Jul 14, 2026 Budget Hearings

YEAH. YOU'RE READY. JOHN. JUST GIVE ME SOMETHING TO DO.

[00:00:04]

WE WILL START WITH A BRIEF OPENING. I'M SORRY.

CLERK. DO YOU WANT. WE DON'T HAVE TO TAKE THE ROLL. WE'RE COMING BACK FROM RECESS. YEAH. JUST GO.

ALL RIGHT. WE'RE GOING TO START WITH A BRIEF OPENING STATEMENT FROM THE BUDGET DIRECTOR. OH,

[Administration/Budget & Management – Overview]

STOP, STOP, MARK. GO AHEAD. AND ONE AND A HALF POINT.

LIKE SPACING. SO IT'S WE'RE GOING TO MOVE RIGHT INTO QUESTIONS.

DO YOU WANT TO GIVE AN OPENING STATEMENT OR NOT. YEAH.

ALL RIGHT. LET'S GO. GOOD MORNING. CHAIR KOOSHOIAN AND THE REST OF THE FINANCE AND MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE.

AND THANKS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE AN ADMINISTRATIVE OVERVIEW OF WHERE THE COUNTY'S 2026 BUDGET STANDS AT MID-YEAR AS HAS BEEN HISTORICALLY THE CASE ALTHOUGH WE HAVE THIS CONVERSATION IN JULY.

I JUST WANT TO REMIND YOU THAT ALL OF THE INFORMATION THAT IS PROVIDED AND MUCH OF THE COMMENTARY IS GOING TO BE THROUGH MAY BECAUSE THAT IS THE MOST RECENTLY CLOSED MONTH BY THE COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE. AND IT'S DIFFICULT FOR US TO REALLY TALK ABOUT JUNE AND CERTAINLY JULY, BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF ENTRIES THAT STILL HAVE TO HAPPEN BEFORE THINGS GET POSTED AND THERE'S A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF VARIANCE.

SO GENERALLY SPEAKING, OUR VERSION OF MID-YEAR IS REALLY THROUGH 42% OF THE YEAR INSTEAD OF 50%.

FIRST I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE AN OVERVIEW OF THE MAY BUDGET MONITORING REPORT, WHICH WE CLOCKED IN ON FRIDAY.

WE ARE CURRENTLY SHOWING A 12.1 MILLION POSITIVE VARIANCE, WHICH IS UP A FEW MILLION DOLLARS FROM LAST MONTH AND REPRESENTING A 0.06% POSITIVE VARIANCE COMPARED TO THE ADOPTED BUDGET.

THE VARIANCE IS DUE IN LARGE PART TO SEVERAL FACTORS CONSISTENTLY NOTED IN RECENT BMR. FIRST AND FOREMOST IS SALES TAX. SO I WANT TO DISCUSS THIS IN RELATION TO OUR BUDGET.

AND THEN ALSO SECONDARILY BY TREND COMPARED TO PRIOR YEAR ACTUALS THROUGH MAY.

WE'RE SHOWING AN $11.5 MILLION POSITIVE VARIANCE.

AND IF WE WERE TO EXTRAPOLATE OUT OUR CURRENT YEAR TO DATE GROWTH, WHICH IS 5.1% THROUGH THE END OF THE YEAR, WE WOULD EXPECT A POSITIVE VARIANCE IN SALES TAX OF ABOUT $26.5 MILLION.

AND WHILE I REALLY CAN'T PREDICT WHAT GROWTH WE WILL SEE GOING FORWARD UNLESS SALES TAX REALLY TANKS THE REMAINDER OF THE YEAR, WE ARE PRETTY CLOSE TO GUARANTEED. ARE, AND HAVING AT LEAST A MODEST, MODEST POSITIVE VARIANCE AT YEAR END.

SO RIGHT NOW, FOR EXAMPLE, TO MEET BUDGET, WE COULD GO THE REMAINDER OF THE YEAR WITH -2.2% GROWTH AND STILL BE EXACTLY ON BUDGET. SO THERE'S A RELATIVELY SIGNIFICANT CUSHION DURING THE FIRST PART OF THE YEAR.

IT IS SOMETHING THAT HAS HAPPENED IN THE PAST.

SO IT'S NOT OUTSIDE THE REALM OF POSSIBILITY WHERE BACK IN, I BELIEVE 2023, WE WENT THE SECOND HALF OF THE YEAR AND IT WAS NEGATIVE. THE REST OF THE YEAR AND WE ENDED SALES TAX BASICALLY FLAT.

SO GIVEN GIVEN THE RECENT RETURNS TO HOSTILITIES WITH IRAN AND THE SECOND WAVE OF OIL PRICE SPIKES AFTER THE MARKET SEEMED TO HAVE SETTLED DOWN, I THINK WE SHOULD EXPECT TO CONTINUE TO SEE HIGHER THAN AVERAGE INFLATION PERSIST, WHICH WILL INCREASE CONTINUE THIS OVERALL SALES TAX GROWTH TREND.

SO IN RELATION TO THESE TRENDS GOING FORWARD FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR, THE ONLY REAL BUMP IN THE ROAD THAT I NECESSARILY SEE WITH SALES TAX IS GOING TO BE OUR FOURTH QUARTER RECONCILIATION PERIOD. THAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN BETWEEN DECEMBER 30TH AND JANUARY 12TH.

SO AT THE VERY, VERY END OF THE YEAR FOR THE FOURTH QUARTER.

AND PART OF THIS IS BECAUSE THESE RECONCILIATION PERIODS THAT HAPPEN QUARTERLY TEND TO REGRESS TOWARDS THE MEAN.

SO IN A YEAR WHERE WE HAVE A VERY HIGH RECONCILIATION, A LOT OF GROWTH, THE NEXT YEAR, WE LIKELY EXPECT TO SEE NEGATIVE BECAUSE IT'S KIND OF GOING BACK TO, TO THE MEAN. SO FOR INSTANCE, LAST YEAR, OUR FOURTH QUARTER RECONCILIATION SHOWED 20% GROWTH VERSUS 2024. SO I THINK IN ALL LIKELIHOOD WE ARE GOING TO SEE NEGATIVE GROWTH COMPARED TO THAT, BUT IT'S STILL GOING TO BE POSITIVE COMPARED TO THE PRIOR YEAR. IT'S JUST THIS SORT OF PENDULUM EFFECT THAT HAPPENS WITH THESE QUARTERLY RECONCILIATIONS.

[00:05:05]

SO GENERALLY SPEAKING, I THINK SALES TAX LOOKS PRETTY GOOD.

I DO THINK THAT GOING INTO 2027, WE'RE PROBABLY GOING TO BE A BIT MORE LIBERAL WITH THE SALES TAX BUDGET, BASICALLY, BECAUSE NOW WE HAVE HAD 16 STRAIGHT MONTHS THROUGH IN 2025 TO THE PRESENT OF SIZABLE SALES TAX GROWTH AFTER 2024 WAS THIS COMPLETELY FLAT YEAR.

THAT KIND OF LED US TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE CONSERVATIVE ON OUR ON OUR PROJECTIONS.

SO THE NEXT POSITIVE FACTOR IS INTEREST EARNINGS.

AS YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE BENEFITED FROM THIS CONFLUENCE OF RELATIVELY STRONG CASH POSITION AND HISTORIC INTEREST RATES THAT REALLY HAVEN'T DROPPED ALL THAT MUCH, IN SPITE OF A LOT OF THE BLUSTER THAT WE'VE HEARD PERIODICALLY OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.

THROUGH MAY, WE'RE SHOWING A POSITIVE VARIANCE OF OVER $2.9 MILLION FOR THE PERIOD AND A 7.6 MILLION IN TOTAL INVESTMENT EARNINGS THROUGH THAT PERIOD. I WOULD EXPECT THAT WE WILL EXCEED OUR ANNUAL BUDGETED AMOUNT OF 11.5 MILLION BY AUGUST CLOSING AND THE END OF THE YEAR WITH ABOUT 18.5 MILLION IN TOTAL EARNINGS, WHICH WOULD BE A POSITIVE VARIANCE OF ABOUT $7 MILLION.

FOR A LITTLE PERSPECTIVE, AT THIS POINT LAST YEAR, INTEREST EARNINGS WERE MORE THAN $1 MILLION GREATER, A HAIR OVER 8.6 MILLION. AND WE ENDED THE YEAR WITH 20.7 MILLION IN OVERALL INTEREST EARNINGS.

SO AS I'VE SORT OF NOTED OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, LIKE WE'RE EXPECTING THIS THING TO, TO, TO REDUCE OVER TIME, PARTIALLY BECAUSE A LOT OF THE FUND BALANCE THAT WE HAD AVAILABLE TO BE ABLE TO INVEST, NAMELY THE $125 MILLION OF CASH RELATED TO THE BILLS STADIUM OR THE $178.5 MILLION OF ARPA DOLLARS. THOSE DOLLARS HAVE BEEN SPENT.

SO WE CAN NO LONGER INVEST THOSE. SO WE'RE EXPECTING INVESTMENT EARNINGS TO TRICKLE DOWN.

BUT TO BE HONEST, I MEAN, INVESTMENT EARNINGS HAVE GONE FROM SOMETHING THAT, GENERALLY SPEAKING, HAVE BEEN ALMOST IMMATERIAL TO A PRETTY REASONABLE REOCCURRING PORTION OF OUR, OUR POSITIVE VARIANCE.

SO THE, ONE THING I DO WANT TO NOTE, SINCE I HAD JUST MENTIONED IT IS CURRENTLY WORKING ON OUR SECOND QUARTER ARPA COMPLIANCE REPORT. AND I'M GOING TO BE REPORTING THAT 171.2 MILLION OF THE $178.5 MILLION WE RECEIVED WILL HAVE BEEN FULLY EXPENDED BY THE MIDPOINT OF 2026.

AND I SEE ABSOLUTELY NO ISSUE WHATSOEVER WITH GETTING THAT FINAL 7.2 MILLION THAT HAS NOT BEEN FULLY EXPENDED EXPENDED BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR DEADLINE.

SO WE ARE IN VERY GOOD SHAPE REGARDING THOSE DOLLARS.

AND I DO NOT EXPECT ANY REASON THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO RETURN ANY MONEY TO TREASURY, WHERE I KNOW THERE ARE A NUMBER OF OTHER MUNICIPALITIES WHERE.

THAT IS CERTAINLY AN OPEN QUESTION AT THIS POINT IN TIME.

THE ONE THING I ALSO WANTED TO NOTE AND MAYBE, YOU KNOW, WHEN ENVIRONMENT AND PLANNING IS HERE IS SPECIFICALLY THE DIVISION OF SEWERS.

THEY PLANNED AND IMPLEMENTED $64 MILLION OF SEWER DISTRICT IMPROVEMENTS.

AND AT THIS POINT, WITH SIX MONTHS LEFT TO GO, THEY HAVE $5,600 LEFT.

SO I THINK IT IS INCREDIBLY IMPRESSIVE. HOW WELL THE DIVISION OF SEWERS HAS BEEN ABLE TO FULLY PLAN, IMPLEMENT, STAY ON BUDGET AND YOU KNOW, GET ALL OF THESE IMPROVEMENTS GOING, WHICH I THINK, YOU KNOW, EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE THEORETICALLY BENEFITING INDIVIDUAL SEWER DISTRICTS, I THINK EVERYBODY IN THE COUNTY ULTIMATELY BENEFITS BECAUSE THE BETTER THE SEWER DISTRICTS DO, THE LESS DISCHARGE THERE IS INTO THE LAKE.

AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT ALL OF US SHARE. SO NEXT WOULD BE WE HAVE REALIZED ABOUT 5.3 MILLION IN COUNTY SHARE SAVINGS ON TOTAL PERSONNEL RELATED COSTS, WHICH CAN BE MOSTLY ATTRIBUTED TO VACANCY SAVINGS.

I WOULD NOTE THAT THIS IS ALSO IN SPITE OF BEING APPROXIMATELY $2.1 MILLION OVER BUDGET AT THIS POINT ON OVERTIME, WHICH IS ALMOST ENTIRELY RELATED TO THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.

AS I'VE NOTED, OVERTIME EXPENSES IN THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE HAVE INCREASED BY NEARLY $11 MILLION OR 70% OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS.

[00:10:04]

EXTRAPOLATING THAT OUT FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE YEAR I WOULD PROJECT OVERALL SHERIFF OVERTIME AT ABOUT $25.1 MILLION AT YEAR END. AND LAST YEAR THEY ENDED THE YEAR AT $26.2 MILLION.

SO $1.1 MILLION LIKELY LESS IN OVERALL OVERTIME.

AND THAT ACTUALLY THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF AN ESCALATOR EFFECT IN THAT.

ALSO BECAUSE EVERY YEAR ALL EMPLOYEES GET THEIR COLAS OR THEIR STEP UPGRADES OR THINGS OF THAT NATURE.

SO I WOULD ASSUME IF I WENT BACK AND KIND OF LOOKED AT THE TOTAL NUMBER OF OVERTIME HOURS WORKED IS ACTUALLY DOWN EVEN MORE MATERIALLY THAN, THAN THE RAW DOLLAR FIGURE. THERE'S CERTAINLY A LOT OF THE YEAR LEFT AND I THINK THERE IS STILL ROOM FOR CONCERN REGARDING THE AMOUNT OF OVERTIME WORKED BY SOME OF THE HARDEST EARNERS OR THE WHITE COLLAR EMPLOYEES SPECIFICALLY THAT AREN'T DIRECTLY RESPONSIBLE FOR PUBLIC SAFETY.

I ALSO WANT TO BE FAIR AND ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE IS A MATERIAL YEAR OVER YEAR TREND HERE THUS FAR IN 2026.

AND I THINK THAT'S A POSITIVE NEWS. SIMILARLY TO PERSONNEL RELATED EXPENSES.

FRINGE BENEFITS ARE ALSO SHOWING A POSITIVE VARIANCE OF ABOUT $4.4 MILLION.

THE WORD OF CAUTION ON FRINGE BENEFITS, HOWEVER, IS THAT WE LEARNED YOU KNOW, WITH THE PASSAGE OF THE, THE 2627 STATE BUDGET THAT THE TIER FIVE AND SIX REFORMS WERE INCLUDED.

HOWEVER, AT THIS POINT, IT IS UNCLEAR WHAT IMPACT THOSE REFORMS WILL HAVE ON THE COUNTY'S ACTUAL PENSION BILLS.

ACCORDING TO NYSAC, IT IS BELIEVED THAT THESE CHANGES WILL GO INTO EFFECT OR DID GO INTO EFFECT IMMEDIATELY AND WILL BE INCLUDED IN THE UPCOMING 2627 ESTIMATED INVOICE FOR OUR PENSION BILL THAT WE LITERALLY SHOULD BE RECEIVING ANY DAY NOW.

I ACTUALLY THOUGHT WE WERE GOING TO GET IT ON MONDAY. IT'S USUALLY WHEN WE GET IT. SO IT MIGHT BE MAYBE NEXT MONDAY WE GET IT.

BUT REALLY WHAT I'M GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO WITH THAT PROJECTED OR I'M SORRY, THAT ESTIMATED INVOICE IS I'M GOING TO BE ABLE TO JUXTAPOSE THAT AGAINST THE PROJECTED INVOICE FOR THE SAME PERIOD THAT WE GOT LAST SEPTEMBER.

IN A NORMAL YEAR, THE PROJECTED INVOICE AND THE ESTIMATED INVOICE, ALTHOUGH THERE'S ABOUT NINE MONTHS OF DIFFERENCE IN TIME, THEY VARY BY USUALLY ONLY A COUPLE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS.

SO IF WE SEE ANY VARIANCE GREATER THAN SEVERAL HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS, THAT IS GOING TO DEMONSTRATE TO ME AT LEAST A A MATERIAL IMPACT IN TERMS OF THE PENSION REFORMS THAT OCCURRED. BUT GENERALLY SPEAKING, I DON'T REALLY THINK MUCH IS GOING TO COME OF IT BECAUSE THE ONLY SPECIFICALLY MATERIAL CHANGE THAT I THINK WOULD IMPACT THE SORT OF ACTUARIAL ASSESSMENT HERE IS THE CHANGE FOR THE COMPUTATION OF OVERTIME AS PART OF YOUR.

HI THREE SPECIFICALLY FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT, WHERE IT MOVED FROM, INCLUDING, I BELIEVE $23,500, APPROXIMATELY TO ABOUT 30,000. I MEAN, THAT'S $6.5 THOUSAND MORE IN OVERTIME ON THERE.

I JUST DON'T KNOW HOW. MATERIAL OF AN IMPACT THAT REALLY IS GOING TO BE.

BUT WE MAYBE WILL FIND OUT NEXT WEEK. THE, THE OTHER GOOD NEWS HERE IS THAT THE THING THAT I WAS PARTICULARLY WORRIED ABOUT WAS THE IDEA THAT THERE MAY BE SOME SORT OF RETROACTIVE PAYMENT THAT WAS NECESSARY WHERE, YOU KNOW, YEAR OVER YEAR, MAYBE SOME OF THESE CHANGES, NOT A HUGE IMPACT.

BUT IF WE HAD TO COVER THE COST OF THESE CHANGES ALL THE WAY BACK TO WHEN SOME OF THESE TIER FIVE AND SIX EMPLOYEES STARTED, THAT WOULD COMPOUND SIGNIFICANTLY. IF THERE IS A RETROACTIVE IMPACT, THE STATE IS TAKING THAT ON, WHICH ACCORDING TO STATE LAW THEY'RE REQUIRED TO DO, BUT THEY WERE SORT OF CREATIVELY FORGETTING THAT AT LEAST FOR A PERIOD OF TIME DURING THE BUDGET PROCESS. SO THAT IS RELATIVELY POSITIVE NEWS.

BUT GENERALLY SPEAKING, WE HAVE SEEN OUR OUR PENSION COSTS GOING UP YEAR, YEAR OVER YEAR.

AND PART OF THAT IS THE DELAYED IMPACT RELATED TO PERSONNEL RELATED ADJUSTMENTS FROM LIKE THE YEAR PRIOR.

BUT I THINK WE'RE IN IN PRETTY GOOD SHAPE. I DON'T NECESSARILY THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE ANY SORT OF MATERIAL

[00:15:02]

SO LASTLY, OR ONE THING, AREA THAT PARTICULARLY NOT CONCERNED ABOUT YET, BUT I WANTED TO MAKE NOTE OF IS THAT WE'RE A LITTLE BIT BELOW TREND IN TERMS OF RECEIPT OF STATE AND FEDERAL AID REVENUES.

GIVEN THAT MOST OF THIS AID IS REIMBURSEMENT BASED, LOWER THAN EXPECTED REVENUES WOULD COINCIDE WITH LOWER THAN EXPECTED PROGRAMMATIC EXPENDITURES, THAT IS GOING TO NET OUT ANY SORT OF POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE VARIANCE THAT WE WOULD SEE IN THE BUDGET.

BUT I DID THINK IT WAS SOMETHING NOTEWORTHY BECAUSE IN THE CONSUMPTION REPORT, YOU WOULD LIKELY NOTICE THAT THAT MAY BE SOMETHING YOU WANT TO MAYBE BRING UP WITH ANY OF THE, YOU KNOW, STATE OR FEDERAL AID HEAVY DEPARTMENTS IF THERE'S ANY SORT OF ANECDOTAL QUESTIONS REGARDING THAT.

BUT I DID WANT TO POINT IT OUT BECAUSE AT LEAST TO ME, IT WAS SELF-EVIDENT.

ALSO AT THIS POINT IN THE YEAR WE HAVE EXPENDED $43.4 MILLION ON IGT RELATED COSTS BETWEEN SPECIFICALLY THE DSH AND THE ICA PROGRAMS. I KNOW OF ANOTHER $12.4 MILLION OF RELATED TO UPL, WHICH IS RELATED TO ERIE COUNTY HOME OR THE THAT, THAT, THAT SECTION OF INDIGENT CARE.

BUT WE DID BUDGET FOR THAT. WE JUST HAVE NOT HAD A UPL PAYMENT IN OVER A YEAR AT THIS POINT.

AND I HAVE NOT HEARD ANY RUMBLINGS WHATSOEVER WHEN THIS IS GOING TO LIKELY HAPPEN.

BUT WE, WE DO ANTICIPATE IT, WE THINK WE HAVE A RELATIVELY GOOD ESTIMATE FOR IT.

AFTER A FEW RECENT CALLS THAT I'VE ACTUALLY HAD WITH ECMC AND NEW YORK STATE, I ALSO BELIEVE THERE IS A HIGH LIKELIHOOD THAT ONE OF THE DELAYED PAYMENTS THAT WE'VE HAD SOME AMOUNT OF THESE CARRYFORWARDS FROM PRIOR YEARS IS GOING TO ACTUALLY HIT IN LATE 2026 OR VERY EARLY 2027. THE ONE THAT WE ARE, ARE THINKING IS KIND OF GETTING JARRED LOOSE A LITTLE BIT IS THIS 2020 324 FINAL RECONCILIATION. AND THE ESTIMATE RIGHT NOW FOR THAT PAYMENT IS ABOUT $22 MILLION.

SO WHAT I, I, I CERTAINLY EXPECT IS THAT ONE, OUR INITIAL PAYMENT WE MADE THIS YEAR WAS SLIGHTLY LESS THAN WE HAD ANTICIPATED. SO THERE IS A LITTLE BIT OF A BUDGET LEFT IN 26, BUT WE'RE LIKELY GOING TO BE USING SOME OF THAT ROUGHLY $26.5 MILLION OF CARRY FORWARD MONEY SPECIFICALLY FOR DSH, LIKELY AT EITHER THE VERY END OF THIS YEAR OR VERY EARLY IN 2027.

THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY GOOD NEWS OR BAD NEWS.

BECAUSE WE REQUESTED THESE DOLLARS THAT ARE CARRIED FORWARD.

THEY WERE FOR THIS EXACT PURPOSE. AND AGAIN, THESE ARE ALL PAYMENTS THAT EVENTUALLY WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE.

IT'S MORE NOT A MATTER OF IF. IT'S MORE A MATTER OF WHEN.

AND NOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN KIND OF WAITING ON FOR ABOUT TWO YEARS IS STARTING TO TRICKLE THROUGH.

THE, THE, THE OTHER ISSUE WE HAVE HERE IS THAT WITH THE, THE SORT OF BI ANNUAL MEDICAID RECERTIFICATION PROCESS THAT'S GOING TO BE HAPPENING BEGINNING IN 2027.

YET WE HAVE NOT GOTTEN SUFFICIENT INFORMATION FROM THE STATE.

AND THE FEDS EXACTLY HOW THAT'S SUPPOSED TO WORK, BUT IT USED TO BE A RECERTIFICATION PROCESS ANNUALLY SPECIFICALLY FOR ELIGIBILITY, BUT THEN THERE IS GOING TO BE A MONTHLY EVALUATION FOR THE SORT OF ABLE BODIED WORK REQUIREMENTS ONE THAT MAY IMPACT US BECAUSE THE COUNTY MAY HAVE ADDITIONAL COSTS RELATED TO PERFORMING SOME OF THOSE.

RECERTIFICATIONS. IT'S UNCLEAR WHETHER THE STATE IS GOING TO ABSORB THAT OR THE COUNTY IS GOING TO.

BUT SECONDARILY, WHAT IS LIKELY GOING TO HAPPEN IS WITH THIS INCREASE IN RECERTIFICATION, THAT'S GOING TO KICK MORE PEOPLE OFF OF THE MEDICAID ROLLS. AND IT'S NOT LIKE THOSE PEOPLE ARE GOING TO STOP GETTING SICK OR INJURED.

THEY'RE JUST GOING TO STOP BEING ABLE TO GO TO A PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN OR A SPECIALIST OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE THEN SORT OF FORCED INTO GOING TO THE ER, SPECIFICALLY MCS AS A PUBLIC BENEFIT HOSPITAL.

[00:20:01]

IT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TRUE COST OF PROVIDING SERVICES TO UNINSURED OR UNDERINSURED INDIVIDUALS AND THE AMOUNT THAT MEDICAID OR MEDICARE REIMBURSES. SO IF MEDICAID OR MEDICARE IS NOW NO LONGER REIMBURSING ANYTHING.

WE WOULD EXPECT THAT IN FUTURE YEARS, THESE DSH COSTS ARE GOING TO INCREASE.

I REALLY COULD NOT HEDGE IN ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.

HOW MUCH THOSE ARE GOING TO INCREASE. AND USUALLY BECAUSE THERE IS A BIT OF A DELAY HERE IN ALL OF THIS I COULDN'T TELL YOU EXACTLY WHEN WE WILL START TO SEE THOSE, BUT LIKELY IF THESE THINGS GO INTO EFFECT BEGINNING IN 2027, I WOULD ANTICIPATE WE WOULD START TO SEE THIS HAPPEN IN 2028 AND 2029. SPECIFICALLY, IT'S GOING TO BE A BIT OF A DELAYED IMPACT.

