE
PROPOSALS IN THE STATE LEGISLATURE FOR TEN YEAR OLD KIDS TO HUNT, SNOGGING FOWL, DEER OR BEAR DOING APPLICABLE SEASONS WITHOUT OBTAINING A
HUNTING LICENSE OR HUNTERS EDUCATION COURSE CERTIFICATION AND TO POSSESS OR CONTROL A FIREARM IF THE PERSON IS WITHIN
ARM'S REACH OF A QUALIFIED HUNTING MENTOR, UNQUOTE. THIS ASSEMBLY BILL HAS ONE SPONSOR AND 16 CO-SPONSORS. 
          ACCORDING TO THE NEW YORK OUTDOOR NEWS, THE DC IS LOOKING FORWARD TO THE 12 AND 13 YEAR
OLDS HUNTING BLACK BEAR AND EVENTUALLY HUNT ON A TREE STAND. 
          IF WL THREE ONE 2026 PASSES, THIS MAY BE COME. 
          THIS MAY BE WHAT COMES NEXT. THE NEW YORK DC ENCOURAGES MORE HAUNTING BECAUSE IT BRINGS IN
MORE MONEY VIA LICENSES AND EXCISE TAXES. 
          THE DEC HAS EXPRESSED CONCERN OVER THE DWINDLING INTEREST IN HUNTING. 
          URGING CHILDREN TO KILL ANIMALS SHOULD NEVER BE ENCOURAGED. 
          IN TODAY'S BUFFALO NEWS ARTICLE, IT INDICATED THAT PASSING THIS MEASURE IS A DONE DEAL. 
          I HOPE EVERY LEGISLATOR WILL GIVE IT MORE THOUGHT AND LOOK AT ALL SIDES OF THE ISSUE. 
          FOR THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF OUR YOUTH AND THE NON-HUNTING PUBLIC WHO HAVE A RIGHT TO
ENJOY THE OUTDOORS WITHOUT RISK, I URGE THE ERIE COUNTY LEGISLATURE TO REJECT WL THREE ONE 2026. 
          THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COULD YOU STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD? COULD YOU STATE YOUR NAME
FOR THE RECORD? MAUREEN. THANK YOU. HANG ON ONE SECOND. LET'S GET YOUR MIC ON SO EVERYBODY CAN HEAR ME. 
          WOULD YOU PUSH THE BUTTON, PLEASE. I THOUGHT THEY WERE GOING TO HELP YOU. 
          THERE YOU GO. OKAY. SORRY ABOUT THAT. OKAY. MY NAME IS KELLY CHAFFEY. 
          I DO APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TODAY. 
          AND I JUST VERY QUICK WANTED TO SAY THAT EVEN THOUGH THERE HAVEN'T BEEN FATALITIES OR
INCIDENTS IN THIS PILOT PROGRAM BETWEEN 2021 AND 2025, THERE HAVE BEEN OVER 40 INCIDENTS IN NEW YORK STATE FROM,
I'M GUESSING, EXPERIENCED HUNTERS 
          [01:20:01]
THEMSELVES. AND THREE OF THOSE WERE FATALITIES. 
          SO IT DOES CONCERN ME TO THINK, WITH ALL THE SCHOOL SHOOTINGS,
THAT WE WOULD ENCOURAGE 12, 13 YEAR OLD CHILDREN WHOSE BRAINS ARE STILL FORMING,
THAT WE WOULD PUT GUNS IN THEIR HANDS. 
          AND I AGREE WITH MAUREEN WHEN SHE SAID SHE THINKS THIS IS A PLOY TO GET MORE MONEY,
YOU KNOW, FROM DC FOR DC. BECAUSE WHERE I LIVE, IT'S VERY RURAL AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT THE HUNTING
POPULATION HAS DECREASED TREMENDOUSLY. 
          SO IT JUST MAKES ME WONDER IF THAT'S NOT THE REASON FOR IT. 
          THERE'S SO MANY ACTIVITIES THAT 12 AND 13 YEAR OLD CHILDREN CAN DO. 
          HIKING AND EXPLORING THE WOODS AND TAKING PICTURES. 
          OTHER THAN HAVING TO KILL ANIMALS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 
          YOU'RE WELCOME. ALL RIGHT. I'M GOING TO OPEN THE FLOOR TO THE LEGISLATORS FOR QUESTIONS. 
          I THINK THERE'S GOING TO BE QUITE A FEW. I'M GOING TO LIMIT EVERYBODY TO TWO QUESTIONS. 
          SO EVERYBODY WOULD HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SAY THEIR PIECE. 
          A LEGISLATOR I SAW YOUR HAND FIRST. GO AHEAD. THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE. I APPRECIATE BOTH SIDES,
YOU KNOW, TAKING THE TIME TO COME HERE AND TALK TO US. 
          I WANT TO TALK TO YOU. AND JACKIE MIGHT BE THE RIGHT PERSON TO ASK,
BUT I'M NOT SURE. 
          IT'S BEEN A LITTLE WHILE SINCE I'VE TAKEN MY HUNTER SAFETY COURSE. I THINK WHEN I WAS 16. 
          AND I DO THINK WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CONSERVATION,
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT WE DO HAVE AN OVERPOPULATION OF DEER. 
          AND I REMEMBER WHEN I TOOK THE. HUNTING COURSE AND THEY TALKED ABOUT CONSERVATION AND THE
FACT THAT THE. OVERPOPULATION LEADS TO, YOU KNOW, ENVIRONMENTS WHERE DEER ARE STARVING. 
          GETTING HIT BY CARS. IT'S NOT GREAT FOR THE ENVIRONMENT. 
          COULD YOU SPEAK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT THE YOUTH SAFETY COURSE LOOKS LIKE? HOW IT TALKS ABOUT CONSERVATION AND HOW IT ALSO TALKS ABOUT FIRE SAFETY AS WELL. 
          YES. THE HUNTER SAFETY COURSE IN NEW YORK STATE IS ONE OF THE SAFEST TRAINING COURSES THAT
CAN BE TAKEN. 
          IT IS CURRENTLY REQUIRED AND ACCEPTABLE AS A COURSE IN ORDER FOR OUR NEW YORK STATE HIGH
SCHOOLS TO SHOOT TRACK. 
          THEY HAVE TO HAVE THIS SAME COURSE IN ORDER TO STEP OUT ONTO A TRACK FIELD UNDER
SUPERVISION, WITH THE TRACK COMPETING AGAINST OTHER HIGH SCHOOLS. 
          THE CONSERVATION IS VERY SIMPLE. THE DC'S PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY IS TO MANAGE OUR
RESOURCES. 
          WILDLIFE IS A RESOURCE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADEQUATELY MANAGED. 
          JUST LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE DOESN'T MEAN THAT IT HAS TO BE PRESERVED. 
          IT JUST MEANS THAT IT HAS TO BE USED WISELY. THESE KIDS GO THROUGH HANDLING NUMEROUS
FIREARMS. THEY DON'T EVEN USE A LIVE FIREARM. THEY USE WHAT WE CALL INERT FIREARMS. THERE'S NO ABILITY FOR THAT FIREARM TO BE SHOT. 
          IT CAN'T BE FIRED. BUT THEY LEARN HOW TO PROPERLY HANDLE THE FIREARM,
HOW TO PROPERLY LOAD IT, HOW TO PROPERLY UNLOAD IT WHEN IT IS CONSIDERED SAFE,
AND HOW TO MAKE SURE THAT IT IS SAFE. 
          THEY ARE INTRODUCED TO A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT FIREARMS SO THAT THEY HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF A
LITTLE BIT OF KNOWLEDGE ABOUT HOW THAT FIREARM WORKS. WHEN THEY SEE IT, THEY CAN IDENTIFY IT,
AND THEY CAN TELL YOU HOW TO SAFELY MAKE THAT FIRE OR HOW TO SAFELY TAKE CARE OF THAT FIREARM. THEY ALSO HAVE TO TAKE AND, YOU KNOW,
THIS ISN'T JUST ONE DAY EVENT. 
          THEY HAVE TO DO HOMEWORK IN ORDER FOR THEM TO TAKE OUR CLASS. 
          THEY HAVE TO DO ABOUT APPROXIMATELY 35 HOURS OF HOMEWORK BEFORE THEY CAN EVEN COME INTO MY
CLASS AND TAKE A TEST. 
          THEN WE BASICALLY TEACH THEM ABOUT THE SAFETY AND HOW TO STAY SAFE. 
          THEY LEARN ABOUT ORIENTEERING, HOW TO WORK A COMPASS. 
          THEY LEARN ABOUT FIRST AID, HOW TO TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES. 
          THEY LEARN HOW TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR OLD GRANDFATHER,
TO MAKE SURE THAT IF HE HAS PROBLEMS, THAT THEY KNOW HOW TO RESPOND APPROPRIATELY. THE IDEAS. 
          NOW, I'VE BEEN A I WAS A POLICE OFFICER, A FEDERAL AGENT FOR 40 YEARS,
AND I WAS A FIREARMS INSTRUCTOR AND TACTICAL TRAINER FOR 26 OF THOSE YEARS. I HAVE SPENT MY WHOLE LIFE TRAINING TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE
HANDLING FIREARMS ARE ABSOLUTELY THE BEST, REASONABLE, PROFESSIONAL AND ETHICAL PEOPLE TO PUT OUT INTO THE WOODS OR OUT ONTO THE
STREETS. 
          THAT'S WHAT I'VE DONE. I'VE HEARD COMMENTS ABOUT DIFFERENT TYPES OF INJURIES. 
          TREE STANDS. WE HAVE WAYS TO PROTECT OURSELVES WHEN WE'RE UP IN TREE STANDS,
AND RIGHT NOW, WE CAN GET INTO A WHOLE PLETHORA OF DISCUSSIONS ON WHAT WE JUST HEARD TODAY. 
          THIS IS 12 AND 13 YEAR OLDS WHO ARE NOT EVEN ALLOWED TO HUNT IN TREE STANDS AT THIS TIME. 
          [01:25:05]
THEY MUST BE ON THE GROUND AND THEY MUST BE WITHIN HANDS REACH OF AN OF A RESPONSIBLE,
ETHICAL HUNTER WITH EXPERIENCE AND AN ADULT. 
          CAN I JUST HAVE ONE FOLLOW UP QUESTION WITH THAT? SO CURRENTLY 12 AND 13 YEAR OLDS CAN HUNT RABBIT AND SMALL GAME,
CORRECT? CORRECT. THEY CAN HUNT. THEY HAVE TO TAKE THE SAME COURSE. 
          THEY ARE CERTIFIED. THEY ARE HUNTERS. THEY ARE HUNTING TURKEYS THIS TIME OF THE YEAR. 
          TURKEY SEASON'S COMING UP VERY, VERY POPULAR AMONGST TURKEY HUNTERS. 
          AND AGAIN HUNT RABBIT PHEASANT DUCK GEESE. SO THERE'S ONLY TWO SPECIES CORRECT? IT'S CORRECT. THE ONLY THING THAT'S RESPONSIBLE IS THAT THEY CAN'T SHOOT DEER. 
          THEY CANNOT HUNT DEER IN THE ERIE COUNT JUST IN ERIE COUNTY. 
          SURE. SO THEY CAN GO TO NIAGARA COUNTY AND DO IT IN WYOMING. AND I'M SURE THEY DO. YES. 
          ONE MORE QUESTION AND THEN I'LL TURN IT OVER. 
          HOW MANY HOURS OF TRAINING FOR THE SAFETY COURSE GOES IN BEFORE THEY WOULD BE OUT THERE
WITH GRANDPA OR UNCLE? WELL, THEY HAVE TO HAVE THEIR APPROXIMATELY 35 HOURS OF HOMEWORK THAT HAS TO BE COMPLETED, AND THEY HAVE TO BRING US THE HOMEWORK WRITTEN. 
          THEN IT'S GOING TO TAKE THEM ANYWHERE FROM 6 TO 10 HOURS OF HANDS ON INSTRUCTION DEPEND
THAT THE CLASS GOES AS LONG AS THE STUDENTS NEED ASSISTANCE OR UNTIL THEY LEARN IT,
AND THEN THEY HAVE TO DEMONSTRATE. 
          IF THEY FAIL, ANY ONE OF THE SAFE. WHAT WE REQUIRE IS SAFETY PROFICIENCY. 
          THEY'RE NOT, THEY'RE NOT EVEN GOING TO SIT FOR THE TEST. 
          THEY'RE GOING TO BE REMOVED FROM THE CLASS AND TELL THEM THAT YOU NEED TO COME BACK. SO
WE'RE ESTIMATING, YOU KNOW, WE ARE EVALUATING THAT THAT HUNTER BEING 12 YEARS OLD OR BEING 90 YEARS OLD. THEY ALL HAVE TO ACCOMPLISH THE SAME TASK. 
          FAILURE TO DO THAT TASK DOES NOT CERTIFY THEM. 
          THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I THINK MOST OF THESE QUESTIONS WILL BE DIRECTED AT YOU. 
          OKAY. THAT'S FINE. CAN WE JUST STAYED TO THE QUESTION? YES. OTHERWISE, WE'RE NEVER GOING TO GET THROUGH THE WHOLE ROOM. OKAY. THANK YOU. I REALLY
RESPECT YOUR KNOWLEDGE ON THIS. 
          THANKS, LEGISLATOR. TODARO. I BELIEVE YOU. IN. 
          THANK YOU. CHAIR, I APPRECIATE THAT. I JUST WANT TO THANK ALL THE SPEAKERS TODAY. 
          IT'S BEEN A LONG COMMITTEE, SO I APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S PATIENCE. 
          JACK, I'M GOING TO POINT THIS QUESTION TO YOU. 
          SO WHEN THERE WAS SOME REMARKS ABOUT A YOUNG PERSON'S DEVELOPMENTAL ABILITY. 
          HAVE YOU EVER HAD ISSUES WHERE A YOUNG YOUTH HUNTER CAME IN,
CAME THROUGH THE COURSE, AND YOU FELT THAT THIS CHILD WOULD BE A DANGER TO THEMSELVES OR WITH ANYBODY THAT THEY HUNTED WITH? HAS THAT EVER CAME UP AT ALL? YES. AND THEN HOW WAS THAT HANDLED? JUST LIKE I EXPLAINED AT THE END OF MY LAST QUESTION,
THEY ARE ADVISED THAT THEY'RE NOT READY FOR THIS CLASS, AND I PERSONALLY WILL NOT CERTIFY THEM. SO THEY HAVE TO TAKE ANOTHER CLASS OR DO SOME MORE
STUDY OR GET MORE FAMILIARITY WITH WHAT THEY'RE WHAT THEY'RE ATTEMPTING TO DO. 
          OKAY, SO THERE ARE SOME FAIL SAFES. AS AN EDUCATOR,
YOU CAN STEP IN AND DENOUNCE, YOU KNOW, JUST STOP THAT. I AM A VOLUNTEER INSTRUCTOR WHO IS CERTIFIED BY NEW YORK STATE. 
          IT IS MY JOB TO PUT A PERSON INTO THE WOODS THAT I CAN TRUST BEHIND ME. 
          IT'S MY ONE SELFISH PART OF THIS, RIGHT? IF I TRAIN THEM PROPERLY,
I DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT MY BACK WHEN I'M OUT THERE HUNTING, RIGHT? AND ARE YOU CURRENTLY WHEN A YOUTH HUNTER COMES IN FOR THE EDUCATION? OBVIOUSLY, THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO HUNT HERE IN ERIE COUNTY. 
          AND YOU'RE SEEING THAT THEY'RE TRACKING TO OTHER COUNTIES TO ACHIEVE THE GOAL. 
          YES THEY ARE. I PERSONALLY HAVE TAKEN THREE MENTORS,
THREE YOUNG HUNTERS LAST YEAR AND TOOK THEM OUT TO MY PROPERTY IN CATTARAUGUS COUNTY, WHERE THEY COULD USE WHAT I FELT WAS A BETTER FIREARM AND A BETTER PLACE AND HAD
MORE AVAILABILITY BECAUSE THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO HUNT HERE IN ERIE COUNTY. BUT THAT WAS ME. 
          THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY. OKAY. 
          AND THERE IS A FACT THAT I ACTUALLY INVESTIGATED. 
          ERIE COUNTY SELLS THE MOST LICENSES OUT OF EVERY COUNTY IN NEW YORK STATE. 
          YES. AND I THINK THAT PERSONALLY IS AN UNFORTUNATE THING WHERE WE'RE SELLING ALL THESE
LICENSES, BUT YET WE CAN'T BE INCLUDED IN THIS PILOT PROGRAM FOR OUR YOUTH. 
          CORRECT. WELL, HERE'S THE THING IS THAT THE KIDS ARE SPENDING THE SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY. 
          IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT THEY'RE HUNTING. THEY HAVE TO BUY A HUNTING LICENSE,
WHETHER THEY'RE GOING TO SHOOT RABBITS OR SHOOT TEARS. THEY SPEND THE SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY. SO WE'RE RESTRICTING THEM FROM BEING ABLE TO DO THAT. 
          PLUS, MOST OF THEM HAS. ONE OF THE SPEAKERS MENTIONED IS THAT MOST OF THE PEOPLE ARE MORE
THAN LIKELY GOING TO BE ON PRIVATE PROPERTY, 
          [01:30:05]
ON THEIR TAX PAID ERIE COUNTY PROPERTY THAT THEY CANNOT EVEN ENJOY WITH THEIR CHILDREN. 
          AND THE LAST POINT I WANT TO MAKE IS THIS PROGRAM IS TO END IN 27 AND GO FULL ACROSS THE
STATE IN 28, REGARDLESS OF A COUNTY OPT IN OUT. THAT IS MY UNDERSTANDING. 
          ALSO, THAT'S A PROPOSAL. IT'S A PROPOSAL, A PROPOSAL. 
          IT'S STILL IN COMMITTEE. IT DIDN'T EVEN GET TO ASSEMBLY. 
          IT'S JUST A PROPOSAL. IS THAT CORRECT? YES. OKAY. 
          YES. OKAY. BASED OFF THE FACTS, IT'S LOOKING GOOD. 
          I'M DONE. THANK YOU. A LOT OF THINGS LOOK GOOD,
BUT YES, YOU'RE CORRECT. 
          OKAY, JEFF. GOOD JOB. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE SHE HAD A CHANCE TO
SPEAK. 
          WELL, I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT THE NEW YORK OUTDOOR NEWS IS LOOKING FORWARD TO KIDS
HUNTING IN TREESTANDS. 
          AND TO HUNT THE 12 AND 13 YEAR OLDS IN TREESTANDS. 
          AND TO HUNT BEAR ALSO. AND NOTED THEY CAN USE CROSSBOWS ALSO,
WHICH IS VERY THEY'RE VERY DANGEROUS INSTRUMENTS. 
          SO I JUST WANTED TO TO MENTION THAT ALSO. OKAY. 
          THANK YOU. I WANT TO JUST EXPLAIN WHY I'M AGAINST IT AND THEN YOU CAN COMMENT IF YOU WANT. 
          BUT THE REASON WHY I'M. WHEN IT FIRST CAME OUT,
I IMMEDIATELY SAID, COULD WE AMEND IT TO HAVE IN THIS STATUTE IN THIS THIS COULD BE AMENDED TO INCLUDE PARENTAL CONSENT AND PARENTAL CONSENT IS A DESIGNATED PERSON WHO. 
          THE ONLY REQUIREMENT IS. WHICH IS THIS. IF IT GOES INTO A STATEWIDE. 
          AND THAT WAS AMENDED, I WOULD NOT DISAGREE WITH IT. 
          IF IT WAS HERE, I WOULD NOT DISAGREE WITH IT. 
          BUT WITHOUT PARENTAL CONSENT, I CAN'T UNDERSTAND WHY. 
          AND I KNOW THERE'S ANOTHER SECTION WHICH REQUIRES A DESIGNATED PERSON. 
          THIS ONE DOES NOT IN THIS STATUTE, THEY SAID THEY CAN'T. 
          YOU CAN'T MAKE ANY CHANGES. YOU HAVE TO TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT. 
          AS STATED, THIS ISN'T A FULLY RURAL COMMUNITY. 
          THIS IS A COMMUNITY WITH SUBURBS, WITH CITIES,
WITH TOWNS, AND WITHOUT PARENTAL CONSENT AND PARENTAL APPROVAL AND PARENTAL DESIGNATION OF WHO IS GOING TO BE THIS PERSON WHOSE ONLY REQUIREMENT ISN'T TO BE SOMEONE LIKE YOU,
WHO HAS 25 YEARS AS A TRAINER. 
          BUT ANYONE WHO JUST HAD A LICENSE FOR THREE YEARS MAY NEVER HAVE SHOT FOR GUNS BEFORE
DOING THIS. 
          I MEAN, I NEED I HAVE FOUR KIDS TOO, AND I NEEDED TO GET A PERMISSION SLIP FROM MY KID'S
SCIENCE TEACHER TO TAKE THE WHOLE CLASS TO THE SCIENCE THING HERE. ANYONE CAN TAKE SOMEONE CAN BE AT A SLEEPOVER AND THEIR BROTHERS,
COUSINS, FRIENDS UNCLE CAN TAKE THE KIDS WITHOUT PARENTAL KNOWLEDGE OR CONSENT. AND THAT'S THE WAY THIS STATUTE READS. 
          AND I THINK THAT'S OUTRAGEOUS. THE OTHER THING IS TO JUST HAVE THE MENTOR BE SOMEBODY WHO
IS A HAS HAD A LICENSE FOR THREE YEARS ISN'T SUFFICIENT. 
          AND I DON'T THINK ANYONE COULD REASONABLY SAY THAT. 
          AND IT'S IT'S I SMILE WHEN YOU ARE ADVOCATING BECAUSE YOU THE EXACT OPPOSITE OF THAT. 
          YOU'RE SOMEONE WHO HAS 25 YEARS. WHEN WE HAD THE LAST TIME,
THE HEAD OF THE DECK PROPONENT WAS SOMEBODY WHO IS A CERTIFIED TRAINER OF TRAINERS, ALLOWING SOMEBODY WHO JUST HAS HAD A LICENSE,
MAYBE NEVER EVEN SUCCESSFULLY SHOT A DEER. 