SO BASED ON WHAT I HAVE SAID HERE AND WHAT I SUSPECT YOU WILL HEAR FROM MANY OF THE DEPARTMENTS, WE ARE STILL IN THIS UNUSUAL POSITION WHERE OUR TONE AND OPTIMISM IS A BIT DIFFERENT, BUT DEPENDING UPON WHAT PERIOD OF TIME WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. RIGHT NOW I AM REASONABLY OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE REMAINDER OF 2026 AND HOW THAT WILL GO.

THE LARGEST UNCERTAINTIES THAT TEND TO KEEP ME UP AT NIGHT REALLY AREN'T AS MUCH OF A PROBLEM.

RIGHT NOW THROUGH THIS POINT IN THE YEAR SALES TAX LOOKS SOMEWHAT POSITIVE.

INTEREST EARNINGS ARE STILL SIGNIFICANT. OVER TIME WHILE TRENDING TOWARDS A GAP.

IT LOOKS SHALLOWER THAN IT HAS BEEN IN MOST RECENT YEARS.

THERE WAS A LITTLE BIT OF GOOD NEWS HERE AND THERE WITHIN THE STATE BUDGET.

ONE AREA SPECIFICALLY THAT ARTICLE 18 BE ASSIGNED COUNCIL REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM.

THAT HAS BEEN EXTENDED ANOTHER YEAR. SO FOR ONLY THE FIRST QUARTER, BECAUSE THAT WAS THE FOURTH QUARTER OF THE STATE YEAR.

THAT BASICALLY MEANS THAT WE ARE GOING TO GET THREE REIMBURSEMENTS THAT WILL BE SOME VERSION OF A POSITIVE VARIANCE.

THAT'S GOOD NEWS. AND I'M SURE WHEN THE COUNTY ATTORNEYS HERE, HE'S GOING TO TELL YOU ALL THE LAWSUITS THAT WE CAN SPEND ALL THAT MONEY ON.

BUT THE, THE, THE BIGGEST PROBLEM THAT WE ARE STILL CONTENDING WITH IS THIS OVERALL SORT OF DESTABILIZATION OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AS WE KNOW IT OCCURRING AND THE FUTURE UNCERTAINTY THAT IS COMING WITH IT.

WE'RE, WE'RE FINDING CONTINUOUSLY THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CONTINUES TO BE AN UNRELIABLE PARTNER.

WHILE YOU ARE AWARE OF THE ISSUES THAT OCCURRED LAST YEAR RELATED TO THE GRANT FUNDING THAT WAS BEING ARBITRARILY CANCELED THROUGH THE EFFORTS OF DODGE WHERE YOU KNOW, GENERALLY THE COUNTRY AT LARGE WAS GRANTED AN AMOUNT OF RELIEF BY THE COURTS IN REVERSING THESE ACTIONS BY THE ADMINISTRATION, BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE THE LEGAL DISCRETION TO CUT FUNDING THAT WAS DULY APPROPRIATED BY AN ACT OF CONGRESS.

RIGHT NOW, THE OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET ARE SORT OF AT IT AGAIN WHERE THEY HAVE A PROPOSED REWRITING OF THE UNIFORM GUIDANCE ON FEDERAL FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE. ERIE COUNTY, ALONG WITH THOUSANDS OF LOCAL GOVERNMENTS.

I THINK RIGHT NOW WE WE NOTICED ABOUT 40,000 COMMENTS RIGHT NOW BECAUSE THE COMMENT PERIOD FOR THESE RULE CHANGES ENDED YESTERDAY. IN FACT ARE HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED ON THIS PROPOSED RULE, WHICH WE HAVE ALSO, I'VE CLOCKED IN A COPY OF THIS OF THIS COMMENT THAT ERIE COUNTY HAS PROVIDED.

I WON'T GO INTO ALL OF THE RULE CHANGES BECAUSE WE HAVE, I THINK A SEVEN PAGE LETTER TALKING ABOUT ALL OF THESE CHANGES.

BUT THEY HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO SUBSTANTIALLY IMPACT ALMOST EVERY ASPECT OF HOW WE APPLY FOR ADMINISTER AND ACCOUNT FOR THE FEDERAL AID THAT IS CRITICAL TO THE PROVISION OF SERVICES THAT OUR RESIDENTS RELY ON.

IT IS ALSO CREATING, IN SEVERAL SCENARIOS, THE DIRE CONSEQUENCE OF A COMPLETE TERMINATION OF THE COUNTY'S ENTIRE FEDERAL AWARD FOR ANY VIOLATIONS OF THESE ILL DEFINED RULES, PARTICULARLY A DETERMINATION THAT REPUTATIONAL HARM HAS OCCURRED OR AWARDS NO LONGER MEET THE NATIONAL INTEREST.

NOW, I PUT THAT IN AIR QUOTES, MAINLY BECAUSE THOSE ARE VERY, VERY BROAD AND SUBJECTIVE TERMS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN DEFINED BY ANYBODY.

SO IT IS GOING TO BE ALMOST UNILATERALLY AT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S DISCRETION.

AND NOW, IN MANY CASES, IF THESE RULES GO FORWARD, NOT EVEN CAREER CIVIL SERVANTS IN THE BUREAUCRATIC AREAS, BUT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT APPOINTEES OF THE ADMINISTRATION BEING ABLE TO MAKE THESE DETERMINATIONS.

[00:25:05]

AND A LOT OF THESE AREN'T EVEN JUST IMPACTS OF THE WAY THESE FEDERAL DOLLARS ARE SPENT.

THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT ALMOST ANYTHING THAT A COMMUNITY DOES, OR A SUBRECIPIENT OF ONE OF THESE FEDERAL AWARDS PASSED ON BY A COMMUNITY, IF THEY ARE DEMONSTRATING SORT OF REPUTATIONAL HARM.

SO WE'RE REALLY GETTING INTO A LEVEL OF TERRITORY WHERE IF SOMEBODY WRITES SOMETHING MAYBE ON SOCIAL MEDIA THAT MAYBE THEY SHOULDN'T NECESSARILY WRITE, IT IS ENTIRELY POSSIBLE THAT OMB COULD EVENTUALLY DETERMINE THAT THAT HAS PROVIDED REPUTATIONAL HARM TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

AND ERIE COUNTY COULD LOSE APPROXIMATELY $350 MILLION.

WHETHER THESE GO INTO EFFECT I HAVE NO IDEA. RIGHT NOW, THE COMMENT PERIOD FOR THESE RULES JUST ENDED.

THERE IS GOING TO BE SOME PERIOD OF TIME WHERE I ASSUME THERE WILL BE CONGRESSIONAL HEARINGS REGARDING THIS.

WHAT WE HAVE SEEN WITH THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION IN AT LEAST THE RECENT PAST IS THEY TEND TO FLOAT SOME OF THESE PARTICULARLY PETTY OR DRACONIAN CHANGES AND THEN WAIT TO SEE WHO COMPLAINS ABOUT IT.

AND THEN IF ENOUGH PEOPLE COMPLAIN ABOUT IT THAT THEY SAY, OH, WE WEREN'T, WE WERE JUST JOKING. WE'LL WE WON'T DO THAT.

AND WE'LL MOVE ON TO SOMETHING ELSE. BUT THIS HAS THE POTENTIAL TO HAVE PRETTY DIRE CONSEQUENCES, IN MY OPINION, IS AN ATTEMPT TO DO WHAT THEY TRIED TO DO ILLEGALLY LAST YEAR, WHICH IS BASICALLY SORT OF CORRUPT TO A DEGREE, THE SORT OF DIVISION AND SEPARATION OF POWERS, NAMELY THE SEPARATION OF POWER, WHICH IS WITH CONGRESS, WHERE THEY HAVE THE POWER OF THE PURSE WHEN THEY DECIDE TO APPROPRIATE MONEY, IT IS NOT THE ADMINISTRATION OR DECISION ON TO SPEND THAT MONEY OR NOT SPEND THAT MONEY.

THEY ARE CHARGED WITH JUST SPENDING IT THE WAY THAT CONGRESS INDICATES.

SECONDARILY, IT IS THIS SORT OF DIVISION OF POWERS WHERE ALL OF US HERE AT THE COUNTY LEVEL OR THE STATE LEVEL OR THE CITY LEVELS OR TOWN LEVELS, WE ARE NOT ME SPECIFICALLY, BUT ALL OF YOU ARE INDEPENDENTLY ELECTED OFFICIALS.

YOU SHOULD HAVE THE RIGHT AND DISCRETION TO MAKE YOUR OWN CHOICES WITHOUT HAVING TO SORT OF BE WORRIED THAT THE DETERMINATIONS THAT YOU ARE MAKING AT THE MOST LOCAL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT MAY NOT JIVE WITH THE PRIORITIES OF A CURRENT FEDERAL ADMINISTRATION, AND THEN SUBSEQUENTLY HAVE THE SORT OF DRACONIAN THREATS OF FEDERAL AID TERMINATION.

WE ARE ALSO IN THE MIDST OF THIS SORT OF UNCOMFORTABLE QUIET BEFORE THE STORM AS WE DISSIPATE THE RESULTS OF THE BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL ACT, AS YOU ARE AWARE, ALTHOUGH THAT WAS PASSED LAST YEAR, THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE CHANGES INCLUDED IN THAT LAW DID NOT START TO HAPPEN OR WILL NOT START TO HAPPEN, RATHER, UNTIL THE BEGINNING OF THE FEDERAL FISCAL YEAR 2026, WHICH IS OCTOBER 1ST, 2026. AND THEN THERE'S ONLY A SUBSET THAT WILL GO INTO EFFECT THEN.

AND THEN THERE'S ANOTHER SUBSET THAT WILL LIKELY GO INTO EFFECT BEGINNING WITH THE FEDERAL FISCAL YEAR 27.

SO THAT IS GOING TO BE OCTOBER 2027. MOST OF THESE THINGS ARE NOT DIRECT IMPACTS ON ERIE COUNTY.

THEY ARE RELATED TO A LOT OF THE FEDERAL BLOCK GRANTS, WHICH IS FUNDS THAT ARE PROVIDED TO THE STATES.

THE STATES THEN DETERMINE HOW THEY'RE GOING TO DEAL WITH THAT.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WHETHER THIS IS GOOD OR BAD, THAT WE DID NOT SPECIFICALLY SEE IN THE STATE BUDGET, WAS A WHOLE LOT OF EVIDENCE OF HOW THE STATE IS GOING TO BE DEALING WITH THE SORT OF COST SHIFTS, WHETHER THAT IS INCREASED COSTS DUE TO, TO, YOU KNOW, THESE ADDITIONAL RECERTIFICATIONS OR JUST LOSS OF FEDERAL FUNDING.

IT IS UNCLEAR HOW THE STATE IS EXACTLY GOING TO DEAL WITH THIS.

BUT ONE OF OUR SPECIFIC CONCERNS IS THE STATE HAS GIVEN THEMSELVES THE ABILITY TO MAKE 30 DAY BUDGET MODIFICATIONS.

SO IT WOULD BE MY ASSUMPTION THAT EITHER WE ARE GOING TO START TO SEE SOME OF THESE CHANGES TRICKLE IN AS A RESULT OF

[00:30:07]

THAT WILL BE ABOUT $1.5 MILLION OF ADDITIONAL COSTS FOR THE REMAINDER OF THIS YEAR AND THEN APPROXIMATELY $6 MILLION ANNUALLY GOING FORWARD BECAUSE IT'S ONLY ONE QUARTER. AND THEN EXTRAPOLATING THAT OUT ONE OF THE BIG ONES THAT WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT BUT WE STILL DON'T KNOW AT THIS POINT IS THE 15% SHIFT IN SNAP BENEFITS COSTS.

WE KNOW THAT'S GOING TO TAKE EFFECT ON OCTOBER 1ST, 2027, BUT WE DO NOT KNOW WHETHER THE STATE WILL ABSORB THAT RESPONSIBILITY OR THEY WILL PASS THAT ON TO THE COUNTIES. ERIE COUNTY, THUS FAR THROUGH OUR HISTORY, HAS NEVER COVERED ANY OF THE COSTS OF THE ACTUAL SNAP BENEFITS. SO THAT IS THE ACTUAL DOLLARS ON THE EBT CARDS THAT INDIVIDUALS GET.

WE'VE ONLY BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR SORT OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE OVERHEAD TYPE COSTS OF ADMINISTERING THE PROGRAM.

IF THIS WERE TO BE PASSED DOWN TO US DSS IS ESTIMATING THE POTENTIAL COST AT ABOUT 3 TO $4 MILLION PER MONTH.

SO POTENTIALLY THAT COULD BE 9 TO $12 MILLION IN THE FOURTH QUARTER OF 2027 AND SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 36 AND ABOUT $50 MILLION ANNUALLY THEREAFTER. WHILE SOME OF THESE CHANGES THAT MAY HAPPEN, YOU KNOW, ARE YOU KNOW, DEATH BY A THOUSAND PAPER CUTS TO SOME DEGREE THIS IS NOT ONE OF THEM.

THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT MATERIAL IMPACT THAT IF WE ARE REQUIRED TO COVER, IS GOING TO REQUIRE US PROBABLY TO MAKE SOME AMOUNT OF MID-YEAR BUDGET CHANGES WHEN WE FIND THAT OUT LIKELY EITHER IN 2027 OR AS WE'RE GOING INTO BUDGETING FOR 2028. WITH RESPECT TO THE, THE REMAINDER OF MEDICAID WE, WE, WE, WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE GOING TO BE BOTH FUNDING CUTS AND NEW ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS THAT GO INTO EFFECT THAT ARE GOING TO DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACT STATES LIKE NEW YORK SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE WE EMBRACE THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT EXPANSIONS.

THE STATE IS STILL ESTIMATING THE ANNUAL IMPACT OF THESE CUTS, OR COST INCREASES AT ABOUT $13.5 BILLION ANNUALLY.

BUT THAT'S ACROSS THE WHOLE STATE, AND THERE'S NO INDICATION OF WHAT THE STATE WILL ABSORB VERSUS WHAT THEY MIGHT PASS DOWN TO COUNTIES.

BUT I WOULD REMAIN RELATIVELY CONFIDENT THAT THIS IS GOING TO BE A BIG BUFFET.

AND THE THE STATE IS GOING TO JUST PICK A MENU OF OPTIONS.

THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME AMOUNT OF THESE COSTS WHERE THEY ARE GOING TO CUT SOME OF THE SERVICES TO MITIGATE THOSE INCREASED COSTS THAT THEY PROJECT.

SOME OF IT IS THEY'RE GOING TO ABSORB SOME OF THOSE COSTS AND LEAVE EVERYBODY UNHARMED.

SOME OF IT IS THEY'RE GOING TO ABSORB THE COST HERE, BUT THEN THEY'RE GOING TO CUT A PROGRAM SOMEWHERE ELSE THAT'S COMPLETELY UNRELATED.

AND, YOU KNOW, USE THAT MONEY TO SHIFT IT OVER HERE, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, A STANDARD BUDGETARY PRACTICE.

AND THEN THIRD IS THEY'RE JUST GOING TO, YOU KNOW, PROMULGATE SOMETHING DOWN TO THE COUNTIES AND SAY, HEY, THIS IS YOUR COST NOW. SO IT'S GOING TO BE SOME COMBINATION OF ALL OF THAT.

IT REMAINS TO BE SEEN HOW MUCH OF IT. BUT I WILL SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, AT THIS POINT, I AM I'M PARTICULARLY AWARE THAT WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS FOR ABOUT A YEAR, AND I WOULD HAVE HOPED BY NOW THAT WE WOULD HAVE BETTER INFORMATION FROM BOTH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND THE STATE GOVERNMENT AS TO WHAT WE SHOULD EXPECT.

BECAUSE AT LEAST FROM MY POINT OF VIEW IF IT'S GOING TO BE BAD NEWS, I WOULD RATHER KNOW THE BAD NEWS NOW THAN LATER.

BECAUSE EVEN IF I DON'T LIKE BAD NEWS, I CAN STILL BUDGET FOR IT.

AND WE CAN MAKE CONCESSIONS ELSEWHERE TO BE ABLE TO MITIGATE THAT BAD NEWS IF WE HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO PREPARE.

BUT IF WE FIND OUT BAD NEWS AT THE LAST MINUTE, THAT HAMPERS OUR ABILITY TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT.

SO WE'RE, WE'RE ANTICIPATING THAT THIS WILL LIKELY HAPPEN.

CERTAINLY. YOU KNOW, I HAVE A FAIR AMOUNT OF DREAD AT WHAT THESE WORST CASE SCENARIOS COULD LOOK LIKE.

[00:35:04]

YOU KNOW, THERE ARE GOING TO BE A SERIES OF ELECTIONS COMING UP AT A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT LEVELS.

MAYBE THAT ALLOWS TIME FOR SOME OF THESE MORE DRACONIAN PROVISIONS TO BE REVERSED.

I CERTAINLY BELIEVE THAT MANY OF THESE PROVISIONS IN MY OPINION DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACT RURAL COMMUNITIES WHERE THERE'S, YOU KNOW, SORT OF THIS ASSUMPTION THAT THEY IMPACT URBAN COMMUNITIES MORE AND DISPROPORTIONATELY RURAL COMMUNITIES HAVE DISPROPORTIONATELY A DISPROPORTIONATE SHARE OF REPRESENTATION THAT HAPPENS TO BE IN THE MAJORITY AT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT RIGHT NOW.

AND I WOULD ASSUME AT SOME POINT WHEN THOSE IMPACTS START TO IMPACT OUR MEMBERS OF CONGRESS IN THE MAJORITY, THEY'RE GOING TO BE RELATIVELY RESPONSIVE TO THAT AS WE GO FORWARD.

SO, I MEAN, FINGERS CROSSED SOME OF THOSE GET CHANGED.

BUT WE WE ARE AS WE FIND INFORMATION OUT, WE ARE STARTING TO MAKE PLANS AND STARTING TO CONSIDER WHAT THINGS MAY LOOK LIKE GOING FORWARD.

HOWEVER, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE TRIED TO DO OVER THE LAST YEAR IS WE ARE TRYING TO BE AS CONSERVATIVE WHERE WE CAN ONE THING YOU KNOW, AND YOU MAY ALL BE SURPRISED TO HEAR THIS, BUT I, I, I HAVE THE NUMBERS ON IT IS THAT WE HAD BETWEEN 2024 AND 2025 IN TERMS OF ACTUAL EXPENDITURES, A YEAR OVER YEAR REDUCTION IN EXPENDITURES DEPENDING UPON THE WAY YOU'RE SPECIFICALLY LOOKING AT IT, WHETHER YOU'RE INCLUDING OR EXCLUDING THE IMPACTS OF SHARED SALES TAX.

WE ACTUALLY SPENT EITHER $42 MILLION WHEN WE ARE FACTORING IN OR FACTORING OUT SHARES, SALES TAX OR $6 MILLION DIFFERENCE IN OVERALL SPENDING FROM 25 VERSUS 2024, WHICH IN, IN THE GRAND SCHEME OF THINGS, IT'S A, IT'S A LARGE BUDGET.

THOSE ARE NOT ENORMOUS DOLLAR FIGURES, BUT I THINK THEY'RE MATERIAL ENOUGH TO MAKE THAT POINT.

AND IT SORT OF BUCKS A GENERALIZED TREND. AND THIS IS NOT AN ERIE COUNTY TREND.

THIS IS A, THE ENTIRE WORLD TREND IS COSTCO UP.

THEY DON'T GO DOWN LIKE INFLATION IS, YOU KNOW, CONSTANTLY MARCHING AND IT'S CONSTANTLY MARCHING IN ONE DIRECTION.

SO IT'S VERY INFREQUENTLY THAT YOU SEE YEAR OVER YEAR EXPENDITURES FOR A GOVERNMENT REDUCE.

THE LAST TIME THAT HAPPENED WAS OVER COVID, AND THE TIME BEFORE THAT, I THINK MIGHT HAVE BEEN IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN UNDER GILMOUR.

SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MAYBE 2 TO 3 TOTAL YEARS OVER THE LAST, YOU KNOW, 30 SOME YEARS WHERE THAT HAS HAPPENED.

SO IT'S A MATERIAL THING. I THINK IT WAS WORTH POINTING OUT.

ALSO THAT HELPED US LEAD TO THE APPROXIMATELY $29 MILLION YEAR END SURPLUS THAT WE WERE HERE DISCUSSING A COUPLE MONTHS AGO. AND WE USED THE VAST MAJORITY OF THAT SURPLUS TO DEAL WITH ONE OF OUR BIGGEST LIABILITIES, WHICH WAS THE, THE WALKER JUDGMENT, WHICH WE PAID OUT THE $21 MILLION JUDGMENT SAVED US A FAIR AMOUNT OF MONEY VERSUS YOU KNOW, WHAT THE ACTUAL JUDGMENT AND LEGAL FEES WERE GOING TO BE.

BUT ALSO IN MY MIND, YOU KNOW, YOU COULD EITHER SQUIRREL AWAY MONEY FOR FUTURE UNCERTAINTIES OR YOU CAN MITIGATE KNOWN LIABILITIES.

SO THIS KIND OF WAS FROM THAT VEIN OF IT, WHERE ONE OF THESE LARGE LIABILITIES THAT'S BEEN LOOMING OVER US WE, WE, WE WIPED OFF THE BOOKS SO WE DON'T HAVE TO, TO, TO DEAL WITH IT GOING FORWARD.

I ALSO THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, AS PART OF THE 26 BUDGET AND ALSO 2025 WE, WE HAVE PUT IN SOME MATERIAL, MAYBE NOT LARGE, BUT MATERIAL DISCRETIONARY SPENDING CONSTRAINTS AS WELL.

AND WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT. WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO HAVE VACANCY HOLDS.

WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO, YOU KNOW, REQUIRE DEPARTMENTS TO PROVIDE JUSTIFICATION SPECIFICALLY ON SOME OF THOSE DISCRETIONARY ITEMS, WHETHER THAT IS LAB AND TECH OR, YOU KNOW, OFFICE FURNITURE AND EQUIPMENT.

NOT TO SAY THAT THEY SHOULDN'T BE SPENDING THOSE MONEY OR, OR THAT THEY DIDN'T PLAN FOR SPENDING THAT MONEY.

BUT, YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE DOLLARS WHERE WE CAN CHOOSE TO DO WITHOUT IF WE NEED TO.

VERSUS SOME OF THESE OTHER EXPENDITURES WHERE WE GET A BILL, WE HAVE TO PAY IT.

WHETHER WE HAVE THE MONEY BUDGETED OR NOT. SO WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT.

GOING FORWARD INTO THIS YEAR HOPEFULLY TRENDING TOWARDS A POSITIVE VARIANCE TOWARDS YEAR END IN 2026.

[00:40:07]

AND MAYBE WE CAN USE 26 FOR SOME FLEXIBILITY GOING FORWARD, WHICH WE HAVE TRIED TO DO IN YEARS PAST.

SO, SO WITH THAT SORT OF GENERALIZED OVERVIEW HERE, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE SPECIFICALLY, YOU KNOW, IN A GENERALIZED AREA, BUT ALSO I WILL BE HERE THE REMAINDER OF THE NEXT COUPLE DAYS AS YOU'RE TALKING WITH THE INDIVIDUAL DEPARTMENTS. AND CERTAINLY IF YOU KNOW, THERE ARE QUESTIONS THAT I CAN BE HELPFUL WITH, I WOULD PLAN TO CHIME IN AND LOOK AT THAT NIGHT.

ACTUALLY WE'RE PRETTY GOOD. I WASN'T THAT LONG.

RIGHT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. YOU MAY HAVE SAID THIS OVERALL.

OVERALL DEPARTMENTS. WHERE ARE WE WITH THE BUDGET? ARE WE AT BUDGET? OVER BUDGET? UNDER BUDGET. WE'RE UNDER BUDGET.

SO RIGHT NOW YOU KNOW, LOOK, WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING THROUGH THROUGH MAY RIGHT NOW BECAUSE THAT'S THE MOST RECENTLY CLOSED MONTH AND WE'RE SHOWING THE ROUGHLY 12.1 MILLION POSITIVE VARIANCE. I THINK THAT'S A LITTLE BIT LOWER THAN WHERE WE WERE AT THIS TIME LAST YEAR.

BUT THERE'S PLENTY OF TIME TO SORT OF PICK SOME OF THAT UP.

BUT GENERALLY SPEAKING, EARLY IN THE YEAR THOSE SORT OF POSITIVE VARIANCES.

I DON'T WANT TO FULLY SAY TAKE IT WITH A GRAIN OF SALT, BUT IT'S EARLY IN THE YEAR, A LOT CAN STILL HAPPEN.

SO THAT IS A POSITIVE TREND. WE CERTAINLY INCREASE THAT POSITIVE VARIANCE JUST BETWEEN APRIL AND MAY.

IT WENT UP ABOUT $4 MILLION FOR. OUR PROJECTIONS ARE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF.

THAT WAS RELATED DIRECTLY TO THE SECOND QUARTER SALES TAX RECONCILIATION PERIOD WE JUST WENT THROUGH.

SO THINGS ARE TRENDING PRETTY POSITIVELY. AND I THINK, AS YOU, YOU KNOW, LOOKED THROUGH THE BUDGET CONSUMPTION REPORTS YOU DIDN'T SEE A WHOLE LOT WHERE WE WERE, YOU KNOW, EXCEEDING, YOU KNOW, ROUGHLY HALF OF THE BUDGET OR BELOW LIKE ROUGHLY ONE THIRD OF REVENUES.

SO I FEEL PRETTY GOOD ABOUT WHERE WE ARE IN 26.

GOOD. YOU SAID GOING FORWARD, YOU MAY WANT TO BUDGET FOR SALES TAX MORE LIBERALLY.

DO YOU THINK YOU SHOULD CONTINUE TO DO IT MORE CONSERVATIVELY? IN LIGHT OF THE FACT THAT THESE NEW MEASURES ARE COMING IN FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, POTENTIALLY. I MEAN, IT REALLY MY, MY THOUGHT ON THAT RIGHT NOW IS LIKE ONE CERTAINLY WE HAVE SEVERAL MONTHS LEFT OF PAYMENTS THAT ARE GOING TO BE NEW DATA POINTS THAT ARE GOING TO SORT OF INFORM THIS DECISION.

BUT WHEN WE WERE GOING INTO 2026 BUDGET PREP, WE WERE IN MIDDLE OF 2025.

AT THAT POINT IN THE YEAR IN 2025, WE HAD JUST COME OFF OF 2024.

SALES TAX WAS COMPLETELY FLAT. IT TANKED AT THE END OF 2023 AND WAS FLAT FOR 24 2025.

HAD WHILE REGULAR MONTHLY PAYMENTS WERE PRETTY GOOD, WE HAD A BUNCH OF PARTICULARLY NEGATIVE RECONCILIATION PERIODS.

SO EARLY IN THE YEAR, SALES TAX KIND OF STARTED A BIT SLOW.

SO WHILE, YOU KNOW, THAT INFORMS OUR YEAR END PROJECTION, WE, WE DECIDED TO STAY, YOU KNOW, CONSERVATIVE BASED ON OUR SORT OF PAST PRECEDENT OF SAYING ABOUT 1.5% YOU KNOW, YEAR OVER YEAR BUDGET SALES TAX GROWTH. I WOULD SAY AT THIS POINT RIGHT NOW YOU KNOW, OUR, OUR, OUR GROWTH IN SALES TAX RIGHT NOW YEAR TO DATE IS ABOUT 5%. WE ENDED 2025 WITH ABOUT 5% GROWTH.

AND WHEN WE LOOK AT NON RECONCILIATION PERIODS, SO LIKE REGULAR MONTHLY PAYMENTS WHERE IT ALMOST 7%, I WOULD SAY THAT REASONABLY SPEAKING, 1.5% OF GROWTH FOR 2027 WOULD BE IT WOULD BE HARD TO JUSTIFY OTHER THAN SAYING I'M BEING HYPER CONSERVATIVE, I'M NOT TRYING TO BE HYPER CONSERVATIVE.

I'M TRYING TO BE JUST, YOU KNOW, THE GOLDILOCKS, YOU KNOW, REGION OF JUST MEDIUM CONSERVATIVE.

BECAUSE CERTAINLY I DON'T WANT TO HAVE A PROBLEM WHERE, YOU KNOW, IN 2024, WE HAD A, A, A SALES TAX SHORTFALL.

LIKE WE HAD POTENTIALLY A PROBLEM. NOW WE SURMOUNTED THAT PROBLEM, BUT IT'S NOT A GREAT PROBLEM TO HAVE.

AND I FRANKLY DID NOT LIKE COMING HERE PERIODICALLY AND TELLING YOU LIKE, HOW BIG IS OUR NEGATIVE VARIANCE IN SALES TAX GOING TO BE? AND THIS IS WHAT IT'S GOING TO BE. AND YOU KNOW, WHAT SORT OF ABSURD AMOUNT OF SALES TAX GROWTH DO WE NEED THE REMAINDER OF THE YEAR TO GET BACK ON BUDGET BY, YOU KNOW, THE END OF THE YEAR, IT WAS LIKE 275% SALES TAX GROWTH FOR LIKE THE LAST MONTH OF THE YEAR.

[00:45:07]

AND I WANT TO, I WANT TO LOOK AT WHAT THE DATA SHOWS ME.

AND RIGHT NOW THE DATA IS SHOWING ME THAT I DON'T THINK THERE IS A JUSTIFIED REASON TO BE AS CONSERVATIVE ABOUT SALES TAX AS WE HAVE BEEN OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS WHERE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD THESE CONVERSATIONS, AND I WILL I WILL CONTINUE TO ARGUE THAT I THINK MY CONSERVATISM WAS JUSTIFIED, EVEN IF IT TURNED OUT THAT SALES TAX EXCEEDED THOSE EXPECTATIONS.

NOW, YOU KNOW, WE GOT TO EVOLVE A LITTLE BIT WITH IT.

SO WE'LL MARCH IT UP A LITTLE BIT LIKELY. BUT WE GOT A COUPLE OF MONTHS OF DATA LEFT TO GO.

THINGS COULD HAPPEN. I DON'T ANTICIPATE SALES TAX REDUCING PARTIALLY BECAUSE YOU KNOW, WE DID NOT SEE MUCH OF A DECLINE IN OIL PRICES WHETHER THAT'S LOCALLY OR JUST NATIONALLY SPEAKING.

BUT EVEN IF YOU KNOW THAT WHATEVER IMPACT THAT HAS ON ACTUAL MOTORISTS IS ACTUALLY THE LESSER IMPACT THAN THE IMPACT OIL PRICES HAVE ON OVERALL INFLATION, BECAUSE EVERY SINGLE THING THAT WE CONSUME HAS TO GET TRANSPORTED OR CREATED.

AND USUALLY THAT REQUIRES OIL. SO WE WE HAVE NOT SEEN ANY SORT OF SLOWING OF MONTH TO MONTH INFLATION. I THINK LAST MONTH WE SHOULD HAVE JUNE IT PROBABLY I THINK THE, THE, THE JUNE CPI PROBABLY WAS RELEASED A DAY OR TWO AGO.

I LOOKED AND IT WASN'T. BUT IT PROBABLY HAS BEEN.

SO WE'LL SEE WHAT JUNE INFLATION WAS. BUT MAY INFLATION WAS LIKE 4.2%, WHICH WAS THE SINGLE HIGHEST INFLATIONARY MONTH IN LIKE A TWO YEAR PERIOD OR SOMETHING OF THAT NATURE.

SO ALL OF THAT IS GOING TO HAVE A COMPOUNDING IMPACT.

THINGS ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO COST MORE. AND GENERALLY SPEAKING YOU KNOW THIS IS MY OWN CYNICISM AS A CONSUMER TO A DEGREE IS I SEE PRICES GO UP FOR THINGS, AND WE'RE TOLD IT'S BECAUSE OIL PRICES OR LABOR COSTS OR THIS OR THAT. AND THEN WHEN THE THING THEY SAID CAUSED THAT TO INCREASE SUBSIDES, YEAH, THOSE PRICES NEVER GO DOWN. THEY JUST KEEP THAT AS A STATUS QUO.

WE'RE SEEING THAT WITH THE AIRLINE INDUSTRY RIGHT NOW. THERE ARE A BUNCH OF NEWS STORIES RECENTLY WHERE THEY HAD A PERIOD OF TIME WHERE THEIR FUEL COSTS, IN FACT, WENT DOWN. AND THAT IS THE SECOND LARGEST COST TO FUEL.

BUT THEY SAID, NO, WE'RE NOT GOING TO REDUCE FARES.

WE'RE KEEPING THEM WHERE THEY ARE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, LAWS OF SUPPLY AND DEMAND, CONSUMERS ARE STILL FLYING, SO THEY CAN BEAR THAT COST. SO TO ME, I WOULD CYNICALLY ANTICIPATE WE'RE NOT GOING TO SEE COSTS GO DOWN.

WE RARELY DO. THERE ARE, YOU KNOW, 2 OR 3 COMMODITIES OUT THERE WHERE YOU ACTUALLY SEE A RISE, YOU KNOW, REGRESSION IN TERMS OF THAT. SO. OKAY, WITH REGARD TO SHERIFF'S OVERTIME, YOU SAID THAT WAS PROBABLY THE ONLY INCREASING COST, BUT IT'S TRENDING SLIGHTLY DOWN. WHY DO YOU THINK.

YEAH. SO YEAR OVER YEAR. CAN I FINISH? SORRY, MARK.

OH. GO AHEAD. SORRY, SORRY. I WAS KIND OF JUST THOUGHT THAT WAS THE END OF THE QUESTION. YOU SAID IT WAS TRENDING SLIGHTLY DOWN.

I WONDERED WHY YOU THOUGHT IT WAS TRENDING SLIGHTLY DOWN. AND HOW DO WE ENCOURAGE THAT TO CONTINUE? YOU KNOW, I'M NOT ENTIRELY SURE. I WOULD SAY THAT WE, WE, WE DID HAVE SOME CONVERSATIONS WITH THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE REGARDING YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE TRENDS THAT WE HAD SORT OF NOTICED IN TERMS OF OVERTIME COSTS.

THEY, YOU KNOW, INDICATED AT THAT TIME THAT YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY, THEY HEARD THOSE CONCERNS, THEY WERE GOING TO YOU KNOW, LOOK INTO WHAT THOSE CONCERNS SPECIFICALLY WERE AND TRY AND TAKE SOME ACTIONS NOW.

THOSE CONVERSATIONS WERE IN MARCH AND APRIL. SO I MEAN, THAT ISN'T A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TIME TO, YOU KNOW, STEER THE SHIP IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION PER SE.

BUT IT DOES SEEM LIKE MAYBE THERE IS SOME MEANINGFUL CHANGES THAT HAVE OCCURRED.

ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT, YOU KNOW, I WAS PARTICULARLY CONCERNED ABOUT WAS THE AMOUNT OF OVERTIME THAT HAS BEEN ALLOWED FOR THE WHITE COLLAR EMPLOYEES OVER AT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.

[00:50:02]

AND THEN ALSO BASED ON, YOU KNOW, THEIR INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE OR SPECIFIC KNOWLEDGE RELATED TO POLICE SERVICES, WHETHER THAT IS, YOU KNOW, THE AMOUNT OF EXPOSURE, YOU KNOW, OR FOLKS THAT THEY HAVE AT INDIVIDUAL EVENTS OR HOW THEY CHOOSE TO DO THEIR SCHEDULING TO HAVE COVERAGE AROUND THE COUNTY.

BECAUSE I WOULD KNOW BETTER. AND I THINK IT WOULD BE REALLY A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF HUBRIS FOR ME TO THINK THAT HOWEVER THAT FROM YOU WHEN WE'RE, WHEN WE'RE, WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SPECIFICALLY LIKE WHITE COLLAR EMPLOYEES.

YEAH. THAT'S ONE OF THOSE AREAS. WHERE DOES EVERYBODY WANT TO DO MORE? OF COURSE, EVERYBODY WANTS TO DO MORE, BUT I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE AREAS WHERE YOU'RE NOT REQUIRED TO DO MORE.

AND SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO SAY, WELL, WE HAVE ALL OF THIS OVERTIME THAT WE HAVE TO PROVIDE BECAUSE OF, YOU KNOW, COVERAGE ISSUES AT THE JAILS AND THE HOLDING CENTER.

YOU KNOW, SOME OF THESE OTHER ISSUES THAT THEY HAVE SPECIFIC TO, YOU KNOW, FMLA ABUSE OR, YOU KNOW, SICK TIME AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.

CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE OR, OR THE LEVEL OF SERVICE RELATED TO POLICE SERVICES, YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO GET THOSE CALLS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT AND SO ON AND SO FORTH. BUT OKAY, YOU NEED TO DO THOSE THINGS. YOU WANT TO DO ALL OF THIS OTHER ADMINISTRATIVE STUFF.

AND EVERY OTHER DEPARTMENT IN COUNTY GOVERNMENT MAKES THOSE SORT OF, YOU KNOW, CHOICES WHERE YOU'RE SAYING, OKAY, WE'D LOVE TO DO THIS, BUT WE REALLY DON'T HAVE THE BUDGET TO DO IT.

SO WE'RE JUST GOING TO, YOU KNOW, BE CONTENT WITH SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, DOING LESS OR, YOU KNOW, SPENDING LESS IS DOING LESS. AND I THINK IT'S TAKEN A LITTLE BIT OF TIME, YOU KNOW, FOR THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE MAYBE TO COME AROUND TO, TO THAT LINE OF THINKING A LITTLE BIT. BUT REALLY WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO RIGHT NOW IS, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM IN A 2026 PER SE. WE ULTIMATELY DID NOT HAVE A PROBLEM IN 2025 OR 2024, EVEN THOUGH THEY DID EXCEED BUDGET BY A SIGNIFICANT MARGIN.

THIS IS REALLY ABOUT SETTING THE TABLE FOR 2027, 2028, 2029.

AND SPECIFICALLY, WE ARE YOU KNOW, IN THE MIDST OF A NUMBER OF THE LABOR CONTRACTS ARE UP IN 2026.

AND THE BIG ONE, CSEA IS UP IN 2027. WE DON'T REALLY HAVE THE ABILITY TO BUDGET FOR INCREASES, SO TO SPEAK, BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE RESULTS OF THOSE NEGOTIATIONS ARE GOING TO BE.

WE'RE CERTAINLY GOING TO TRY TO CONSIDER SOME OF THE TRENDS OR SOME BASIC ASSUMPTIONS WHERE IT WOULD BE LIKE, FOR INSTANCE, IT WOULD BE SHOCKING TO ME, RIGHT? IF YEAR OVER YEAR ANY CONTRACT HAD LIKE A 0% COLA OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, LIKE THAT'S NEVER GOING TO HAPPEN.

I COULDN'T TELL YOU IF IT'S GOING TO BE A 2%, IT'S GOING TO BE A 7%, IT'S GOING TO BE A 3%.

WE MAY CONSIDER BUDGETING A LITTLE BIT. JUST TO ASSUME THAT WHILE I DON'T KNOW WHETHER IT'S GOING TO BE THREE, FOUR, FIVE, 6 OR 7. I KNOW IT'S NOT GOING TO BE ZERO.

SO STATUS QUO IS PROBABLY A LITTLE FOOLHARDY.

SURE. OKAY. THANKS. I THINK LEGISLATOR GREENE, DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING YOU WANTED TO TALK ABOUT? MARK. MARK, YOU HAD TALKED WITH RESPECT TO POTENTIAL IMPACT OF THE PENSION REFORMS, BUT SURE, THIS WILL BE A QUICK, EASY COMMENT MORE THAN A QUESTION.

BUT THAT THOSE NUMBERS AND THOSE PROJECTIONS HAVEN'T COME IN AS FAR AS WHAT THAT IMPACT IS YOU'RE EXPECTING MAYBE NEXT WEEK, MAYBE THE WEEK AFTER. CAN YOU JUST DO US THE FAVOR OF CLOCKING IT IN AND JUST KIND OF GIVING US, YOU KNOW, YOUR LITTLE WRITE UP. CERTAINLY. CERTAINLY.

JUST GIVE US THE HEADS UP ON WHETHER THAT IS GOING TO HAVE AN IMPACT.

YEAH, YEAH. AND SO THE DOCUMENT THAT THEY'RE GOING TO PROVIDE IS A IT'S A PRETTY UGLY SPREADSHEET.

BUT WHAT WE END UP DOING IS WE DO A BIT OF ANALYSIS BECAUSE PARTIALLY IT'S SPLIT YEARS BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE STATE GOES.

AND THEN ALSO BECAUSE WE PREPAY, THAT IS AN IMPACT THIS YEAR PER SE, BUT WE'LL COME UP WITH THAT RECALCULATION AND I'LL MAKE SURE THAT MORE THAN LIKELY THE, THE BEST WAY OF DOING THAT IS PROBABLY MAKING SPECIFIC COMMENT IN ONE OF THE BUDGET MONITORING REPORTS ABOUT LIKE,

[00:55:02]

AND IF THERE'S A MATERIAL IMPACT, THAT'S ALL I'M LOOKING FOR.

IT'S JUST YOUR ASSESSMENT WHEN IT COMES THROUGH AND WHETHER IT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO BE PREPARED FOR, HONESTLY, BASED ON THE INFORMATION THAT HAS COME IN. I DON'T NECESSARILY EXPECT A MATERIAL IMPACT.

THE BIGGEST SINGLE CHANGE IN THE PENSION REFORM IS THE SHIFT FOR SPECIFICALLY TEACHERS FROM BEING ABLE TO RETIRE AT 63 OR 60 2 TO 58. WE DON'T HAVE THAT. WE DON'T HAVE THAT PENSION PLAN BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE TEACHERS.

HOWEVER, THAT IS GOING TO BE A PROBLEM FOR SUNY ERIE.

IT IS GOING TO BE A PROBLEM FOR ALL THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS.

AND I KNOW, AT LEAST ANECDOTALLY, I HAVEN'T TALKED TO MANY SCHOOL DISTRICTS PER SE, BUT IN MY ROLE WITH THE BUFFALO FISCAL STABILITY AUTHORITY, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, BUFFALO SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS BEEN THERE AND THEIR FISCAL IS WELL AWARE OF THIS AND DOESN'T KNOW THE IMPACT TO THEM, BUT THEY'RE BRACING FOR THE WORST BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO BE A MATERIAL CHANGE TO THAT SORT OF ACTUARIAL ASSESSMENT.

AND TO BE HONEST, WHENEVER I HEAR THE TERM ACTUARIAL ASSESSMENT, I KIND OF THINK PEOPLE ARE SHUTTING THEIR EYES AND PULLING NUMBERS OUT OF THE BOX.

SO BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY ASSUMPTIONS IN ACTUARIAL ASSESSMENTS.

SO IF I COULD JUST KIND OF GIVE THAT IN A NUTSHELL.

YES, YOU LET US KNOW. CERTAINLY. ARE YOU STILL GOING? AND THEN THE OTHER ONE THAT SHOULD BE BRIEF, BUT YOU NEVER KNOW.

YOU HAD, YOU HAD PROJECTED ABOUT $7.2 MILLION IN THE ARPA FUNDS THAT ARE STILL YET TO BE SPENT.

ARE THOSE YOU SEEM CONFIDENT THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE ANY, YOU KNOW, HICCUPS THERE.

BUT IF YOU COULD JUST KIND OF PROVIDE US A LITTLE IDEA OF WHAT THOSE OPEN ITEMS ARE.

AND CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, WE'RE GETTING DOWN TO THE END WHERE, YOU KNOW, WE GOT LESS THAN SIX MONTHS.

YEAH. SO SPECIFICALLY WHAT WE HAVE REMAINING IS $5,600 FOR SEWER IMPROVEMENTS.

NOT WORRIED ABOUT THAT. THERE IS ABOUT $1.8 MILLION REMAINING RELATED TO PARK IMPROVEMENTS.

AND SPECIFICALLY THAT IS THE AMOUNT OF MONEY RELATED TO THE ENVELOPE IMPROVEMENTS FOR WENT MANSION, WHICH MY UNDERSTANDING FROM PARKS IS THAT THAT, THAT IS MOVING.

THEY HAVE, THEY, THEY DO NOT HAVE ANY EXPECTATIONS THAT THEY WILL NOT BE ABLE TO EXPEND THAT MONEY.

PART OF WHY THERE WAS SOME DELAY WITH THAT WAS WHAT THEY WERE ATTEMPTING TO DO WITH THOSE.

I FORGOT THE TECHNICAL TERM FOR I THINK IT WAS A REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS WHERE THEY WERE LOOKING FOR VENDORS THAT THEORETICALLY WOULD UTILIZE THAT MANSION AS SOME SORT OF BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY AND THAT THEY WERE GOING TO TRY AND SORT OF DO SOME OF THE IMPROVEMENTS, BUILD THE SUIT, IF YOU WILL. AND THEY DIDN'T GET REALLY GREAT RESPONSES.

SO NOW THEY JUST GOT TO GO AHEAD AND KIND OF DO THE MOST BASIC TYPE THINGS THAT SHOULD WORK FOR EVERYBODY.

BUT THEN ON TOP OF THAT IS ALSO THERE'S ABOUT $415,000 LEFT FOR MIRACLE LEAGUE IMPROVEMENTS WITH THE TOWN OF GRAND ISLAND. I HAVE MARK ROUNDTREE PROBABLY CALLING THEM AS WE SPEAK BECAUSE I LITERALLY JUST WENT THROUGH ALL THE DEPARTMENT SAID, THIS IS HOW MUCH THROUGH THE SECOND QUARTER HAS NOT BEEN EXPENDED YET.

I NEED A STATUS UPDATE. AND WHERE ARE WE? WE WE THINK WE ARE.

AND DO YOU HAVE A PROBLEM THAT WE NEED TO TRY AND PROBLEM SOLVE, OR IS EVERYTHING JUST MOVING THROUGH? WE ALSO HAVE HALF $1 MILLION RELATED TO THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE ROAD AT THE AGRIBUSINESS PARK.

BUT THAT IS LITERALLY JUST A TIMING ISSUE THAT WE'RE UNDER CONTRACT.

THE WORK HAS ACTUALLY BEEN DONE. IT'S JUST NOT IN OUR SYSTEM YET.

AND I HAVE TO DO THAT ON SORT OF REAL TIME, SO I DON'T GET TO INCLUDE THAT IN THE SECOND QUARTER.

I GOT TO INCLUDE THAT IN THE THIRD QUARTER. AND THEN THE OTHER MAJOR ONE.

OH, I'M SORRY. THERE IS ALSO $4,700 FOR THE PARKS DEPARTMENT THAT THEY ARE USING FOR TACK COAT FOR THE CHESTNUT RIDGE UPPER LOOP, IF YOU CARE ABOUT TACK COATING. AND THEN THE, THE LAST ONE AND I'VE HAD SEVERAL CONVERSATIONS WITH ENVIRONMENT AND PLANNING AND THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO TALK MORE ABOUT THIS IS THE, THE MAJOR REMAINING AMOUNT, THE $4.5 MILLION IS RELATED TO THE

[01:00:09]

THERE WERE A NUMBER OF ORGANIZATIONS WHERE THE THEORY HERE WAS, THIS WAS GOING TO BE THAT LAST MONEY IN TO GET SOME OF THESE PROJECTS OVER THE HUMP.

THERE WERE A COUPLE OF THESE PROJECTS THAT, FOR VARIOUS REASONS ARE, ARE NO LONGER VIABLE AND DON'T MEET THE SORT OF SPIRIT OF WHAT THAT WAS FOR.

SO ENVIRONMENT AND PLANNING, I KNOW THEY'VE COME OVER A COUPLE TIMES WITH SOME AMENDMENTS TO REAPPROPRIATE SOME DOLLARS TO OTHER ORGANIZATIONS. THIS IS THE MONEY GOING TO SOME OF THESE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS WHERE WE FEEL REALLY GOOD ABOUT THOSE PROJECTS.

BUT THEY JUST HAVEN'T GOTTEN FAR ENOUGH ALONG.

AND WE EXPECT THAT THAT MONEY WILL GET OUT THE DOOR IN QUARTER THREE OR AT WORST, FOURTH QUARTER.

BUT TO MY UNDERSTANDING, THEY HAVE NO NEW CONCERNS ABOUT THE ABILITY TO EXPEND ANY OF THOSE DOLLARS.

AND THAT'S THE WHOLE THING. SO THERE'S A COUPLE THAT AREN'T UNDER CONTRACT YET.

DO YOU EXPECT THOSE TO BE UNDER CONTRACT IN THE NEXT 60 DAYS? WELL, THEY'RE THEY'RE ALL UNDER CONTRACT. IT'S MORE ABOUT GETTING GETTING THE MONEY OUT THE DOOR BASED ON, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE PARAMETERS THAT THEY HAVE TO PROVE THAT THEY'RE AT.

BUT YEAH, WE ARE EVERYTHING GOT FULLY OBLIGATED BY THE, THE, THE DEADLINE THAT WE NEEDED TO, WE WERE LUCKY ENOUGH THAT FRANKLY, THAT WE, I THINK YOU KNOW, SOME OF OUR, OUR PREDECESSORS HERE, NOT MYSELF INCLUDED. BUT THAT CAME UP WITH, I THINK A REALLY VIABLE ARPA PLAN.