          I REACHED OUT TO THE HEAD OF SCOUTS FOR THE PERSONS WHO DOES THE. 
          MY KIDS WERE BOTH MY BOYS ARE BOTH EAGLE SCOUTS. 
          THEY WENT THROUGH THE RIFLE AND SHOTGUN PROGRAMS. I RAN MYSELF AS A DEN MOTHER. THE BB GUN PROGRAMS AND REACHED OUT TO THE DAISY GUN TO GET
ALL THEIR REQUIREMENTS, REACHED OUT TO NRA TRAINERS, ETC. BUT TO HAVE. 
          I WANT TO REACH OUT TO THEM. THEY WERE DEFINITELY 100% AGAINST IT BECAUSE OF. 
          ONE THING IS THAT HALF THE KIDS THAT ARE 12 AND 13 CAN'T PHYSICALLY HANDLE ADRENALINE. 
          VERY DIFFERENT ADRENALINE BUILD UP. WAITING FOR DEER. 
          LARGE GAME IS A HUGE DIFFERENCE IN ADRENALINE BUILD UP. 
          BUILDUP. THAT IS WHILE YOU'RE WAITING AND WAITING AND WAITING. 
          THERE'S A BOOK THAT YOU MIGHT FIND INTERESTING YOURSELF BECAUSE OF YOUR BACKGROUND,
BUT THERE'S A BOOK LINKED BY MALCOLM GLADWELL WHO'S ABOUT. 
          USUALLY YOUR INITIAL DECISIONS ARE RIGHT, EXCEPT IN BY SITUATIONS OF RACE AND ADRENALINE
BUILDUP, WHICH IS ONE OF THE REASONS THEY STOPPED HIGHWAY HIGH SPEED CHASES AND LONG TERM
STAKEOUTS. 
          IS THAT A LOT OF THE BAD SHOOTINGS WERE AS A RESULT OF ADRENALINE BUILDUP,
EVEN IN ADULTS. 
          BUT KIDS THAT AGE CAN'T HANDLE IT. HALF OF THEM CAN'T. 
          ON THE OTHER HAND, IF IT WAS A PARENT DECIDING THAT SOMEONE I KNOW,
99.99% LIKELY LOVES THAT CHILD AND KNOWS THAT CHILD AND KNOWS THAT THIS CHILD IS DIFFERENT WITH CARS. BECAUSE OF THAT REASON, WE DON'T ALLOW ANY KID WHO'S 12 OR 13 TO OPERATE A CAR
BECAUSE SOME COULD BUT SOME CAN'T. 
          THE SAME IS TRUE HERE. AND THE OTHER THING IS,
IS THAT AS A LAWYER, I'VE HANDLED CASES WHERE, WHICH IS OVER 100 YEARS, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO HAVE CASES FOR NEGLIGENT ENTRUSTMENT OF A
DANGEROUS INSTRUMENTALITY, 
          [01:35:05]
THE PARENT WHO ENTRUSTS A CHILD, OR THE PERSON WHO ENTRUSTS A CHILD WITH A GUN HAS BEEN
LIABLE FOR THAT, AND IT'S BEEN THE PARENT. I HAVE SUITCASES WHERE SOMEBODY HAD LOST AN EYE OR VISION IN AN
EYE BECAUSE OF A GUN INCIDENT WHERE THEY WERE, WHERE THERE WAS A NEGLIGENT ENTRUSTMENT OF SOMEONE,
A WRONG AGE. 
          SO I WANT I DON'T WANT JUST ANY. I MEAN, TO ME IT'S JUST HONEST TO BE,
YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANT TO SAY THIS TO OFFEND ANYONE, BUT IT'S A PEDOPHILE'S DREAM IS THE STATUTE THAT ANYONE WHO'S OVER,
WHO'S HAD A CLAIM OR HAS HAD A LICENSE TO SHOOT FOR THREE YEARS, CAN TAKE ANY NUMBER OF KIDS OUT TO THE WOODS WITHOUT THEIR PARENT'S
KNOWLEDGE OR CONSENT. 
          IT'S BETTER THAN A TRUCK OF PUPPIES, AS IS TO SAY ANY KID,
AS BEING A DEN MOTHER. 
          I KNOW WHEN I WAS A DEN MOTHER, ANY KID. IF YOU SAY YOU WANT TO GO OUT AND SHOOT,
THEY WILL SAY YES. 
          THERE'S NO BOY REALLY IS GOING TO SAY NO TO THAT. 
          SO MY POINT IS, IS THAT IF THERE WERE THOSE CHANGES,
I WOULD SAY THAT THE PARENT WOULD KNOW BEST AND SHOULD BE ABLE TO DECIDE ON THEIR FAMILY'S EXPERIENCE. BUT WITHOUT THOSE CHANGES, AND WITH KNOWING THAT I REACHED OUT TO STATE
POLICE, I REACHED OUT TO BUFFALO POLICE OFFICER. I REACHED OUT TO THE THE STATE OFFICERS,
THEY WERE ALL AGAINST IT. 
          AND THE SCOUTS THAT I RELIED ON THE MOST. WHO'S IN CHARGE OF TRAINING KIDS THAT AGE WITH
SHOTGUNS? TARGET SHOOTING IS DIFFERENT. SMALL ANIMAL. YOU DON'T HAVE THAT LENGTH OF TIME WAITING FOR
A DEER TO SHOOT. 
          AND BECAUSE OF THAT, THE KIDS HALF THE KIDS AREN'T PHYSICALLY ABLE. 
          SO THAT'S WHY I DON'T THINK IT'S RESPONSIBLE AS IS IN A RURAL SETTING OR HAVING TO TAKE
SOMEONE ALL THE WAY OUT TO CATTARAUGUS COUNTY. 
          THEN MOST LIKELY THE PARENTS KNOW ABOUT IT. BUT THE WAY THIS IS WRITTEN NOW,
TOO MANY INSTANCES THAT YOU DON'T NEED PARENTAL CONSENT. 
          AND THAT'S WHY I THINK IT'S NOT GOOD FOR ERIE COUNTY,
WHICH IS THE SAME REASON, LIKE IT WASN'T ALLOWED IN NEW YORK CITY AND OTHER BIG CITIES. 
          SO BOTTOM LINE IS, IS THAT THOSE ARE THE REASONS WHY I'M AGAINST IT. 
          IT'S A VIOLATION OF 100 YEAR OLD COMMON LAW,
WHERE WE HAVE SOMEBODY TO JUST SAY THE ONLY REQUIREMENT TO DECIDE IF SOMEONE SHOULD BE ENTRUSTED IS TO PASS THE COURSE UNDER WITH SOMEONE WHO'S HAD JUST A LICENSE FOR THREE
YEARS. 
          THAT'S NOT THAT DOES NOT MEAN TO ME OR SOMEONE WHO LOVES THEIR KIDS ENOUGH TO KNOW THEM
WELL ENOUGH TO KNOW IF THEY'RE ABLE. 
          SO WITH THOSE CHANGES, I WOULD. AND I HOPE IF IT DOES GO IN THE FUTURE THAT THOSE CHANGES
ARE MADE, BUT BECAUSE IT WAS A YES OR NO, AS IS MY VOTE THEN IS NO. 
          NOW IS NO. AND I WOULD ASK THE PEOPLE TO CONSIDER THIS TOO,
BEFORE THEY DECIDE TO LET ANYBODY TAKE THEIR KIDS OUT IN THE WOODS WITHOUT THEIR KNOWLEDGE OR CONSENT, WHICH IS THE WAY THIS STATUTE IS WRITTEN NOW. 
          THANK YOU, I UNDERSTAND. THANK YOU. WOULD YOU LIKE CAN I RESPOND TO THAT? I'M GOING TO KEEP IT NICE AND SHORT. THAT'S NOT EXACTLY CORRECT. 
          IF YOU CHECKED IN TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF A MENTOR,
YOU WILL FIND THAT THAT MENTOR ALSO MUST CARRY A PERMISSION SLIP IN HAND. THAT'S BECAUSE HE'S 12 AND 13 YEAR OLDS. 
          BUT IN ORDER TO BE A MENTOR, THEY HAVE TO BE A MENTOR. 
          AND AND BUT THAT'S BECAUSE IT'S ADDRESSED UNDER THE MENTOR SYSTEM. 
          AND THE MENTOR SYSTEM IS VERY SIMPLE IS THAT YOU HAVE TO HAVE PARENTAL PERMISSION. 
          THERE'S A SLIP THAT'S ACTUALLY IN EVERY HUNTING REGULATION BOOK THAT THE SUCCESSFUL
CERTIFIED HUNTERS GET THAT THE PARENT MUST FILL OUT AND AUTHORIZE THAT PERSON THAT THEY SELECT TO BE THE MENTOR. 
          BUT IT IS THERE. YES IT IS. MICROPHONE. MICROPHONE,
MICROPHONE. 
          WE CAN'T HEAR YOU. MICROPHONE. MY POINT IS, I KNOW THAT'S WHAT THE DOC SAID. 
          I SAID THAT THERE WAS WHOEVER DRAFTED THIS. IF YOU HAVE A SPECIFIC SECTION,
IF YOU DON'T INCORPORATE THAT, THAT MEANS THAT IN OTHER SECTIONS THEY DO NEED PARENTAL CONSENT. 
          IN THIS ACTUAL STATUTE, YOU READ IT. THE ONLY REQUIREMENT OF THE PERSON IS THAT THEY'VE
HAD A LICENSE FOR THREE YEARS AND THEY'RE OVER 21. 
          NOT THAT THERE'S A IF IT WAS, AS HE SAID, THE UNCLE OR THE GRANDFATHER,
THE FATHER. 
          THIS SECTION DOESN'T SAY THAT AND IT DOESN'T INCORPORATE THE OTHER ONE. 
          IF THEY CHANGED IT, I WOULD. I WOULD THINK THAT LET THE PARENTS DECIDE. 
          THIS DOESN'T SAY THAT. SO THAT'S WHY I THINK IT WAS DRAFTED IN HASTE. 
          AND THERE WAS NO ABILITY TO MAKE ANY CORRECTIONS OR AMENDMENTS. 
          AND I THINK THAT IS SUCH A FUNDAMENTAL FLAW THAT IT'S AND THAT IT'S,
IT CAN'T GO FORWARD WITHOUT THAT BEING CHANGED. 
          OKAY. JUST THE FINAL RESPONSE TO THAT IS THAT ALL 12 AND 13 YEAR OLD HUNTERS MUST HAVE A MENTOR, WHETHER THEY'RE HUNTING SMALL GAME OR HUNTING DEER,
IT'S IMMATERIAL. 
          IT'S ONLY THE ONLY THING WE'RE TALKING ABOUT RIGHT NOW IS ALLOWING THAT 12 AND 13 YEAR OLD
WHO PASSED ALL THE CERTIFICATIONS DEMONSTRATED THEIR ABILITY TO BE SAFE TO HUNT DEER. THEY'RE ALREADY ABLE TO HUNT SMALL GAME AND HAVE TO HAVE
A MENTOR TO DO THAT ALSO. 
          [01:40:10]
JACK, JUST A QUICK CLARIFICATION. THE MENTOR ALWAYS HAS TO BE PRESENT. 
          YES, THE MENTOR HAS TO BE WITHIN ARM'S REACH OF THE CHILD. 
          YOU DID SAY THAT. THANK YOU. THE NEXT QUESTION IS,
THE MENTOR DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THE ONE WHO SIGNS OFF ON THE PERMIT. 
          IS THAT TRUE? CORRECT. THE PARENT SIGNS OFF ON THE ON THE PERMIT. 
          OKAY, SO THE PARENT IS ON THE PERMIT. NOW, YOU MAY NOT KNOW THIS ANSWER. 
          DOES THE PARENT THEN ASSUME LIABILITY IF SOMETHING GOES WRONG? THEN I DO NOT KNOW. I KNOW THAT NEW YORK STATE HAS RECREATIONAL LIABILITY THAT COVERS
PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNERS AND THAT FOR PEOPLE WHO HUNT ON THEIR PROPERTY. AND IT'S ALMOST LIKE A QUALIFICATION,
YOU KNOW? I DON'T KNOW, UNDERSTAND? NO, I'M NOT A LAWYER. IT'S AN INTERESTING QUESTION BECAUSE MY
ATTORNEYS, WHEN THEY DO BAD THINGS, A LOT OF TIMES THE PARENTS AND THEN I WAS WONDERING HOW THAT
CORRELATES WITH PEOPLE THAT SIGN ON FOR PISTOL PERMITS. 
          CORRECT. IS IT SIMILAR TO BUT I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S A LIABILITY ISSUE WITH THE PISTOL
PERMIT IF YOU SIGN ON FOR ONE. 
          BUT HUNTER SEEMS LIKE IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S AN OPEN ENDED QUESTION THAT IF THERE WAS AN
INCIDENT, IS IT THE MENTOR WHO WAS WITH HIM, WHO WAS ON THE HOOK FOR NOT PROPERLY SUPERVISING? IS IT THE PARENT? IS IT BOTH? I WOULD ASSUME THAT IT'S BOTH,
BUT IT'S DEFINITELY THE MENTOR'S RESPONSIBILITY. 
          HE ACCEPTS THAT RESPONSIBILITY WHEN HE SIGNS IN AND SAYS OKAY,
AND GETS A PARENT'S PERMISSION TO TAKE THAT CHILD, TO FEEL THAT HE HAS TO HAVE THAT PERMISSION WITH HIM,
PRESENT, WITH THAT MINOR. 
          YES. OKAY. EVEN JUST TO GO FURTHER, I, AS A GRANDFATHER HAVE TO HAVE MY CHILD, MY KID'S PERMISSION SLIP IN ORDER TO MENTOR MY GRANDCHILD. 
          YEAH. IS THERE IS THERE ANY WITHOUT GOING INTO GREAT DETAIL,
WHAT DOES THAT ENTAIL? IT'S JUST NOT SOMEBODY SIGNING A PIECE OF PAPER. I PRESUME THERE'S IDENTIFICATION WITHIN A
PHOTO. 
          SO IT'S SO THE CHILD COULDN'T JUST SAY, OH, HERE I HAVE MY PARENTS PERMISSION. 
          LET'S GO. NO, NO, THE PARENT HAS TO SIGN IT AND DESIGNATE IN FRONT OF THE MENTOR THAT HE'S
BEEN AUTHORIZED. 
          THEN SHE'S GOT TO HAND IT TO HIM. OKAY, SO THEY BOTH SIGN IT THEN. 
          IT JUST SEEMS LIKE IT'S AN OPEN ENDED POLICY WHERE IT COULD EASILY BE FRAUDULENT. 
          I CAN SAY THAT THE MENTOR'S NAME IS ON THERE. 
          THE PARENT. I HEREBY GIVE PERMISSION TO JACK CODE TO TAKE MY CHILD HUNTING. 
          AND THEN THE PERMISSION. YOU UNDERSTAND MY CONCERN,
RIGHT? IT WOULD IT WOULD SEEM THAT IT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT COULD BE ADDED WHERE THERE IS AN
ACTUAL CAR CERTIFICATE WITH A PHOTO ID, SOMETHING THAT IDENTIFIES. HEY, I'M FRANK TODARO. 
          I'M ALLOWING YOU TO TAKE MY CHILD. YOU KNOW WHERE THE CHILD COULDN'T JUST SAY,
HEY, LET'S GO HUNTING. 
          AND THERE'S NO ASSIGNED MANY OF MY MANY OF MY LETTERS FROM TEACHERS TO SAY,
YOU KNOW, MY PARENTS ARE. 
          SO IT'S JUST A CONCERN, RIGHT? IT'S THE SAME TYPE OF PERMISSION THAT YOU GIVE TO THE
SCHOOL TO TAKE YOUR KID ON A FIELD TRIP. 
          RIGHT? RIGHT. THAT'S A CONCERN FOR ME. SO THAT'S A LITTLE CONCERNING BECAUSE. 
          YEAH. RIGHT. ALL RIGHT. ONE, PLEASE. OKAY. JUST AS A CO-SPONSOR ON THIS,
I WANT TO LET YOU GO FIRST. 
          I'M SORRY. GO AHEAD, GO AHEAD. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A CLARIFYING POINT TO LEGISLATOR
VINAL. 
          AND I CAN PROVIDE THIS TO YOUR OFFICE. SO THIS LOCAL LAW IS OPTING INTO THE STATEWIDE
PROGRAM, WHICH DOES REQUIRE PARENTAL PERMISSION. I HAVE THE PERMISSION SLIP AS WELL. 
          IT DOES TO OPT INTO THIS IS JUST OPTING INTO THE PROGRAM. 
          THE PROGRAM ITSELF DOES REQUIRE, AND I HAVE THE PERMISSION TO PERFORM IN FRONT OF ME,
AND I'LL GET A COPY FROM YOU AS WELL. 
          SINCE YOU HAD QUESTIONS TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROGRAM,
THE PARENT DOES HAVE TO SIGN OFF AND GIVE PERMISSION TO THE MENTOR. 
          THEY MUST CARRY THAT CARD ON THEM WHILE THEY ARE HUNTING AS WELL. 
          AND I REMEMBER THAT FROM BACK WHEN I WAS A KID,
AND MY GRANDFATHER TOO, HAD TO CARRY ONE OUT OF THE COUNTY SO I CAN PROVIDE THAT. 
          NO PROBLEM. LEGISLATOR GO AHEAD. THANK YOU. MY MESSAGE OR MY QUESTION HERE IS FOR KELLY. 
          YOU STATED EARLIER ABOUT YOUR CONCERNS WITH BOTH SCHOOL SHOOTINGS AS WELL AS FIREARM
ACCESS. 
          CURRENTLY, 12 AND 13 YEAR OLDS DO HAVE THE ABILITY TO HUNT SMALL GAME IN ERIE COUNTY IN
EVERY OTHER COUNTY. 
          CATTARAUGUS. CHAUTAUQUA, WYOMING. GENESEE, ORLEANS,
LIVINGSTON AND NIAGARA. 
          THEY CAN HUNT LARGE GAME. HOW DO YOU PERCEIVE ACCESS TO FIREARMS CHANGING. 
          THAT YOU'RE USING IT TO JUSTIFY YOUR OPPOSITION TO THIS? 
          [01:45:03]
I JUST FEEL, AGAIN, THAT THE MORE PROMOTING OF CHILDREN HAVING GUNS JUST ADDS TO THAT. 
          OKAY. AND THEN WHICH I THINK PROBABLY EVERYBODY HERE WOULD AGREE THAT I'M A FATHER OF
FOUR. 
          MY YOUNGEST IS 12. AND JUST ANECDOTALLY, I THINK KIDS DO NEED TO GET OUT IN THE WILD IN
WILDERNESS AND WHETHER IT'S HIKING OR WHATEVER ACTIVITIES THEY CHOOSE. I THINK KIDS PROBABLY SPEND A LITTLE TOO MUCH
TIME ON THEIR PHONES AND, YOU KNOW, BENEFIT FROM GETTING OUT AND DOING THE RIGHT THING. 
          BUT YOU ALSO EXPRESSED CONCERNS ABOUT OVERALL SAFETY. 
          I HAPPEN TO BE, YOU KNOW BASEBALL COACH FOR THE LAST TEN YEARS. 
          I COACH HOCKEY AS WELL. AND STATISTICALLY SPEAKING YOU KNOW,
I HAVE A MOTHER WHO WAS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT SPORTS. 
          I PLAYED HOCKEY. SHE WOULD NEVER SIGN ME UP FOR FOOTBALL BECAUSE SHE WAS CONCERNED,
YOU KNOW, AND THAT WAS HER CHOICE BACK THEN. BUT STATISTICALLY SPEAKING,
AND I WAS SHOCKED WHEN I DID MY RESEARCH THAT BASKETBALL IS ONE OF THE MOST DANGEROUS ACTIVITIES. I WOULD HAVE NEVER GUESSED THAT I HAVE KIDS THAT HAVE YOU KNOW,
PLAYED FOOTBALL AND BASKETBALL THROUGH THEIR ENTIRE HIGH SCHOOL. 
          BOTH OF THOSE ACTIVITIES AS WELL AS HOCKEY HAVE HIGHER RATES OF INJURY. 
          DO YOU THINK WE SHOULD GET RID OF THOSE YOUTH SPORTS? WELL, I DON'T REALLY KNOW OF ANY INCIDENTS WHERE KIDS WERE KILLED WITH A BASKETBALL,
SO. 
          NO NO, THERE THERE HAVE BEEN PEOPLE. I MEAN,
WE HAD A KID LAST YEAR WHEN MY SON WAS AT THE JUNIOR SABERS PLAYING HOCKEY, WHO IS NOW PERMANENTLY DISABLED AND WHEELCHAIR FOR THE REST OF HIS LIFE BASED ON HIM. 
          WE'VE SEEN THOSE THINGS. WE'VE SEEN KIDS DIE EVERY SINGLE YEAR ON THE FOOTBALL FIELD
THROUGHOUT. 
          I DON'T THINK YOU CAN COMPARE SPORTS INJURIES TO OVERCOME,
LET'S BE FAIR. 
          WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES AND SAFETY,
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CHILD SUPPORT. 
          YEAH, I'M TALKING ABOUT RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES AND SAFETY. 
          AND MY ARGUMENT IS IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TRYING TO ADDRESS OVERALL SAFETY,
WELL, THEN WE SHOULDN'T HAVE DRIVER'S LICENSES EITHER. 
          I MEAN, YOU'RE FALLING WAY OFF TRACK HERE. COME ON,
A SPORTS INJURY. 
          YOU'RE GOING TO ASK THIS WOMAN ABOUT SPORTS. WELL,
THE CONCERN IS OVERALL SAFETY OF RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES. 
          AND HER OPPOSITION, AS STATED, IS BECAUSE OF CONCERNS OF SAFETY AND INJURY. 
          AND WE'VE SEEN GREATER DEGREES OF INJURY IN OTHER RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES. 
          SHOULD WE LIMIT THOSE ACTIVITIES AS WELL? SO ONE OF MY QUESTIONS TO YOU IS,
YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE FOUND THAT A LOT OF THE GUN SHOOTINGS DO HAVE TO DO WITH PSYCHOLOGICAL ISSUES. 
          DO YOU THINK THAT'S THE SAME WITH THE SPORTS,
OR DO YOU THINK MAYBE IT WAS AN ACCIDENT WHERE SOMEBODY HIT SOMEONE ACCIDENTALLY WITH A WITH A PUCK? WELL, IT'S RARE WHEN IT HITS WITH THE PUCK,
BUT IF YOU ASK ME WHETHER THESE THINGS HAPPEN DELIBERATELY OR THROUGH ACCIDENT, I'LL TELL YOU THE ANSWER. IT'S BOTH. 
          I'VE SEEN PLENTY OF KIDS CAUSE INJURY TO ANOTHER INDIVIDUAL ON A SPORTS FIELD
DELIBERATELY. 
          I DON'T KNOW IF THAT INVOLVES PSYCHOLOGICAL. I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S EMOTIONAL,
BUT, YOU KNOW, I WATCHED THAT. YOU KNOW, A MONTH AGO. I WATCHED,
YOU KNOW, A MEMBER OF THE PITTSBURGH PENGUINS SWING A STICK AT OUR DEFENSEMAN, RASMUS DAHLIN. YOU KNOW, THOSE THINGS HAPPEN REGARDLESS OF AGE. 
          BUT, YOU KNOW, MY ARGUMENT WOULD BE THAT AS A PARENT,
NOW I GET TO CHOOSE WHICH ACTIVITIES I DEEM ARE THE SAFEST FOR MY CHILD. 
          MY MOTHER DEEMED FOOTBALL NOT, YOU KNOW, SAFE FOR ME. 
          I'VE ALLOWED MY KIDS TO DO THAT. I DON'T HAVE MY KIDS AS HUNTERS RIGHT NOW,
BUT I DON'T THINK I SHOULD BE INFRINGING ON OTHER INDIVIDUAL'S RIGHT TO DO SOMETHING WITH THAT IS SAFER THAN SPORTS THAT I PUT MY CHILDREN INTO. 
          OKAY. THANK YOU. ARE WE GOOD? WE'RE GOOD HERE. 
          I JUST WANT TO SAY ON THE RECORD. I'M A NO FOR 12 TO 13 YEAR OLDS SHOULD NOT HAVE GUNS OR
RIFLES. 
          I BELIEVE IN HUNTING. I WANT TO SAY THAT NOT EVERYONE IS LIKE JACK WHO HAS THAT
EXPERIENCE. 
          SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT ON THE RECORD. THANK YOU,
MR. CHAIR. ALL RIGHT. LET'S LET'S WRAP THIS UP. OKAY. 
          I WILL SAY I'M VERY PROUD OF MY SON GIOVANNI. 
          HE TOOK THAT CLASS AT 12, PASSED IT. HE HE TOOK THAT THE ACTUAL HANDBOOK AND WENT THROUGH
EVERY SINGLE LINE AND MADE SURE HE DID 
          [01:50:10]
IT ALL ON HIS OWN. CAME TO ME. WE REVIEWED EVERYTHING,
ACED YOUR CLASS. 
          AND HE'S OUT THERE AS MUCH AS HE CAN BE OUT THERE OFF THE VIDEO GAMES,
AFTER SCHOOL, IN THE WOODS, JUST ENJOYING LIFE. SO THAT'S THE WAY IT SHOULD BE. 
          THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. LET'S I THINK I THINK WE STAYED AT THAT POINT. 
          I THINK WE'RE GOOD. THANK YOU FOR YOUR EXPERTISE. 
          THANK YOU FOR COMING. THANK YOU FOR COMING. LEGISLATOR. 
          I THINK YOUR MOTHER DID THIS BECAUSE YOU WEREN'T THAT GOOD AT FOOTBALL. WELL. 
          ALL RIGHT, CAN I GET A MOTION TO ADJOURN? SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? OPPOSED? WE'RE ADJOURNED. THANK YOU EVERYONE. 
          [PUBLIC SAFETY]
GOOD AFTERNOON. WELCOME TO NUMBER FOUR OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE. 
          PLEASE TAKE THE ROLL. YES, SIR. MR. GREENE TODARO DUPREE,
PRESIDENT CHAIR. 
          GILMOUR HERE. QUORUM PRESENT. OKAY. ON PAGE ONE. 
          ITEMS ONE THROUGH FOUR. TABLE ON MAY 30TH. CHAIR. 
          ITEM FIVE WILL BE RECEIVED AND FILED UNDER MY AUTHORITY AS CHAIR. 
          AND I THINK YOU HAVE ONE ACTION ITEM WHICH IS NUMBER SIX IN THE BACK. 
          COMMUNICATION 67 CHRIS THANK YOU SIR. GOOD AFTERNOON. 
          WE'RE SEEKING APPROVAL FROM THIS BODY TO AWARD RFP NUMBER 2026006 TO WESTERN NEW YORK
INDEPENDENT LIVING AS RFP CITES AN ENTITY TO PROVIDE PEER SUPPORT SERVICES. 
          WE ARE REQUIRED BY THE STATE TO OFFER PEER SUPPORT SERVICES TO ENROLLEES OF OUR MEDICATION
ASSISTED TREATMENT PROGRAM. 
          WE RECEIVED THREE RESPONSES TO THE RFP. A SUMMARY OF THE SCORING IS IN THE MEMORANDUM IN
FRONT OF YOU. 
          I DO HAVE A MORE DETAILED SCORING SHEET IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT AGAIN. 
          WE'RE RECOMMENDING TO AWARD IT TO WESTERN NEW YORK INDEPENDENT LIVING AND ENTER INTO AN
AGREEMENT WITH WESTERN NEW YORK INDEPENDENT LIVING TO PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES. 
          AND DIRECTOR OF CORRECTIONAL HEALTH COFFEE ARE WITH ME TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE. 
          ANY QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS. MOTION APPROVED. 
          SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. 
          THANKS, GUYS. THANKS FOR COMING BACK. APPRECIATE IT. MOTION TO ADJOURN. 
          SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSED? STAND ADJOURNED. 
          THANK YOU. WE'LL CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES MEETING NUMBER FOUR, 
          [HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES]
APRIL 2ND, 2026. CLERK. PLEASE TAKE THE ROLE. 
          LEGISLATIVE. LEGISLATIVE. TODARO. CHAIR. PRE. 
          LEGISLATOR. BARGNESI LEGISLATOR AND CHAIR. MYERS. 
          THANK YOU. ITEMS ONE THROUGH EIGHT ARE TABLED UNDER MY AUTHORITY AS CHAIR. 
          ITEMS NINE AND TEN ARE ACTIONABLE. AND WE'RE STARTING WITH ITEM NINE COMMUNICATIONS 60
DASH EIGHT AUTHORIZATION TO ACCEPT DONATIONS FROM THE LIBRARY FOUNDATION AND UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER. WE HAVE MISS ELIZABETH OVER HERE TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM,
PLEASE. 
          THANK YOU. THIS SEEKS AUTHORIZATION TO ACCEPT A DONATION OF ONE OUTDOOR AHD CABINET FROM
THE OLIVER FOUNDATION AND ACCEPT A HONORARIUM FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER IN TOTAL OF $500. 
          THANK YOU. I WAS EXCITED TO SEE THIS. I KNOW IN MY DISTRICT,
I HAD A, I THINK A LITTLE LEAGUE GROUP THAT REACHED OUT SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO HAVE THIS IN THEIR
PARK TO OPERATE. WHERE ARE THE CABINET AND THE DEFIBRILLATOR GOING TO BE GOING? SO WE ARE TALKING WITH THE PARKS DEPARTMENT TO FIND THE COUNTY PARK. 
          THAT WOULD BE A GOOD FIT FOR IT. OKAY. I DON'T HAVE AN EXACT LOCATION YET. 
          OKAY I DO. I WOULD JUST TO THROW IT OUT THERE. 
          IF THERE IS A COUNTY PARK THAT HAS, YOU KNOW,
FACILITIES THAT ARE USED BY LOCAL LITTLE LOOP AND THINGS LIKE THAT, IT IS A REQUIREMENT OF THEIR LEAGUE. SO IF WE CAN GET ONE THERE SO THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO
PAY FOR IT OUT OF POCKET, THAT WOULD BE IDEAL. 
          THANK YOU. SORRY, I'M LISTENING HERE. IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S A $5 DONATION OR SOMETHING LIKE
THAT. 
          BUT WHAT IS THE TOTAL COST OF THE UNIT? DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA? SO YES, I BELIEVE THE UNIT IS ABOUT $500 AS WELL. 
          SO THIS IS AN OUTDOOR UNIT. YEAH. WE HAVE PLANS TO DO INDOOR UNITS AS WELL,
BUT THIS IS SPECIFICALLY AN OPTION AND THAT COULD BE THE ACTUAL DEVICE AND THE UNIT AS WELL. THANK YOU. 
          MOTION TO APPROVE. SECOND. SECOND. ALL RIGHT. 
          THANK YOU. SO WE HAVE. AUTHORIZATION TO ACCEPT NEW YORK STATE ASSOCIATION OF 
          [01:55:08]
COUNTY HEALTH OFFICIALS GRANT FOR CLIMATE AND HEALTH ADAPTATION INITIATIVES. 
          PLEASE APPLY FOR AUTHORIZATION TO ACCEPT A MINI GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF $3,000 FROM THE NEW
YORK STATE ASSOCIATION OF COUNTY HEALTH OFFICIALS. 
          THIS MONEY WILL BE USED TO INCREASE AWARENESS OF AND PREPARATION FOR HEAT EMERGENCIES. 
          THE PLAN FOR THIS IS A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT BETWEEN HEALTH AND THE DEPARTMENT OF
ENVIRONMENT AND PLANNING. 
          MOTION. MOTION. SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ALL OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIED. THANK YOU. MOTION. MOTION SECOND. 
          ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ALL OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. 
          THANK YOU. WE'RE GOING TO GET STARTED HERE. ALL RIGHT. 
          [FINANCE & MANAGEMENT]
WE ARE WELCOME TO THE FOURTH MEETING OF THE FINANCE AND MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE. 
          CLERK. PLEASE TAKE THE ROLE. LEGISLATOR GREENE. 
          LEGISLATOR BARGNESI. LEGISLATOR VINAL HERE. CHAIR. 
          MEYERS PRESIDENT AS AN EX OFFICIO MEMBER QUORUM PRESIDENT. 
          ALL RIGHT. ITEMS ONE. THROUGH 24 HOUR TABLE. EXCUSE ME. 
          25 HOUR. TABLED. ITEM 27 IS TABLED. 29 THROUGH 32 ARE RECEIVED,
FILED AND PRINTED. 
          AND WE'RE GOING TO GO BACK TO ACTIONABLE ITEM NUMBER 25. 
          AM I CORRECT IN SAYING THAT WE'RE GOING TO GO WITH 25 PRESIDENT. 
          I'M SORRY. MY BAD. 26. THE PARK'S PARKING LOT. 
          YES, YES. ALL RIGHT. SO NO ONE HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT. 
          IT'S BEEN A LONG DAY. GO AHEAD. THE FLOOR IS YOURS. 
          LET'S GO. ALL RIGHT. GOOD AFTERNOON. THANKS FOR HAVING ME HERE TODAY. 
          AS PER THE PARK'S OF DONATION POLICY WHICH WAS ADOPTED BY THIS BODY. 
          ANY DONATION VALUED OVER $10,000 REQUIRES THE APPROVAL OF THIS HONORABLE BODY TO ACCEPT. 
          SO I'M HERE TODAY SEEKING APPROVAL TO ACCEPT THE DONATION IN THE AMOUNT OF $41,000 TO THE
ERIE COUNTY PARK SYSTEM FROM THE PRODUCTION COMPANY THAT JUST RECENTLY FILMED AT BRADFORD PARK. THEY WERE IN THE PARK FOR TWO WEEKS FILMING DID DISPLACE SOME PUBLIC
ACCESS. 
          AND IN THE GOOD FAITH EFFORT, THEY WANT TO MAKE DONATIONS TO SOME BETTERMENT OF THE PARK
SYSTEM. 
          VERY NICE, VERY NICE. QUICK QUESTION. DOES THAT GO INTO YOUR GENERAL BUDGET OR TO THE
COUNTIES? IT GOES INTO OUR DONATION TRUST ACCOUNT, WHICH IS WHICH CAN BE ACCEPTED EITHER RESERVED OR
UNRESERVED FOR, FOR DIFFERENT PURCHASES AS FAR AS LIKE FREE PUBLIC EVENTS WERE PUT ON OR OTHER THINGS THAT
WE COULD DO IN THE PARK. 
          WE HAD THIS DISCUSSION BEFORE, BUT THE MONEY'S GOING TO BE SPENT IN THE PARK SYSTEM,
CORRECT? WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL. ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU. 
          I HAVE THE SAME QUESTION AGAIN. I KNOW THIS WAS IN SPRAGUE BROOK PARK,
AND THERE HAS BEEN AN EFFORT FOR YEARS TO GET A DOG PARK PUT INTO SPRAGUE BROOK. 
          SO WITH THIS KIND OF FUNDING COMING IN, I KNOW IT GOES TO THE PARK'S GENERAL FUND,
BUT I THINK IT'S WORTH IT TO HAVE THE CONVERSATION. 
          WHEN THE FILM TOOK PLACE IN SPRAGUE BROOK, IF WE COULD USE THIS FOR SPREAD. 
          AND THAT NEED THAT WE'VE HAD THERE. I THINK IT'D BE A GOOD CONVERSATION TO HAVE. 
          SO I WAS JUST CURIOUS IF THERE ARE SPECIFIC THINGS THAT THE PARKS DEPARTMENT IS LOOKING TO
USE THIS MONEY FOR RIGHT NOW. 
          WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FREE EVENTS FOR PARK IMPROVEMENTS,
IT SOUNDS LIKE THE DOG PARK WOULD FALL PROPERLY UNDER THAT. 
          YEAH, I WOULD SAY THAT JUST ENHANCING THE PUBLIC EVENTS THAT WE ALREADY OFFER,
SOME THINGS WE'D LIKE TO ADD. 
          WE JUST HAD THE MAPLE FEST OUT IN THE STREET. 
          BEING ABLE TO BRING IN A CHAINSAW ARTIST TO DO SOME ART,
RIGHT. 
          LIVE DEMONSTRATION AT THE EVENT. THOSE ARE EXTRA THINGS THAT COST MONEY THAT WE CAN OFFER
TO THOSE PUBLIC EVENTS. 
          WE DO TRY. IN THE PAST, WE HAD A FILM AT BENNETT BEACH WITH THE DONATION THAT CAME FROM
THAT WAS ABLE TO OFFER ACCESSIBLE MATTING TO GET FROM THE BOARDWALK OR FROM THE BRIDGE TO THE BEACH. SO WE DO TRY OUR BEST TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS STUFF GOES RIGHT INTO
THE PARK THAT WAS UTILIZED. 
          ON THE TOPIC OF THE DOG PARK WE ARE ALWAYS OPEN TO GETTING INTO AGREEMENTS WITH PARTNERS. 
          AND WE WENT DOWN THAT ROAD WITH THAT DOG PARK GROUP. 
          THEY DID RECENTLY BACK OUT OF ANY INTEREST IN COUNTY LAND. 
          AND I BELIEVE FOUND SOME LAND SOMEWHERE ELSE IN THE TOWN. 
          I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE. YEAH. THAT WAS ACTUALLY A CONVERSATION I HAD BEEN HAVING WITH THEM. 
          AND I THINK IT'S, IT'S UNFORTUNATE BECAUSE GREG BURKE HAD THE SPACE FOR IT. 
          AND THEY FOUND THAT PROCESS WITH THE COUNTY PROBLEMS IS DIFFICULT AND THAT THERE WAS
BETTER PARTNERSHIP AT THE TOWN LEVEL. 
          [02:00:06]
SO I THINK IT'S, YOU KNOW, JUST SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO KEEP IN MIND MOVING FORWARD THAT
I THINK THESE ARE PARTNERS THAT WE SHOULD ENCOURAGE AND NOT DISCOURAGE FROM WORKING WITH THE COUNTY. RESOURCES. MATTERS. GOOD. ANYBODY ELSE? JUST OFFHAND WAS THE CONDITION OF THE PARK LEFT IN THE WAY? YEAH. WE WERE. IT WAS CLEAN UP TO DO ON OUR END. 
          NOT MUCH. NOTHING DIFFERENT THAN GENERAL USE. 
          THAN, YOU KNOW, SNOWMOBILES. OTHERWISE, WE WERE KIND OF LUCKY. THE TWO WEEKS THEY WERE
THERE. THE CONDITIONS WERE PRETTY COLD AND SNOWY. 
          THEY ACTUALLY BROUGHT IN, LIKE, SUPER EXPENSIVE SNOW EQUIPMENT THAT BARELY EVER BE USED
BECAUSE WE GAVE THEM THE BUFFALO WINTER THAT THEY WANTED. 
          NOT AS LUCKY AS THE STATE PARKS. I'VE HEARD SOME,
SOME STORIES ABOUT HOW THEY LEFT KNOX FARM. 
          AND IN TURN, THEY'RE ALSO MAKING DONATIONS TO THE OTHER AREAS THAT THEY UTILIZED,
BUT WE WERE LUCKY TO NOT HAVE DAMAGE. 
          THAT THIS, THIS FUNDS WOULD HAVE TO GO TOWARDS THAT THESE ARE ACTUALLY GOING TO BE
BETTERMENT FOR THE SYSTEM. PERFECT. 
          THANK YOU. ALL SET. ANYONE ELSE? ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I HAVE A MOTION A SECOND, SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU. GOOD LUCK. 
          SPEND THE MONEY WISELY. PROFESSIONAL SERVICES. 
          KATHY. EUROPE. CORRECTIONS. OKAY, I'LL BE FINE. 
          OKAY. OKAY. GOOD MORNING. WE ARE HERE TODAY TO SEEK YOUR APPROVAL IN YOU KNOW,
FOLLOWING PROCUREMENT POLICIES FOR TWO PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SESSIONS THAT WE HAD FOR OUR OFFICE. 
          ONE WAS FOR SENIOR LEVEL PROSECUTOR MANAGERS,
AND THAT WAS AROUND $10,000, JUST UNDER 10,000, BUT WITH SOME TRAVEL. AND THE OTHER ONE WAS FOR ALL ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEYS FOR ABOUT
SCIENCE BASED INTERVIEWING TECHNIQUES. 
          SO WE'VE HAD TWO WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITIES. THEY'RE BOTH CONTINUING LEGAL EDUCATION
ELIGIBLE. 
          SO NOT ONLY DID THEY GET TRAINING, THEY GOT,
YOU KNOW, CLE CREDITS. 
          THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS? MOTION. I HAVE A MOTION A SECOND. 
          ALL IN FAVOR? OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU. 
          ALL RIGHT. NOW WE'RE GOING TO GO BACK TO. WE HAVE TWO DISCUSSIONS. 
          AND I THINK WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS FIRST BECAUSE SOMEONE HAS TO. 
          SO EVERYBODY GOOD? WE'RE GOOD. OKAY, EVERYBODY COME ON UP. 
          SORRY ABOUT THE BAD GUYS. YOU GOT SOMETHING? SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME DISCUSSION AND MAYBE AN UPDATE ON THE SITUATION. 
          I THINK I'D LIKE TO START WITH. JUST A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF WHAT SENECA ABOUT WHAT SERVICES
THEY PROVIDE TO THE COMMUNITY. AND JUST FOR MY OWN SAKE AND WHAT THEIR FUNCTIONS ARE. 
          SO WHO WOULD LIKE TO START OFF? ALL RIGHT. GOOD AFTERNOON. 
          I'M ERIC, I'M THE SPECIAL ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES. 
          I'M JOINED THIS MORNING BY COMMISSIONER RANDY HOKE FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF AGING DIRECTOR
OF POLICY, TREK, ESQUIRE OF THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE'S OFFICE,
AND ASSISTANT COUNTY ATTORNEYS, RICHARD STANTON AND AARON RUBIN FROM THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. WE'RE HERE THIS MORNING TO DISCUSS THE CONCERNS STEMMING FROM THE LOSS
OF THE SENECA BABCOCK COMMUNITY ASSOCIATIONS. 
          500 AND 1C3, TAX EXEMPT STATUS AND ADDRESS WAYS THAT SERVICES WILL BE IMPACTED BY THAT
CHANGE IN STATUS. 
          WHENEVER AN ORGANIZATION EITHER NONPROFIT OR FOR PROFIT IS NO LONGER IN GOOD STANDING WITH
STATE OR FEDERAL AUTHORITIES. 
          IT'S APPROPRIATE FOR THE COUNTY TO PAUSE AND REVIEW OUR CONTRACTED RELATIONSHIPS TO ENSURE
THAT SERVICES ARE IN COMPLIANCE. 
          ERIE COUNTY HAS A RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE THAT ALL CONTRACTED SERVICES ARE PERFORMED AND
RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE THAT CONTINUITY OF SERVICES FOR COMMUNITIES IS ENSURED. IF THOSE SERVICES CAN NO LONGER BE PROVIDED BECAUSE OF A CHANGE IN STATUS,
THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES AND THE DEPARTMENT OF AGING MAKE UP THE MAJORITY OF CONTRACTED COUNTY FUNDS. 
          COMMISSIONER HOKE AND MYSELF WILL EXPLAIN THE PROGRAMS THAT ARE IMPACTED AND HOW OUR
DEPARTMENTS ARE RESPONDING TO CHANGE, HOW WE'RE RESPONDING TO THE CHANGE IN STATUS OF THIS ORGANIZATION. 
          REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE'S OFFICE CAN
EXPLAIN THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN NONPROFIT ENTITIES AND 
          [02:05:10]
TAX EXEMPT ENTITIES, WHICH IS GOING TO BE IMPORTANT FOR THIS DISCUSSION. 
          I'LL TURN IT OVER TO DIRECTOR FULLER. GOOD MORNING. 
          OR AFTERNOON? NOW, AT THE ONSET, AS THIS HONORABLE BODY IS AWARE,
NONPROFIT STATUS IS A CONDITION ESTABLISHED BY THE FILING OF A CORPORATION'S INCORPORATING DOCUMENTS THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE. 