WE, THE COUNTY WAS IN THE LEVEL OF GOOD FORTUNE THROUGH A LOT OF THE CHOICES WE MADE DURING THE EARLY PART OF COVID TO SCALE BACK WHERE WE DID NOT NEED TO USE THESE ARPA DOLLARS THE WAY OTHER MUNICIPALITIES NEEDED TO, SPECIFICALLY TO LITERALLY PLUG BUDGET GAPS FOR THE PROVISION OF LIKE STANDARD SERVICES. SO THIS WAS ALL MASSIVE INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS.

THOSE OFTEN, YOU KNOW, TAKE A PERIOD OF TIME TO DO, BUT WE DECIDED ON THEM.

WE, YOU KNOW, AGREED TO THEM, THEY, YOU KNOW, GOT CONTRACTS SETTLED, THEY DID THE WORK.

AND NOW WE'RE, WE'RE SEEING THAT, AT LEAST FROM MY POINT OF VIEW THE LEVEL OF REPORTING THAT I HAVE TO DO, WE'RE GOING FROM MAYBE IT TOOK ME ALMOST AN ENTIRE WEEK TO DO THIS.

NOW IT'S TAKEN ME ABOUT 3 OR 4 HOURS, SO I'M PRETTY THRILLED ABOUT THAT.

ALSO, AND THEN THE LAST ONE JUST, YOU KNOW, KIND OF THE BROKEN RECORD HERE EVERY YEAR, BUT I GOT TO ASK WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE IMPACT OF ANY IGT PAYMENTS? AGAIN. RIGHT NOW WE ARE GOOD FOR 2026. THE ONE OF THE PAYMENTS THAT WE KNEW WE HAD TO MAKE WAS THE FINAL AMOUNT WE WERE TOLD OR INFORMED OF RATHER WAS LESS THAN ANTICIPATED.

SO WE HAD, WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF OUR ACTUAL 2026 BUDGET REMAINING.

BUT WE ALSO HAVE THAT ROUGHLY $26 MILLION OF MONEY THAT WE HAD APPROPRIATED IN PRIOR YEARS THAT IS KIND OF THESE TIMING ISSUES.

I FULLY ANTICIPATE ONE OF THESE ARE GOING TO GET JARRED LOOSE EITHER THE VERY END OF THIS YEAR OR VERY, VERY EARLY NEXT YEAR. SO WE'RE, WE'RE TALKING IF THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN IN NOVEMBER OR DECEMBER, IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN LIKE THE FIRST WEEK IN JANUARY.

AND THAT'S THE THING YOU'VE KIND OF SAID, YOU KNOW, WE NEVER KNOW IF WE'RE GOING TO END UP WITH A DOUBLE PAYMENT.

AND I JUST SEE IF THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING WE NEED TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT THIS.

YEAH, YEAH. AND AND LOOK, WE'RE WE'RE EVEN WITHOUT SOME OF THESE CHANGES THAT WE, WE EXPECT GOING FORWARD TRYING TO FIND THAT DOCUMENT. WE'RE, WE'RE ANTICIPATING THAT OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS YOU KNOW, PUT THE ASTERISKS OF PAYMENTS ACTUALLY HAPPEN WHEN WE EXPECT THEM TO HAPPEN, BUT WE, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A BIT OF AN INCREASE ON SOME OF THESE, LIKE RIGHT NOW MY ESTIMATE IS THAT LIKELY WE'RE GOING TO HAVE BETWEEN THE GAGGLE OF THESE IGBTS.

SO ALL OF THESE ACRONYMS BETWEEN DSHUPLICA ARE THE BIG THREE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ABOUT $92 MILLION ANTICIPATED FOR 2027. WE ANTICIPATED ABOUT 60 SOME MILLION FOR 2026. OUR FINAL FOR 2025 WAS ABOUT 82 MILLION.

[01:05:03]

MAYBE NOT IN OUR FOUR YEAR PLAN THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE.

SO THAT WILL NOW GO THROUGH 2030. BUT IT WOULDN'T SURPRISE ME IF WE RIGHT OUTSIDE OF THAT WINDOW, THE EARLY 2030S, WHERE WE START SEEING THESE OVERALL COSTS OVER $100 MILLION.

AND WE'RE JUST, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH IT.

IT'S JUST ONE OF THOSE, ONE OF THOSE THINGS. THE ONE LITTLE FUN THING IT'S NOT GOING TO BE SUPER MATERIAL COMPARED TO ALL THIS IS WE'RE GOING TO GET A LITTLE BIT OF A HOLIDAY ON MEDICAID IN 2027, BECAUSE THERE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE 53 WEEKS AND THE STATE SAID, OH, WE'RE ONLY DOING 52 WEEKS. SO WE ARE GETTING A ALREADY I KNOW I'M GOING TO BUDGET $4.2 MILLION LESS FOR MEDICAID IN 2011 THAN WE BUDGETED IN 26. SO HURRY UP. YOU DESCRIBED THAT AS FUN. YEAH.

I MEAN, IT'S IT'S BETTER THAN THEM SAYING FOR WHATEVER REASON, WE GOT 56 WEEKS OR HEY, BY THE WAY, REMEMBER THAT MEDICAID HARD CAP? YEAH. THAT DOESN'T EXIST ANYMORE. AND YOU'RE PAYING TRUE COST. LIKE, YEAH, IT WAS FUN TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW THEY CAME UP WITH THE 53RD WEEK BECAUSE I THOUGHT THAT WAS LAST YEAR.

NO, I MEAN, WE JUST DEFINED FUN, SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT.

YEAH. BUT THANK YOU. APPRECIATE IT. SO I JUST DID MORE LIKE JUST A COUPLE OF QUICK QUESTIONS. ONE IS THAT WITH REGARD TO THE SNAP ISSUE FROM OCTOBER OF NEXT YEAR, THERE'S THE ADMINISTRATIVE COST, WHICH IS REIMBURSED TO US BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

BUT THE ACTUAL COSTS OF THE SNAP BENEFITS, THE COUNTY ISN'T REQUIRED TO PAY THE COST OF THE BENEFITS, JUST THE ADMINISTRATIVE AS AS CURRENT. YES. SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THERE MIGHT BE A BIG CHANGE.

IT'S A CHANGE IN REIMBURSEMENT OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE.

NOTHING TO DO WITH THE ACTUAL SNAP BENEFITS. WELL, SO IT'S IT'S TWO SEPARATE PIECES.

SO THE ONE PIECE THAT WE DO KNOW IS THE ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS WHERE IT USED TO BE, I THINK A IT WAS LIKE A, A 50% FEDERAL, 25% OR 50% STATE.

THE FEDS ARE REDUCING THEIR SHARE BY 25%. AND WE ALREADY KNOW THAT THE STATE SAID THAT'S NOT OUR PROBLEM.

SO THAT IS GETTING PASSED ON, BUT IT'S NOT. I THINK THAT SOMETIMES WHEN PEOPLE TALK ABOUT IT, IT MAKES IT SEEM LIKE IT'S ABOUT THE BENEFITS.

CORRECT. WHICH AREN'T. SO THAT'S GOING TO BE A BIG, HUGE THAT IS GOING TO BE THE ADMINISTRATION, NOT THE BIG, HUGE THING. AND THAT'S GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW, WE ANTICIPATE AGAIN, FOR THE FOURTH QUARTER OF THIS YEAR WHEN THAT GOES INTO EFFECT, IT'S GOING TO COST THE COUNTY ABOUT $1.5 MILLION MORE.

YEAH. AND IT'S NOTHING LIKE THE ANNUALLY ABOUT 6 MILLION.

THAT IS THE SMALLER PIECE I GET. YEAH. NO, NO IT'S NOT THE BENEFITS.

THAT'S THE THING. THE BENEFITS IS THE ONE WE'RE REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT.

I THOUGHT THE COUNTY BUT THE COUNTY ISN'T PART OF THE COUNTY DOESN'T HAVE TO PAY THE BENEFITS.

THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS SHIFTING THEIR SHARE TO SOMEBODY.

IT IS UNCLEAR AT THIS POINT WHETHER THAT SHARE IS GOING TO GET ABSORBED BY THE STATE, OR THE STATE IS GOING TO SAY, WE'VE WE'RE AT OUR MAX AND THEY'RE GOING TO PASS IT ON TO THE COUNTY.

IF THEY PASS IT ON TO THE COUNTY, IT WOULD BE THE VERY FIRST TIME EVER THAT WE DID HAVE COSTS ASSOCIATED.

THEY COULDN'T JUST, YOU KNOW, JUST THEY COULDN'T CHANGE THE TEXAS.

THEY MIGHT HAVE. THEY MIGHT. BUT IT'S LIKE, THE THING IS, LIKE YOU WERE SAYING ABOUT LIKE WHEN PRICES INCREASE BECAUSE OF SOMETHING THAT THEY NEVER SEEM TO GO BACK AND PEOPLE SAY THE SAME THINGS ABOUT TAXES. THAT'S WHY I ALWAYS WORRY ABOUT LIKE INCREASING SET ASIDES FOR SOMETHING THAT MIGHT HAPPEN, WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT HAPPEN, ESPECIALLY IF IT NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE IN THE HISTORY.

IT'S NOT JUST THE ADMINISTRATIVE COST IS A PROBLEM, NOT NECESSARILY THE THE COST OF THE FOOD ITSELF.

YEAH. I MEAN, IF YOU COULD EXPLAIN JUST, JUST IF YOU COULD EXPLAIN LIKE THE INNER THE ID ALLOCATIONS PER DEPARTMENT WHEN YOU JUST THE MEANING OF THEM IN THE LIKE IT'S INNER FUND, LIKE, SAY, JUST USING THE LEGISLATIVE, USING MAYBE LEGISLATIVE PURCHASING AND FLEET AS EXAMPLES.

JUST TO EXPLAIN TO US, LIKE YOU HAVE INTERCOM INNER FUND EXPENSES TO THE COUNTY LEGISLATOR OF 2700 PURCHASING SERVICES OF 11,900 FLEET SERVICES OF 29,000 MAIL SERVICES AND DIS SERVICES OF 203,000 AND INTERDEPARTMENTAL BILLINGS AND ALLOCATION.

SO WHY? WHY IS THAT? IS THAT JUST IMPUTED? BECAUSE WE HAVE NO LIKE THE MILEAGE IS A SEPARATE CATEGORY.

SO WHY WOULD WE HAVE IMPUTED TO. WHY DO WE HAVE AN HOURS 29,000 FOR FLEET SERVICES WHEN WE DON'T HAVE ANY VEHICLES? OH WELL, MORE THAN LIKELY. AT LEAST A PORTION OF THAT IS THE UTILIZATION OF POOL VEHICLES.

[01:10:01]

IS IT UTILIZED? WE'RE UTILIZING $12,000 WORTH OF POOL POOL VEHICLES POTENTIALLY.

I WOULD I MEAN, THAT'S, THAT'S POSSIBLE. SO HOW, HOW SO? ID BILLING IS GENERALLY BROKEN UP INTO TWO CATEGORIES.

AND I'LL KIND OF GIVE THE OVERVIEW OF THAT. THESE TWO SEPARATE ONES.

SO THE ID BILLINGS THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT PURCHASING FLEET PUBLIC WORKS AND DIS SPECIFICALLY, THOSE ARE AREAS WHERE THESE ARE SORT OF BACK OFFICE DEPARTMENTS OF THE COUNTY AND WHAT ENDS UP HAPPENING.

AND THIS IS PART OF YOU KNOW, WE HAVE EVERY YEAR WE COME UP WITH A SORT OF COST ALLOCATION PLAN AND THIS KIND OF GETS ROLLED INTO THAT WHERE IT'S THE SPREAD OF COSTS ACROSS THE FULL UTILIZATION OF OF THOSE SERVICES.

SO WHEN WE'RE TALKING MORE IN THE LINE OF LIKE PURCHASING WHERE, YOU KNOW YOU KNOW, THE PURCHASING DEPARTMENT IS CREATING PURCHASE ORDERS OR THINGS LIKE THAT. AND EVERYBODY WHO HAS ANYTHING DIS HAS, YOU KNOW, MICROSOFT OFFICE THINGS OF THAT NATURE ON EVERYBODY'S BEHALF.

A LOT OF WHAT THIS ENDS UP DOING IS FOR SEVERAL OF THOSE DEPARTMENTS, IN PARTICULAR, THE ENTIRETY OF THEIR BUDGETARY COSTS, PLUS A METHODOLOGY THAT IS INCLUDED IN THE COST ALLOCATION PLAN, IS THEN SPREAD OUT PROPORTIONALLY ACROSS ALL DEPARTMENTS. THAT'S WHY. SO THE THING IS LIKE, SAY, FOR EXAMPLE, FOR THE VEHICLES, FOR THE FLEET, HOW WOULD YOU TELL BY DEPARTMENT WHO HAS WHAT VEHICLES AND USING THAT LINE LIKE ON THESE THESE THIS DOCUMENT, HOW WOULD YOU POSSIBLY TELL LIKE, WE KNOW THAT THE WHOLE MOTOR VEHICLE LINE IS ONLY 399,000 TOTAL.

SO WE STOPPED USING THAT. WHERE IS IT ON? LIKE, HOW CAN WE MAKE IT THAT WE KNOW WHICH DEPARTMENT FOR OVERSIGHT? LIKE WE KNOW THAT THE NOBODY AT THE LEGISLATURE HAS A VEHICLE.

WE KNOW THAT AND WE KNOW THAT. I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE USING POOLED VEHICLES, AND I KNOW THEY'RE NOT USING $12,000 WORTH OF POOLED VEHICLES.

SO UNLESS SOMEBODY KNOWS DIFFERENT. BUT I'M SAYING THAT LIKE, HOW COME AND THEN OTHER ONES HAVE LIKE, HOW WOULD WE KNOW IF THE LIKE IS IF THE VEHICLES THAT ARE USED BY THE DAS RECORDED IN HERE OR THEY'RE SPREAD OVER EVERYONE, ARE THE VEHICLES USED THAT ARE USED BY THE, SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENTS OTHER THAN NOT THE.

THE POLICE, NOT THE TROOPERS. ARE THOSE SPREAD OVER EVERYONE, OR IS THAT IS IT STATED SPECIFICALLY? WELL SO PART OF IT IS IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF BOTH.

AND, YOU KNOW, THE, GENERALLY SPEAKING, SOME OF THIS EXPLANATION DURING THE SPECIFIC COMMITTEE MEETINGS REGARDING THIS WAS, WAS DISCUSSED WHERE THE, GENERALLY SPEAKING, THE FLEET SERVICES ACTUAL FLEET. SO BUSINESS AREA 107. THEY ARE SORT OF THIS CLEARINGHOUSE FOR SPECIFICALLY THE, THE, THE LEASING PROGRAM SO THAT WHEN DEPARTMENTS HAVE BEEN APPROVED, DETERMINED IF THEY'RE INDEPENDENT ELECTEDS THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE GETTING VEHICLES, THE SUM TOTAL OF THE LEASE PAYMENTS ARE BUDGETED FOR.

AND THEN THAT NUMBER IS WHAT IS INCLUDED, IN FLEET SERVICES.

NOW, THAT ALSO INCLUDES THE COST OF FUEL, BECAUSE THAT IS ALSO ON THE FIRST INSTANCE DONE AT FLEET SERVICES.

THAT ALSO IS SOME OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS OF THE DIVISION OF FLEET SERVICES FOR THEIR SORT OF ADMINISTRATIVE OVERHEAD.

SO THOSE COSTS ARE GENERALLY SOMEWHAT DIRECTLY SHOWN.

NOW THERE IS SOME LEVEL OF SMOOTHING AND METHODOLOGY.

AND THAT'S BASED ON THE COST ALLOCATION PLAN.

I WOULD HAVE TO DRILL IN SPECIFICALLY FOR THE LEGISLATURE AS TO, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT THOSE COSTS ARE RELATED TO.

I WOULDN'T KNOW THAT OFF OFFHAND. I CAN JUST THIS 10,000 FOOT VIEW VERSION OF IT.

BUT THEN IF A DEPARTMENT HAS PURCHASED A VEHICLE THAT WOULD NOT SHOW UP IN THE ID FLEET LINE THAT WOULD SHOW UP IN THE MOTOR VEHICLE. THAT'S ONLY THREE 99,000. THE WHOLE COUNTY.

SO FORGET ABOUT WELL, THAT'S IT'S NO, IT'S IT'S NOW IT'S MORE IT'S IT'S MORE THAN THAT, BUT THE, THERE WAS A BIT OF AN ISSUE WITH YOU KNOW, THE, AND I DON'T HAVE IT IN FRONT OF ME, BUT THE REPORT THAT WAS DONE WITH THE COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE, THERE WERE, THERE WERE SOME, SOME ERRORS IN THERE THAT KIND OF MADE SOME OF THESE NUMBERS LOOK A BIT DIFFERENTLY WHERE.

[01:15:05]

I MEAN, IT WAS LAST YEAR. BUT I'M SAYING THAT THIS ONE.

SO FOR FLEET SERVICES IN ORDER, IT'S NOT REALLY ONE FOR ONE IN THE DEPARTMENT.

IT'S IT'S LIKE IMPUTED SOME WAY BASED ON SOMETHING.

THERE IS SOME METHODOLOGY OF COURSE. YES. SO THERE'S NO WAY TO SUM IN THERE.

OKAY. SO ALL RIGHT. AND THEN AS FAR AS WHAT ABOUT WITH REGARD TO PURCHASING, LIKE THE ACTUAL THINGS THAT ARE BEING PURCHASED ARE ITEMIZED, BUT THEN YOU HAVE THESE BIG PURCHASING SERVICES EXPENSES.

WHY SO MUCH ON THAT? WELL, GENERALLY SPEAKING, ONE IS SO THE PURCHASING DEPARTMENT PROVIDES A BACK OFFICE SERVICE TO EVERYONE. YOU, YOUR OFFICE DOES NOT TURN ANYTHING INTO A PURCHASE ORDER.

THEY DO IF, IF, IF YOU HAD SOMETHING THAT THE, THE ANTICIPATED COST WAS TO EXCEED YOU KNOW, CERTAIN THRESHOLDS, THEY WOULD BE THE ONE THAT WOULD BE WORKING WITH YOU ON CONSTRUCTING A, A BID OR MAKING SURE THAT THAT WAS DONE APPROPRIATELY. SO THAT IS A BACK OFFICE THAT IS PROVIDED TO EVERY DEPARTMENT.

BUT THAT'S SO HIGH A PERCENTAGE OF LIKE WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT THEY'RE ACTUALLY BUYING OFFICE SUPPLIES AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A HUGE PERCENTAGE.

IT'S SPREAD ACROSS EVERYBODY PROPORTIONATELY.

SO WE'RE PROPORTIONATE TO WHAT THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY. LIKE, IF YOU LOOK AT WHAT ALL OTHER DEPARTMENTS. SO PROPORTION IN WHAT WAY BY WHAT WE BY LIKE PROPORTION OR JUST SIZE OF DEPARTMENT GENERALLY.

SO BASED ON THAT'S GENERALLY DETERMINED AS PART OF THE COST ALLOCATION PLAN THAT'S COMPLETED EVERY YEAR.

SO THE COST ALLOCATION. BECAUSE IF YOU ADD UP THE THINGS PURCHASING OR BUYING, LET'S SAY FOR THE LEGISLATURE OR SOME OTHER DEPARTMENT, THAT EXPENSE OF LIKE 12000 ALMOST IS A HUGE EXPENSE OF OFFICE SUPPLIES OF 16,000.

I MEAN, IF YOU IT'S LIKE A IT'S A STRANGE. HOW IS THAT? I MEAN, WHAT HOW THAT THAT IS ALLOCATED FOR WHAT REASON? AS OPPOSED TO JUST KEEPING IT IN PURCHASING. WELL, BECAUSE THERE IT'S, IT'S AN INNER OFFICE SERVICE.

SO IT'S, IT'S DISTRIBUTING THE, AT LEAST BY METHODOLOGY, THE TRUE COST OF THESE BACK OFFICE FUNCTIONS, SPREADING IT ACROSS ALL OF THE BUDGETS. BUT IT'S, YOU KNOW, GENERALLY SPEAKING, THAT'S WHY WHEN BUDGET PREP HAPPENS, WE, WE, THE BUDGET OFFICE DOES ALL OF THIS OURSELVES.

AND GENERALLY SPEAKING, WHEN SOMEBODY ID BILLING IS HIGHER OR LOWER THAN WHAT IS BUDGETED, IT'S THE DEPARTMENTS AREN'T YOU KNOW, HELD HARMED TO, TO COVER THOSE EXPENSES BECAUSE THOSE ARE TRUE EXPENSES THAT LIVED INSIDE OF THE PURCHASING DEPARTMENT IN, IN SOME CAPACITY. SO IF YOU LOOKED AT THE BUDGET FOR PURCHASING OR YOU LOOKED AT THE BUDGET FOR DISS YOU WOULD SEE THAT THE NET LOCAL SHARE COST WAS EITHER VERY CLOSE TO ZERO OR LESS THAN ZERO. AND THAT IS BECAUSE THEY HAVE EXPENDITURES THEY GOT TO BUY, YOU KNOW, THEY GOT TO BUY PAPER, THEY HAVE PERSONNEL, THEY HAVE ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT THEY THEY HAVE TO DO TO DO THEIR JOB.

ALL OF THAT COST IS THEN SPREAD PROPORTIONALLY ACROSS ALL THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS BASED ON THE COST ALLOCATION THEY HAVE, LIKE IN THE PURCHASING DEPARTMENTS THING THEY HAVE FOR THEIR ID FOR PURCHASING IS 1.5 MILLION AND THEIR EXPENSES ARE REALLY LOW, LIKE OFFICE EXPENSE AND FOOD AND ALL THESE OTHER THINGS.

SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S YOU SAID THE COST ALLOCATION PLAN, THE COST ALLOCATION FOR THEM IS 1.4 MILLION.

I CAN I'D BE HAPPY TO SHARE A COPY OF THAT. I KNOW THEY'RE WORKING ON THE PLAN FOR, I BELIEVE 2025 RIGHT NOW. THERE'S A BIT OF A DELAY ON IT. HAPPY TO PROVIDE THAT.

IT'S I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY HOW LONG IT IS, BUT IT'S, IT'S ABOUT 100 PAGES OR SO OF, YOU KNOW, JUST METHODOLOGY AND COMING UP WITH WHAT PROPORTION OF COUNTY EXPENDITURES OCCUR IN WHAT PLACES AND THEN DETERMINING THESE BACK OFFICE PARTIALLY THEN DO WE DO WHEN WE, WHEN YOU PUT IN THAT THE LIKE THE PERIOD BUDGET, LIKE, SAY, FOR FLEET SERVICES FOR THE COUNTY LEGISLATOR WAS 12,000 AND WE USED 7000.

IS THAT MEANING THAT THAT 7500 THAT WAS USED FOR WAS THAT USED BY OTHER DEPARTMENTS AND JUST ATTRIBUTED TO US BECAUSE WE HAVE NO MILEAGE IS SEPARATELY STATED.

SO THE GAS PRICE IS ONLY GAS AND CARS THAT ARE THE FLEET CARS THAT MIGHT OTHERWISE IT GOES UNDER THE CATEGORY OF LOCAL GAS REIMBURSEMENT, WHICH IS A SEPARATE LINE. YES. WHEN WHEN AN INDIVIDUAL.

SO BUT I'M SAYING THAT LIKE MY QUESTION IS, IS THAT ON THE FLEET SERVICES IT SAYS THAT ALLOCATED TO US WAS 7500.

[01:20:05]

AND, AND AGAIN, MY, MY, MY ANSWER TO THAT, NOT IT'S NOT A GOOD ANSWER AT THE MOMENT, BUT IS I HAVE TO LOOK INTO IT BECAUSE I DON'T ACTUALLY KNOW.

OKAY. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THESE COSTS ARE SPECIFICALLY ATTRIBUTED TO OTHER THAN THE GENERALIZED OVERVIEW OF ITS SPREAD PROPORTIONATELY ACROSS ALL ALL OF THE DEPARTMENTS.

SO IS IT FAIR TO SAY THAT LOOKING AT THE WAY THE BUDGET THIS YOUR BUDGET THIS, WHICH I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU PREPARING THIS DOCUMENT.

IT'S A REALLY GREAT DOCUMENT, BUT NONETHELESS, IN THIS PARTICULAR BUDGET THAT THERE'S NO WAY TO TELL HOW MANY PLACES HAVE VEHICLES OR REALLY TO LOOK AT THE COSTS BECAUSE THOSE COSTS ARE SPREAD OUT IN SOME WAY, NOT IN ACTUAL DOLLARS, BUT IN SOME OTHER WAY. IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO TELL.

I WOULD WAGER TO SAY THAT YOU COULD MAKE A SIMILAR ARGUMENT FOR A LOT OF OTHER FUNDING IN THE COUNTY, NOT ONLY BECAUSE IT'S A THESE ARE LARGE BUDGETS.

THE COUNTY IS LARGE AS A WHOLE. NOW, SOME ACCOUNTS ARE VERY, VERY, VERY SPECIFIC, RIGHT? SOME OF THEM ARE SORT OF CATEGORICAL WHERE YOU WOULD HAVE TO DRILL INTO THE EXPENDITURES TO BE ABLE TO SEE WHAT ACTUALLY OCCURRED THERE. TO, TO, TO YOUR POINT, I WOULD SAY I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THERE WOULD BE ANYTHING PRECLUDING THE LEGISLATURE FROM REQUESTING THAT INFORMATION.

YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF BUDGET PREP OR, YOU KNOW, WHEN DEPARTMENTS ARE COMING OVER, BECAUSE DEPARTMENTS THEMSELVES SPECIFICALLY ARE GOING TO KNOW WHAT VEHICLES THEY HAVE OR DON'T HAVE AT A MUCH BETTER LEVEL THAN, YOU KNOW, THIS TOP DOWN APPROACH.

THEY'RE GOING TO KNOW IN MORE REAL TIME. SO THOSE WOULD BE IT WOULD BE INCUMBENT ON YOU TO, YOU KNOW YOU KNOW, FOR DEPARTMENTS AND THEN DISCUSS IT DURING THE HEARING.

SO I WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW, THAT IS THE OVERSIGHT PROCESS, RIGHT? IS, IS YOU KNOW, YOU SITTING THERE IN A DEPARTMENT SITTING HERE AND, YOU KNOW, SAYING, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE'RE PREPARING FOR BUDGET PREP, YOU KNOW, SENDING A COMMUNICATION OVER TO THE DEPARTMENTS OR THE ADMINISTRATION OR THE BUDGET OFFICE OR WHOMEVER THAT WE WOULD LIKE THIS SPECIFIC PIECE OF INFORMATION THAT GIVES US, YOU KNOW, AN APPROPRIATE AMOUNT OF TIME TO PREPARE THAT INFORMATION AND BE HERE TO BE PREPARED TO TALK ABOUT IT AND ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS ON IT.

YEAH, I ASK THAT THE LAST MEETING AND THEN THEY SAID THEY WOULD, BUT NOW THEY'RE SAYING THEY WON'T UNLESS THE WHOLE LEGISLATURE WANTS IT OR SOMETHING.

SO I AGREE WITH WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. I ALSO AGREE WITH YOU NOT HAVING A VEHICLE, WHICH IS SO GREAT.

AND YOU KNOW HOW YOU'RE WELL, I MEAN, CERTAINLY NOW I HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO REASON FOR ONE THING.

AND JUST SAYING I AGREE WITH THAT ON THAT ASPECT.

WE WOULD LIKE I WOULD LIKE THAT INFORMATION, BUT THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. I JUST WANT TO GO BACK TO YOU MENTIONED THE UPL PAYMENTS THAT WE HAVE NOT HAD A PAYMENT.

IS THERE A REASON FOR THAT? WHAT'S THE COMMUNICATION LIKE WITH THAT? THE SO AT LEAST FROM THE STATE LEVEL AND, AND THIS IS THE GENERALIZED EXPLANATION I'VE GOTTEN FROM THEM IS THAT THE, THE, THE OFFICE WITHIN SORT OF THE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES BUREAUCRACY THAT DOES A LOT OF THIS.

THEY HAVE MORE SORT OF ADMINISTRATIVE OVERSIGHT IN THE TIMING OF THE DSH PROGRAM SPECIFICALLY AND LESS OF IT WITH UPL. SO OFTENTIMES WHEN I INQUIRE WITH THE STATE ABOUT, YOU KNOW YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN THREE, SIX MONTHS SINCE WE LAST TALKED ABOUT ANYTHING.

WHAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S COMING DOWN THE, THE SORT OF PIPELINE HERE, WHAT ARE THESE DOLLAR FIGURES? HAVE THEY MATERIALLY CHANGED SINCE WE TALKED LAST TIME WHEN IT COMES TO DSH? THEY'RE USUALLY THEY CERTAINLY WON'T SAY IT ON THE RECORD, BUT THEY'RE USUALLY ABLE TO SAY, WE THINK THIS THING IS STARTING TO SHAKE LOOSE.

WE'RE WORKING ON IT RIGHT NOW. JUST LIKE I SORT OF MENTIONED WITH THIS ONE THAT I THINK IS GOING TO HAPPEN BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR.

WHEN I ASKED THEM ABOUT UPL, THEIR GENERAL RESPONSE IS, UNTIL WE HEAR SOMETHING FROM THE FEDS, WE ARE COMPLETELY IN THE DARK. THAT'S NOT A GREAT ANSWER, BUT I'M ALSO ONE STEP REMOVED FROM THAT ANSWER WHERE I DON'T ACTUALLY KNOW HOW I WOULD GET BETTER INFORMATION ON UPL, OTHER THAN TO SAY THAT IN TERMS OF THE EXPOSURE HERE OF THE UNCERTAINTY, UPL IS AMONG THE SMALLEST COMPONENT OF ALL OF THIS.

SO EVEN IF WE GET A SURPRISE, OFTENTIMES THAT SURPRISE IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN

[01:25:04]

WHAT GENERALLY, I'M NOT SAYING THAT, YOU KNOW, I LIKE THOSE SURPRISES, BUT THEY'RE THEY'RE MORE EASILY MANAGEABLE.

BUT YEAH, NO, WE HAVE NOT GOTTEN USUALLY BY THIS TIME IN THE YEAR, I HAVE AT LEAST A ROUGH IDEA OF WHEN UPL WILL HAPPEN. AND THE RESPONSE I'VE GOTTEN FROM THE STATE IS WE HAVE NO IDEA THAT WE'RE WAITING ON SPECIFICALLY CMS. SO CENTERS FOR MEDICARE AND MEDICAID OR WHICHEVER VERSION.

SO, AND I GET THAT, AND I GET YOUR SPECULATION ABOUT WHAT WILL HAPPEN WITH LIKE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, BUT WE ALSO HAVE ISSUES WITH THE STATE. I MEAN, TO LEAVE US OUT $12 MILLION, $22 MILLION. I DON'T WANT TO JUST KEEP POINTING.

LIKE YOU SAID, IT'S UNEQUIVOCALLY BOTH. BUT LIKE YOU SAID, YOU KNOW, WHEN THE COST OF GAS GOES UP, THE COST OF EVERYTHING GOES UP AND THEN IT COMES DOWN AND PRICES ARE STILL UP. I THINK THE SAME THING. I DON'T WANT TO GET INTO TOO MUCH OF A CONVERSATION WHERE WE'RE WE ARE ONLY TALKING ABOUT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT BECAUSE THE STATES ALSO A MESS. AND WE AREN'T GETTING THE FUNDING THAT WE NEED. AND WE'RE GETTING MANDATES THAT ARE COMING DOWN THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED. LOOK, THE STATE BUDGET WAS TWO WHOLE MONTHS LATE.

SO PART OF THE PREDICAMENT THAT WE'RE IN RIGHT NOW IS RIGHT NOW SOCIAL SERVICES, WHICH IS PREDOMINANTLY FUNDED BY, YOU KNOW, THE STATE FOR THE MOST PART, RIGHT? WE SOCIAL SERVICES IS THE, THE, THE STOREFRONT OF STATE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES.

BY THIS POINT IN THE YEAR, THEY WOULD HAVE A VERY GOOD IDEA OF THE IMPACTS OF THE STATE BUDGET ON ERIE COUNTY. THEY DO NOT HAVE THAT RIGHT NOW BECAUSE IT TOOK TWO ADDITIONAL MONTHS.

AND, YOU KNOW, IT TAKES TIME FOR THAT INFORMATION.

LIKE I BELIEVE SOCIAL SERVICES OR AT LEAST SOME NUMBER OF THEM HAVE SOME LIKE OF THEIR STATE CONFERENCES THAT ARE HAPPENING, I THINK NEXT WEEK OR THE WEEK AFTER, WHERE ORDINARILY THEY WOULD GET A LOT OF VERY SPECIFIC GOOD INFORMATION ABOUT IMPACTS. ARE THEY, TO ME, SOUNDED A BIT CYNICAL THAT THEY WERE GOING TO GET GOOD INFORMATION.

AND THERE WAS SOME LEVEL OF QUESTION OF LIKE, IS THIS GOING TO BE A COMPLETE WASTE OF EVERYBODY'S TIME TO GO THERE? BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I APPRECIATE LIKE SOME OF THE TIMES WHEN I'M GIVING SOME OF THESE LIKE TEN ZERO ZERO ZERO FOOT VIEW IMPACTS, WELL, SAYING A NUMBER OF STATEWIDE DOES NOT GIVE US REALLY ANY REAL INDICATION OF WHAT THE ACTUAL IMPACT ON ERIE COUNTY IS.

AND SOMETIMES THEY GO AND HAVE THESE CONFERENCES OR GET THIS INFORMATION FROM THEIR BUREAUCRATIC PARTNERS.

AND THAT'S ALL THEY'RE GETTING IS THEY'RE GETTING THE STATEWIDE IMPACT.

AND MAYBE THERE'S SOME NOVELTY IN KNOWING THAT, BUT IT REALLY DOESN'T HELP US.

SO YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY CORRECT. IT'S BOTH SIDES.

YEAH. SO I JUST, YOU KNOW, WITH WHAT WE CAN CONTROL HERE IN THE COUNTY, OBVIOUSLY THERE'S PROGRAMS. YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, DECISIONS WILL NEED TO BE MADE BASED ON FUNDING. YOU KNOW, WE GET A LOT OF, I THINK, RIDICULOUS GRANTS FROM THE STATE HERE.

AND THERE'S OPTIONS THAT THINGS CAN BE CUT, BUT FROM WHAT WE CAN CONTROL AT THE COUNTY LEVEL, DURING THE BUDGET PROCESS, WE ADDED SEVERAL POSITIONS TO REAL PROPERTY TO IDENTIFY AND POTENTIALLY DISPOSE OF CERTAIN COUNTY OWNED ASSETS.

HAVE THEY BEEN ABLE TO IDENTIFY WHAT WE CAN DISPOSE OF AND WHAT SAVINGS THAT WOULD BE TO THE COUNTY? BECAUSE I ALSO KNOW THERE'S WAREHOUSES STILL THAT WE'RE PAYING FOR TO HOUSE PPE FROM COVID.

SO HAVE THERE BEEN ANY COST SAVINGS IDENTIFIED FROM THOSE POSITIONS THAT WERE CREATED? THAT WOULD AND I KNOW WE'RE THE, THE RESPONSE TO THIS WILL GO, BUT THAT WOULD BE CERTAINLY A BETTER QUESTION TO ASK REAL PROPERTY TAX.

HOWEVER, THEY DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE A HEARING. WITH THAT SAID, WE CAN TRY AND GET AN ANSWER.

I JUST I DON'T INHERENTLY KNOW THAT ON THEIR BEHALF.

AND THEN LOOKING FORWARD TO THE BUDGET FOR THE NEXT FOUR YEARS.

IT LOOKS LIKE WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THE FOUR YEAR PLAN, WE HAVE $80 MILLION GAPS EVERY TIME SALES TAX IS UP.

YOU KNOW, WE DID NOT MOVE FORWARD WITH THE REHABILITATION TO THE HOLDING CENTER AS IT WAS PROPOSED TO US.

DOES THAT CHANGE? YEAH. THERE WILL BE A PRETTY I MEAN, EVERY YEAR, IF YOU LOOK BACK AT YOU KNOW, FOUR YEAR PLANS AND YOU LOOKED AT THE CURRENT YEAR VERSUS LIKE THE ONE YEAR OUT EVERY YEAR, YOU'RE ALWAYS GOING TO SEE A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN INFORMATION.

AND CERTAINLY THAT'S BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, AS WE GET CLOSER, WE LEARN MORE.

CERTAINLY THE, THE EXPECTATION THAT IN TERMS OF DEALING WITH THE DEBT SERVICE THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH BUILDING A NEW JAIL, AND THEN SUBSEQUENTLY THE EXPECTATION THAT FOR THAT YEAR WE WOULD EXCEED,

[01:30:08]

AND TO BE HONEST, I, I WOULD HAVE TO GO BACK AND LOOK.

I BELIEVE I ACTUALLY BACKED THAT OUT OF THE FINAL FOUR YEAR PLAN AFTER THE BUDGET WAS PROPOSED.

OKAY. BUT THEN THERE WILL BE A LOT OF THOSE ITEMS. CERTAINLY SALES TAX WILL CHANGE BECAUSE I WAS TAKING, YOU KNOW I DON'T WANT TO CALL IT YOU KNOW, THE, THE LAZY APPROACH TO IT, BUT BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH FLUCTUATION SOMETIMES IN SALES TAX.

YEAH. WE WERE JUST SAYING, OKAY, ONE AND A HALF OR 2% GROWTH ACROSS AND THAT, THAT, THAT NEW BASELINE IS GOING TO CHANGE.

SAME WITH PERSONNEL COSTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

THOSE WILL GET MORE REFINED. I THINK AT LEAST LAST YEAR, MY, MY GENERALIZED RATIONALE IN DOING THE FOUR YEAR PLAN, THE WAY I DID WAS TO TRY TO IDENTIFY SOME OF THESE POTENTIAL PROBLEM AREAS BECAUSE TO.

TO BE ENTIRELY HONEST, IN THE CONVERSATION ABOUT THE THE NEW JAILS, I THINK EVERYBODY I MEAN, WE ALL KNEW THE HALF $1 BILLION PRICE TAG, RIGHT? I MEAN, THAT THAT WAS A WELL-KNOWN FIGURE. I DON'T KNOW IF EVERYBODY FULLY APPRECIATED WHAT THE TRICKLE DOWN RAMIFICATIONS OF THAT MIGHT BE IN TERMS OF AN ESTIMATE FOR DEBT SERVICE, IN TERMS OF HOW WE MIGHT PAY FOR IT AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO IN MY MIND, WHETHER EVEN THOUGH I, I TEND TO DISAGREE WITH THE DECISION TO NOT MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT PLAN BECAUSE I THINK WE'RE JUST KICKING THE CAN A LITTLE BIT WITH THAT. AND THERE'S NO WAY THE COST OF A NEW FACILITY FIVE, TEN YEARS FROM NOW IS GOING TO BE LESS EXPENSIVE THAN IT WOULD BE TO DO TODAY. IT AT LEAST IT GAVE EVERYBODY THE OPPORTUNITY TO FULLY CONSIDER WHAT THAT CHOICE REALLY MEANT. AND THEN AT A LEVEL OF DISCRETION AT THE LEGISLATURE, YOU MADE A DECISION THAT SAID, NOPE, WE'RE NOT INTERESTED. SO. SO MY QUESTION, THOUGH, WAS JUST LOOKING AT THE FOUR YEAR PLAN.

DO WE SEE THOSE $84 MILLION GAPS SHRINKING WITH WHERE WE ARE TODAY? ARE YOU STILL PROJECTING THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT $84 MILLION GAP NEXT YEAR? A LITTLE BIT OF IT'S GOING TO BE I DON'T KNOW YET BECAUSE I HAVEN'T DONE ANOTHER FOUR YEAR PLAN.

THAT'S SOME THAT'S SOME OF THE ANSWER. THE OTHER PART IS GOING TO BE MORE THAN LIKELY, AND THIS IS JUST SORT OF HISTORICAL TREND IS THAT AS YEARS GET MORE INTO FOCUS A LOT OF THE ASSUMPTIONS THEN GET REFINED AND A LOT OF THE WORST CASE SCENARIOS THAT WE MAY HAVE BEEN BUILDING IN, WE KNOW ARE GOING TO BE SOMETHING LESS THAN THAT WORST CASE.

SO GENERALLY SPEAKING, THOSE GAPS GET MORE AND MORE MANAGEABLE AS THEY GET CLOSER IN TIME BECAUSE YOU HAVE BETTER INFORMATION.

I WILL ALSO SAY THAT WHILE THOSE ARE RELATIVELY YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE SIGNIFICANT GAPS, THOSE ARE CERTAINLY MATERIAL.

AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ROUGHLY ABOUT 5% OF THE OVERALL COUNTY BUDGET.

SO THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF PERSPECTIVE THERE. I DON'T WANT TO DISMISS 80 TO $100 MILLION IS SAYING, OH, THAT'S IMMATERIAL. THAT'S THAT'S NOT WHAT I MEAN BY THAT.

BUT ALSO 5% OF OUR BUDGET, IT'S MANAGEABLE. THAT IS THAT IS SOMETHING THAT SHOULD THOSE WORST CASES COME INTO FRUITION, WE HAVE PLENTY OF CHOICES, TOOLS IN THE TOOLBOX, HOWEVER YOU WANT TO PHRASE IT, TO BE ABLE TO DEAL WITH THOSE.

NOW, WE MAY NOT LIKE SOME OF THOSE CHOICES WE HAVE TO MAKE, BUT WE DO HAVE ENOUGH CHOICES WHERE WHEN MAYBE YOU'RE LOOKING AT SOME OF THESE OTHER MUNICIPALITIES WHERE YOU KNOW, NOT TO, TO, TO, TO PILE ON, YOU KNOW, THE CITY OF BUFFALO, FOR INSTANCE, WHERE THE CITY OF BUFFALO IS THE THIRD SIZE OF US, AND THEY HAD $120 MILLION GAPS.

THEY WERE AT A POINT WHERE, LIKE, THEY HAD SOME TOOLS IN THE TOOLBOX, BUT THEY DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH TO, TO FIX THE PROBLEM. AND THEY NEEDED OTHER HELP TO, TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.

I THINK INTERNALLY WE, BASED ON WHAT WE'RE THINKING RIGHT NOW, WE, WE, WE CAN MAKE CHOICES TO BE ABLE TO MANAGE THAT. SURE. IT'S NOT OUTSIDE OF OUR ABILITY. THERE'S ALWAYS CHOICES TO BE MADE.

THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HERE TO DO. SO MY NEXT QUESTION WOULD JUST BE THE CITY OF BUFFALO WENT THROUGH REASSESSMENTS.

DO WE KNOW WHAT THE IMPACT WILL BE FOR THE COUNTY? THE SHORT ANSWER IS NO, I DON'T KNOW. WE CAN FIND THAT OUT.

CERTAINLY RIGHT NOW THIS WOULD BE THE, THE FIRST REAL YEAR THAT THAT'S GOING ON.

I KNOW THAT THAT GETS CERTAINLY CONSIDERED IN.

[01:35:01]

THAT DOES NOT FLUCTUATE, BUT IT WILL CHANGE THE SLICES PROPORTIONALLY.

IT WOULD BE MY EXPECTATION THAT BECAUSE I THINK THERE WAS AN OVERALL GROWTH AT THE CITY, IT WASN'T ONLY, YOU KNOW, SOME OF IT'S SHIFTING FROM ONE COMMUNITY TO THE THE NEXT A LITTLE BIT.

AND ALL OF THAT AGAIN, IS WE SLICING ITS OWN PIE.

BUT I THINK THE CITY'S OVERALL SLICE OF THE TOTAL COUNTY PIE DID GET A LITTLE BIT BIGGER.

SO IN THEORY THAT MIGHT REDUCE SOME OF THE PIES OF THE OTHER COMMUNITIES.

BUT ALSO IF THEY'VE DONE ANY LEVELS OF REASSESSMENT THAT WOULD CHANGE THAT OR WHATEVER, YOU KNOW, THE THE EQUALIZATION RATE, YOU KNOW, IS I MEAN, I KNOW THERE ARE SOME WHERE, OH, I THINK THE AMONG THE MOST ABSURD AND, AND DON'T QUOTE ME ON THE EXACT NUMBER, BUT THIS IS KIND OF IN REALITY IS I THINK IT'S EITHER I THINK IT MIGHT BE ALMA WHERE, WHERE THEY'RE EQUALIZED, THEIR EQUALIZATION RATE IS LIKE 95% OR, YOU KNOW, OR 5% RATHER. SO LIKE, IT LOOKS LIKE THEIR RATE PER 1000 FOR PROPERTY TAXES, LIKE $0.50 PER PERSON.

BUT THEIR ASSESSMENTS ARE, YOU KNOW, ABSURD NUMBERS BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE CALCULATION GOES.

I PERSONALLY TEND TO THINK, EVEN THOUGH I THINK THE GENERAL POPULATION DOESN'T LIKE REASSESSMENT, I TEND TO THINK MORE REASSESSMENT IS, IS BETTER BECAUSE THAT'S ACTUALLY A FAIR NUMBER BASED ON TODAY.

IT IS NOT JUST A METHODOLOGY THAT THE STATE HOISTS UPON YOU, WHICH BECAUSE THEY COME UP WITH THAT EQUALIZATION RATE AND THEY JUST SAY, I DON'T CARE. THIS IS WHAT IT IS. AND YOU'RE, YOU KNOW, EVEN IF YOUR TAX RATE IN A MUNICIPALITY GOES DOWN, BUT YOUR YOUR EQUALIZED FULL VALUE HOUSE WENT UP TO LIKE SOME ABSURD NUMBER THAT IS UNREALISTIC BECAUSE OF IT.

WELL, THAT MAY NOT ACTUALLY BE FAIR. SO I TEND TO THINK IT IS, BUT I UNDERSTAND HOW PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, GET UPSET ABOUT IT. AND I DON'T EVEN WANT TO GET INTO, YOU KNOW, WHETHER OR NOT WE SHOULD BE ASSESSING AND WHERE AND WHATEVER.

IT'S MORE JUST, I'M CURIOUS WHAT THE IMPACT WILL BE ON THE COUNTY BUDGET. SO IF WE CAN LOOK INTO THOSE NUMBERS. YEAH, WE CAN CONFIRM. AND THEN I DO JUST WANT TO POINT BACK, YOU KNOW, I'VE ALWAYS ENJOYED READING THE MRS WHEN THEY COME IN.

AND I KNOW YOU WERE HERE EARLIER THIS YEAR ABOUT THE GAS TAX HOLIDAY THAT WE WERE PROPOSING.

AND IT DOES LOOK LIKE SALES TAX CONTINUES TO EXCEED WHAT WE PROJECTED AND THAT WE COULD AFFORD TO OFFER THAT SALES TAX BREAK TO RESIDENTS.

SO I JUST WANTED TO BRING THAT UP BECAUSE IT WAS A 6.9% IN MAY OF 20 ON MAY 22ND.

IT LOOKS LIKE SALES TAX RECEIPTS WERE REPORTED AS GROWING.

AND THAT GROWTH IS CONTINUING AT 3.9% IN 2025.

WHEN YOU WERE BUDGETING FOR 2026, WHAT DID YOU PROJECT SALES TAX GROWTH TO BE? WAS IT 1.5? I THINK OH YEAH. SO I MEAN, THE, THE NUMBER THAT WE, WE, WE COME UP WITH IS A, BASICALLY A CONFLUENCE OF TWO NUMBERS. IT IS WE ARE DOING OUR BEST IDEA OF WHAT A CURRENT YEAR, YEAR END PROJECTION IS. AND THEN WHAT WE THINK GROWTH FOR A FUTURE YEAR MIGHT BE ON TOP OF THAT PROJECTION.

SO SOME OF THE CHANGE THAT WOULD HAVE OCCURRED IS THAT MY YEAR END PROJECTION WAS LOW, YOU KNOW, IN HINDSIGHT ENDED UP LOWER. SO THAT ENDS UP.

BUT I WOULD SAY ALSO THAT THE THE GROWTH ON TOP OF THAT YEAR END PROJECTION.

NOW IN IN HINDSIGHT, NOW THAT WE HAVE THIS ROUGHLY 16 MONTHS STRAIGHT OF JUST GROWTH UP WHERE BEFORE IT WAS KIND OF FITS AND SPURTS. I MEAN, WE HAD A SIZABLE RETRACTION OF SALES TAX GROWTH WHERE WE ENDED UP FLAT, RIGHT? AND THEN IT WAS KIND OF GOING UP AND DOWN A LITTLE BIT.

AT THIS POINT, I WOULD PROBABLY BE A BIT MORE LIBERAL IN TERMS OF THOSE PROJECTIONS GOING FORWARD.

SO THAT'S MY ONLY QUESTION WAS WE ARE WE ARE PACING AHEAD OF WHAT WE PROJECTED FOR SALES TAX GROWTH.

OKAY. THANK YOU. YES. ARE YOU A QUESTION? I HAVE TWO ACTUALLY.

THANK YOU. THE FIRST ONE SHOULD BE BRIEF. MARK, THANKS FOR BEING HERE TODAY AND EXPLAINING THE BUDGET.

APPRECIATE IT. CAN YOU CAN YOU? YOU MENTIONED IT WAS A, WHAT, 5 TO 7% TAX PERCENTAGE INCREASE SALES TAX EARLIER.

IS THAT WHAT YOU MENTIONED? OH THE THE, THE YEAR OVER YEAR GROWTH.