          FOR NEW YORK, 500 1C3 STATUS IS A TAX EXEMPT STATUS THROUGH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. 
          THEY ARE LEGALLY DISTINCT ENTITIES AND CONDITIONS ARE. 
          SOME OF THE CONTRACTS THAT WE'RE GOING TO DISCUSS TODAY ARE SPECIFIC TO NONPROFIT
CORPORATIONS. 
          SOME ARE SPECIFIC TO 500 1C3 NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS. 
          I WOULD JUST KEEP THAT IN MIND AS WE MOVE FORWARD. 
          I WILL NOTE THAT PART OF THIS DISCUSSION MAY INVOLVE OR DELVE INTO THE REFERRAL OF CERTAIN
MATTERS PERTAINING TO TO THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. 
          AT WHICH POINT IF THOSE QUESTIONS COME UP WE CANNOT COMMENT AS IT'S PART OF AN ONGOING
INVESTIGATION AND WE WOULD REFER ANY OF THOSE QUESTIONS TO THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. AND I'M SURE THEY'RE ECOMMENTS IF THERE ARE. 
          COMMISSIONER WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADD ANY OTHER SERVICES THAT PROVIDES BEFORE WE GET INTO THE
QUESTIONS? CERTAINLY THE DEPARTMENT FOR THE AGING HAS HAD SEVERAL CONTRACTS WITH THE COMMUNITY
ASSOCIATION OVER THE YEARS. OUR CASE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM, WHERE WE REFER PEOPLE IN NEED OF OUR SUPPORTS TO MAINTAIN INDEPENDENCE IN THE COMMUNITY TO VARIOUS NONPROFIT AGENCIES,
INCLUDING THE SENECA BABCOCK FOR CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES. WE ALSO HAVE OUR GOING PLACES TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM,
AGAIN, WHERE FOLKS CALL US, AND WE WILL ASSIGN THOSE RIDES TO PROVIDERS THAT ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR CERTAIN ZIP CODES
WITHIN ERIE COUNTY. 
          AND THEN FINALLY, OUR NUTRITION PROGRAMS. AND IN THIS CASE,
SENECA BABCOCK HAS BEEN A HOST ORGANIZATION FOR OUR CONGREGATE DINING PROGRAMS AT SCHILLER PARK, HENNEPIN, AND AT THE SILICON VALLEY HEADQUARTERS ITSELF. 
          THANK YOU. CAN WE TALK NOW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SINCE THIS HAS ALL STARTED? WHAT WE, THE COUNTY, HAVE DONE TO ASSIST THE COMMUNITY AND THE SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE
EITHER ON. 
          SO IN THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES, THERE ARE THERE WERE THREE CATEGORIES. 
          THERE'S CHILD CARE PROGRAMS YOUTH BUREAU PROGRAMS,
WHICH INCLUDED YOUTH TEAM SPORTS AND YOUTH SPORTS EDUCATION PROGRAMS. AND THEN FINALLY, THE SENATE CAUCUS ASSOCIATION WAS WORKING AS A SUBCONTRACTOR TO THE
UNITED WAY AS A YOUTH EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM SITE. WHERE YOUTH WERE PLACED TO HAVE WORK EXPERIENCES. 
          OUR DEPARTMENT, WHEN WE BEGAN THE REVIEW OF THIS LOOKED FIRST AT THE THE CHILD CARE SERVICES. THESE SERVICES ARE LICENSED BY THE STATE OF NEW YORK. 
          THEIR SITES ARE INSPECTED BY THE STATE OF NEW YORK,
AND THE COUNTY IS REQUIRED TO WORK WITH THEM. 
          ANYONE WHO HAS A LICENSE IN GOOD STANDING. CURRENTLY,
THEIR LICENSES ARE IN GOOD STANDING REGARDLESS OF THEIR LOSS OF TAX EXEMPT STATUS. 
          THIS IS AN INSTANCE WHERE A SERVICE IS PROVIDED IN ADVANCE AND THEN THE ORGANIZATION MAKES
CLAIMS. THEN WE MAKE PAYMENTS BASED ON THE CLAIMS THAT THEY SUBMIT TO US. 
          LET ME INTERRUPT YOU THERE. THAT'S AN IMPORTANT NOTE. 
          THE STATEMENT THAT WE THEY'RE THEY INVOICE US AFTER THE FACT,
RIGHT? SO THERE'S NO COUNTY DOLLARS YET THAT WE CONSIDER OUR MISMATCH OR MISUSE. 
          IS THAT CORRECT? YES. UP TO THIS POINT THERE ARE NO MISMANAGED FUNDS SUSPECTED IN THE
CHILDCARE PROGRAM. 
          OKAY. WHEN THEY TOLD US THAT THEY WERE INTENDING TO CLOSE THE CHILDCARE PROGRAMS,
INITIALLY, OUR CASEWORKERS REACHED OUT TO PARENTS TO HELP THEM TRANSITION THEIR CHILDREN TO NEW
LOCATIONS. 
          THOSE PARENTS INDICATED TO US THAT THEY HAVE BEEN SENDING THEIR KIDS TO THAT LOCATION. 
          [02:10:03]
ARE BOTH OF THOSE LOCATIONS THE WHOLE TIME? AND SO WE DON'T SUSPECT ANY ISSUE NECESSARILY
RIGHT NOW. 
          TWO AREAS THAT WE DID LOOK AT. AND WHEN THEY FIRST TOLD US ABOUT THE TAX EXEMPT STATUS. 
          THE YOUTH TEAM SPORTS CONTRACT AND THE YOUTH SPORTS EDUCATION PROGRAM CONTRACT. 
          WE NOTED THAT BOTH OF THOSE REQUIRE THEM TO MAINTAIN A 500 1C3 STATUS. 
          AND WE CANCELED BOTH OF THOSE CONTRACTS THE DAY THAT THEY INFORMED US. 
          WE ALSO HAVE TERMINATED THEIR SUBCONTRACTED AGREEMENT WITH THE UNITED WAY TO ACT AS A WORK
SITE LOCATION. 
          THIS IS AN INSTANCE WHERE THEY'RE NOT GETTING FUNDS. 
          THEY JUST HAVE A YOUTH WHO SHOWS UP TO DO WORK THE EU'S INVOLVED IN THAT HAVE BEEN
TRANSITIONED TO NEW LOCATIONS. 
          IN THE COURSE OF OUR REVIEW, WE CONFIRMED THAT THE IRS REMOVED THE TAX EXEMPT STATUS OF
THIS ORGANIZATION IN JUNE OF 2021. SO WE CONDUCTED A REVIEW OF ALL OF THE RFP PROCESSES IN OUR
DEPARTMENT BETWEEN JUNE BETWEEN 21 AND 25. WE WHAT WE FOUND IS THAT DSS STAFF RELIED IN GOOD FAITH ON DOCUMENTATION SUBMITTED BY THE SENECA BABCOCK COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION. 
          THIS DOCUMENTATION ATTESTED THAT THEY WERE A 500 1C3 STATUS ORGANIZATION IN GOOD STANDING, AND THEY SUBMITTED OTHER DOCUMENTS THAT ON THEIR FACE APPEAR TO BE CURRENT FILINGS WITH
THE IRS. 
          BASED ON THESE DOCUMENTS, WE MADE AWARDS AND YEAH. 
          SO IN THE TIME PERIOD, ALL OF OUR SITE VISIT REPORTS DONE BY YOUTH BUREAU STAFF INDICATED
NO ISSUES OF PERFORMANCE, THAT THERE WERE KIDS ON SITE STAFF PERFORMING SERVICES AND THE
BUILDING WAS OPENED. 
          THE DETAILS OF THE RFP AND THE CONTRACTS HAVE ALL BEEN REFERRED TO THE OFFICE OF DISTRICT
ATTORNEY. 
          AND THAT IS WHAT DIRECTOR FULLERTON TALKED ABOUT A FEW MINUTES AGO. 
          ARE THERE ANY OTHER SERVICES THAT WE HAVE PICKED UP SINCE THIS HAS HAPPENED BESIDES WHAT
YOU GUYS MENTIONED? SO FOR THE SENIOR PROGRAMING THAT HAS TAKEN TAKING PLACE. 
          AND SENECA BABCOCK THE VERY FIRST THING WE DID WHEN WE WERE MADE AWARE THAT WE WERE UNABLE
TO CONTINUE PROGRAMING, ESPECIALLY OUR NUTRITION PROGRAMS AT THE SENECA BABCOCK MANAGED SITES,
WAS CONTACT ANY SENIOR, ANY INDIVIDUAL CAREGIVER, OTHERWISE WHO HAD PREVIOUSLY PARTICIPATED IN PROGRAMING AT THOSE
SITES AND MADE SURE THAT THEY WERE AWARE OF OPTIONS FOR IMMEDIATE FOOD ASSISTANCE. AND THAT INCLUDED OTHER CONGREGATE DINING SITES,
OUR FROZEN MEAL PROGRAM, AND THE OPTION FOR HOME DELIVERED MEALS TO ENSURE THAT THEY HAD THEIR FOOD NEEDS
ADDRESSED. 
          OUR OTHER PROGRAMS, WE BENEFIT FROM WORKING WITH A ROBUST NETWORK OF COMMUNITY
NON-PROFITS, AND WE HAVE CONTRACTS THAT WE'RE ABLE TO SHIFT FUNDING THAT WOULD HAVE GONE TO BABCOCK FOR
FUTURE PROGRAMING TO OTHER ORGANIZATIONS. PERHAPS THE MOST SEAMLESS TRANSITION WAS IN OUR CASE MANAGEMENT
PROGRAM. 
          THESE ARE FOLKS THAT MAY RECEIVE A CALL OR A VISIT FROM A CASE MANAGER MONTHLY OR
QUARTERLY, DEPENDING ON THEIR LEVEL OF NEED. SO THOSE CASES HAVE ALREADY BEEN TRANSITIONED TO THE
URBAN COMMUNITY ZONE. OUR TRANSPORTATION PROGRAMS, AGAIN, WE'RE ABLE TO SHIFT THOSE RESOURCES TO,
TO OTHER AGENCIES THAT WILL INCREASE THEIR TRANSPORTATION CAPACITY FOR OUR NUTRITION PROGRAMS. IT'S A BIT MORE COMPLICATED BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF THE OWNERSHIP OF THE BUILDINGS. 
          BUT WHAT WE DO HAVE GOING FOR US IS BECAUSE WE HAVE EXISTING CONTRACTS WITH ALL PARTIES
INVOLVED, AND WE ARE CONFIDENT THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO STAND UP THESE NUTRITION PROGRAMS IN THE
LOCATIONS THAT WERE PREVIOUSLY ENJOYED BY SENIORS IN OUR 
          [02:15:01]
COMMUNITY WITHIN THE NEXT THREE WEEKS. THIS TRANSITION PLAN WILL WILL IMPLEMENT EXISTING COUNTY RESOURCES AND LEVERAGE EXISTING PARTNERSHIPS,
MEANING THERE WILL BE NO ADDITIONAL FUNDING, JOBS OR OTHERWISE, TO TO CONTINUE THESE PROGRAMS. AS CLOSE TO THE WAY THAT THEY HAD BEEN OPERATING IN THE PAST. 
          OKAY. SO THAT'S THE POSITIVE I'M TALKING ABOUT. 
          I JUST WANTED TO ADD THAT THE TWO CONTRACTS THAT WE CANCELED WITH SENECA BABCOCK NO MONEY
WAS PAID OUT ON THEM. 
          SO ALL THE FUNDS REMAIN AVAILABLE. WE ARE GOING TO BE REVIEWING WHICH ORGANIZATIONS IN THE
RFP MAY STILL BE ELIGIBLE FOR US TO PUT THE MONEY OUT SO THAT WE CAN SERVE THE SAME
NEIGHBORHOOD. 
          IF THAT DOESN'T WORK OUT, WE MAY BE COMING TO THIS BODY TO HELP FIND AN ORGANIZATION TO
FILL THAT GAP. 
          OKAY. ALL RIGHT. SO WHAT I'M HEARING THEN IS YOU GUYS HAVE STEPPED UP,
YOU'RE PROVIDING THE SERVICES. 
          THERE'S NO ADDITIONAL COST TO THE COMPANY BECAUSE THEY ARE A SERVICE FIRST,
INVOICE SECOND. 
          SO THERE'S NO ADDITIONAL THERE'S NO FUNDS THAT WERE SPENT WITHOUT SERVICES. 
          SO YOU GUYS HAVE TAKEN ON MORE WORK TRYING TO KEEP THIS COMMUNITY CENTER UP AND RUNNING
AND THE SERVICE. 
          SO I COMMEND YOU ON THAT. LET'S BACKTRACK NOW JUST A LITTLE BIT AND GO TO THE POINT OF
WHEN WE WERE NOTIFIED THAT THEY LOST THEIR STATUS. WHAT TOOK PLACE AT THAT POINT AND WHO DON'T KNOW ANYBODY. 
          I'M NOT SURE WHAT I'M DIRECTING THAT QUESTION. THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES HAD A
MEETING ON THE NINTH, AND WE BEGAN TO DEFINE WHAT WAS HAPPENING. WE CONTACTED THE IRS AND CONFIRMED THAT WHAT WE
WERE TOLD WAS TRUE. 
          WE GOT A SOLID DATE AND WE BEGAN A REVIEW OF ALL THE CONTRACTS IN THE PERIOD. 
          OKAY, SO THEN IT WAS REFERRED ON TO THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. 
          THAT'S CORRECT. OKAY, SO THAT'S A LITTLE BIT OUT OF OUR REACH. 
          LET'S BACKTRACK A LITTLE BIT MORE. SO UP TO THIS POINT,
YOU'RE TELLING ME THAT THEY HAVE MET ALL THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THEIR FILINGS TO US AT THIS POINT? YES. ALL THE DOCUMENTATION THAT WE RECEIVED APPEARED TO SHOW
THAT THEY WERE AN ORGANIZATION COULD STAY COOKED. WE'LL LEAVE IT AT THAT BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE THE
DISTRICT ATTORNEY HAS TO COME IN. 
          OKAY. I'M JUST TRYING TO LAY IT OUT FOR EVERYBODY HERE. 
          THE BEST OF MY ABILITIES THAT WE COULD ASK QUESTIONS. 
          OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD HERE, IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU GUYS WANT TO ADD BEFORE I OPEN UP
THE FLOOR? I JUST THINK FROM THE CONTROLLER'S OFFICE, WE RECEIVED A NOTIFICATION THAT LEGISLATOR
TODARO SENT. 
          AND IN THAT TIME PERIOD, I BELIEVE WE CLOCKED IN A LETTER YESTERDAY. 
          WE ARE CONDUCTING A FINANCIAL REVIEW, AND WE HAVE MET WITH THE NEW YORK STATE CHARITIES
BUREAU TO DISCUSS WITH THEM HOW WE PROCEED. 
          SO WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO REPORT. WE DON'T DISCUSS AUDIT PRODUCT WHILE IT'S IN
PRODUCTION ANYWAY, BUT I JUST THOUGHT AS A RELATIVE BASIS FOR ANY OF YOUR QUESTIONS,
I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU WERE AWARE THAT OUR OFFICE WAS ALSO INDEPENDENTLY WORKING ON CORROBORATING THIS INFORMATION. SO UP TO THIS POINT. 
          I'M GETTING CAREFUL WHAT I SAY HERE. UP TO THIS POINT,
WE'RE SAYING THAT THE SERVICES, FAR AS WE CAN TELL, WERE PROVIDED, THE DOCUMENTATION WAS PROVIDED,
AND NOW WE, THE COUNTY, ARE PICKING UP WHERE THEY LEFT OFF. 
          UNTIL THEY GET THEIR HOUSE IN ORDER TO SEE WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE. 
          SO THAT'S A SUMMARY OF AN ACCURATE STATEMENT. FOR FOR OUR CONTRACTS,
IT CERTAINLY IS. 
          FOR THE PROGRAMS THAT THEY PROVIDE FOR US WE HAVE AT TIMES DAILY OR AT LEAST WEEKLY
COMMUNICATION OVERSIGHT THAT IS, IS DONE BY ERIE COUNTY DEPARTMENT FOR THE AGING EMPLOYEES. 
          THE MONTHLY INVOICES THAT ARE SUBMITTED ARE OF COURSE,
CHECKED AGAINST THEIR PERFORMANCE FOR THE PREVIOUS MONTH. 
          AND I KNOW THE BIG CONCERN WAS THE CHILD DAYCARE CENTER THAT IS SATISFACTORY. 
          EVERYTHING IS OKAY WITH THAT CURRENTLY. THERE ARE TWO LICENSES. 
          THERE'S TWO LOCATIONS. SO THERE'S THE 1168 SENECA LOCATION AND THE 24 LUDINGTON LOCATION. 
          BOTH OF THEM REMAIN OPEN AND SERVICES ARE BEING PROVIDED. 
          AND EVERYTHING APPEARS TO BE OKAY. OKAY. AND YOU DO YOU WILL DO FUTURE MONITORING TO MAKE
SURE THAT, YES, WE'RE CONTINUING TO MONITOR BECAUSE WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PARENTS WHO HAVE
KIDS THERE AREN'T BLINDSIDED BY A SUDDEN CLOSURE OR ANYTHING OF 
          [02:20:08]
THAT NATURE. AND BEING THAT THEY'RE STILL THEY'RE STILL RECEIVING MONEY FROM US. 
          AND IS THAT STILL THE SAME WAY THEY INVOICE US? YES. THEY INVOICE US THROUGH THE STATE CONTROLLED CHILDCARE DATABASE. 
          AND THEN WE ISSUE THE FUNDS AS THE STATE DIRECTS US. 
          SO WE'RE A PASS THROUGH STATE. WE'RE A PASTOR. 
          THIS IS THE CHILD CARE BLOCK GRANT FUNDS. OKAY. 
          BUT IT'S UP TO YOU TO APPROVE THE STATE MONEY. 
          YES. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. ANYBODY ELSE WANT TO ADD BEFORE I OPEN IT UP? BECAUSE I'M SURE WE'LL HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS. WE'RE GOOD FOR NOW. OKAY. 
          I'LL LET YOU SAY THAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. SO I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY BECAUSE I THINK I
BELIEVE ERIC MENTIONED THE CHA 500. 
          SO THEY WHEN THEY WERE FILLING OUT THIS DOCUMENTATION,
THEY HAD A CHILD 500 IN THAT APPLICATION. 
          THAT IS WHY YOU WERE ABLE WITH A CHA 500 BASICALLY. 
          RIGHT. SO THAT'S HOW YOU WERE ABLE TO PAY IT OUT,
EVEN THOUGH THEY WEREN'T REALLY A CHA 500. 
          I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY THAT THAT'S TRUE FROM JUNE 2021 AND ON AND ON. 
          THAT IS CORRECT ON ITS FACE, BASED ON THE FACIAL REVIEW OF THE DOCUMENTS SUBMITTED AS PART
OF THE RFP PROCESS AND DOCUMENTS THAT WERE ATTESTED TO THAT STATED THAT THEY WERE A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION. 
          THERE WAS NO INDICATION ON ITS FACE THAT THAT WOULD BE AN ACCURATE DEPICTION. 
          I JUST WANTED TO VERIFY THAT. AND THEN I BELIEVE COMMISSIONER MENTIONED THAT WE HAVE TWO
AGENCIES THAT ARE STEPPING UP IN THAT AREA WITH THE SERVICES. WHAT ARE THE TWO AGENCIES NEARBY THAT ARE STEPPING UP? FOR THE CASE MANAGEMENT. IT'S FOR TRANSPORTATION. 
          IT IS OUR TWO CLOSEST CURRENT CONTRACTORS, WHICH WOULD BE NORTHWEST BUFFALO COMMUNITY
CENTER AND THE SOUTH BUFFALO COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION. THANK YOU. ALSO. 
          THERE'S TWO REFERENCES TO SENECA BABCOCK, WHICH ARE BOTH FOR YOUTH SPORTS AND YOUTH TEAM
SPORTS. 
          DID YOU ADDRESS AS TO WHETHER THOSE WERE REALLOCATED? AT THE MOMENT THOSE CONTRACTS ARE NOT REPLICATED. 
          WE ARE TRYING TO FIND A PROVIDER AND THE APPROPRIATE PATH TO GET A VALID CONTRACT. 
          WOULD THOSE THEN GO PART OF THE BUDGET BALANCING? I DON'T KNOW, AS SOON AS WE FIND AN ORGANIZATION THAT CAN FULFILL THE NEEDS OF THE
PROGRAM, WE WILL TRY TO GIVE THEM A RESOLUTION HERE SO THAT WE CAN GET IT DONE WHEN IT GETS DONE. 
          IT'S GOING TO DEPEND ON IF WE CAN IDENTIFY AN ORGANIZATION QUICKLY,
BUT OTHERWISE IT'LL BE PART OF BUDGET ALLOCATING SO THAT THE LEGISLATURE CAN REALLOCATE IT. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE RULES ARE ON THAT. AND THEN ON THE BOOK B IS THE THE ONES THAT
WERE FEE FOR SERVICES. 
          WAS THERE ANY MONEY GIVEN IN BOOK B THAT WASN'T FEE FOR SERVICES LIKE FEE FOR SERVICES,
MEANING THAT LIKE DAYCARE, YOU PROVIDE DAYCARE, YOU PAY FOR THAT, WHETHER IT'S A FOR PROFIT OR NOT FOR PROFIT. 
          IS THERE ANYTHING IN THE THAT YOU GAVE TO SENATOR BABCOCK? BESIDES THOSE TWO GRANTS FOR SPORTS THAT WASN'T FEE FOR SERVICES? YES. THEIR ACTIVE DAYCARE PROVIDERS. SO THEY WILL BE THEY CONTINUE TO CLAIM AND PROVIDE
DAYCARE SERVICES. 
          SO NOW I'M ASKING. SO DAYCARE SERVICES THAT YOU PROVIDE,
YOU PAY FOR DAYCARE SERVICES, WHETHER SOMEONE'S A FOR PROFIT OR NOT FOR PROFIT. 