[01:40:01]

SO RIGHT NOW THAT IS WHERE WHERE I HAD NOTED THAT I CAN LET ME GET THAT SCHEDULED, BUT BASICALLY RIGHT NOW IS THROUGH MAY, THAT IS ABOUT $11.5 MILLION OF A POSITIVE VARIANCE VERSUS THE BUDGET. AND THEN IF YOU WERE TO TAKE SAYING THAT, YOU KNOW, THE REMAINDER OF THE YEAR, ALL SALES TAX FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR WILL GROW BY THAT ROUGHLY PERCENTAGE.

THAT IS WHERE I INDICATED THAT WE COULD END THE YEAR.

I CAN'T SEEM TO FIND THAT DOCUMENT. WE WOULD END THE YEAR APPROXIMATELY WITH A 26 ISH MILLION DOLLAR BUDGETARY POSITIVE VARIANCE ON SALES TAX. 26? YEAH, IT WOULD BE IT WOULD BE KEEPING THAT STATUS QUO.

SO LIKE WHEN I'M COMING UP WITH A RANGE, HERE WE GO IS I'M REALLY WHAT I'M CREATING.

IS THIS A LITTLE BIT OF A GOLDILOCKS RANGE OF I'M SAYING, OKAY, HERE'S WHAT OUR SALES TAX RECEIPTS HAVE BEEN THROUGH THE CURRENT PERIOD.

AND THEN I TAKE LAST YEAR'S NUMBER AS JUST ZERO 0% GROWTH.

AND THEN I SAY, OKAY, WELL, IF SALES TAX GOES REALLY BAD, I.E.

SALES TAX TAKES AND WE GET ZERO GROWTH THE REMAINDER OF THE YEAR, WHAT MIGHT IT LOOK LIKE IF WE GO WITH OUR YEAR TO DATE GROWTH? WHAT MIGHT THAT LOOK LIKE? AND THEN I TAKE YEAR TO DATE GROWTH AND THEN TAKE OUT THOSE QUARTERLY RECONCILIATIONS.

BECAUSE SOMETIMES THAT'S NOISE BECAUSE IT COULD BE LIKE THE STATE FOUND SOME SCOFF LAW THAT HASN'T BEEN REMITTING SALES TAX FOR THE LAST TEN YEARS, AND THEN THAT GETS CAUGHT AND ADDED IN. SO SOME OF THAT IS A BIT NOISE.

AND THAT RANGE TO ME IS THAT. SO REALLY THE RANGE I THINK IS THAT IF WE WENT ZERO GROWTH THE REST OF THE YEAR, WE'D PROBABLY HAVE APPROXIMATELY AN $8 MILLION POSITIVE VARIANCE FOR SALES TAX.

IF WE WENT TO ABOUT THAT 7%, WE WOULD HAVE ABOUT A 33 MILLION.

AND I'M KIND OF TAKING THAT MIDDLE GROUND OF ABOUT 26.5.

EVERY PAYMENT WE GET, THAT NUMBER FLUCTUATES.

OKAY, THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO SEE. WHAT THAT RANGE, HOW VASTLY IT CHANGED.

YEAH, YEAH. IT'S EVERY, EVERY MONTH. I'M KIND OF RECALCULATING WHAT THAT RANGE IS.

BUT I WILL GENERALLY SAY THAT WHEN I FIRST START CALCULATING THAT RANGE, BY THE END OF THE YEAR, WE MAY BE AT THE HIGH END OR THE LOW END, BUT I THINK I DO A REASONABLY GOOD JOB OF FINDING THE ROUGH PARAMETERS OF WHERE THIS COULD GO.

OKAY. GOOD ENOUGH. THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THAT ANSWER.

THE SECOND QUESTION IS RIGHT THERE IN THAT VERY SEAT.

THE FORMER BUDGET DIRECTOR BEN SWANN CAMP ABOUT THREE DEPUTY BUDGET DIRECTOR.

EXCUSE ME. DEPUTY. THAT'S CORRECT. AS HE SAT THERE IN THAT SEAT YOU KNOW, IT WAS LIKE THE SKY WAS FALLING WHEN IT CAME TO NEW YORK STATE MANDATES THAT WERE FALLING ON THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE COUNTY, SUCH AS BAIL REFORM, SUCH AS SOCIAL SERVICES, AS TWO EXAMPLES. HOW IS THAT AFFECTING US TODAY STILL? WELL, I MEAN, LOOK, EVERY YEAR THE STATE PASSES DOWN SOME LEVEL OF NEW MANDATES.

UNDERSTANDABLE. CERTAINLY WHEN YOU'RE WHEN YOU'RE COMING UP WITH EARLY ASSUMPTIONS BASED ON THOSE AS SPECIFICALLY FROM THE BUDGETARY SIDE OF THINGS WE TEND TO, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT LIKE CONSERVATISM OR CONSERVATIVE BUDGETING, WHAT WE'RE REALLY SAYING IN MANY CASES IS WHAT COULD THE WORST CASE SCENARIO POSSIBLY BE? WE PLAN FOR THE WORST AND HOPE FOR THE BEST, AND I APPRECIATE THAT.

AND THEN MOST OF THE TIME, MOST OF THE TIME WHEN A WORST CASE SCENARIO HAPPENS, WE CAN SURMOUNT IT.

BUT OTHER TIMES, IN MANY CASES, SOMETHING BETTER THAN THE WORST CASE SCENARIO HAPPENS.

AND THAT'S GOOD FORTUNE. SO I MEAN, THERE HAVE BEEN A NUMBER OF THESE MANDATES.

I THINK SOME OF THEM HAVE BEEN SORT OF ROLLED BACK TO SOME DEGREE OVER TIME.

LIKE THERE WAS ONE IN PARTICULAR THAT ANECDOTALLY, I JUST RECALL WAS SEVERAL YEARS AGO, THE STATE WAS PASSING DOWN THESE NEW LEAD TESTING REQUIREMENTS FOR RESIDENTIAL HOUSING AND THE RULE THAT WAS BEING PROMULGATED RELATED TO THAT, WHAT THAT WAS GOING TO DO WAS GOING TO BASICALLY INCLUDE EVERY SINGLE LIKE DUPLEX AND EVEN SOMETHING SLIGHTLY LARGER WITHIN THE CITY OF BUFFALO INTO WHAT HAD TO BE TESTED LIKE ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.

AND THAT WAS GOING TO BE A RELATIVELY ASTRONOMICAL INCREASE IN COST TO LIKE, I THINK IT WAS LIKE 5 TO $10

[01:45:01]

BECAUSE WHILE ON ONE HAND IT'S GOOD TO BE PROACTIVE TO SOME DEGREE, RIGHT? ON THE OTHER, MAYBE YOU CAN HURT YOURSELF A LITTLE BIT BY BEING A LITTLE TOO PROACTIVE SOMETIMES AND KIND OF OVER ESTIMATING.

WE DIDN'T DO THOSE RESOLUTIONS. AND TO MY KNOWLEDGE THOSE RULES ARE STILL HAVEN'T BEEN FULLY PROMULGATED AT THIS POINT.

SO WE IN THEORY, IF WE WOULD HAVE MOVED FORWARD, WE MIGHT HAVE, YOU KNOW, CREATED ALL A NUMBER OF POSITIONS THAT WE MAY NOT HAVE NEEDED.

SO LIKE, REALLY WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO AS BEST WE CAN IS RESPOND PROPORTIONALLY AND NOT OVER RESPOND TO THINGS. I MEAN, THERE'S PLENTY OF THESE THINGS WHERE WE FIND OUT PRELIMINARY INFORMATION AND PARDON MY LANGUAGE, BUT IT TERRIFIES THE HELL OUT OF ME. AND THEN WE KIND OF GET SOME OF THE DETAILS, AND THEN IT ENDS UP A LITTLE BIT LESS.

AND IF I WAS SWINGING WILDLY AT THOSE INITIAL ONES, WE'D ALL BE GETTING A LEVEL OF WHIPLASH.

THINK ABOUT PENSION REFORM. THE WORST CASE SCENARIO.

I THOUGHT WE COULD BE GETTING LIKE A RETROACTIVE PAYMENT NOTICE OF LIKE 15 TO $20 MILLION THAT WE HAD TO PAY THIS YEAR FOR WHATEVER THEY WERE PLANNING TO DO RETROACTIVE FOR EVERYBODY IN TIER FIVE AND TIER SIX, BUT EVERYBODY WAS SILENT ABOUT IT.

SO WHILE ON ONE HAND, I WAS WORRIED ABOUT IT AND WE WERE STARTING TO THINK ABOUT WHAT WE MIGHT DO IF THAT WERE TO HAPPEN, WE DIDN'T PULL THE TRIGGER ON ANY OF IT. WHAT WE'RE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS WHAT WE'RE HEARING FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT MAY NOT HAPPEN, MAY ROLL BACK. SURE, IT MAY. IT MAY NOT BE AS BAD AS WE ALL HOPE TO BE.

I CERTAINLY I CERTAINLY HOPE SO. THE THE THE ONLY DIFFERENCE, I WOULD SAY, WITH SOME OF THIS IS WHEN, WHEN ADMINISTRATIONS AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL AND THIS IS ALL ADMINISTRATIONS.

WHEN THEY MAKE DETERMINATIONS AT THE EITHER BUREAUCRATIC LEVEL, THEY.

THEY CHANGE RULES OR THINGS LIKE THAT, OR THEY DO IT BY EXECUTIVE ORDER.

IT'S PRETTY EASY FOR THEM TO DO. BUT IT'S ALSO EASY TO BE UNDONE, RIGHT? BECAUSE IT'S DONE UNILATERALLY. THE BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL FOR FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE, THAT WAS SIGNED INTO LAW.

THAT IS UNEQUIVOCALLY A LAW. SO IT WOULD THEN UNEQUIVOCALLY TAKE A LAW TO UNDO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT MAYBE ANYBODY DECIDED THAT THE REALITY WASN'T AS GOOD AS MAYBE THEY THEY THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE, OR THE IMPACTS OR WHATEVER.

BUT WITH THAT SAID, LIKE, WE KNOW THESE THINGS ARE GOING TO HAPPEN.

THE REAL QUESTION, AND THIS IS A HUGE QUESTION, I WON'T SAY IT'S NOT IS HOW IS NEW YORK STATE GOVERNMENT GOING TO ADDRESS THIS? BECAUSE THIS IS STUFF THAT IS OCCURRING AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, PASSED DOWN TO THE STATES.

IT IS GOING TO BE ALMOST UNILATERALLY THE STATE'S DECISION ON WHAT THEY DO, AND THEY GOT A SUITE OF OPTIONS.

THEY'RE PROBABLY GOING TO DO SOME OF ALL OF THE ABOVE ON IT, BUT THAT'S WHAT'S GOING TO DEPEND.

AND THAT'S FRANKLY WHAT'S SO DIFFICULT FOR US IS IT FEELS LIKE, TO A DEGREE, A LITTLE BIT OF A GAME OF WHACK A MOLE WHERE THERE ARE GOING TO BE SOME OF THESE THINGS THAT HAPPEN, WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE THIS HUGE COST INCREASE IN MEDICAID, LET'S SAY, JUST FOR SAKE OF ARGUMENT, MEDICAID. WELL, THEY MAY NOT CHANGE ANYTHING ABOUT MEDICAID.

THEY MAY NOT CHANGE, YOU KNOW, WHAT OUR PAYMENTS ARE OR CHANGE F MAP OR REDUCE SERVICES.

THEY MAY NOT DO ANYTHING FOR MEDICAID, BUT THEY MAY FIND ALL OF THEIR CHIPS AID OR THEIR STATE MARCHISELLI LIKE HIGHWAY AID, WHERE MAYBE THEY HAVE A BUNCH OF MONEY THAT WAS APPROPRIATED SEVERAL YEARS AGO AND IT HASN'T GOTTEN, YOU KNOW, SPENT. MAYBE THEY JUST DISAPPEAR THAT MONEY AND USE IT TO PLUG THIS GAP.

THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO DO THOSE THINGS. IT'S JUST WE WOULD HAVE NO WAY OF ANTICIPATING WHERE THOSE COSTS WILL ACTUALLY SHOW UP UNTIL WE GET THE LETTER IN THE MAIL, OR WE HEAR FROM ONE OF THE ADVOCACY GROUPS OR ARE NYSAC OR SO ON.

OKAY. FAIR ENOUGH. I WAS JUST CONCERNED OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT WAS SAID A FEW YEARS AGO TO WHAT WE'RE HEARING NOW.

YOU KNOW WHAT YOUR THOUGHTS ARE ON THAT. AND THEN, YOU KNOW, IF YOU GOT A LITTLE TIME FOR HOMEWORK, WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO SEND ME SOME INFORMATION OF WHAT THOSE ACTUAL DOLLARS WERE BACK OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS WITH THE NEW YORK STATE MANDATES VERSUS WHAT YOU YOU YOU MAY FORECAST WITH THE FEDERAL. YEAH. I MEAN, WE CAN CERTAINLY TRY.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WOULD BE. IT'S NOT DUE TOMORROW.

YEAH. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WOULD BE A LITTLE BIT DIFFICULT IS CONFIRMING WHAT, YOU KNOW,

[01:50:06]

I WOULD APPRECIATE IT IF YOU COULD JUST SEND ME SOMETHING LIKE THAT JUST TO LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE HAVE GONE THROUGH, WHAT WE MAY GO THROUGH.

OKAY. THANKS. THAT'S ALL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

THANKS, MARK. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THAT WAS VERY THOROUGH.

WE APPRECIATE IT. DRIPPING WITH SOME SARCASM THERE.

NOT AT ALL. WE HAVE PERSONNEL. I THINK. NEXT.

NO SARCASM. I DON'T THINK WE HAVE COMMISSIONER.

WHAT DID YOU SAY? YOU GUYS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS? NO. ALL RIGHT. PERSONNEL.

[Personnel & Labor Relations]

AND LABOR RELATIONS.

RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE. THAT'S WHAT SHE HAD.

HOW ARE YOU TODAY? COMMISSIONER BRAY. DID YOU HAVE A STATEMENT ON THE BUDGET THAT YOU WANTED TO START WITH? SURE. GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU. SO IT'S BEEN A PRETTY STATUS QUO BUDGET FOR US SO FAR THIS YEAR.

THE PERSONNEL DEPARTMENT ONLY HAS ONE JOB VACANCY.

WE EXPECT THAT JOB TO BE FILLED PROMOTIONALLY WITHIN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS.

ON OUR BUDGET CONSUMPTION REPORT. SOME OF THE BUDGET LINES LINES APPEAR TO BE UNDERSPENT.

THAT'S PRIMARILY BECAUSE OF WHEN DIFFERENT BILLS COME IN.

SO AS WE GET OUR ANNUAL BILLS FOR SOME OF THE SOFTWARE SERVICES WE USE OR OTHER SERVICES WE USE WE EXPECT THOSE TO BE CLOSER TO WHAT WAS ORIGINALLY BUDGETED.

WE DON'T EXPECT ANY NEW MAJOR REQUESTS FOR THE 2027 BUDGET.

A COUPLE NON BUDGETARY THINGS I WANTED TO GIVE THE LEGISLATURE AN UPDATE ON.

FIRST, WE'RE HOLDING THE POLICE OFFICER EXAM IN OCTOBER.

WE'RE WORKING HARD TO PROMOTE THAT EXAM. ERIE COUNTY, FOLLOWING A NATIONAL TREND, HAS HAD FEWER AND FEWER APPLICANTS FOR POLICE OFFICERS OVER THE LAST DECADE OR SO. AS A RESULT, MY DEPARTMENT IS TAKING A VERY PROACTIVE APPROACH TO THIS YEAR'S POLICE OFFICER EXAM AND ARE WORKING HARD TO PUBLICIZE THAT TO MAXIMIZE THE NUMBER OF RECRUITS ABLE TO TAKE THE EXAM.

THE SECOND THING I'LL GIVE AN UPDATE TO THE LEGISLATURE ON IS THAT MOST OF THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS ARE UP THIS YEAR.

WE HAVE BEEN WORKING CLOSELY WITH LABOR RELATIONS ON NEGOTIATING AND IMPLEMENTING THOSE CONTRACTS SO THAT WHEN THOSE CONTRACTS COME INTO EFFECT HOPEFULLY MOST OF THEM ON JANUARY 1ST, 2027 WE HAVE EVERYTHING IMPLEMENTED WITHIN SAP.

SO THE EMPLOYEES ARE APPROPRIATELY COMPENSATED.

AND THE THIRD THING I WANT TO GIVE AN UPDATE ON IS MY DEPARTMENT JUST ISSUED A NEW TIMEKEEPER'S MANUAL THAT PUTS IN PLACE ALL OF THE COUNTY'S TIME AND ATTENDANCE POLICIES IN ONE DEFINITIVE SOURCE. WE'RE GIVING THAT TO ALL EMPLOYEES WITH RESPONSIBILITIES FOR TIME KEEPING.

SO THAT IS IMPROVING TIME. WHAT WE FOUND IS THAT EMPLOYEES HAVE ARE UNAWARE OF THE VARIOUS RESPONSIBILITIES AND POLICIES IN FOR TIME KEEPING. AND AS A RESULT, THEY'VE BEEN MORE GENEROUS TO EMPLOYEES AND WHAT IS APPROVED WITHIN CONTRACTS.

SO WE ARE DOING THAT TO SORT OF MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE DOING OUR PART AS MANAGEMENT TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE HOLDING EMPLOYEES ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR TIME AND ATTENDANCE. SO THOSE ARE MY MY MAJOR UPDATES.

THANKS. AND OVERALL, THEN YOU'RE RUNNING UNDER BUDGET THROUGHOUT HALF THE YEAR FOR NOW.

CORRECT. AND WE DON'T EXPECT THAT TO CHANGE. RIGHT.

ANY QUESTIONS? LEGISLATOR VINAL UNDER THE SHERIFF'S OVERTIME IS WHEN YOU'RE SAYING THAT TIME AND ATTENDANCE, ARE YOU EXCLUDING FROM THAT THE SHERIFF'S TIME AND ATTENDANCE AS FAR AS FOR YOUR OVERSIGHT OF IT? FOR THE MOST PART, BECAUSE THE TIME AND ATTENDANCE FOR THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE UNDER AN INDEPENDENT ELECTED OFFICIAL.

AND TWO, THEY'RE PUTTING THEIR INFORMATION DIRECTLY INTO SAP.

SO THE STANDARD PROTOCOL THAT WE HAVE FOR TIME APPROVING DOESN'T REALLY APPLY TO THE SHERIFF BECAUSE THEY'RE DOING A, A PAPER SHEET PROCESS. I AM IN REGULAR CONTACT WITH CHIEF DONOVAN WHO'S THE CHIEF ADMINISTRATION AS WELL AS OTHER EMPLOYEES OF THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE. AND WE COMMUNICATE REGULARLY ON, ON PERSONNEL MATTERS ON SOMETHING LIKE OVERTIME.

I UNDERSTAND THAT THEY HAVE CERTAIN NEEDS BASED ON STAFFING LEVELS THAT THAT MAKES IT CHALLENGING FOR THEM TO

[01:55:04]

IT'S ABOUT YOU WERE JUST SAYING THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO MAKE SURE THAT TO ACCOUNT FOR THE ACTUAL TIME.

THE LAST SENTENCE YOU SAID WAS CORRECT. WHAT I WAS DOING.

SO THAT PART BECAUSE WE DON'T, DO WE? IF THE SHERIFF IS THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE NOW CLOCKING IN IN SOME WAY, SHAPE OR FORM FOR OVER FOR TIME WORKED. SO WE CAN ALLOCATE THAT THE OVERTIME IS ACCURATE AND TRUTHFUL.

THEY ARE NOT, AS OF TODAY THAT IS ON THE ROADMAP.

SO AS PART OF THE AGREEMENT TO BRING THE CORRECTIONS OFFICERS TO A 25 YEAR RETIREMENT SYSTEM, ALL PARTIES HAVE AGREED TO MOVE THE EMPLOYEES TO A SWIPE SYSTEM.

I THOUGHT JUST EXCUSE ME, JUST SO I DON'T I THOUGHT THAT THE DEPUTIES AT THE HOLDING CENTER, AT LEAST THEY WOULD BE CLOCKING IN. THEY'RE NOT CLOCKING IN.

NOT AS OF TODAY. SO. SO THE PEOPLE WORKING AT THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT DON'T CLOCK IN WHEN THEY COME INTO WORK AND WHEN THEY LEAVE.

SO THEY DO A PAPER TIMESHEET SYSTEM. THE REASON THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TIME CLOCKS TODAY IS BECAUSE WE ARE UPGRADING SAP.

SO IT WOULD TAKE A MASSIVE INVESTMENT TO BOTH GIVE THEM TIME CLOCKS AS WELL AS PROGRAM SAP FOR THEIR UNIQUE EMPLOYEE SITUATION.

SO AS PART OF THE SAP UPGRADE, THEY WILL BE GETTING TIME CLOCKS AT THAT POINT IN TIME.

IT WOULD, IT WOULD SO, SO FOR OUR, OUR TIME KEEPING SYSTEM RIGHT NOW.

NO, BUT JUST BARELY GETTING BACK TO LIKE THAT BECAUSE IT'S BEEN SAYING THE SAME THING SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE IN 2020.

THEY SAID THE SAME THING. WE'RE GOING TO START TIME CLOCK. WE'RE GOING TO START SWIPING. IT JUST SEEMS LIKE, I MEAN, IF YOU JUST BUY IT, LIKE RIGHT NOW, IT'S A PIECE OF PAPER.

YOU COULD JUST HAVE SOMEBODY PUT THEIR TIME CARD LIKE THE OLD FASHIONED WAY. WOULDN'T IF SOMEONE'S JUST TAKING A PIECE OF PAPER AND PUTTING IT IN, EVERYONE WALKS IN THE SAME DOOR, PROBABLY, OR TWO DOORS.

I MEAN, ONE TIME CLOCK IS NOT THAT EXPENSIVE TO HAVE.

AND THE TIME CARDS ARE THE SAME AS THE PAPER.

SO THAT I'M THE ONE. I KNOW THAT THE THE, THERE IS AN AUDIT COMING DOWN THE PIKE ON THE OVERTIME FOR THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT.

BUT IS IT TRUE THAT THERE'S LIKE ONE OFFICER HAS OR DEPUTY OR WHATEVER HAS $165,000 IN A YEAR ON OVERTIME? I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO SPEAK TO THAT DIRECTLY.

THAT QUESTION PROBABLY BE BEST ADDRESSED WITH THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.

I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, IS THAT WHAT STEPS EVERY DEPARTMENT, WHETHER ELECTED OR NOT ELECTED, WE CAN'T BUY A PIECE OF PAPER WITHOUT GOING THROUGH VEIL, AND WE'RE SEPARATELY ELECTED.

WE CAN'T, YOU KNOW, DO ANYTHING WITHOUT GOING THROUGH PURCHASING.

SO I'M LIKE, WHY? WHAT IS THE JUSTIFICATION FOR NOT CHECKING PEOPLE'S ACTUALLY WHEN THEY ARRIVE AND WHEN THEY DON'T ARRIVE? SO THAT WE KNOW THAT IT'S FAIR AND ACCURATE AND TRUE AND NOT OVERSTATED.

SO THAT WOULD BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.

WHY WOULDN'T IT BE PURCHASING? BUT WHY WOULDN'T LIKE WE LIKE OUR PEOPLE GET PAID? YOU KNOW, I MEAN, I JUST DON'T THE REASON WHY I'M JUST IT'S JUST SUCH A HUGE AMOUNT.

LIKE OUR OUR BUDGET DIRECTOR SAID THAT IT'S GROWN JUST IN THEIR PERSONNEL BY 70% IN FIVE YEARS.

SO WITH NO OVERSIGHT AT ALL BY THE YOU KNOW THAT I DON'T SEE I JUST DON'T SEE THAT IT MAKES IT TOO TEMPTING FOR PEOPLE TO OVERSTATE THEIR OVERTIME.

BUT IF THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE IS TELLING ME AN EMPLOYEE WORKED WHETHER EIGHT HOURS, 16 HOURS, I HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO PAY THEM, AS YOU KNOW, AS PER FEDERAL AND STATE LAW.

SO I'M UNSURE WHAT YOU'RE EXPECTING OUT OF ME OTHER THAN TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE BEING BEING PAID.

I DON'T HAVE OVERSIGHT RESPONSIBILITY OVER THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.

RIGHT. THEY'RE THE ONES WHO ARE MANAGING THEIR EMPLOYEES.

AND IF THEY ARE REPORTING TO ME, THIS EMPLOYEE WORK THESE HOURS, THEY ENTERED INTO SAP.

IT IS MY JOB THEN TO PROCESS THAT PAYROLL. LIKE I'M NOT DOING AN AUDIT OF THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR EMPLOYEES ARE THERE AT SPECIFIC TIMES LIKE THE LAST, THE LAST.

AND I'M NOT IT'S NOT ABOUT IT'S TRYING. I JUST DON'T LIKE THE PASSING THE BUCK OF SAYING IT'S A SEPARATE ELECTED IS WHAT.

IT'S MY THING ON THE WHETHER IT'S THE CARS OR THE OVERTIME, ALL THESE THINGS IS THAT.

MY POINT IS THAT YOU'RE SAYING THAT THE PARTY RULE.

THE LAST SENTENCE YOU SAID WAS SOMETHING ABOUT WAS TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S ACCURATE AS TO THE TIME THEY'RE BEING PAID.

SO ONCE WE MOVE TO A A ELECTRONIC SWIPE SYSTEM, WE'LL BE ABLE TO LOOK AT THINGS LIKE, YOU KNOW, WHEN THE EMPLOYEE SWIPED IN AND OUT. SO IF THERE'S ANY DISCREPANCY, I CAN INVESTIGATE.

RIGHT NOW, THEY'RE FILLING IN TIMESHEETS. THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE EMPLOYEES ARE THEN ENTERING THAT INFORMATION INTO SAP, AND I HAVE NO REASON TO SUSPECT THAT THOSE ARE ANYTHING BUT ACCURATE.

[02:00:03]

SAINT JEAN. THANKS, CHAIR. HI. I JUST HAVE A QUESTION REGARDING THE POLICE OFFICER EXAM THAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT IN OCTOBER.

AND IF I MISSED THIS, I'M SORRY SOMEBODY ALREADY BROUGHT THIS UP.

BUT WHAT TYPE OF COMMUNITY OUTREACH ARE YOU FOCUSING ON? SO WE'VE REACHED OUT TO EVERY LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY WHO HIRES OFF OF THAT LIST SO THAT IT'S EVERY SUBURBAN TOWN AND VILLAGE POLICE FORCE.

AND HAVE GIVEN THEM BROCHURES. WE HAVE PROVIDED BROCHURES TO ALL LIBRARIES IN THE ERIE COUNTY LIBRARY SYSTEM, AS WELL AS PLANNING ON ATTENDING THE FAIR AND MANNING A TABLE THERE TO PUBLICIZE THE EVENTS.

IF THERE IS ANYTHING YOU HAVE IN YOUR DISTRICT OR FOR ANY LEGISLATOR OF THEIR DISTRICT THAT YOU KNOW, YOU WANT A MEMBER OF MY STAFF TO ATTEND, WE ARE HAPPY TO DO THAT.

IT'S, YOU KNOW, OUR TOP PRIORITY FOR THE REST OF 2026 TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE GET AS MANY PEOPLE ON THIS, ON THIS CIVIL SERVICE LIST FOR POLICE OFFICERS AS POSSIBLE.

I THINK THAT AND I'M SPEAKING FOR MYSELF, AND I ASSUME OTHER LEGISLATORS WOULD JUMP ON FOR THOSE TYPE OF INFORMATION.

I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO GET SOME SORT OF FLIER EMAILED.

I KNOW A LOT OF US ALL HAVE SOCIAL MEDIA AND NEWSLETTERS AND THINGS IN THAT RESULT, WHERE WE CAN ALSO HELP YOU RECRUIT.

IF THIS IS WHERE I FEEL LIKE WE'RE STRUGGLING TO GET PEOPLE TO SIGN UP, I THINK THAT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO COLLABORATE.

SO IF YOU DON'T MIND SENDING OVER WHATEVER FLIERS OR HOWEVER YOU GUYS USUALLY HANDLE THAT, SO WE CAN PUT IT OUT THERE SO PEOPLE KNOW. SO I DID SEND IT TO YOUR CHIEF OF STAFF, AND I DID HAVE COPIES DELIVERED TO HERE WITH OKAY, CAN, CAN YOU DIRECTLY EMAIL IT TO THE LEGISLATOR? DEFINITELY. THANK YOU. AND THEN YOU MENTIONED MOST OF YOUR BUDGET LINES WERE UNDERSPENT FOR SEVERAL OF THEM, LIKE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES ARE UNDERSPENT BECAUSE OF JUST THE TIMING AND WHEN VARIOUS BILLS BECOME DUE.

SO LIKE OUR COMPUTER SYSTEM NEOGOV, THAT BILL COMES IN SECOND HALF OF THE YEAR AND IT EATS UP MOST OF THAT, THAT BUDGET. SO IT'S REALLY, IT'S REALLY MORE OF A TIMING ISSUE THAN NOT UTILIZING THOSE FUNDS.

DO YOU THINK THAT BY THE TIME WE CLOSE OUT THE BOOKS, THAT YOU'RE STILL GOING TO BE UNDER BUDGET OR YOU THINK YOU'LL BE RIGHT ON WHAT YOU'RE BUDGETED FOR? I MEAN, I WOULD SUSPECT RIGHT NOW THAT IT'LL BE SLIGHTLY UNDER BUDGET, BUT NOT DRASTICALLY.

OKAY. AND I JUST ONE MORE COMMENT. YOUR DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN VERY RESPONSIVE FOR ME SPECIFICALLY, SO I APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU JASON. SO I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING.

AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THIS FLIER THAT'S SUPPOSEDLY IN MY MAILBOX.

THANK YOU. LEGISLATOR LINDSAY LORIGO FULL NAMES TODAY.

YEAH. THANK YOU. I, I, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANTED TO SAY I, I DID SEE THE FLIER.

I ACTUALLY, I WAS THRILLED TO SEE MY LOCAL POLICE DEPARTMENTS.

YOU KNOW, IF EVERYBODY WAS AS GOOD AS THE WEST SENECA FACEBOOK POLICE FACEBOOK PAGE, I THINK WE'D HAVE A LOT OF APPLICANTS.

BUT I WAS, I WAS HAPPY TO SEE THAT THAT'S OUT THERE BECAUSE I KNOW THEY ALL NEED PEOPLE AND IT'S, IT'S LIKE A REAL NEED THAT WE HAVE A GAP OF. I JUST WANTED TO QUICK FOLLOW UP ON THE NEGOTIATIONS THAT ARE HAPPENING WITH ALL THESE DIFFERENT UNIONS.

IT'S A LOT, ALL AT ONCE EXPIRING IN 2027. DO YOU HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT COMPETING INTERESTS OR LARGE INCREASES FOR LIKE COST OF LIVING? YOU KNOW, ANYTHING WITH LIKE COLA? IT'S JUST A LOT OF CONTRACTS AT ONCE.

SO I'M CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE WHEN IT COMES BUDGET TIME AND IF THERE'S A LOT OF INCREASES. SO SO FAR WE'VE, WE'VE, WE'VE NEGOTIATED WITH ONE BARGAINING UNIT.

ASKED ME, WE ARE CURRENTLY AT A TABLE WITH PBA.

WE ARE WORKING CLOSELY WITH BUDGET. WE ARE IN CLOSE COMMUNICATION.

WE ARE LOOKING AT ALL THE COLAS. DEFINITELY. ALL THE CONTRACTS EXPIRE THIS YEAR EXCEPT THE CSC CONTRACT.

OKAY. AND WE ARE LOOKING AT OUR NUMBERS REALISTICALLY TO SEE WHAT WE CAN.

WELL, WHAT THE COMFORTABLE POINT WILL BE FOR WOULD BE FOR US.

OKAY. I KNOW IT'S AN ONGOING PROCESS AND YOU CAN'T NEGOTIATE AGAINST YOURSELF, BUT IT'S GOOD JUST TO HAVE A HEADS UP OF LIKE, YOU KNOW, IT'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF CONTRACTS AT ONCE. I DID HAVE JUST ONE OTHER QUESTION.

I KNOW IN COMMISSIONER FORGIVE ME, I DON'T, I THINK I ASK ABOUT THIS EVERY YEAR AND I NEVER REMEMBER THE NAME OF IT.

WE HAD THAT PROGRAM THROUGH THE STATE WHERE IT WAS LIKE A TRIAL PROGRAM WHERE WE LIMITED CIVIL SERVICE EXAMS. ARE WE STILL BEING ABLE TO DO THAT? LIKE TEMPORARILY WAIVE THEM? SO IT'S THE NEW YORK HEALTH PROGRAM. AND SO THIS IS PART OF NEW YORK STATE'S REINVENTION OF THE CIVIL SERVICE SYSTEM.

THE LAST UPDATE THAT I GOT COUPLE MONTHS AGO WAS IT WAS BEING EXTENDED UNTIL 2028.

SO THAT ALLOWS US TO HIRE INDIVIDUALS INTO OPEN POSITIONS WITH PROBATIONARY

[02:05:06]

SO WE'VE USE IT BOTH IN COUNTY GOVERNMENT AS WELL AS THE OTHER TOWNS, VILLAGES, SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT THAT MY DEPARTMENT ASSISTS. NEW YORK STATE IS MOVING TO A NEW SYSTEM WHERE THEY WANT TO HAVE IT MORE OF AN ON DEMAND SYSTEM INSTEAD OF A LONG SERVING CIVIL SERVICE LIST WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO ESSENTIALLY GRADE RESUMES USING AN ONLINE PLATFORM, AND EVERY JOB WILL BE POSTED INDIVIDUALLY.

AND THEN THEN AS PEOPLE PUT IN THEIR INFORMATION INTO THE ONLINE PLATFORM, IT'S GOING TO BE GIVEN A GRADE, AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO HIRE OFF OF OFF OF THAT LIST.

NEW YORK STATE IS STILL BUILDING, DEVELOPING, COLLECTING, GATHERING, GATHERING DATA FOR THAT NEW SYSTEM.

SO IT'S GOING TO TAKE A COUPLE OF YEARS FOR THEM TO TO BUILD.

SO UNTIL THEN, THEY HAVE SORT OF PROVIDED THIS TO ALL CIVIL SERVICE AGENCIES AS SORT OF A BRIDGE PROGRAM UNTIL THIS NEW SYSTEM IS UP AND RUNNING.

OKAY. SO WE DO EXPECT THAT PROGRAM TO BE EXTENDED UNTIL WE KIND OF HAVE THIS NEW ERA.

IT HAS BEEN EXTENDED UNTIL 2028. AND THEN IF I'M SURE IF IT'S DELAYED, IT'LL BE IMPLEMENTED EVEN LONGER.

SO NEW YORK STATE HAS OPENED IT UP ESSENTIALLY TO EVERY POSITION EXCEPT FOR POSITIONS THAT REQUIRE A POLICE OR PEACE OFFICER STATUS. SO PAROLE OFFICERS, POLICE OFFICERS, DEPUTY SHERIFFS, CORRECTIONS OFFICERS, THEY ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR THIS PROGRAM. BUT ESSENTIALLY EVERY OTHER EVERY OTHER POSITION IS UP WITHIN ERIE COUNTY BECAUSE WE HAVE SUCH STRONG UNION CONTRACTS. IT'S, IT'S WHAT ENDS UP HAPPENING IS THAT WE ARE ABLE TO FILL POSITIONS IN TWO ENTRY LEVEL POSITIONS.

AND THEN BECAUSE CONTRACTS ESSENTIALLY HAVE TO PROMOTE PEOPLE AS VARIOUS JOBS BECOME OPEN.

SO WHAT, WHAT TENDS TO BE HAPPENING RIGHT NOW IS WE'RE GETTING PEOPLE FROM THE STREETS INTO ENTRY LEVEL POSITIONS AND THEY'RE BEING PROMOTED UP THE LINE. SO. OKAY. SOUNDS GOOD. THANK YOU.

LEGISLATOR. SO I DON'T HAVE FLIERS IN MY MAILBOX.

I'M THE ONLY ONE OTHER PEOPLE DO. SO IF YOU DON'T MIND SENDING ME FLIERS THAT IT'LL BE HERE BY, BY, BY THE END OF THE DAY. THANKS. ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME TODAY. THANK YOU.

UP NEXT, WE HAVE THE COUNTY ATTORNEY. HI. I.

LOVE. YOUR LEFT. NOW I GOT AN EXCUSE. OH, HE'S GOT HIS GLASSES. OH, DON'T GET SERIOUS.

DON'T TAKE YOUR GLASSES OFF. YOU GOT TO PUT THEM ON AND YOU GOT TO LOOK OVER THEM.

THAT'S HOW I KNOW I'M IN TROUBLE, YOU KNOW. ALL RIGHT, MR. TOTH, THANKS FOR JOINING US TODAY. HOW IS THE BUDGET AT MID-YEAR AND THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE?

[County Attorney]

JEREMY TOTH, COUNTY ATTORNEY. TOTALLY OFF TOPIC, BUT MAYBE INTERESTING TO THIS BODY.

IF YOU GO TO OUR WEBSITE, YOU CAN CURRENTLY SEE THE LIST OF CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS APPROVED FOR APPLICATIONS TO THE STADIUM SUITE.

THIS IS A LIST THAT'S UPDATED SORT OF IN REAL TIME, BUT RIGHT NOW IT STARTS WITH THE ALLENTOWN ASSOCIATION AND IT GOES, I DON'T KNOW, ABOUT 100 DOWN TO THE ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF BUFFALO.

SO SO FAR THAT SEEMS TO BE WORKING. JENNIFER JOWSEY IN DISS HAS JUST DONE A TREMENDOUS JOB OF SETTING UP THE WEBSITE AND THE PORTAL.

AND SO THAT SEEMS TO BE GOING GOING WELL ANYWAY.

SO THE BUDGET RIGHT NOW STARTING WITH THE BIGGEST POT OF MONEY IN MY BUDGET IS THE INDIGENT DEFENSE. BY FAR THE BIGGEST. SO LAST YEAR WE STARTED, WE SHIFTED OVER FELONIES IN THE CITY OF BUFFALO FROM ASSIGNED COUNSEL TO LEGAL AID. AND THAT'S BEEN GOING WELL FOR ABOUT A YEAR.

AND IN JANUARY, WE SHIFTED THE TOWN OF CHEEKTOWAGA FROM ASSIGNED COUNSEL TO LEGAL AID.

SO I DON'T HAVE SPECIFIC IT'S TOO SOON TO FIGURE OUT IF WE'RE SAVING MONEY.

I THINK WE ARE. MY HOPE IS THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO DETERMINE FOR NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET SOME COST SAVINGS IN THAT SHIFT. I DO GET THE SENSE THAT THE, THAT THE COURT SYSTEM, THE CLIENTS, THE LEGAL

[02:10:10]

AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO MONITOR IT. LEGAL AID IS LOOKING TO EXPAND ITS SERVICES INTO AMHERST NEXT, BUT IT'S A LITTLE PREMATURE. I DON'T WANT TO JUMP THE GUN BECAUSE IT'S JUST TOO SOON TO FIGURE OUT IF WE'RE SAVING MONEY.

I DON'T THINK IT'S TOO SOON TO SAY WE ARE PROVIDING COMPETENT REPRESENTATION TO THE INDIGENT IN THIS COMMUNITY, AS WE ALWAYS HAVE. BUT I DO THINK IT'S TOO SOON TO SAY WHETHER OR NOT WE ARE SAVING ANY MONEY IN THIS SHIFT.

AND JUST AS A REMINDER, THIS CAME ABOUT WHEN THE STATE INCREASED THE HOURLY FEES FOR ASSIGNED COUNCIL FROM $75 FOR FELONIES, $60 FOR MISDEMEANORS. EVERYTHING IS NOW $152 AN HOUR.

AND SO THAT SORT OF PROMPTED THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE TO REALLY TAKE A DEEP DIVE AND A DEEP LOOK, AS WELL AS SOME AUDITS THAT THE COMPTROLLER DID.

AND SO THIS IS PROCESS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR TWO AND A HALF YEARS NOW.

IT WILL CONTINUE. THE NEXT STEP ALSO IS WE ARE HOPEFULLY NEXT YEAR AND I BELIEVE THIS BODY HAS APPROVED THE CONTRACT.

WE ARE SHIFTING FAMILY COURT WORK FROM ASSIGNED COUNSEL TO LEGAL AID.

THAT SHOULD BE A SIGNIFICANT COST SAVINGS. BUT AGAIN, IT'S JUST TOO, TOO SOON TO KNOW.

I FEEL COMFORTABLE PREDICTING A COST SAVINGS.

I JUST DON'T KNOW IF IT WILL BE TENS OF DOLLARS OR DOZENS OF DOLLARS OR HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS.

IT'S JUST IT'S JUST TOO SOON. BUT WE WILL CONTINUE TO PUSH FORWARD AND PROVIDE THE CONSTITUTIONALLY MANDATED SERVICES LEGAL REPRESENTATION AT THE MOST EFFECTIVE COST.

SO THAT'S THE BIGGEST POT OF MONEY. SO SO THAT'S GOOD NEWS.

I THINK IT'S GOOD NEWS ANYWAY, IN TERMS OF RISK.

I THINK IT'S SAFE TO SAY THAT THAT THE $5 MILLION, AT LEAST OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, HAS NOT BEEN ENOUGH TO, TO LAST THROUGH THE CALENDAR YEAR. SO CURRENTLY IN THIS YEAR'S RISK RETENTION OF THE 5 MILLION, WE'VE SPENT 700, YOU KNOW, AND I SHOULD SAY I'M HERE WITH ROBERT CATHCART.

HE'S THE ACCOUNTANT FOR THE LAW DEPARTMENT. SO BUT WE'VE SPENT $740,000 IN INSURANCE.

HOPEFULLY THIS WEEK I AM GOING TO BE SUBMITTING AN AMENDMENT TO THE STADIUM SECURITY AGREEMENT IN WHICH THE BILLS AND THE COUNTY HAVE AGREED TO FOREGO AN INSURANCE POLICY FOR CONDUCT BY SHERIFF DEPUTIES ON GAME DAY AND INSTEAD USE THE RISK RETENTION FUND TO COVER ANY LITIGATION COSTS THAT MAY ARISE.

THE REASON FOR THAT IS PRINCIPALLY, OUR INSURANCE CARRIER DROPPED THE COVERAGE, SO WE HAD TO FIND A NEW CARRIER.

AND OUR BROKER, LOLLY, EXPECTS ANY COVERAGE TO BE WELL IN EXCESS OF HALF $1 MILLION.

SO RATHER THAN SPEND A HALF $1 MILLION ON A $1 MILLION POLICY, THE BILLS IN THE COUNTY HAVE AGREED TO NOT REQUIRE THE COUNTY TO SPEND THAT HALF MILLION DOLLARS ON INSURANCE POLICY.

AND INSTEAD USE THE RISK RETENTION FUND, AS I SAID, TO COVER ANY.

THE REASON I'M SAYING THAT IS BECAUSE THE $740,000 THAT WE'VE ALREADY SPENT IN INSURANCE PREMIUMS. LAST YEAR, WE SPENT 1.5 MILLION AND ABOUT 600,000 OF THAT WAS THIS INSURANCE PREMIUM.

SO I DO EXPECT MORE IN OUR POLICIES. THE BIG ONES FOR THE INSURANCE POLICIES THAT ARE PAID OUT OF RISK.

WE HAVE A $540,000 PREMIUM FOR PROPERTY INSURANCE.

YOU KNOW, THIS BUILDING, THE RATH BUILDING, SOME OF OUR OTHER BIG BUILDINGS NEXT YEAR WHEN THE STADIUM IS NO LONGER OURS, THAT $539,000 PREMIUM SHOULD DROP BY ABOUT 120 TO $140,000.

WE ALSO HAVE OUR CYBER SECURITY POLICIES, $165,000 POLICY.

AND THEN WE HAVE SOME SMALLER POLICIES. THEFT SOME FIDUCIARY STUFF OUTSIDE COUNSEL.

WE HAVE SPENT THIS YEAR JUST OVER $1 MILLION IN OUTSIDE COUNSEL.

IN 2025, WE SPENT 2.6 2024 WE SPENT THREE. SO WE'RE TRENDING LOWER THIS YEAR.

BUT IT'S STILL $1 MILLION. AND WE'RE ONLY HALFWAY THROUGH THE YEAR.

[02:15:02]

THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE THE OBVIOUSLY, THE $21 MILLION THAT THIS BODY AUTHORIZED.

SO BETWEEN THOSE THREE POOLS OF MONEY WERE, YOU KNOW, OVER WERE 4.2 MILLION LEAVING ABOUT $800,000 LEFT FOR THE YEAR, WHICH MEANS RIGHT NOW I'M NOT SETTLING ANY SIGNIFICANT CASES BECAUSE I JUST DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO DO THAT.

I'M GOING TO WORK WITH BUDGET TO FIGURE OUT MAYBE AND COME TO THIS BODY TO TRANSFER SOME MONEY IN THE OTHER LINES THAT I CONTROL OR ARE PART OF THE LAW DEPARTMENT PROFESSIONAL SERVICES.

WE'VE SPENT ABOUT HALF OF THAT. THAT'S ABOUT $400,000 OF THE 800 THIS BODY AUTHORIZED AND THE STADIUM COMPLIANCE THIS BODY AUTHORIZED 650,000. WE'VE SPENT JUST UNDER 400. THE MOST OF THAT MONEY OF THAT $400,000 GOES TO GOES TO BACKUP FOR BILL GEARY AND HIS TEAM TO DO INSPECTIONS BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES TO DO ALL THE INSPECTIONS NECESSARY TO GET THE STADIUM UP AND RUNNING. THE GOOD NEWS IS WHILE THERE'S A LOT OF WORK LEFT TO DO THE SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF THAT IS DONE. AND SO I DON'T EXPECT TO EXHAUST THE REST OF THAT OR IT'LL BE CLOSE.

IN ANY EVENT, AS I SAID, WE SPENT JUST UNDER $400,000 AND THIS BODY AUTHORIZED 650,000.

AND THAT'S MY PRESENTATION. SO OVERALL, YOU'RE EITHER AT OR UNDER BUDGET ACROSS YOUR DEPARTMENT.

WELL, I MEAN NO RISK. I'M ABOVE I MEAN, RISK IS GOING TO REQUIRE I DON'T THINK I I'M NOT GOING TO HAVE ENOUGH MONEY FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR FOR BILLS AND FOR SETTLEMENTS. IN THE RISK ACCOUNT, THE OTHER ACCOUNTS, I THINK I'M IN GOOD SHAPE.

BUT THE RISK ACCOUNT, I MEAN THE FACT IS $5 MILLION IS JUST, I DON'T THINK ENOUGH TO COVER A YEAR'S WORTH OF SETTLEMENTS OUTSIDE COUNCIL AND INSURANCE PREMIUMS. AND I'VE GOT TO WORK WITH BUDGET TO, TO COME UP WITH A, A DIFFERENT APPROACH BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, LAST YEAR WE, WE STRUGGLED AT THE SAME TIME. AND WHAT I ENDED UP DOING WAS THOUGH WE AGREED ON SETTLEMENT AND 4 OR 5 CASES, WE, WE AGREED WITH PLAINTIFF'S ATTORNEY TO PAY THEM IN 2026.

RIGHT. AND SO THAT MEANS MY SETTLEMENT COSTS WERE BOOSTED IN THE FIRST HALF OF THIS YEAR BECAUSE WE WERE BECAUSE WE WERE PAYING OUT ON SETTLEMENTS THAT WE REACHED IN 2025 BUT DIDN'T PAY FOR UNTIL 2026.

WE DO HAVE SOME LEVEL OF CONTROL OVER THE TIMING OF THESE.

I MEAN, SO LONG AS YEAH, CERTAINLY IN THE SETTLEMENT CONTEXT, YES, YOU KNOW, A TRIAL IS DIFFERENT, BUT MOST THINGS GET SETTLED AND WE CAN WORK WITH PLAINTIFF'S COUNSEL.

BUT IF I KEEP JUST SORT OF PUSHING THEM OFF SIX MONTHS, THEN I KNOW IT CATCHES UP.

AND THAT'S WHAT I'M FINDING THIS YEAR AS IT CAUGHT UP, BECAUSE WE HAD SEVERAL TRIALS LAST YEAR THAT WE CAME TO SETTLEMENT, BUT WE DIDN'T PAY UNTIL THIS YEAR. OKAY. OTHER QUESTIONS.

VINAL. COULD YOU JUST EXPLAIN ON THE THIS. THE SHERIFFS AT THE OLD STADIUM AND THE NEW STADIUM.

AND LAST YEAR VERSUS THIS YEAR, IF THE NUMBER OF SHERIFFS INCREASED THERE.

IS THAT WHY THE INSURANCE WENT UP SO MUCH? NO.

I MEAN, INSURANCE COSTS HAVE JUST GONE UP. I DON'T HAVE A REAL I DON'T HAVE I MEAN, WE COULD ASK THE BROKER TO EXPLAIN IT.

PAT QUINN AT LAWLEY. I DON'T HAVE A GOOD EXPLANATION AS TO WHY INSURANCE COSTS HAVE GONE UP, EXCEPT THAT INSURANCE COSTS ACROSS THE BOARD HAVE GONE UP.

AND I THINK THAT'S AT LEAST IN SOME PART DUE TO A LITIGIOUS ATMOSPHERE THAT TENDS OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS TO, TO FAVOR PLAINTIFFS OVER DEFENDANTS.