          MOST ARE PROBABLY NOT FOR PROFIT. FOR PROFIT,
RIGHT? YEP. AND THEN THE OTHER ONE THAT YOU MENTIONED FOR THE,
IS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU OTHER THAN THOSE TWO GRANTS FOR THE SPORTS THAT WASN'T FEE FOR SERVICES WHERE YOU'RE PAYING SOMEONE TO DO A SPECIFIC THING AND THEY DO THAT THING AND
THEN YOU PAY THEM. 
          NO. SO THEN WHY WAS THERE FOR PROFIT STATUS AFFECTED BY ON THOSE TWO THINGS FOR THE FOOD
AND FOR THE DAYCARE. 
          WHY WAS IT? IN THEIR STATUS ONLY MATTERED FOR THE YOUTH SERVICES CONTRACT. 
          THAT'S WHY THOSE TWO CONTRACTS WERE CANCELED. 
          OKAY. THANKS. THANK YOU. JUST KIND OF A BIG PICTURE,
YOU KNOW, BEST PRACTICES TYPE OF QUESTION, BUT ANYBODY CAN ANSWER. WHAT CAN WE DO AS A COUNTY TO KIND OF BETTER ENSURE THE
VERIFICATION PROCESS FOR 500 AND 
          [02:25:05]
1C3? I MEAN, WE'VE HAD DISCUSSIONS, BUT I THINK OUR OFFICE HAS A SUBSCRIPTION TO GUIDESTAR,
AND IT'S FAIRLY SIMPLE AND COST EFFECTIVE. 
          AND YOU CAN PRINT THE DOCUMENTS YOURSELF. CHECK 990 I WOULD SAY THAT'S PRETTY LOW HANGING
FRUIT IN TERMS OF HOW WE CAN BE MORE PREPARED FOR A SITUATION LIKE THIS IN THE FUTURE. IT WOULD. I MEAN,
THERE ARE SOME EXTRA WORK INVOLVED, SO CERTAINLY WE'D HAVE TO TAKE THAT INTO ACCOUNT. 
          BUT THAT'S WHAT WE'VE USED IN ALL OF OUR CULTURAL REVIEWS TO VERIFY THOSE DOCUMENTS. 
          BUT TO PIGGYBACK ON THAT, THE DOCUMENTATION THAT EVERYBODY PROVIDES AND SIGN ON,
IT'S LIKE FINDING YOUR OWN TAXES, THAT YOU'RE PROVIDING THIS TO THE BEST OF YOUR ABILITY,
THAT IT'S TRUTHFUL. 
          SO FOR US TO GO BACK AND CHECK ALL THE THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF CONTRACTS THIS COMPANY
HAS, IT'S PROBABLY QUITE COSTLY. SURE. AND I THINK TOO,
THERE HAS TO BE SOME UNDERSTANDING THAT I THINK AS, AS ERIC CORRECTLY POINTED OUT THESE, THIS IS NOT THE SAME SITUATION IN THAT THIS
ORGANIZATION WAS ALSO PROVIDING WAS NOT REQUIRED TO BE A NONPROFIT IN MANY INSTANCES. AND SO I THINK OBVIOUSLY YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN CERTAIN DEPARTMENTS AND GRANT FUNDING OR FUNDING THAT HAS, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT CONTRACTS INVOLVED WITH CONTRACTS THAT INVOLVE STATE
AND FEDERAL GRANTS. 
          BUT IF YOU'RE ASKING FOR ONE FAIRLY SIMPLE RECOMMENDATION I WOULD SAY THAT WE HAVE FOUND
IT TO BE VERY USEFUL AND COST EFFECTIVE FOR OUR OFFICE IN SORT OF REVIEWING THESE THINGS. AND ALSO YOU HAVE TO REALIZE THAT THEY WERE PROVIDING
ALL THE SERVICES. 
          SO THERE WAS NOTHING THAT THREW A FLAG UP FOR US TO GO THERE. 
          THEY SERVE THE CHILDCARE, THE FOOD SERVICE AND THE VANS. 
          EVERYTHING WAS RUNNING UP UNTIL THAT POINT WHEN WE WERE NOTIFIED BY THEM THAT THEY LOST
IT. 
          SO FOR US TO GO INTO SOMETHING THAT HAS NO FLAGS,
IT'S, YOU KNOW, AND THEY'VE HAD A LONG HISTORY WITH US TOO. 
          YEAH. NO. YEAH. I MEAN, I THINK WE'RE ON THE SAME PAGE THERE,
BUT, YOU KNOW YOU KNOW, FOR ME, I ALWAYS WOULD GO AND UTILIZE MELISSA DATA FOR 501 C3 CERTIFICATION IN MY PRIVATE LIFE. 
          YOU KNOW, IT TAKES ABOUT 30S, BUT I DON'T KNOW HOW ACCURATE IT IS. 
          YOU CAN LOOK UP MY ZIP CODE, YOU GET THE LIST AND SEE IF THEY'RE THERE. BUT THEN AGAIN,
YOU GET A LOT OF NONPROFITS THAT HAVE A PO BOX IN A DIFFERENT ZIP CODE AND YOU DON'T ALWAYS GET TO LOOK THEM UP. SO YOU KNOW JESSICA,
JUST OFFHAND YOU SAID YOU, YOU USED GUIDESTAR. 
          YEAH, THAT MIGHT ACTUALLY, IT MIGHT BE VERIFIED. DID THEY CHANGE THE. I BELIEVE GUIDESTAR
IS THE DATABASE. 
          WHETHER OR NOT THE ORGANIZATION CHANGED NAMES,
I CAN'T REMEMBER, BUT IT'S A YEARLY SUBSCRIPTION AND IT'S NOT LIMITED TO GOVERNMENTS. 
          I MEAN, ANYBODY CAN HAVE A SUBSCRIPTION. IT JUST DOES PROVIDE US A LITTLE EXTRA
VERIFICATION BECAUSE YOU'RE RIGHT, THE FORM SUBMITTED MAY NOT BE THE FORMS THAT ARE ON FILE WITH THE IRS. 
          AND THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING FOLKS WANT TO COME TO. YEAH. 
          IS THAT, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, I'VE USED A DIFFERENT DATABASE. 
          I DON'T KNOW HOW ACCURATE IT IS. IT TAKES ME ABOUT 30S TO LOOK UP. 
          IS THIS A LITTLE MORE CUMBERSOME FOR YOU THAN THAT? NO. AND I WOULD ALSO SAY YOU COULD COMPARE WHAT'S ON GUIDESTAR WITH THE IRS WEBSITE. 
          I MEAN, THERE ARE SOME SOME OPTIONS OUT THERE. 
          CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, THERE'S NO REASON THAT WE WOULD HAVE BELIEVED THAT ANY
OF THESE CONTACTS WOULD HAVE REQUIRED SUCH AN ENDEAVOR. 
          BUT IN THE FUTURE, IF WE'RE LOOKING FOR SUGGESTIONS THAT SEEMS TO BE,
YOU KNOW, I THINK FROM THE GRAND, YOU KNOW, 40,000 FOOT VIEW, THERE'S CERTAINLY EVERY SINGLE LEGISLATOR HERE SUPPORTS
NONPROFITS WITHIN THEIR ORGANIZATION. 
          AND THE LAST THING ANY OF US WANT IS EGG ON OUR FACE BECAUSE,
YOU KNOW, WE JUST, YOU KNOW, DIDN'T DO THE VERIFICATION PROCESS BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN AROUND FOR A LONG TIME AND WE
TRUST THAT THEY'RE STILL IN GOOD STEAD. 
          SO YOU KNOW, JUST LOOKING FOR BEST PRACTICES MOVING FORWARD AS OPPOSED TO WHAT DO WE NOT
DO, RIGHT? WHAT CAN WE DO BETTER? THANK YOU. I JUST WANT TO ADD IN THIS SPECIFIC CASE,
THIS ORGANIZATION DID NOT GET INCLUDED IN THE IRS AUTO REVOCATION DATA SET THAT GETS UPDATED BY THE IRS BY LAW. 
          SO IT'S ONE OF THE REASONS THAT IT DOESN'T COME UP TO US. 
          THE IRS WEBSITE IS OFTEN UNRELIABLE WHEN IT COMES TO FINDING TIMELY FILINGS. 
          SO OUR RELIANCE WITHOUT DELAYING CONTRACTING PROCESS IS USUALLY ON WHAT THEY SUBMIT TO US. 
          BECAUSE WE CAN'T ALWAYS RELY ON THE GOVERNMENT WEBSITES TO HAVE UP TO DATE INFORMATION. 
          JUST TO GIVE AN EXAMPLE, WE'VE LOOKED AT A FEW OTHER ORGANIZATIONS,
THE MATT URBAN CENTER, FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU GO ON THE IRS WEBSITE FOR THEM,
YOU'LL SEE THAT THEIR FILINGS LOOK LIKE THEY'RE NOT UP TO DATE, 
          [02:30:08]
BUT THEY ARE, RIGHT. AND I THINK THAT GOES BACK TO MY POINT THAT YOU HAVE TO TAKE IT THAT
THEY'VE SIGNED OFF AND THEY'RE TAKING RESPONSIBILITY THAT THIS IS ACCURATE INFORMATION THAT THEY'RE PROVIDING US. 
          I'M SORRY. THANK YOU. JUNE OF 2021 THAT THE IRS REVOKED THE 500 1C3 STATUS. 
          DO WE KNOW HOW MANY COUNTY CONTRACTS THEY RECEIVED BETWEEN 2021 AND 2026? BUT IT WOULD ONLY APPLY TO THE NOT FOR PROFIT. 
          DO YOU WANT TO KNOW HOW MANY OF THEM APPLY SPECIFICALLY FOR THAT STATUS? ONE SECOND. 
          I HAVE NINE CONTRACTS. DO YOU KNOW? AND I'M NOT GOING TO EXPECT YOU TO DO THE MATH ON THIS
SPOT, BUT IF YOU COULD GET THE AMOUNTS OF THOSE CONTRACTS,
BECAUSE MY CONCERN IS IF THEY RECEIVED THIS FUNDING, IT'S ABOUT $110,000 OVER FIVE YEARS. THAT WAS QUITE. 
          WHEN THEY RECEIVED THIS FUNDING OVER THAT TIME WHERE THEIR STATUS WAS REVOKED? IS THERE
ANY LIABILITY TO THE COUNTY THAT THIS WAS MISMANAGED? THAT MIGHT BE A QUESTION. 
          YEAH, THAT'S MORE OF A QUESTION. THAT'S MORE OF AN OPINION QUESTION THAN ANYTHING ELSE. 
          RIGHT NOW WE'RE SEEING THE SERVICES WERE PROVIDED FOR THE MONEY THAT WAS PROVIDED. 
          SO IT'S NOT JUMPING OUT THAT THERE'S LIABILITY RIGHT NOW. 
          BUT THAT'S BASED ON MY CURRENT UNDERSTANDING. 
          OKAY. AND I'M HAPPY TO HEAR THAT THE SERVICES ARE BEING,
YOU KNOW, SPURRED AND FILLED IN THIS AREA. 
          YOU KNOW, THE BIGGEST QUESTION THAT I'VE RECEIVED,
YOU KNOW, SINCE THIS CAME OUT IS JUST A MISS AND WE'VE ALL KIND OF SPOKEN TO IT. 
          A MISUNDERSTANDING THAT THIS IS SPECIFIC IN THAT THEY DO PROVIDE THE 501 C3 VERIFICATION
INFORMATION LIKE WE JUST DISCUSSED TO THE COUNTY, AND THAT IS REQUIRED FOR EVERY COUNTY CONTRACT. 
          CORRECT. OR IS FOR THE ONES THAT ARE SPECIFIC TO NONPROFITS? NO. THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF MINOR DISTINCTION INSIDE THERE,
WHICH HAS SOME IMPORT. 
          THEY EXIST AS A CORPORATION. WE CAN DO BUSINESS AND WE OFTEN DO BUSINESS WITH MANY,
NOT FOR PROFITS THAT DON'T NEED TO HAVE 500 1C3 STATUS. SO THEIR STATUS AS A CORPORATION IS NOT DISAPPEARED. 
          I FORGOT THE FIRST HALF OF THAT. MY QUESTION IS REALLY JUST LIKE WHEN WE ARE DISTRIBUTING
THESE CONTRACTS, WE DO HAVE A CLEAN PROCESS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE VERIFYING. 
          IF THEY NEED TO BE A FIVE ON THREE. BUT IT IS,
I'M IMAGINING, LIKE THE CHAIRMAN SAID, THEY JUST HAVE TO SIGN OFF THAT THEY'RE VERIFYING IT. YEAH, YEAH. THE QUALIFICATION PROCESS FOLLOWED THE RFP. 
          THE RFP ON THE COMPANY'S CONTRACTS REQUIRED THE 500 1C3 BASED ON FUNDING SOURCE. 
          AND THAT'S WHAT TRIGGERED THE REQUIREMENT OF THE DESIGNATION AND THE DOCUMENTATION OF THE
ROOF. 
          SO THE INFORMATION THAT WE RECEIVED BETWEEN 2021 AND 2026 WAS THAT THEY WERE SIGNING OFF
AND FILLING OUT THE INFORMATION THAT THEY WERE. 
          501 C3 EVEN THOUGH THE IRS REVOKED THEIR STATUS AT THE TIME OF THE QUALIFICATION. 
          OKAY, SO EVERYTHING WE RECEIVED ON OUR END INDICATED NO PROBLEMS. THEY WERE QUALIFIED TO RECEIVE THE MONEY BASED ON THE RFP AND THE FUNDING SOURCE,
AND IT WAS SIGNED OFF ON SENECA BABCOCK. 
          THEY VERIFIED THAT INFORMATION. I WASN'T I WASN'T THERE,
BUT THERE WAS AN ATTESTATION. 
          AND THAT'S ALL THAT'S ALL I KNOW IS WHAT THE ATTESTATION SAYS. 
          AND THAT'S THE STANDARD PROCESS FOR CONTRACTS LIKE THIS. 
          AS FAR AS I'VE SEEN, I DON'T HANDLE EVERY DEPARTMENT. 
          OKAY. THANK YOU. I THINK I THINK THAT'S THE CRUX OF OUR PROBLEM IS THAT. 
          THEY WERE THEY WERE DOING BUSINESS AS USUAL. THEY WERE RECEIVING THE MONEY. 
          THERE'S NO SIGN RIGHT NOW THAT THE MONEY WAS STOLEN. 
          SERVICES WERE PROVIDED, STILL BEING PROVIDED. 
          AND I MAY GO ON A LIMB HERE AND SAY THERE MIGHT BE SOME BAD MANAGEMENT THAT THEY DIDN'T
FILE THE PROPER PAPERWORK OR FILE ON IT. 
          NO, THAT'S NOT FOR ME TO DECIDE. BUT AS FAR AS WE CAN TELL RIGHT NOW,
OUR COUNTY TAX DOLLARS OR THE STATE PASS THROUGH MONEY HAS BEEN SPENT APPROPRIATELY. ACCURATE AS FAR AS I'VE SEEN,
YES. 
          EXACTLY. EXACTLY. OKAY. DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION? YES. THANK YOU. CHAIR. I JUST HAD A QUESTION. I WANT TO GO BACK TO THE SERVICES. 
          SO THAT WAS GREAT. WE'RE DOING THE TRANSPORTATION WITH THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS. 
          CONTINUE WITH THAT. WHAT ABOUT SOME OF THE STAFF? BECAUSE THAT WAS ALSO COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND THAT WAS SOMETHING OF CONCERN FOR ME ALSO. 
          SO AS WE'RE RELYING ON OTHER PARTNERS TO PICK UP SOME OF THE PIECES AND CONTINUE THE
PROGRAMS, 
          [02:35:04]
THE HIRING DECISIONS ARE GOING TO BE LEFT UP TO THEM. 
          THOSE NEW ORGANIZATIONS NOW, IT'S VALUABLE TO HAVE STAFF THAT IS FAMILIAR WITH THE WORK
AND IS FAMILIAR WITH THE COMMUNITY. 
          SO WHERE WE'RE ABLE TO FACILITATE THOSE CONNECTIONS TO A POTENTIAL NEW EMPLOYER FROM
FORMER SENECA BABCOCK EMPLOYEES, WE'RE MORE THAN HAPPY, AND WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO MAKE THOSE CONNECTIONS TO PROVIDE EVEN
MORE ROBUST CONTINUITY IN SERVICE. 
          NO. THAT'S GREAT. ALSO, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE SERVICES,
THAT'S GREAT. 
          WE HAVE SOME MOVED. WE HAVE A PLAN TO DO THINGS LIKE MEALS ON WHEELS,
WHICH COME OUT. 
          A LOT OF THOSE PLAYS THAT ARE USED AS PICKUP STATIONS FOR THE COMMUNITY TO DO THAT THERE. 
          IS THAT SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE WITH THE NEW LOCATIONS? YES,
YES. 
          OUR INTENTION IS TO CONTINUE ALL PROGRAMS AS THEY HAVE BEEN OPERATING. 
          NO. THAT'S GREAT. AND HOW HAVE YOU BEEN ABLE TO NOTIFY THE FAMILIES IN THE COMMUNITY WITH
THIS? SO WE HAVE SOME PRETTY SIGNIFICANT COMMUNICATIONS CAPACITY WITH THE DEPARTMENT FOR THE
AGING. 
          THE MOST EFFECTIVE, OF COURSE, IS FACE TO FACE IN THE COMMUNITY AND LETTING PEOPLE KNOW
WHAT'S GOING ON. 
          AND OUR STAFF HAS BEEN ABLE TO EITHER TALK TO PARTICIPANTS DIRECTLY. 
          IN SOME CASES, IT WOULD BE A PHONE CALL FROM A CASE MANAGER TO A CASE MANAGER CLIENT. 
          AND WE ALSO HAVE A COMMUNICATION TOOL THAT ALLOWS US TO SEND TEXT MESSAGES,
EMAILS AND MAKE AUTOMATED RECORDED PHONE CALLS TO INDIVIDUALS. 
          AND THAT WAS OUR FIRST APPROACH TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY WITH THE NUTRITION PROGRAM
WERE AWARE OF THE RESOURCES BECAUSE A DAY OR TWO WITHOUT THOSE RESOURCES COULD, COULD BE VERY SIGNIFICANT FOR THE POPULATION THAT WE SERVE. 
          THANK YOU, THANK YOU. ARE YOU GUYS PREPARED FOR LONG TERM FOR THIS? THIS SEEMS LIKE THIS IS GOING TO GO ON FOR A WHILE. 
          CAN YOU CAN YOU HANDLE THIS ADDITIONAL WORKLOAD? WORKLOAD, OR ARE WE TALKING SIX MONTHS DOWN THE ROAD? WE'VE GOT TO REEVALUATE. YEAH, WE'RE WE'RE WE'RE PREPARED FOR THE LONG HAUL. 
          BUT WE RECOGNIZE THAT SOME OF THE SOLUTIONS THAT WE'RE PUTTING INTO PLACE RIGHT NOW MAY
NOT BE THE, THE BEST USE OF RESOURCES MOVING FORWARD. WHEN IT COMES TO THESE SERVICES THE CLOSER THAT
THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE SERVICES CAN COME TO THE COMMUNITY THAT THEY SERVE,
THE BETTER THE PROGRAMS ARE. 
          AND THAT'S OUR IDEAL. SO WHILE WE MAY HAVE SOME COUNTY RESOURCES OR COUNTY STAFF STEPPING
UP RIGHT NOW, THEY'RE WILLING AND CAPABLE OF DOING THAT. BUT WE'D REALLY LIKE TO GET THESE PROGRAMS BACK
IN THE HANDS OF THE COMMUNITY AGENCIES THAT ARE SO EFFECTIVE AT DELIVERING ON IT. 
          NOW TO THAT POINT, IS THERE AN UPDATE YOU CAN GIVE US OR ANYBODY ABOUT HOW THEY'RE DOING
WHAT THEY'RE DOING? ARE THEY TRYING TO REORGANIZE OR ARE THEY TRYING TO APPOINT A NEW BOARD? DOES ANYBODY HAVE THAT GENERAL INFORMATION OR IS THAT BEYOND OUR COMMUNICATION RIGHT NOW? NO. NO DETAILS. OKAY. SO WE ARE INITIALLY JUST TAKING OVER,
THEN KEEPING THE SERVICES UP AND RUNNING, AND THEN IS SOMEONE GOING TO REACH OUT TO THEM IF ONE OF YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO REACH OUT
TO THEM AND SAY. 
          IS THERE A BRIGHT FUTURE HERE FOR THEIR BOARD? WE REMAIN IN CONTACT WITH WITH SOME OF THE STAFF THAT REMAIN AT SENECA,
BANGKOK, AND I HAVEN'T RECEIVED ANYTHING IN TERMS OF A WORTHWHILE UPDATE TO SHARE WITH THIS BODY. I WOULD LIKE TO ADD,
HOWEVER, THAT WHILE THE COUNTY HAS A SIGNIFICANT FUNDER, THE CITY OF BUFFALO ALSO HAS FUNDED THIS ORGANIZATION. 
          AND WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO TALK WITH THE CITY OF BUFFALO TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR RESPONSE IS
WELL COORDINATED AND THE RESOURCES THAT WE DO HAVE GO GO FURTHER BY COMMUNICATING WITH THE CITY OF BUFFALO AND HOW WE CAN BEST MEET THE NEEDS OF
THESE COMMUNITIES. 
          PERFECT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. IS THERE ANOTHER HAND OVER HERE TO THE LEGISLATURE? THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN. FIRST THING I WANT TO I WANT TO SAY IS THANK YOU TO EVERYONE HERE TO
HELP THE COMMUNITY GET BACK ON ITS FEET WITH THE SERVICES THAT WE LOST. THAT IS UTMOST NUMBER ONE IN MY MIND. 
          NUMBER TWO THOUGH, IS WHERE WE ARE AT THIS POINT WHEN IT COMES TO THE ACTUAL FINANCIALS. 
          I UNDERSTAND THAT THE YOU KNOW, OUR CONTROLLER IS GOING TO BE LOOKING INTO THAT. 
          [02:40:04]
WHERE ARE YOU NOW WITH THAT INVESTIGATION? CAN YOU TELL ME IS IT STARTED? WHAT ARE THE WHAT IS THE FINANCIAL YOU'RE GOING TO BE REQUESTING? JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA. SURE. SO WE HAVE SORT OF UNDERTAKEN THIS PROCESS WITH THE OTHER
CULTURAL GRANTS, AS YOU'RE AWARE OF. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE HAVE SCALED UP THIS REVIEW PROCEDURE FOR AN
ORGANIZATION THAT RECEIVES THE LEVEL OF FUNDING THAT THIS ORGANIZATION DOES AND HAS THE NUMBER OF CONTRACTS, BUT WOULD EXPECT A SIMILAR PROCESS AND OUTCOME. 
          WHERE WE ARE LOOKING AT THEIR GENERAL LEDGER. 
          WE ARE ASKING FOR VERIFICATION OF CERTAIN IRS FORMS,
PAYROLL. 
          AND WE ARE EXPANDING IT TO INCLUDE ALL OF THE YEARS FROM 2017 FORWARD SO THAT WE HAVE A
FULL BREADTH OF THE TIME PERIOD THAT'S IN QUESTION GIVEN THEIR THEIR STATUS. 
          WE HAVE SPOKEN TO, I THINK THE ACTING DIRECTOR I DO BELIEVE THE ORGANIZATION MAY RETAIN
SOME LEVEL OF LEGAL COUNSEL. 
          I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S TRUE. CERTAINLY IF THEY DO,
WE WOULD WORK THROUGH WHATEVER CHANNELS WE ARE TOLD TO. 
          BUT I WOULD EXPECT THEY'RE GOING TO FULLY COMPLY. 
          I MEAN, WE WE HAVE HAD NOBODY HAS HIDDEN WE'VE HAD WE'VE HAD CONTACTS,
YOU KNOW, WITH THAT ORGANIZATION, THEY HAVE RESPONDED. YOU KNOW, I DON'T FORESEE THERE BEING ANY PROBLEM. 
          I WILL SAY IT MAY TAKE A LITTLE LONGER GIVEN THAT IT'S THE FIRST TIME WE'VE DONE A REVIEW
OF THIS TYPE OF ORGANIZATION WITH THAT NUMBER OF CONTRACTS AND FOR THAT AMOUNT OF TIME BUT CERTAINLY WE'LL REPORT OUR FINDINGS WHEN THEY'RE COMPLETED. 
          ANYTHING YOU WANT TO ADD THERE? YEAH. THEY'VE BEEN VERY COOPERATIVE. 
          I HAVE A MEETING COMING UP WITH THEM AND THEIR BOARD MEMBERS. 
          THEY ARE WORKING DILIGENTLY TO REBUILD THEIR RECORDS. 
          AND THAT'S PROBABLY GOING TO BE THE HARDEST THING FOR THEM AND COLEMAN WILL TAKE THEM
ALONG TO PROVIDE US THE RECORDS THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR, BUT THEY ARE COMMITTED TO WORKING WITH US. AND WE DO HAVE A COUPLE OF INTERN COLLEGE
INTERNS COMING IN. 
          I DID TALK TO JESS AND KEVIN, AND WE MAY ASSIST THEM IN SOME WAY WITH OUR INTERNS TO HELP
THEM ALONG, BECAUSE I DO BELIEVE IT'S A GOOD COMMUNITY SERVICE. 
          THEY PROVIDE A LOT OF SERVICE. AND SO WE'RE GOING TO BRING INTERNS IN TO HELP THIS
PROCESS. 
          SO IT DOESN'T TAKE AS LONG. BUT THEY'VE BEEN VERY COOPERATIVE. 
          I DID I HEAR THAT THEY'RE JUST GATHERING LIKE OLD BANK STATEMENTS. 
          THEY DON'T HAVE THEM ON HAND TO JUST HAND OVER KNOW THEIR RECORDS ARE VERY ORGANIZED. 
          YOU KNOW, WE'LL BE SIFTING THROUGH THEM. JUST THEY,
THERE'S THIS OTHER PEOPLE GETTING INVOLVED, THE BOARD MEMBERS, AS SOME OF YOU ARE AWARE,
SOME OF THEM, EXIT PRETTY QUICKLY, SO WHATEVER'S LEFT, THEY'VE. BEEN WORKING ON PUTTING THE RECORDS TOGETHER. 
          WHAT? WHAT DID YOU GIVE FOR A DATE THAT YOU'RE REQUESTING THESE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS. 
          WE HAVE A MEETING. I'M MEETING WITH WHATEVER BOARD IS LEFT. 
          AND THE PERSON THAT IS WORKING ON WITH THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OR THE PROGRAM COORDINATOR,
I THINK WE'LL BE MEETING IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS. OKAY. I WOULD ASK YOU IF I CAN JUST GET SOME UPDATES ON HOW THE,
THE LOOKING, YOU KNOW, LOOKING INTO THE NOT FOR PROFIT IS COMING ALONG. 
          I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT. WE COULD CERTAINLY APPEAR HERE AND GIVE YOU SOME INDICATION OF
WHERE WE ARE IN THE PROCESS. 
          LIKE I SAID, WE DON'T TYPICALLY, EVEN THOUGH THIS IS A REVIEW AND ANALYSIS WE TRY TO
ADHERE TO AS MANY STANDARDS AS POSSIBLE. 
          SO WE DON'T TYPICALLY DISCUSS DURING THE COURSE OF THE WORK. 
          WE DO DISCUSS WITH THE ORGANIZATION IF WE FIND THINGS DURING THE COURSE OF WORK. 
          BUT I'M HAPPY TO CORRESPOND WITH YOUR OFFICE OR IN PUBLIC SESSION IF PEOPLE WANT TO ASK
GENERAL QUESTIONS. 
          AND LIKE MARY SAID, WE'RE JUST TRYING TO LOOK TO BE A RESOURCE FOR THE ORGANIZATION. 
          AND OBVIOUSLY VERIFY THE FUNDING WAS PROPERLY ACCOUNTED FOR. 
          AND THE LAST QUESTION IS WHEN DO YOU FEEL THAT THIS MAY BE COMPLETED? WELL, WE TOLD THE CHARITIES BUREAU 6 TO 8 MONTHS. 
          I WOULD HOPE IT'S SOONER THAN THAT, BUT WE REALLY,
I MEAN, I WOULD SAY WE REALLY DON'T HAVE OUR ARMS AROUND WHAT THIS MIGHT LOOK LIKE. 
          AND GIVEN THAT WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THEIR ACCOUNTING LOOKS LIKE CURRENTLY,
I WOULDN'T WANT TO TELL YOU ANYTHING BUT 6 TO 8 MONTHS AND HOPE THAT IT'S SOONER THAN THAT. SO I HOPE THIS WILL CLARIFY. YOU KNOW,
JUST PAPERWORK NOT BEING FILLED OUT, WE WOULD ALL HOPE FOR. 
          IF YOU DO SEE SOMETHING, A MAJOR PROBLEM, ARE YOU GOING RIGHT TO THE DA? SO, I MEAN, WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION IF WE FIND THINGS THAT REQUIRE REFERRAL TO THE OF DAY TO
PREFER THEM APPROPRIATELY. 
          WE HAVE DONE THAT IN THE PAST, OBVIOUSLY. AND OF COURSE,
IF WE FOUND SOMETHING THAT INDICATED ANY NECESSARY ACTION, WE WOULD DO THE SAME. THANK YOU FOR THAT. THANK YOU. 
          [02:45:03]
ALL SET? ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? NO. WE'RE GOOD. 
          THANK YOU, EVERYONE, FOR COMING AND GIVING US AN UPDATE. 
          THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. I THINK WE HAVE ONE MORE DISCUSSION. 
          IT'S THE BOND RESOLUTION, AM I CORRECT? WHO IS TAKING THE LEAD ON THIS? OH, THAT'D BE WONDERFUL. YEP. THE FLOOR IS YOURS. 
          OH. GOOD AFTERNOON. WE'RE HERE TO DISCUSS THE 2026 CONSOLIDATED BOND RESOLUTION. 
          THIS IS THE RESOLUTION THAT OFFICIALLY AUTHORIZES ERIE COUNTY TO ISSUE UP TO $64.8 MILLION
IN GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS TO OFFER A TOTAL OF 27 PROJECTS INCLUDED IN THE 2026 CAPITAL PROGRAM. 
          I'M JOINED TODAY BY A NUMBER OF REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE ADMINISTRATION WHO WOULD BE HAPPY
TO ANSWER ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE, ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING THERE WERE A NUMBER OF CHANGES IN THIS FINAL CBR FROM WHAT WAS
PROPOSED IN THE CAPITAL PROGRAM THAT I WILL TOUCH ON IN A MOMENT. AS YOU KNOW, THE CAPITAL BUDGET PROCESS TAKES NEARLY 18 MONTHS TO ACCOMPLISH FROM
THE SOLICITATION OF NEW CAPITAL PROJECTS IN MARCH TO THE APPROVAL OF THE CAPITAL PROJECTS BY THE CAPITAL PROJECTS COMMITTEE IN
MID-AUGUST, TO THE ADOPTION OF THE BUDGET IN DECEMBER, AND THEN THROUGH TO APRIL. 
          NOW, AND WE'RE DOING THE CONSOLIDATED BOND RESOLUTION AND THEN COMPLETION OF THE BORROWING
IN LIKELY APPROXIMATELY LATE JULY. 
          OVER THE COURSE OF THE SUMMER, THE COMMITTEE HAD A TOTAL OF SIX MEETINGS WHERE WE
DISCUSSED IN DETAIL 67 PROPOSED PROJECTS REQUESTING $212.7 MILLION IN LOCAL SHAUN. AFTER THE APPROVAL OF 23 PROJECTS FOR APPROXIMATELY $20.2 MILLION IN PAY AS YOU GO FUNDING WITHIN THE 2026 ADOPTED BUDGET,
TODAY WE ARE DISCUSSING THE FINAL PART OF OUR CAPITAL PROGRAM TODAY, WHICH IN TOTAL INCLUDES 50 PROJECTS FOR $84.9 MILLION IN LOCAL SHAUN. 
          THE COMMITTEE VETTED PROJECT REQUESTS AND DETERMINED A PROPOSED CAPITAL PROGRAM FOR THE
YEAR, INCLUDING THE PROJECTS TO UTILIZE PAY AS YOU GO FUNDING AND BOND PROCEEDS. 
          ONCE THROUGH, I WANT TO SKIP AHEAD. I'M SORRY. 
          SORRY. SO WHAT I WANT TO DISCUSS RIGHT NOW IS THE 2026 CONSOLIDATED BOND RESOLUTION. INCLUDES PROJECTS SEVERAL PROJECTS THAT ARE NEW AND DIFFERENT. AND I WANT TO GIVE A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THOSE PROJECTS BASED ON WHAT
HAD CHANGED FROM THE ADOPTED BUDGET. 
          FIRST YOU WILL NOTE THE REMOVAL OF THE $20 MILLION REQUEST TO BEGIN WORK TOWARDS A NEW
COMBINED HOLDING CENTER AND CORRECTIONAL FACILITY THAT WAS APPROVED AS PART OF YOUR AMENDMENT TO THE 2026 ADOPTED BUDGET. 
          AS WE HAD SAID, THROUGH THE PROCESS OF CONSIDERING THE NEW JAIL,
THAT DOING NOTHING WAS NOT AN OPTION GIVEN THIS BODY IS NOT INTERESTED IN MOVING FORWARD WITH A NEW JAIL FACILITY. 
          WE HAVE INCLUDED SEVERAL INITIAL CAPITAL PROJECT REQUESTS TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS TO THE
HOLDING CENTER AND CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES TO MAKE THEM HABITABLE. 
          FRANKLY, A FEW OF THESE IMPROVEMENTS PROBABLY WOULD HAVE HAD TO OCCUR REGARDLESS,
GIVEN THE TIME CONSTRAINTS AND THE FACT THAT EVEN IF WE WERE GOING TO COMPLETE A NEW JAIL FACILITY, THAT WOULD BE THE BETTER PART OF,
YOU KNOW, 5 TO 7 YEARS BEFORE THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN COMPLETED. 
          AT A HIGH LEVEL, OF THE THREE PROJECTS PROPOSED HERE ARE FOR A TOTAL OF $5.5 MILLION AND
ARE FOR 4.4, $4.5 MILLION IN NEEDED MECHANICAL, ELECTRICAL,
PLUMBING, AND OTHER IMPROVEMENTS FOR BOTH FACILITIES. 
          HALF $1 MILLION IN FENCING IMPROVEMENTS, AND THEN ANOTHER HALF $1 MILLION FOR A CONSULTANT
TERM AGREEMENT TO DEVELOP A DETAILED, MID TO LONG TERM PLAN FOR THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT NEED TO HAPPEN AT BOTH FACILITIES. 
          THIS PLAN WOULD DETERMINE WHAT PROJECTS SHOULD BE FUNDED IN WHAT ORDER,
WITH REASONABLE ESTIMATES FOR COSTS, SO THAT EACH YEAR OF THE PLAN CAN JUST BE PLUGGED INTO THE CAPITAL PROGRAM GOING FORWARD
OVER THE NEXT 5 TO 7 YEARS OR SO. 
          [02:50:03]
SECOND IS AN INCREASE FROM 10 MILLION TO $20 MILLION FOR THE REGIONAL TRUNKED RADIO SYSTEM
PROJECT. 
          THIS PROJECT WILL ULTIMATELY COST ABOUT $30 MILLION,
WITH THE EXPECTATION THAT THE SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT WOULD COST ABOUT $20 MILLION, AND OUR OWN INTERNAL END USER EQUIPMENT TO ACCESS THE SYSTEM WOULD COST ANOTHER $10
MILLION. 
          THERE WAS ORIGINALLY AN EXPECTATION THAT THE FTA WOULD BE A PARTNER IN THIS PROJECT AND
SPLIT THE INITIAL COST OF DEVELOPMENT, BUT THAT IS NO LONGER THE CASE. IF WE ARE GOING TO BUILD THIS SYSTEM,
THAT WILL BE A REGIONAL ASSET. 
          WE ARE UNFORTUNATELY GOING TO HAVE TO GO AT IT ALONE. 
          INITIALLY, WE WOULD BE ABLE TO RECOUP SOME OF THE COSTS RELATED TO FUTURE MAINTENANCE
THROUGH SERVICE AGREEMENTS WITH MUNICIPALITIES AND OTHER BUREAUCRATIC AGENCIES THAT WOULD WANT ACCESS TO THE SYSTEM GOING FORWARD. 
          AND WE WILL BE REQUESTING THE FINAL $10 MILLION FOR THE END USER EQUIPMENT NEXT YEAR. 
          LASTLY, IS THE REMOVAL OF $3.6 MILLION ASSOCIATED WITH THE CREATION OF A SECONDARY NINE
OVER 11 CALL CENTER WITHIN THE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER IN CHEEKTOWAGA, AND THE ASSOCIATED INITIAL DESIGN WORK THAT WOULD HAVE
BEEN NECESSARY TO EXPAND THE CENTER TO BETTER MEET THE CHANGING NEEDS OF THAT FACILITY. IT HAS SINCE BEEN DETERMINED THAT AN INITIAL
FEASIBILITY STUDY NEEDS TO BE UNDERTAKEN TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE EOC CAN BE ADAPTED AND EXPANDED TO MEET THOSE NEEDS. 
          GIVEN THE CONDITION THAT DESIGN OF THE BUILDING AND UTILITIES ITSELF AND SOME OF THE
ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS OF THE SURROUNDING LAND FOR THIS PLAN TO PROCEED. THAT PLAN WOULD BE TO BEGIN THE FEASIBILITY STUDY THIS YEAR,
AND THEN CONSIDER FUNDING PROJECTS FOR A SECONDARY CALL CENTER AND ADDITIONAL WORK TO POTENTIALLY EXPAND THE EOC AFTER DETERMINATIONS ARE MADE. 
          AS WE, WE USUALLY NOTE THAT TIMELY APPROVAL OF THE CONSOLIDATED BOND RESOLUTION IS
IMPORTANT TO MAXIMIZE OUR SHORT ANNUAL CONSTRUCTION WINDOW. I DO KNOW THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL PROJECTS SPECIFICALLY
HIGHWAYS PROJECTS, AND I KNOW THE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER CAN DISCUSS THOSE MORE THOROUGHLY. 
          I BELIEVE SPECIFICALLY IS IT MCKINLEY PARKWAY? OH, NO, I'M SORRY. IT IS MAPLE ROAD AND AND WILLIAMS STREET ARE TWO PROJECTS THAT PUBLIC
WORKS WANTS TO GET THE BIDS OUT AND GET MOVING THIS YEAR AND ARE UNABLE TO DO SO UNTIL THIS HAS
BEEN COMPLETED SO THAT FUNDS COULD BE HELD IN TRUST TO CASH ADVANCE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THOSE PROJECTS. 
          SO WE ARE REQUESTING THAT THIS RESOLUTION BE DISCHARGED FOR APPROVAL BY THE FULL
LEGISLATURE AT NEXT THE NEXT SESSION, WHICH IS IN SEVERAL WEEKS. WITH THAT, WE ARE HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY
HAVE ON THIS RESOLUTION OR ANY OF THE PROJECTS SPECIFICALLY. 
          THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I WOULD LIKE TO START. I KNOW YOU MENTIONED NEW PROJECTS. 
          AND ONE WAS SPECIFICALLY FOR IMPROVEMENTS TO THE JAIL AND THE HOLDING CENTER. 
          YOU. YOU MENTIONED 5.5 MILLION TOTAL IS WHAT WE'RE PUTTING IN THERE FOR. 
          IMPROVEMENTS ELECTRICAL, POTENTIALLY PLUMBING,
PLUMBING. 
          AND THEN HALF A MILLION. IS GOING TO CONSULTANTS TO BE ABLE TO PUT UP A PLAN TO DESIGN
WHAT THEY NEED TO DO. 
          IN THE NEXT X AMOUNT OF YEARS. SO WITH THAT BEING SAID,
I KNOW IT WAS A BIG NEWS STORY. 
          REGARDING THE SCORE IN THE HOLDING CENTER, WAS THAT INCLUDED IN HERE? THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING I'D LIKE TO HAVE. TRACY REFERENCE. 
          I KNOW WHAT IS THE HOLDING CENTER LIKE THE, THE SEWER LINES. 
          THAT'S BEEN, THAT'S BEEN REPAIRED. NOT WITH THIS MONEY,
NOT WITH THIS MONEY THAT PUT QUITE A STRAIN ON MY OPERATING BUDGET THIS YEAR. 
          CAN YOU TELL ME HOW MUCH YOU SPENT ON THAT? THE FINAL BILL FROM SERVPRO,
WE SPEND JUST UNDER $100,000 BETWEEN PLUMBING AND HAVING OUR SERVPRO COME IN AND CLEAN UP THE AREA AFTERWARDS. 
          THERE IS TWO STEAM LEAKS THAT NEED TO BE REPAIRED,
BUT WE ARE GOING TO DO THAT AFTER THE HEATING SEASON. 
          AND I WILL NEED TO HAVE SOMEONE COME IN AND DO THAT BECAUSE IT IS IN A CONFINED SPACE. 
          SO I CAN'T HAVE THAT PERFORMED WITH MY STAFF BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE NECESSARY LICENSES, BUT I DON'T ANTICIPATE THOSE BEING TOO MUCH MORE THAN,
YOU KNOW, PROBABLY ANOTHER 5 TO $6000 RANGE. 
          [02:55:04]
AND SO THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT WITH THAT. AND THEN FOR THE 4.5 MILLION. 
          OKAY, 4.5 MILLION. WHAT WE DID LIKE AFTER THE FEASIBILITY STUDY AND ALL THE DECISIONS WERE
MADE, I'VE BEEN MEETING WITH THE SHERIFFS MONTHLY FOR BOTH FACILITIES. 
          I'VE COME UP WITH A LIST OF ABOUT $50 MILLION WORTH OF PROJECTS,
TO BE HONEST WITH YOU. 
          OKAY. BUT MY SUBMISSION SHOULD BE, YOU KNOW,
MY SUPERVISORS AND BUDGET WAS TO FOCUS ON WHAT WE CAN ACCOMPLISH THIS YEAR. 
          AND THESE ARE, YOU KNOW, SHOVEL READY PROJECTS THAT ARE AT THE VERY TOP OF THE PRIORITY
LIST. 
          MOST ARE MECHANICAL, LIKE THE HE'S UNITS ARE ACC1 AND ACC2 THAT THE HOLDING CENTER THAT
SERVES ECUADOR AND ALL THE ROOMS IN THE FACILITY, AIR CONDITIONER UNITS ONE THROUGH FOUR AT THE CORRECTIONAL FACILITY IN ALDEN. 
          THEY ARE LITERALLY FALLING APART. THE FRAME IS LIKE FALLING OFF THE ROOF. 
          I HAVE SOME COMPONENTS IN THERE. WE'RE PUTTING PAINT ON IT. 
          ALL THREE OF THOSE CAN BE REPLACED. THE MAJORITY OF THIS MONEY FOR ABOUT $3.5 MILLION. 
          THE AC ONE AND AC TWO AT THE HOLDING CENTER THAT I SPOKE ABOUT,
THAT'S ABOUT $500,000 SHOULD GET US THERE. 
          AND THEN THE REMAINDER WOULD BE FOCUSED ON A LOT OF THE PLUMBING ISSUES DOWNTOWN. 
          OKAY. THANK YOU FOR THAT. ALSO, I KNOW IN THE PAST,
AND THIS WAS A DISCUSSION BEFORE WE VOTED ON HALTING THE JAIL WAS THE CAMERAS THAT THEY WANTED INCLUDED FOR SECURITY FOR ALL OF THEM,
IS IT NOT? WAS IT NOT RECOMMENDED FOR THIS TIME AROUND,
EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE NOT GETTING A NEW DEAL? THAT WOULD BE THOSE WOULD BE PROJECTS THAT WE NEED TO CONSIDER GOING FORWARD. 
          OBVIOUSLY, ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE REASONS WHY THE CAMERA PROJECT WASN'T CONSIDERED WAS
THE, THE IDEA OF A NEW JAIL RIGHT NOW. I THINK THE FOCUS FOR THOSE FACILITIES NEEDS TO BE ON
THE HABITABILITY OF, OF THE, THE, THE, THE FACILITIES. 
          SPECIFICALLY, I KNOW, YOU KNOW, AS TRACY CALLS IT,
THE MEP AND MECHANICAL ELECTRICAL, PLUMBING CERTAINLY THOSE WOULD BE PROJECTS THAT WE WOULD CONSIDER GOING FORWARD. I KNOW ALSO THE,
THE GENERAL IDEA HERE WITH THIS CONSULTANT IS IF WE ARE MOVING FORWARD WITH A FUTURE WHERE THE CHOICE IS TO REMAIN IN THESE FACILITIES. 
          WE NEED TO COME UP WITH A A LONG TERM PLAN OF ACTION OF EACH YEAR,
WHICH IMPROVEMENTS NEED TO HAPPEN WHEN SOMETIMES YOU CAN GET YOU KNOW,
YOU GET LOST IN THE FOREST FOR THE TREES ON, ON OCCASION. SO IT WOULD BE MAKING SURE THAT THE PROJECTS BUILD OFF OF EACH OTHER. 
          BUT ALSO AS WE'RE GOING FORWARD, IT'S NOT JUST DOING A SURVEY OF THE FACILITIES AND
SAYING, YOU KNOW, SPITBALLING NUMBERS, IT'S ACTUALLY COMING UP WITH,
YOU KNOW, REASONABLY DETAILED ESTIMATES FOR, YOU KNOW, COMPARTMENTALIZED PROJECTS THAT WE CAN JUST ADD INTO EACH YEAR GOING
FORWARD FOR WHETHER THAT IS THE NEXT 5 TO 7 YEARS, THAT'S THE NEXT 10 TO 20 YEARS, DEPENDING UPON,
YOU KNOW, WHAT THE APPETITE OF COUNTY GOVERNMENT IS FOR A NEW FACILITY AT ANY POINT IN THE FISCAL FUTURE. THAT'S EXACTLY WHY I WANTED TO ASK. 
          I APPLAUD YOU BEFORE WITH THE BUDGET. YOU'RE VERY CONSERVATIVE AND PUT THE NUMBERS IN TO
MATCH UP THINGS. 
          AND THAT WAS WHERE I WANTED TO GO NEXT. IF THEY'RE SPENDING $500,000 ON A CONSULTANT,
THERE HAS TO BE USUALLY PEOPLE BUDGETED FOR YOUR PLAN. 
          THIS IS HOW MUCH WE'RE GOING TO BE SPENDING TO DO X,
Y, AND Z. 
          SO THAT WAS MY NEXT QUESTION WITH THE 64 MILLION. 
          HOW MUCH IS THAT ADDING TO OUR DEBT CAP? SURE. 
          AND I KNOW WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO KEEP IN MIND OF OUR PAYMENTS. 
          YEAH. KEEP IN MIND THIS WOULD BE ALL ESTIMATED BASED ON,
YOU KNOW, MOST RECENT BORROWINGS BECAUSE INTEREST RATES MAY CHANGE, WE MAY GET OUR CREDIT RATING UPGRADES THINGS OF THAT NATURE. 
          RIGHT NOW FOR 2027, OUR ANTICIPATED DEBT SERVICE,
EXISTING DEBT SERVICE WOULD BE $48.7 MILLION. IN THEORY, THIS PROGRAM WOULD ADD A HAIR UNDER $6 MILLION. 
          THE NUMBER I LIKE TO USE IS ABOUT $0.92 PER MILLION DOLLARS. 
          OKAY. YOU KNOW, BASICALLY IN TERMS OF LOOKING AT THAT SERVICES,
IT'S AROUND. 
          BUT SO I THINK THE ESTIMATED DEBT SERVICE WOULD BE APPROXIMATELY $6 MILLION. 
          [03:00:01]
SO THAT WOULD MEAN THAT OUR 2027 DEBT SERVICE COSTS WOULD BE ABOUT $54.7 MILLION. 
          OUR DEBT SERVICE COSTS FOR 2026 IS 53.5. SO IT WOULD BE ABOUT $1.2 MILLION GREATER THAN
OUR 2026. AND IT WOULD ACTUALLY STILL BE ABOUT $6.2 MILLION BELOW WHAT OUR TEN YEAR AVERAGE
IS, WHICH IS ABOUT $60.8 MILLION IN NET SALES. NOW,
THE THE THE OTHER THING TO KEEP IN MIND WITH ALL OF THAT, AS WE MOVE FORWARD IN TIME, THERE IS INFLATION,
RIGHT? SO THE DEBT SERVICE OF $60 MILLION IN 2015 IS NOT THE SAME AS DEBT SERVICE OF $60 MILLION
IN 2026 OR SO. THERE'S AN INFLATIONARY FACTOR. SO IN MY MIND WE ARE SIGNIFICANTLY BELOW OUR
SORT OF AMBIENT DEBT SERVICE THAT WE HAD EVEN A DECADE AGO. 
          SO I BELIEVE IT IS YOU KNOW, MANAGEABLE. CERTAINLY AS SERIES OF BONDS FALL OFF AND ONE OF
THE THINGS THAT WE STRATEGICALLY TRY AND DO IS WHEN WE GO TO MARKET FOR OUR BONDS,
WORKING WITH OUR FINANCIAL ADVISORS WE COME UP WITH A, A BLENDED PPE, WHICH IS THE PERIOD OF PROBABLE USEFULNESS AND THAT GUIDES US AS TO
THE TERM OF THE BONDS THAT WE DO. WE TEND TO TRY AND BE ON THE MORE AGGRESSIVE SIDE. 
          SO THAT WOULD MEAN SHORTER TERM BONDS. IN MOST RECENT YEARS LITERALLY OUTSIDE OF THE
STADIUM BORROWING, BUT THIS IS ALSO EVEN AN EXAMPLE WHERE WE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH THE COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE
ON STADIUM, WHETHER WE WERE GOING TO GO 25 YEARS OR 30 YEARS. 
          WE ULTIMATELY DECIDED TO DO 25 YEARS, WHICH IS AN INCREASE IN DEBT SERVICE ANNUALLY,
BUT IT ENDS UP SAVING I FORGOT WHAT THE FIGURE WAS, BUT IT WAS SOMETHING LIKE $80 MILLION JUST BY THAT FIVE YEAR DIFFERENCE. 
          SO WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO KEEP OUR TERMS AS SHORT AS POSSIBLE. 
          THEY'RE USUALLY AVERAGING BETWEEN 12 AND ABOUT 15 YEARS. 
          I THINK LAST YEAR'S WAS THE LONGEST AND THAT WAS AT 16 YEARS. 
          BUT WHAT THAT THEN DOES IS WE HAVE THESE SERIES DROP OFF AND THAT GIVES US MORE ROOM AS
WE'RE DOING, YOU KNOW, PROGRESSIVE BORROWING YEAR OVER YEAR. SO WE'RE STILL QUITE A BIT BELOW WHAT OUR
MOST RECENT AVERAGES HAVE BEEN. AND SPECIFICALLY FOR 2023, OUR DEBT SERVICE WAS $60.2 MILLION. 
          AND THIS YEAR WE'RE AT 53.5. EVEN WITH THIS BORROWING FOR 2027,
BASED ON MY ESTIMATES, WE WOULD BE AT 54.6. 
          SO WE'RE SIGNIFICANTLY BELOW WHERE WE HAD BEEN. 
          IF YOU WANT TO EVEN CONSIDER THAT LIKE A MAXIMUM. 
          AND IF I'M CORRECT, SOME OF THESE PROJECTS ARE OPEN FOR REIMBURSEMENTS FOR GRANTS. 
          IS THAT TRUE? THERE ARE A NUMBER OF THEM. CERTAINLY NOT THE DOLLARS THAT WE WOULD BE
BONDING FOR SPECIFICALLY, BECAUSE ONCE WE BOND FOR THAT MONEY. YEAH. OUR ONLY OPTION,
IF WE WERE TO EVER GET SOME SORT OF GRANT OPPORTUNITY LATER, WOULD BE TO BASICALLY JUST LIQUIDATE THE PROJECT OF THAT MONEY,
HOLD THAT MONEY FOR DEBT SERVICE FOR THAT SPECIFIC PROJECT UNTIL ALL REMAINING DEBT SERVICE WAS PAID. AND THEN THAT COULD BE REGULAR USE. 
          BUT SEVERAL OF THE PROJECTS YOU WOULD INDICATE THERE WOULD BE A FEW OF THESE,
LIKE FEDERAL AID ROAD PROJECTS WHERE GENERALLY SPEAKING, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 80% REIMBURSEMENT ON THOSE PROJECTS. 
          SO WE'RE KICKING IN, YOU KNOW, IN SOME CASES LIKE $800,000 FOR LIKE $9 MILLION WORTH OF
PROJECT. 
          THANK YOU. SO. COULD I JUST HAVE AND I CAN ASK MR. HOOK IS, IS THE EXACT LOCATION OF THE MAPLE ROAD PROJECT. 
          THE CROSS STREETS. JUST BECAUSE I GET SO MANY,
I GET SO MANY CALLS ON IT. 
          YOU KNOW, I HAD A FEELING YOU WERE GOING TO TALK ABOUT MAPLE. SO WE ACTUALLY AND MAPLE'S
KIND OF GET CONFUSING HERE. 
          THERE'S THREE PROJECTS YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR ABOUT. THERE'S MAPLE STREET IN EAST AURORA. 
          THAT'S A PROJECT THAT'LL GO OUT LATER THIS YEAR. 
          THEN YOU'VE GOT THE FEDERAL AID, THE BRIDGE PRESERVATION,
WHICH IS THE BRIDGE IN QUESTION THAT WE TALKED ABOUT OFTEN. 
          AND THAT BID OPENING HAPPENS TODAY. AND THEN YOU'VE GOT THE MAPLE ROAD PROJECT,
WHICH IS FROM NORTH FOREST TO FLINT. 
          SO YOU'LL REMEMBER LAST YEAR WE DID THE NORTHERN TWO LANES HEADING WESTBOUND. 
          THIS YEAR IT'S GOING TO BE THE SOUTHERN THREE LANE HEADING EASTBOUND FROM NORTH FOREST TO
THE BRIDGE. 
          [03:05:06]
YES. IT'S INTERESTING RIGHT. PARDON ME. SO THIS IS IT'S LIKE A JOINT REHAB. 
          SO MAPLE IS, YOU KNOW, NINE INCHES OF CONCRETE UNDERNEATH. 
          SO A FULL RECONSTRUCTION IS NOT IN THE BUDGET AT THIS POINT. 
          SO THE METHOD THAT THEY DID LAST YEAR WAS THE SIGNIFICANT REHAB ON THOSE BROKEN JOINT
AREAS AND THE PAVING AROUND JUST TO SMOOTH THE RIDE QUALITY, WHICH THEY SAY WILL LAST 7 TO 10 YEARS. 
          SO WE'RE DOING THE SAME APPLICATION, BUT WE'RE DOING IT IN THE SOUTHERNMOST LANES HEADED
EAST. 
          OKAY. THANK YOU. THANKS. AND THEN I WANTED TO ASK ABOUT THE SOLIDS THAT ON THE COLUMN THAT
SAYS THAT ALL THE SPEAKERS ARE COMPLETE ON THAT ONE. IS IT THAT THE SPEAKER THE SECOND HALF OF THE SPEAKER HAS TO BE DONE? YOU MENTIONED THAT ACC AND THE SOLVENT. I KNOW BECAUSE I,
I KNOW THERE WAS AN INSTANCE IN CENTRAL NEW YORK WHERE ROCK SALT WAS KEPT OUT AND THERE WAS NOTHING BETWEEN THE GROUND AND IT RUINED THE GROUNDWATER AND THE WELL WATER IN THAT
VICINITY. 
          SO I WAS WONDERING, IS THAT SO? I KNOW SUCRE IS IMPORTANT WITH ROCK SOLID STORAGE. 
          SO IN YOUR COLUMN IT SAYS THE SEEKER IS DONE. 
          BUT THEN IT SAYS THAT THE SEEKER IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S A SECRET. 
          PART TWO HAS TO BE DONE STILL. I JUST WANTED TO SEE IF THERE'S CLARIFICATION. 
          THIS ONE'S ON THE THE ONE THAT'S ON THE AGENDA. 
          IT'S LIKE 22ND LAST ONE ON THE ORIGINAL. I THINK IT'S NUMBER 26 OR SOMETHING. 
          AND THE FIRST COLUMN IT SAYS SEC NORTH. YEAH. 
          OKAY. YEAH. SO THAT ONE I BELIEVE WAS AN UNLISTED ACTION. 
          SO WE CAVEAT THAT TYPICALLY ON IF DURING CONSTRUCTION,
IT EXPANDS BEYOND WHAT THE AUTHORIZED AREA WAS, WHICH IS UNLIKELY, BUT WE CAN'T HAVE THAT. 
          SO IT'S ONLY A SECRET IF THE PROJECT CHANGES. 
          YEAH, SECRET'S BASICALLY COMPLETE. BUT CAVEAT THAT IF THE DURING DESIGN THE PROJECT
EXPANDS, WE WOULD HAVE TO READDRESS. THE SECRET IS THAT BECAUSE THERE'S NO SECRET. 
          IF IT'S LESS THAN 4000 OR. THE SECRET WAS DONE FOR THE 4000. 
          THE PROJECT IS EXPECTED TO BE LESS THAN 4000FT²,
SO IT WOULD BE A TYPE TWO ACTION. 
          BUT WE CAVEAT THAT IF THE PROJECT EXPANDS DURING DESIGN,
WE CAN ADDRESS THAT IN SUBSEQUENTLY. 
          MY POINT IS, IS LIKE IS IT THE SECRET WAS NOT NEEDED BECAUSE IT WAS LESS THAN 4000 OR IT
WAS ALREADY DONE. 
          YEAH, I BELIEVE IT WAS A TYPE TWO ACTION. SO. 
          THAT BASICALLY DENOTES A MINIMAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT. 
          AND THEN IF IT GETS OVER 2000, IT'LL NEED A BIGGER ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT. 
          WHAT THEY DO. OKAY, THANKS. AND THEN THE LAST QUESTION I HAVE IS FOLLOWING UP ON. 
          LEGISLATORS QUESTIONS. IF THE $500,000 CONSULTING THING ISN'T DONE THIS YEAR,
WILL IT. 
          IN FACT, ANYTHING IN THE IN THE NEXT 12 MONTHS? THE PLAN FOR THE HOLDING CENTER. IF THAT CONSULTING THING ISN'T DONE THIS YEAR,
THAT WON'T AFFECT ANYTHING FOR THE NEXT 12 MONTHS, I THINK. I THINK IT'S GOING TO AFFECT MY CAPITAL PROJECT REQUEST FOR 2027 AND US BEING
PRODUCTIVE NEXT YEAR IN CONSTRUCTION, BECAUSE THE PROJECTS IDENTIFIED FOR THE, YOU KNOW,
THE MEP MONEY ARE THINGS THAT ARE SHOVEL READY. 
          WE CAN PROCEED WITH THE REST OF THEM. WE NEED TO DESIGN THEM. 
          YOU KNOW, WE JUST, YOU KNOW, FOR WINDOW REPLACEMENT,
SOME OF THESE OTHER AIR CONDITIONING UNITS UPGRADE THEMSELVES. WE NEED, YOU KNOW, SOMEONE THAT REALLY KNOWS THEIR STUFF ABOUT JOBS TO COME IN AND GIVE US A
BLUEPRINT TO FOLLOW. 
          AND THE COST ESTIMATES. SO WE KNOW IN OUR FUTURE CAPITAL REQUESTS TO GET THESE TESTS DONE. 
          SO IT'S GOING FORWARD. MUCH NEEDED IMPROVEMENTS. 
          ABSOLUTELY. I MEAN, I HAVE ANOTHER COMPLETE PAGE OF STUFF. 
          WE NEED DESIGN FOR ALL THIS. YOU KNOW, IT'S KIND OF THE COST OF DOING BUSINESS. 
          AND WE NEED AN RFP THAT REALLY THINK ABOUT WHO WE PUT ON THE SELECTION COMMITTEE AND MAKE
SURE WE GET THE BEST IN THE BUSINESS TO GIVE US SOME ADVICE TO PROCEED AS EFFICIENTLY AS POSSIBLE. I THINK CONSTRUCTION CONSULTANTS SPECIFICALLY FOR HOMELESS OUTREACH. 
          YES. YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. A LOT OF THE PEOPLE THAT SUBMITTED FOR THE FEASIBILITY STUDY,
AND THEN THE SECOND ONE THAT EVENTUALLY WASN'T FUNDED, BUT YOU KNOW, WE NEED JAIL SPECIALTY KNOWLEDGE. 
          [03:10:01]
I THINK A LOT OF FUN. ARE THERE LOCAL FORMS THAT YOU NOT THERE ARE SOME I KNOW A COUPLE
LOCAL ONES SUBMITTED LAST NIGHT. 
          SO THEY'RE ENGINEERING FIRMS THAT HAVE THAT DIVISION. YEAH,
A LOT OF THEM, YOU KNOW, IT ENDS UP BEING IS YOU'LL HAVE A LOT OF THE LOCAL DESIGN CONSULTANTS. THEY'LL PARTNER WITH SOME PEOPLE NATIONWIDE,
LIKE SOMEONE FROM THIS PLACE, THAT PLACE. 
          AND IT'S LIKE FOUR, 4 OR 5 CONSULTANTS WORKING TOGETHER AS A TEAM. 
          YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THAT'S I WANTED TO KNOW IF IT WAS IT'S ABOUT LIKE THE PROJECTS THAT ARE
ALREADY GOING AND THE FUTURE ONES, NOT JUST ON THE WHOLE, LIKE WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO ABOUT IT,
I APPRECIATE THAT. 
          GOOD. THANKS. GOOD AFTERNOON. MARK. YOU HAD REFERENCED EARLIER REGARDING THE ENHANCEMENT
PROGRAM FOR THE 911. CORRECT. YOU MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT AN ADDITIONAL $10 MILLION NEXT YEAR. 
          CAN YOU JUST KIND OF BRIEFLY TALK ABOUT WHAT THAT ADDITIONAL WOULD BE USED FOR,
I GUESS. 
          YOU KNOW, I HEARD FROM A NUMBER OF FIRE COMPANIES THAT THESE COSTS ARE ARE SIGNIFICANT ON
THEIR END. 
          AND I WASN'T SURE IF ANY OF THAT WAS GOING FOR THEIR SUPPORT OR MUNICIPAL SUPPORT OR WHAT
IT'S GOING TOWARDS. 
          NO. SO FIRST, AND THEN I'LL LET DISHES JUST DISCUSS MORE. 
          SO THERE WERE TWO DIFFERENT PROJECTS. ONE IS THE TRUNKED RADIO SYSTEM AND THE OTHER WAS
THE SECONDARY 911 CALL CENTER. 
          I THINK YOUR COMPLAINT. SO ARE YOU ASKING ABOUT THE SECONDARY CALL CENTER,
SPECIFICALLY THE TRUNKED RADIO? I THINK THE TRUNK. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. YEAH. IT WAS CONFUSING. 
          OKAY. ALL RIGHT. AND THEN DO YOU WANT ME TO ANSWER? BECAUSE HE WAS ABOUT TO ANSWER. SO THE 10 MILLION THAT WAS REFERRED TO WOULD BE TO
COMPLETE THE PROJECT ITSELF. 
          SO AT ITS CORE, THIS PROJECT FOR THE RADIO SYSTEM IS TO START WITH COUNTY AGENCIES. 
          SO IT WOULD BE THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE WOULD BE OUR DEPARTMENT. 
          EVERYONE ELSE. FROM THAT POINT ON, WE WOULD EXPAND BEING PROACTIVE. 
          WHAT WE'VE DONE OVER THE LAST YEAR IS ALL OF THE VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENTS,
ALL OF THE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES, ALL OF THE DPW THAT MAY OR MAY NOT EVENTUALLY WANT TO BECOME PART OF THIS OVERALL PROJECT, WHICH WE HOPE THEY WILL, BUT THEY'LL HAVE TO DRIVE THAT BUS. 
          THE WHOLE PROCESS IS, AS YOUR PURCHASING NEW RADIOS HAVE A RADIO THAT'S CAPABLE OF BEING. 
          IT'S A FLASH UPGRADE OF THAT RADAR TO BE ABLE TO THEN BECOME PART OF THE SYSTEM ITSELF. 
          SO IF YOU'RE BUYING SOMETHING, MAKE SURE THAT IT'S COMPATIBLE. 
          SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING MY STAFF. I'VE GOT A COUPLE OF FOLKS ON THE PROJECT LEADS ON THIS,
PUT TOGETHER THE RFP AND ARE WORKING. 
          KEVIN HUGHES IS IN THE BACKGROUND. JERRY THE BACKGROUND,
JERRY WHITTINGTON. 
          BUT OUR FIRE SAFETY DIVISION, WE'RE WORKING VERY,
VERY CLOSELY WITH CENTRAL POLICE SERVICES TO. 
          ALL OF THE CHIEFS OF POLICE ARE AWARE THAT AS THEY'RE MOVING FORWARD WITH THEIR NEW
PURCHASES, THEY SHOULD BE FOCUSING ON THEIR END USER EQUIPMENT THAT CAN THEN BE UTILIZED TO COME ON
TO THE SYSTEM ITSELF. 
          SO THE ADDITIONAL 10 MILLION IS TO IS TO WRAP UP THIS PROJECT,
WHICH WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, THE 20, WHAT WOULD IT BE? THE 27 CAPITAL PROJECT THAT WE WOULD BE GOING FOR THAT ADDITIONAL. 
          WE'LL KNOW BETTER ONCE WE GET THE FINAL NUMBERS WITH REGARDS TO THE RFP AND THE TOTAL COST
OF THINGS. 
          BUT THE INITIAL PHASE OF THIS IS TO BUILD OUT THAT CORE AND WORKING VERY CLOSELY TO WITH
NIAGARA COUNTY FOR THE ECONOMY OF SCALE AS PART OF THE RFP THAT WE'RE PUTTING OUT THERE,
WE'RE ACTUALLY WE'RE ACTUALLY BAKING INTO THAT THAT ANY AGENCY WITHIN THE COUNTY OR THE REGION THAT WANTS TO PURCHASE RADIOS CAN PURCHASE THAT ON OUR PURCHASE POWER. 
          SO, SO THAT'S ALL BEING BAKED INTO THAT. BUT INITIALLY WHAT HAS TO HAPPEN IS YOU,
YOU BUILD OUT THE SYSTEM, THEN YOU NEED TO HAVE THE EQUIPMENT FOR THE SHERIFF'S,
FOR THE DPW, FOR OUR DEPARTMENTS AND EVERYONE ELSE WITHIN THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT SO THAT YOU CAN THEN TRANSITION. YOU CAN'T LIGHT SOMETHING IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE EQUIPMENT FOR
THAT. SO THAT ADDITIONAL 10 MILLION WILL WRAP THIS ALL UP AND TAKE A LOOK AT WHERE, WHERE WE STILL HAVE THOSE NEEDS, BUT WE'RE NOT THERE YET. 
          THAT WAS JUST PROPOSED BASED ON OUR DISCUSSIONS WITH A LOT OF THE VENDORS OUT THERE. 
          AS FAR AS POTENTIAL COSTS. OKAY. THANK YOU. AND THEN MARK KAREN HAD REFERENCED MAPLE ROAD
AND YOU KNOW, IT'S 7 TO 10 YEAR LIFESPAN ON THE,
ON THE ROAD WHEN WE REDO IT, BUT WE'RE BINDING IT OUT FOR 15 YEARS. 
          IS THAT, I MEAN, I KNOW WE USUALLY TRY TO PAY IT OFF. 
          YEAH. I MEAN, GENERALLY THE, THE, THE WAY A BOND SALE ENDS UP GOING IS YOU CAN DO ONE OF
TWO THINGS. 
          [03:15:02]
YOU CAN EITHER. DO EVERY PROJECT FOR EXACTLY WHAT THE PERIOD OF PROBABLE USEFULNESS IS. 
          SO YOUR. YOUR BOND AMORTIZATION KIND OF LOOKS LIKE STEPS,
WHETHER IT'S FIVE YEARS, 15 YEARS, 25 YEARS. WHAT, WHAT THE COUNTY HAS GENERALLY DONE IS COME UP WITH A BLENDED AVERAGE OF
ALL THE PEOPLE. 
          AND THAT'S THEN WHAT DETERMINES WHAT THE THE BOND LENGTH IS GOING TO BE. 
          THERE'S NO SPECIFIC REQUIREMENT THAT YOU CAN'T BOND LONGER THAN THE PERIOD OF PROBABLE USE
OF ILLNESS. 
          IT'S JUST IF WE WERE DOING LIKE ONE SINGULAR PROJECT,
FOR INSTANCE. 
          NO, WE WOULD IF THE GPU. WAS FIVE YEARS, WE WOULD BOND FOR FIVE YEARS IF WAS 25 YEARS. 
          WE WOULD BOND FOR 25 YEARS. IT'S JUST THIS ONE. 
          IT GETS DONE AS A BLENDED. AND THEN EVERY PROJECT,
WHETHER IT'S A BQ OR FIVE YEARS, 25 YEARS, 15 YEARS JUST GETS SCALED OUT. AMORTIZED OVER THAT 15 OR 16 YEARS. 
          YEAH. OBVIOUSLY THE, THE INITIAL LOOK OF THIS WOULD BE,
YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANT TO GO TOO. 
          NOT THAT I'LL BE HERE, BUT GO TO BONDING IN TEN YEARS FOR SOMETHING THAT WE STILL HAVE
FIVE YEARS NOW. 
          AND THEN WHAT IS THE CURRENT STATUS OF THE BUDGET BALANCING? I KNEW YOU WERE GOING TO ASK. I KNOW YOU DIDN'T,
AND I DON'T WANT TO DISAPPOINT YOU. 
          WE'RE WORKING ON IT. I'LL TELL YOU, WE'RE A LITTLE BIT DELAYED BECAUSE I'VE BEEN HERE ALL
DAY. THAT WAS MARK. 
          YEAH. NO, NO NO NO, WE'RE WE'RE WORKING ON IT. 
          MY, I'M LAUGHING IN HERE. MY MY MY MY HOPE HERE IS AND LOOK,
THE THE LEGISLATORS LEGISLATURE'S CALENDAR IS ACTUALLY A LITTLE BIT HELPFUL FOR ME IN THIS REGARD,
WHERE APRIL HAS AN EXTRA THURSDAY IN IT. 
          SO THE CALENDAR IS PUSHED BACK. MY HOPE IS THAT I CAN HAVE THAT WRAPPED UP AND CLOCKED IN
FOR THAT FINAL SESSION OF APRIL. BUT I'M NOT QUITE THERE YET. WE'RE, WE'RE WORKING ON IT. 
          I WOULD SAY RIGHT NOW PRELIMINARILY WE SEEM TO BE IN ABOUT THE RANGE WHERE WE WERE,
WE WERE LOOKING FOR OUR POSITIVE VARIANCE THROUGH THE YEAR, WHICH IS IN THAT, YOU KNOW,
15 TO 25 MILLION RANGE. 
          THE THING THAT JUST BECOMES SO DIFFICULT AT THIS POINT OF THE YEAR IS WHEN WE'RE COMING UP
WITH THOSE PROJECTIONS. 
          THOSE ARE ALL BASED ON ASSUMPTIONS. AND THEN WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH AND TEST ALL OF THOSE
ASSUMPTIONS. 
          AND WE, WE HAD JUST YESTERDAY WE LOST $3.2 MILLION BECAUSE AN ENTRY WAS RECORDED IN A DIFFERENT WAY. THOSE ARE THE THINGS WE GO THROUGH AND DOUBLE CHECK YOU KNOW, AS WE'RE CLOSING THESE THINGS OUT, THERE WERE A LOT OF PURCHASE ORDERS THAT WE WERE ABLE
TO CLOSE OUT DURING THE YEAR. 
          WE ALSO HAD A SIGNIFICANT POSITIVE VARIANCE WITH SALES TAX. 
          I THINK WE ENDED UP 22.5 MILLION POSITIVE VARIANCE AT THE END OF THE YEAR. 
          ANOTHER ONE THAT CAME OUT OF BASICALLY THIN AIR WAS WE WERE WAITING ON THE FINAL YEAR END
NUMBERS FOR OFF TRACK. 
          WE HAD EXPECTED THAT THE FOURTH QUARTER WAS GOING TO BE APPROXIMATELY STATUS QUO WHICH IS
GIVE OR TAKE $600,000. 
          AND IT WAS $1.2 MILLION. IS THAT. AND I DON'T GET INTO THOSE DETAILS,
BUT IS THAT TYPICALLY A QUARTER THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT OR THROUGH THE YEAR? YEAH. QUARTER FOR, FOR FOR OTP. WE GET WE, WE GET THOSE REMITTANCE FROM THEM BASED ON,
YOU KNOW, THEIR, THEIR REGIONAL FORMULA BECAUSE THEY, THEY SHARE THEIR REVENUES WITH EVERY. 
          THE ONLY REASON I BRING THAT UP IS THAT THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE HAD REFERENCED WHETHER THERE
WAS VALUE IN CONTINUING FOR THAT ENTITY TO EXIST. 
          BUT CLEARLY THERE'S A FINANCIAL BENEFIT. THAT'S WHY I WASN'T SURE. 
          IT'S HOW SMALL IT WAS. I MEAN, WE, WE BUDGET IN,
IN A NORMAL YEAR REVENUES HAVE BEEN ABOUT $2 MILLION TOTAL, WHICH IT'S NOT A LOT, BUT IT'S ALSO NOT NOTHING. 
          YOU KNOW THIS YEAR IT'S GOING TO, WE'RE GOING TO BE ABOUT $1 MILLION POSITIVE VARIANCE
BECAUSE THIS FOURTH QUARTER IT IS IS EXTREMELY LARGE AND I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHY. 
          WE JUST GOT THE NUMBERS A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO. 
          YEAH. WELL YOU KNOW, NOT TO REHASH YEARS PAST,
BUT, YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, WE SAW LAST YEAR THAT YOU KNOW, 
          [03:20:02]
THE CONSOLIDATED BOND RESOLUTION REQUIRING A SUPERMAJORITY OBVIOUSLY NEEDS BIPARTISAN
SUPPORT. 
          LAST YEAR, WE TRUSTED IN THE WORDS COMING FROM THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE,
WHICH TURNED TO BE TREMENDOUSLY DECEPTIVE IN THE, IN THE NUMBERS FOR THE BALANCED BUDGETING,
WE GAVE UP OUR BARGAINING POWER. 
          AND THEN WHEN THE BALANCED BUDGET AMENDMENT,
WE SAW THE TAX PAYER DOLLARS NOT GET DISTRIBUTED INTO OUR DISTRICTS. 
          SO, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN UNDERSTAND THAT, YOU KNOW,
WHEN YOU GET BURNED LAST YEAR, WE'RE GOING TO BE VERY APPREHENSIVE, YOU KNOW, ABOUT MOVING FORWARD WITH THE CPR WITHOUT SEEING YOU KNOW WHERE THE NUMBERS ARE
FOR BALANCED IF YOU'RE LOOKING TO HOLD HOSTAGES, YOU'RE LOOKING TO HOLD HOSTAGES. WELL,
YOU CAN ALSO SAY THAT. 
          OR WE'RE JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO MOST EFFECTIVELY SPEND THE COUNTY'S MONEY. 
          IF WE END UP WITH 35 OR 45 MILLION OR WHATEVER,
YOU KNOW, WE NEVER KNOW WHAT THE NUMBERS ARE UNTIL THEY ACTUALLY COME OUT. 
          YOU KNOW, THERE'S A POSSIBILITY THAT IF WE HAVE AN EXTRA $10 MILLION,
THEN OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, WE COULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOU KNOW, MAYBE NOT TAKING OUT AS MUCH OF THE BOND AS WE HAVE
PROJECTED HERE IN THE PAST. 
          WE'VE USED THAT TO SAVE HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN INTEREST PAYMENTS. 
          AND THAT'S JUST ON THE BILLS STADIUM, WHERE WE ONLY BONDED OUT 125 INSTEAD OF THE 250. 
          YEAH. SO NO, IT'S NOT IT'S, YOU KNOW, HAD WE NOT HELD THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE HOSTAGE,
WE WOULD BE SPENDING A LOT MORE INTEREST THAN WE ARE RIGHT NOW. 
          YEAH, I WOULD SAY CERTAINLY GOING INTO THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS WHERE,
YOU KNOW, WE WE KNOW THAT THERE IS GOING TO BE ADDITIONAL COSTS COMING DOWN TO US FROM THE FEDS THROUGH
THE STATE THAT WE STILL, YOU KNOW, DO NOT FULLY KNOW THE DYNAMICS OF BECAUSE IT'S ALL GOING TO BE A LOT OF THE THE
ISSUES THAT WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT WITH THE, THE APPROVAL OF THE ONE BIG,
BEAUTIFUL BILL IS THAT A LOT OF THE COSTS ARE BEING PUSHED TO THE STATE. 
          AND THEN STILL FOR THE STATE TO DECIDE WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO AND WHETHER THEY'RE GOING
TO ABSORB COSTS, THEY'RE GOING TO CUT PROGRAMS OR THEY'RE GOING TO PUSH THAT BACK DOWN TO THE COUNTY. 
          I THINK RIGHT NOW, WHAT WE SAW WITH AT LEAST WHERE BUDGET NEGOTIATIONS ARE WITH THE STATE
IS A LOT OF THAT PAIN THAT WE ANTICIPATE FEELING HAS YET TO BE REALIZED,
CERTAINLY IN THEIR BUDGET AND MAYBE FORTHCOMING. 
          SO IT WOULD ALWAYS BE MY RECOMMENDATION THAT YES,
IN IN INSTANCES WHEN WE HAVE A KNOWN COST OR A PROJECT THAT WE ARE PLANNING TO DO, IF WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO UTILIZE CASH OR TO,
YOU KNOW, DEAL WITH MAYBE SOME OF THE LOOMING, YOU KNOW,
LAWSUITS THAT ARE OUT THERE. 
          I AM LOOKING TO GET AS MUCH FLEXIBILITY AS POSSIBLE IN THESE FUTURE YEARS. 
          AND SOME OF THAT CAN BE TO BOND LESS SO THAT WE HAVE LESS DEBT SERVICE,
SOME OF THAT CAN BE SETTLING SOME LAWSUITS. 
          SO WE DON'T HAVE THOSE HANGING OVER OUR HEADS. 
          BUT GENERALLY SPEAKING, YES, I THINK IF OUR,
OUR SURPLUS NUMBER TURNS OUT HIGHER THAN WE WOULD ANTICIPATE, I THINK THERE IS AN ARGUMENT FOR SOME OF THE BONDED PROJECTS TO BE CONVERTED
TO PAPER. 
          NOW, THE THING I WOULD ALSO MAKE NOTE OF IS GETTING AUTHORIZATION TO BOND FOR A PROJECT IS NOT ACTUALLY BONDING, AND BONDING IS GOING TO TAKE ANOTHER 3 TO 4 MONTHS. 
          IF WE DON'T DO THAT UNTIL GENERALLY IN THE JULY RANGE. 
          SO IT ISN'T AUTOMATICALLY A, YOU KNOW, A MISNOMER THAT IF A PROJECT IS APPROVED TO BE
BORROWED FOR AS PART OF THE CONSOLIDATED BOND RESOLUTION,
THAT WE ULTIMATELY ARE GOING TO BOND FOR IT. 
          IN THAT YEAR, IT CAN BE DEFERRED OR IT COULD BE CONVERTED TO PAYGO. 
          THE ONLY POINT OF NO RETURN IS WHEN WE ACTUALLY COMPLETE THE BORROWING PROCESS,
AND WE HAVE THE BOND PROCEEDS IN HAND, THEN WE'RE WE'RE SORT OF OUT OF LUCK AT THAT POINT. 
          AND, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, JUST FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE,
WE WOULD MUCH PREFER TO MOVE FORWARD AND YOU KNOW, A BIPARTISAN MANNER THAN, YOU KNOW, ANY CONTENTIOUS MANNER. 
          AND THAT'S, YOU KNOW, I THINK EASIER TO SAY WHEN YOU'RE IN THE MINORITY THAN IN THE
MAJORITY. 
          BUT WE WOULD LOVE TO WORK WITH THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE ON IT RATHER THAN YOU KNOW,
GETTING ANY TYPE OF YOU KNOW, MEDIA SPATS AND ALL THE OTHER THINGS THAT'S HAPPENED IN YEARS PAST. 
          [03:25:02]
SO, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, THAT'S MY $0.02, WHICH SAYS YOU KNOW,
GET ACROSS THE STREET, LET ME SHUT UP RIGHT NOW AND GET BACK TO THE BOOKS. 
          YEAH, THAT'S WHAT THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO. 
          HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET THAT WRAPPED UP AND SORT OF KEEP OUR STATUS QUO OF HAVING SOMETHING
LOCKED IN FOR THE EIGHTH SESSION. 
          SOUNDS LIKE YOU OUGHT TO GIVE YOURSELF TWO WEEKS TO GET THAT DONE. IT'S A LITTLE MORE
ENDURANCE, BUT YEAH, YEAH, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO. 
          WE'RE A LITTLE BIT BEHIND. I HAVE YOU KNOW, I HAVE SOME NEW STAFF IN MY OFFICE WHERE WE'RE
TRYING TO TEACH EVERYBODY HOW TO DO THINGS THE RIGHT WAY, AND TEACHING ALWAYS TAKES LONGER THAN DOING IT YOURSELF. WE COULD USE THAT EXTRA MONEY TO
PAY FOR THE HELICOPTERS. 
          I SAID WE COULD USE ALL THAT EXTRA MONEY TO PAY FOR OUR HELICOPTERS. 
          OH. NO NO NO NO. DID YOU RAISE YOUR HAND? DID YOU WANT TO CONTINUE THIS? DEAR LORD, ARE YOU DONE? OKAY. OKAY, LINDSAY. 
          GO AHEAD. THANK YOU. I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT ONE OF THE PROJECTS. 
          SO LOOKING IN THE REARVIEW FOR CULVERTS. IT LOOKS LIKE TREVITT ROAD IS GETTING SOME WORK
DONE. 
          THAT'S CONCORD I BELIEVE. WHAT TYPE OF CULVERT WORK IS GETTING DONE THERE? AND IS THERE ANY ROAD WORK GOING TO HAPPEN AROUND THAT? BECAUSE I KNOW THAT ROAD IS AN ABSOLUTE DISASTER. 
          OKAY, I THINK I MIGHT BE BRINGING IT, SIR. SO CAN YOU GIVE ME THE NUMBER 22? OKAY. 22. SO THESE THESE ONES ARE BEING BID IN THE FALL. 
          THIS IS PART OF A LARGE CULVERT PROJECT. SO THE ONLY ROAD WORK THAT WILL TAKE PLACE IS
ABOVE AND ADJACENT LEADING UP TO THE EMERGENCE OF THE LARGE ELEMENTS. 
          OKAY. AND THEN I DID HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION. SORRY,
THIS ONE'S ACTUALLY THE 911 REPAIRS THAT ARE HAPPENING TO THE OVERALL SYSTEM AND I APOLOGIZE IF I MISSED THIS. 
          I KNOW WE ARE ALWAYS KIND OF TALKING ABOUT THE COMMUNICATION SYSTEM AND UPGRADES. 
          SO WHAT, WHAT IS DIFFERENT ABOUT THIS PROJECT AND WHAT ULTIMATELY WILL THIS ACCOMPLISH? BECAUSE I KNOW WE DO A LOT OF UPGRADES TO OUR COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS. AND I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR. OKAY. YEAH, IF YOU COULD JUST I NEED TO BE CLEAR WHETHER
YOU'RE TALKING THE 911, THE TRUNK SYSTEM OR YOU'RE TALKING, WHICH IS A PUSH TO TALK COMMUNICATION FOR COUNTY WIDE. 
          OR IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE 911 WITHIN THE PUBLIC SAFETY CAMPUS NOW PROPOSED TO EXPAND
CENTRAL POLICE SERVICES AND OTHERS INTO THE FIRE TRAINING ACADEMY. THIS ONE IS COLUMN FOUR. 
          IT'S THE PROJECT. THEN IT'S RENEWAL OF LICENSES AND REPLACEMENT OF OBSOLETE HARDWARE. 
          IT'S THE OBSOLETE HARDWARE THAT CAUGHT MY ATTENTION. THAT WOULD BE MY PARTNER FROM
SERVICES. 
          YES, WE HAVE TO UPGRADE OUR LICENSES, AND THIS IS THE STANDARD PRACTICE OF HAVING TO DO
THIS AS WE SPREAD OUT THE PAIN FOR TEN YEARS ON THIS BOND. 
          WHEN IT'S REQUIRED OR ELSE WE WOULD NOT BE THE CONDUCTOR OF BUSINESS,
OF MAINTAINING THE SYSTEM. 
          OKAY. THANK YOU. AND THEN I HAVE ONE MORE, BUT I THINK IT MIGHT BE THE REGIONAL
COMMUNICATIONS TRUNKED RADIO SYSTEM. IT'S COLUMN SEVEN. YES. 
          YEAH. COULD YOU JUST GIVE US A LITTLE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THAT? SURE. THE THE PROJECT IS TO BRING US UP TO TODAY'S STANDARDS WITH REGARDS TO
COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK. 
          WE ARE CURRENTLY HOLDING THE COUNTY PORTION OF THE COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK TOGETHER. 
          IN SOME CASES WITH BALING WIRE, TAPING UP BUILDINGS AND WHATNOT. 
          SO THE TRUCK RADIO SYSTEM, I'VE TALKED ABOUT IT A COUPLE OF TIMES WHEN I WENT OVER TO THE
LEGISLATURE. 
          TRUNKED RADIO SYSTEM GIVES US THE OPPORTUNITY FOR EXPANDING THE CURRENT STRUCTURES THAT WE
HAVE. 
          FREQUENCIES AND WHATNOT. AND ULTIMATELY OFFERING THAT PLATFORM TO OTHER AGENCIES OUT THERE
THAT ARE STRUGGLING TO TRY AND FIND WHERE THEY CAN COME UP WITH THEIR COMMUNICATIONS PLATFORM. SO LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT,
EMS AGENCIES, FIRE DEPARTMENTS, ETC.. 
          SO THERE ARE A NUMBER OF FIRE DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE CURRENTLY ON OUR COMMUNICATIONS
NETWORK. 
          BUT AS I SAID, THAT NETWORK IS OBSOLETE AND THE BEST WAY TO LOOK AT IT IS THE TRUNK RADIO
SYSTEM CAN TAKE ESSENTIALLY ONE FREQUENCY. 
          I USED THE EXAMPLE BEFORE ABOUT HOW A STRAND OF FIBER CAN CAN BE UTILIZED IN 100 DIFFERENT
WAYS, AS OPPOSED TO A SINGLE FREQUENCY. THAT'S THAT'S ONE PUSH TO TALK FREQUENCY. 
          SO THIS BRINGS IT ALL INTO UNDER THE UMBRELLA OF A TRUNK SYSTEM. 
          AND THIS, THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE IS FOR THE SHERIFF'S
DEPARTMENT. 
          [03:30:05]
FOR ANY DEPARTMENTS WITHIN THE COUNTY TO BRING NOT ONLY THE COMMUNICATIONS ASSETS UP,
UP TO 2026, 2027, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, IT'S PART OF THE OVERALL PROJECT. 
          IT'S TO BE INCLUSIVE OF OTHER AGENCIES EXTERNAL THAT ARE LOOKING FOR SOLUTIONS TO GET ON A
COMMUNICATIONS PLATFORM. 
          AS COMMISSIONER.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.