AND THAT WAXES AND WANES, RIGHT AS THREE YEARS, 4 OR 5 YEARS.

YOU KNOW, PEOPLE FEEL LIKE IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE PLAINTIFF FRIENDLY.

AND THEN AND THEN IT SWITCHES BACK TO DEFENSE.

BUT THE IRONY OF IT GOING UP IS, I CAN ONLY THINK OF ONE CLAIM THAT WE EVER PUT IN AGAINST THAT INSURANCE PREMIUM.

SO I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHY IT WAS GOING UP, BUT IT WASN'T JUST GOING UP.

I THINK IT WAS TRAVELERS INSURANCE DROPPED THE COVERAGE SO THEY WERE NO LONGER GOING TO OFFER IT.

SO IT WASN'T JUST THAT IT WAS GOING UP. IT WAS, IS THERE IS IT THE SAME NUMBER OF OFFICERS BEFORE AND NOW,

[02:20:02]

THE INSURANCE COMPANY AND I REGULARLY GET THE LAST FEW YEARS, I WOULD GET A BILL FOR, SAY, 160, 180 $200,000 BECAUSE WHAT THEY PREDICTED WAS THE EXPOSURE WAS NOT THE EXPOSURE WAS GREATER, BUT THAT'S LARGELY BECAUSE OF THE TEAM'S SUCCESS.

PLAYOFF GAMES AT HOME. AND JUST MORE ATTENDEES, WHICH REQUIRE MORE OFFICERS.

BUT I DON'T KNOW. I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE DEPLOYMENT OR THE NUMBER.

AND THEN IS IT WAS THE TEAM SUPPOSED TO PAY THOSE COSTS OR NOT? SO THE TEAM PAYS IN THE OLD STADIUM AGREEMENT THEY PAY $100,000.

SO WHEN WE ORIGINALLY CAME TO THAT AGREEMENT, $100,000 WAS ROUGHLY 50% OF THE INSURANCE.

BUT IT WAS NO, IT'S NO LONGER IN THE NEW AGREEMENT.

THEY WERE PAYING UP TO $250,000, BUT IT WAS STILL PURCHASING A HALF MILLION DOLLAR POLICY FOR $1 MILLION OF COVERAGE.

SO WHAT THE AGREEMENT THAT I'M GOING TO SEND OVER, HOPEFULLY THIS WEEK IS THE BILLS WILL CONTINUE TO PAY $250,000 TOWARDS DEFENSE COSTS, BUT RATHER THAN PAY IT TO AN INSURANCE POLICY, THEY'LL PAY IT TO RISK.

SO ARE THEY GOING TO PAY? PART OF THE INSURANCE POLICY IS INDEMNIFICATION AND DEFENSE.

ARE THEY ARE THE BILLS GOING TO PAY. ARE THEY GOING TO PAY FOR THE ACTUAL INDEMNIFICATION.

THEY WILL PAY UP TO $250,000 IN AN ANNUAL YEAR JUST FOR DEFENSE, BUT NOT FOR THE INDEMNIFICATION.

WELL, FOR DEFENSE AND INDEMNIFICATION. IF IF IF THE DEFENSE COSTS $500,000, THE COUNTY WOULD SPLIT THAT COST BETWEEN THE BILLS AND US BE DONE FOR THAT YEAR AND WOULD NOT BE REQUIRED TO PAY ANY MORE.

AND IS THAT IS THAT A NEW AGREEMENT OR IS THAT AGREEMENT THAT'S COMING DOWN THE PIKE? THAT'S I MEAN, THE CURRENT AGREEMENT HAS THEM PAYING $250,000 TOWARDS AN INSURANCE PREMIUM.

THE AMENDED AGREEMENT HAS THEM PAYING $250,000 TOWARDS DEFENSE AND INDEMNITY ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.

IS THAT COMING TO US OR THAT ALREADY WAS PART OF SOMETHING IS MY POINT THERE.

IN OTHER WORDS, THEY'RE CAPPING OFF THEIR LIABILITY AND WE HAVE UNLIMITED LIABILITY.

WE HAVE NO INSURANCE POLICY. CORRECT. SO I'M SAYING THAT IS THAT ALREADY DID THAT COME BEFORE US AND THAT.

NO NO NO I HAVE TO. THAT'S SO SO THE ORIGINAL AGREEMENT OBVIOUSLY YOU VOTED ON IT IN 2023.

YEAH. WE ARE AMENDING THAT AGREEMENT. SO THE BILLS EXPOSURE IS THE SAME.

THE COUNTY'S EXPOSURE, THE COUNTY THE COUNTY'S EXPOSURE IS ONLY BETWEEN $250,000 AND $1 MILLION, BECAUSE THE INSURANCE POLICY ONLY COVERED UP TO $1 MILLION ANYWAY.

SO WE WERE ALREADY ON THE HOOK FOR ANYTHING OVER $1 MILLION.

IS THAT 250? I WANT TO PIGGYBACK ON THAT QUESTION.

GO AHEAD PLEASE. IS THAT 250? ONLY IF IT OCCURS.

CORRECT. SO THEY'RE NOT JUST. WOULDN'T IT BE BETTER IF THEY JUST PAID US THE 250 EVERY YEAR AND WE PUT IT IN THE FUND? I MEAN, THEY'RE NOT WILLING TO DO THAT. SO WHY WOULD THEY JUST GIVE US $250,000? BECAUSE WE'RE BECAUSE WE'RE ASSUMING ALL LIABILITY.

BUT WE ASSUMED ALL LIABILITY ANYWAY. AND THEY'RE STILL ONLY 250, RIGHT.

THEY PAID FOR THREE YEARS. I MEAN, WERE THEY ACTUALLY THE INSURER? YES. AS WE ARE WITH VIRTUALLY EVERYTHING THEY'RE PAYING THE 250 NOW ANYWAYS.

THEY ARE PAYING THE 250 NOW SO IT'S NO INCREASE TO THEIR BUDGET.

IT WOULD HAVE BEEN NO INCREASE TO THEIR BUDGET. THAT'S CORRECT. BUT SO WHY WOULDN'T WE JUST CONTINUE TO ASK FOR THE 250.

BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT WILLING TO ADJUST. THEIR RISK IS THAT WE ARE NO LONGER HAVE AN INSURANCE POLICY COVERING THESE MATTERS. AND SO EVEN THOUGH WE WILL BE ON THE HOOK, THE BILLS WILL BE SUED.

ABSOLUTELY. SO THEY WILL HAVE THEIR OWN AND THEY WILL NOT BE ABLE TO TURN IT OVER TO AN INSURANCE CARRIER.

THEY'LL HAVE TO TURN IT OVER TO US. AND SO WHAT I'M SURE THEY WILL OBTAIN A POLICY.

NOT FOR SURE. WELL, I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE GOING TO.

I MEAN, THEY HAVE THEIR OBVIOUSLY THEIR OWN INSURANCE POLICIES.

GETTING BACK TO WHY, IF THE CONTRACT IS CHANGING, WHAT IS THE BENEFIT OF US PROVIDING SHERIFF DEPUTIES VERSUS THEM HAVING PRIVATE SECURITY OR USING THE STATE POLICE, SINCE WE DON'T OWN THE BUILDING ANYMORE? RIGHT. WELL, BECAUSE THE AGREEMENT THAT THIS BODY PASSED INCLUDED A STADIUM SECURITY AGREEMENT,

[02:25:05]

AND THIS IS PART OF IT. WE'RE AMENDING THAT AGREEMENT. WE'RE AMENDING THAT AGREEMENT FOR THE INSURANCE POLICY. YEAH, YEAH. ALL RIGHT.

WELL, LEGISLATOR LORIGO, I THOUGHT SOMEBODY ELSE ALREADY SAID SOMETHING.

I JUST WANT TO TALK ABOUT SETTLEMENTS. LOOKING AT WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW.

SETTLEMENTS. I KNOW THIS IS A CONVERSATION YOU'RE HAVING WITH BUDGET. ARE THERE ANY LARGE SETTLEMENTS THAT YOU SEE COMING UP THAT COULD BE A PROBLEM IN THE NEAR FUTURE? I MEAN, OR POTENTIAL. YES, I HAVE AT ANY GIVEN TIME, I HAVE 30 CASES ROUGHLY 30 CASES, MAYBE 40 THAT I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU CONSIDER LARGE, BUT ANY TIME I'M GETTING IN THE HIGH SIX FIGURES OR SEVEN FIGURES. YEAH. THEN YEAH, I'VE ALWAYS GOT.

AND WE ALWAYS DO. RIGHT. WE YOU KNOW, OUR EXPOSURE RANGES, YOU KNOW, DEPENDING ON WHICH CHART YOU LOOK AT CERTAINLY OVER $100 MILLION ON ANY GIVEN YEAR. SO IT'S TOUGH TO TIME EXACTLY WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO NEED TO SETTLE SOMETHING.

USUALLY THERE'S A COUPLE INFLECTION POINTS IN LITIGATION.

ONE OF THOSE IS THE SUMMARY JUDGMENT STAGE. SO ARE YOU GOING TO FILE A MOTION.

ARE YOU GOING TO WIN IT. CAN WE JUST SETTLE IT AFTER SUMMARY JUDGMENT.

ASSUMING YOU LOSE THEN THERE'S A TRIAL SET. AND THAT'S WHEN THAT'S WHEN SETTLEMENT NEGOTIATIONS GENERALLY RAMP UP.

I HAVE SEVERAL CASES NOW I'D LIKE TO SETTLE, BUT I JUST CAN'T, I CAN'T OFFER WHAT? I THINK I NEED TO OFFER TO SETTLE THEM. BECAUSE I JUST DON'T HAVE THE, THE RESOURCES TO DO IT RIGHT NOW.

IN LOOKING AT THE BUDGET LAST YEAR AND WHERE WE'RE AT NOW, WERE THERE TO BE AT THE POINT THAT WE'RE ONLY HALFWAY THROUGH THE YEAR AND YOU DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES THAT YOU NEED, YOU KNOW, WAS THERE. COULD WE HAVE BUDGETED BETTER FOR THIS LAST YEAR? OR IS THIS JUST. I MEAN, YES, I WILL. I MEAN, THAT'S NOT A CRITICISM.

NO, NO NO. AND IT'S A FAIR POINT. SO THE PROBLEM I MEAN THIS IS WHAT FRUSTRATES ME IF I CAN JUST BE HONEST.

SO RIGHT NOW I'M SITTING HERE MID-YEAR BUDGET, RIGHT.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MID-YEAR BUDGET. I ALSO RIGHT NOW HAVE TO TELL MARK WHAT NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET LOOKS LIKE RIGHT NOW.

I MEAN, I THEY DIDN'T TEACH US THAT IN LAW SCHOOL.

SO YOU KNOW, I DO THINK I'M GOING TO ASK BUDGET FOR MORE THAN $5 MILLION NEXT YEAR BECAUSE THIS IS THIS IS A RECURRING THEME THAT, THE $5 MILLION DOESN'T GET US THROUGH THE YEAR.

AND I'M, I'M DOING MY BEST. I MEAN, OUTSIDE COUNCIL DOLLARS WILL BE LOWER.

I THINK SETTLEMENT CERTAINLY WILL BE LOWER THAN IT WAS IN 2024, WHICH WAS 2024.

WE SPENT $6.5 MILLION IN SETTLEMENTS. NOW, HALF OF THAT WAS ONE CASE.

BUT AT ANY GIVEN TIME, I HAVE, YOU KNOW, 30 OR 40 OF THOSE SORTS OF CASES.

AND SO, YOU KNOW I AM GOING TO ASK BUDGET NEXT YEAR FOR MORE RISK.

I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'LL GIVE IT TO ME. AND I DON'T KNOW IF THIS BODY WILL GIVE IT TO ME.

RIGHT. BECAUSE IT'S IT'S, IT'S SORT OF A FUTURE COST AND IT'S A GUESS.

SURE. IT'S ONE RANDOM QUESTION. YOU KNOW, LAWYERS ARE THE WORST.

I AGREE. YEAH I AGREE. IF RISK RETENTION GOES UP, DOES THAT EVER COME UP IN A CONVERSATION IN SETTLEMENTS.

MEANING THE DOLLAR AMOUNT. NO I DON'T THINK THE PLAINTIFF'S BAR OR THE JUDICIARY CARES ONE LICK ABOUT MY BUDGET OR RISK RETENTION OR I THINK THE GENERAL EXPECTATION IS THAT THE COUNTY HAS $2 BILLION.

AND SO WHAT'S A $10 MILLION SETTLEMENT? SURE.

$2 BILLION ORGANIZATION. YEAH. AND THEN LOOKING AT THE SETTLEMENTS, I THINK IT'S SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, WE GET THOSE TWO REPORTS THAT COME OVER TO THE LEGISLATURE AND THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, I KNOW FOR LEGAL REASONS, WE CAN'T WE CAN ONLY KNOW SO MUCH ABOUT THE SETTLEMENTS.

BUT I LOOK AT LIKE WHAT THE COMMON COUNCIL HAS AND HOW THEY HAVE THAT COMMITTEE THAT REVIEWS THE CLAIMS.

[02:30:03]

BUT I'D HAVE TO LOOK INTO OTHERS. BUT WOULD YOU BE OPEN TO KIND OF HAVING A CONVERSATION ABOUT MAYBE WHAT THAT REPORTING LOOKS LIKE GOING FORWARD? I MEAN, AT ANY TIME WE CAN GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION AND I WILL GIVE YOU THE BLOW BY BLOW PAINFUL DETAIL OF ANY NEGOTIATION AND ANY SETTLEMENT THAT WE'VE ARRIVED AT AND ALL THE PEOPLE THAT WERE INVOLVED AND THE DISCUSSIONS AND THE DECISIONS THAT WENT INTO IT, AND THE DIFFERENT PEOPLE THAT I CONSULTED WITH BEFORE WE REACHED.

AND THAT WILL INCLUDE TIMES WHERE I THOUGHT WE OVERPAID, AND THAT WILL INCLUDE TIMES WHEN I THINK WE, QUITE FRANKLY, UNDERPAID. IT SOUNDS LIKE A THERAPY SESSION YOU'RE LOOKING AT.

WELL, THAT'S THAT'D BE FINE. IF PEOPLE WANT TO DO A LITTLE THERAPY, I'M ALL FOR IT BECAUSE I COULD USE IT, BUT I DON'T WANT TO DO THAT PUBLICLY. SURE. AND QUITE FRANKLY, I DON'T KNOW THAT THIS BODY WANTS TO BE THE COMMON COUNCIL.

I THINK IT'S ANYTHING OVER 50,000 THEY HAVE TO SIGN OFF ON.

I DON'T QUITE UNDERSTAND. I MEAN, THE NEGOTIATIONS AND A SETTLEMENT THAT TO ME SEEMS LIKE AN OVER COMPLICATION AND MIGHT, IN THE END, COST THE CITY MORE MONEY WHERE YOU LOSE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SETTLE SOMETHING.

I DON'T THINK THAT'S GOOD PUBLIC POLICY. BUT PERSONALLY, I WOULD BE HAPPY TO SHARE ANY INFORMATION ON ANY SETTLEMENT.

AS LONG AS SANDI TAN CAN'T VIDEOTAPE ME WHILE WE'RE DOING IT.

WELL, WE'RE ALWAYS ON CAMERA NOW, SO I KNOW. ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU. LEGISLATOR. I BELIEVE LEGISLATOR LORIGO HAS A MIC OVER HERE BECAUSE I WAS JUST TALKING TO LEGISLATOR DUPREE ABOUT THE CLAIMS COMMITTEE BECAUSE WHEN I WAS THE CHIEF OF STAFF AT THE COMMON COUNCIL, WE HAD A CLAIMS COMMITTEE THAT MET MONTHLY AND ALWAYS WENT TO EXECUTIVE SESSION BECAUSE IT WOULD OPEN US UP TO EXPOSURE ON JUST DIFFERENT CASES.

AND THEN WITH THAT, THERE WERE RANGES FROM ALL OVER.

BUT SOMETHING I REALIZED BEING IN THAT ROOM BECAUSE NOT EVERYONE WAS ALLOWED TO BE IN THE ROOM, EVERYBODY GETS KICKED OFF. AND WE HAVE TO SPEAK PRIVATELY ABOUT CERTAIN SITUATIONS.

IT DID OFTEN SLOW DOWN SOME SETTLEMENTS THAT ENDED UP COSTING US A LITTLE BIT LATER ON A LITTLE BIT MORE.

SO I GUESS FOR ME, MY QUESTION TO YOU IS, WOULD YOU PREFER US TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS IN A CLAIMS COMMITTEE, OR DO YOU JUST THINK WE SHOULD JUST MEET QUARTERLY AND JUST TALK ABOUT, THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO BE COSTING US A LITTLE BIT MORE? BECAUSE I KNOW IN THE PAST WHEN I WORKED IN A LAW DEPARTMENT, EVERYTHING CHANGES EVERY DAY.

YOU'RE GOING TO YOU'RE GOING TO THINK YOU'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO SETTLE SOMETHING AND YOU GET A PHONE CALL AND THEN THEY WANT MORE MONEY. LIKE THAT'S THE NAME OF THE GAME. SO WHAT WOULD YOU SUGGEST FOR US, OUR, THIS BODY TO BE ABLE TO NOT ONLY BE INFORMED, BUT TO BE ABLE TO BE A PARTNER INSTEAD OF HINDERING YOUR DEPARTMENT? I MEAN, ANYTIME YOU AS A, ANYTIME YOU WANT TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION WE COULD SET IT UP WHERE I REPORT ON, YOU KNOW, PAST SETTLEMENTS OVER THE LAST QUARTER OR I COULD REPORT TO YOU YOU KNOW, BIG SETTLEMENTS THAT, THAT I THINK ARE COMING DOWN OR THAT WE'RE IN MEDIATION OVER.

I MEAN, HOW REALLY, HOWEVER YOU WANT TO DO IT DEPENDS ON WHAT INFORMATION IT IS THAT YOU ARE LOOKING FOR.

IN TERMS OF SORT OF THE BOTTOM LINE, I DON'T KNOW THAT HAVING THAT EXECUTIVE SESSION IS GOING TO GIVE YOU ANY MORE SENSE OF WHY ONE YEAR IT'S 2 MILLION AND THE NEXT YEAR IT'S THREE.

IT NEVER. THAT'S I THINK THAT'S WHERE I WANT TO DRIVE HOME, WHERE THERE'S NEVER GOING TO BE A REASON WHY WE PAID SOMEONE $20,000 AND WE PAID SOMEONE $1 MILLION, UNFORTUNATELY. AND BY THAT TIME, WE'RE MAKING THOSE HARD DECISIONS.

I THINK FROM WHAT I'M HEARING FROM THE BODY AND SOME, SOME SOME OF THE LEGISLATORS, THEY WANTED TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS, WHICH I KNOW ME AND YOU WOULD HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS, BUT MAYBE HAVING THAT AS A QUARTERLY DISCUSSION OR LET US KNOW, HEY, THIS IS GOING TO BE A BIG ONE, BUT I UNDERSTAND YOUR POSITION WHERE YOU DON'T KNOW HOW BIG IT'S GOING TO BE UNTIL UNTIL IT IS UNTIL IT IS, UNTIL IT IS. SO I GUESS FOR, FOR THIS BODY I THINK IT'S INTERESTING IF WE'RE GOING TO MIRROR THE COMMON COUNCIL, I DO WANT TO NOTE IT WAS NOT FUNCTIONAL ALWAYS.

[02:35:04]

SO THAT'S SOMETHING FOR US TO NOTE. YES, WE ALL, THEY, EVERYONE GOT A PRIVATE BINDERS WITH THE INFORMATION OF THE CASES, BUT WE CAN ASK FOR THAT NOW CONFIDENTIALLY. SO JUST SOMETHING FOR US TO LIKE KNOW THE BACKGROUND IF WE DID WANT TO GO THAT DIRECTION BECAUSE IT'S A DOUBLE EDGED SWORD.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU. THANKS. LEGISLATOR GREENE JUST CHIME IN MY $0.02.

SAME TOPIC. YOU KNOW SPEAK FOR I'M NOT GOING TO SPEAK NECESSARILY FOR LEADER MILLS OR LEGISLATOR BARGNESI, BUT WE ALL SERVED IN OUR TOWN BOARDS AND THAT'S, YOU KNOW, PART EXECUTIVE, PART LEGISLATIVE RESPONSIBILITIES.

SO WE WERE ACTUALLY MORE IN LINE WITH THE, YOU KNOW WITH THE LAWSUITS AS THEY WOULD COME THROUGH, KIND OF LIKE WHERE YOU MIGHT BE CONSULTING WITH THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE, RIGHT.

BUT I DO THINK, YOU KNOW, KIND OF GETTING APPRIZED OF THE MAJOR ONES A LITTLE BIT EARLIER IS NOT THE WORST IDEA.

SO I KNOW LEGISLATOR SAINT JEANNE HAD THE SAME IDEA GOING MAYBE A QUARTERLY UPDATE AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

BUT NOW THAT I'M KIND OF RUMINATING AND THINKING ABOUT IT YOU KNOW, JUST KIND OF ON A PER CASE BASIS WHEN YOU SEE THESE BIGGER ONES COMING THROUGH, I THINK MORE OF AN INFORMATIONAL PIECE TO JUST SAY, HEY, YOU KNOW, WE GOT A MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR SETTLEMENT THAT WE'RE WORKING ON.

HERE'S THE UPDATE BECAUSE I BELIEVE, YOU KNOW, AT LEAST ON THE TOWN BOARD LEVEL ANY, ANY YOU KNOW, PENDING LITIGATION WAS JUSTIFICATION FOR EXECUTIVE SESSION.

SO THAT'S, I'M HAPPY TO DO IT TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY.

AND SO EVERY YEAR EVERY, EVERY LITIGATOR IN THE OFFICE AS A PART OF OUR INDEPENDENT AUDIT AND EVERY OUTSIDE COUNSEL PROVIDES TO THE INDEPENDENT AUDITOR AN ASSESSMENT OF ALL OF THE FILES THAT THEY HAVE.

AND WE CATEGORIZE THEM AS REMOTE PROBABLE AND I THINK POSSIBLE.

AND FOR THE PROBABLE AND THE POSSIBLE, WE HAVE TO GIVE A LOW RANGE AND A HIGH RANGE.

AND SO IT'S A SNAPSHOT IN TIME. BUT WE GO THROUGH THAT EXERCISE EVERY YEAR.

AND SO I CAN ANSWER IN EXECUTIVE SESSION WHAT WE VALUE ANY OF THESE CASES AT ANY GIVEN TIME.

YOU KNOW, AND I THINK IT'S FAIR TO SAY THAT THE, THE SHERIFF CASES BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF THAT WORK IS WHERE MOST OF OUR EXPOSURE IS. AND THEN SECOND WOULD BE DPW BECAUSE OF OUR ROADS.

BUT, YOU KNOW, AND OBVIOUSLY THE, THE WRONGFUL CONVICTION IS A NEW SORT OF PHENOMENON THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH.

WE'VE GOT, I THINK, THREE FILES RIGHT NOW, AS WELL AS MR. BOYD THAT WE'RE STILL DEALING WITH. BUT GENERALLY SPEAKING, THE HIGH EXPOSURE IS FROM THE, IS FROM SPEAKING FOR THE OTHER LEGISLATORS. BUT FOR US, THE, YOU KNOW, JUST HAVING THAT INFORMATION, THE, THE THING THAT SOMETIMES WE GET HIT WITH IS WE FIND OUT ABOUT IT THROUGH A LADY TO THE RIGHT.

AND, AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, YOU KNOW, WE'RE SITTING THERE LIKE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE AT AN EVENT AND SOMEBODY GOES, BOY, THAT WAS ONE HELL OF A SETTLEMENT. YOU'RE LIKE, WHAT? I HAVEN'T READ THE PAPER YET. YEAH. SO JUST, YOU KNOW, HAVING THOSE AHEAD OF TIME IS REALLY JUST THE INFORMATIONAL END TO MAKE OUR JOB. AND I WILL SAY, I MEAN, JUST AND YOU GUYS HAVE DONE A PRETTY GOOD JOB LETTING US KNOW THE REALLY BIG ONES.

WE CLOCK IN EVERY LAWSUIT GETS SENT OVER HERE, EVERY NOTICE OF CLAIM GETS SENT OVER HERE.

SO YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW IF I MEAN, I CAN'T PUBLICLY, I CAN'T PUBLICLY FLAG A NOTICE OF CLAIM AS BEING SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THAT KIND OF UNDERCUTS OUR DEFENSE.

WE ONCE GOT SUED IN THE TOWN OF CLARENCE BECAUSE A GUY HAD TOO MANY FROGS ON HIS PROPERTY.

YOU GOT SUED? TOWN OF CLARENCE FOR HIS FROGS.

YES. WELCOME TO MY WORLD. YES. SO MY POINT IS, THAT WAS ONE THAT WAS ACTUALLY SIGNIFICANT, THAT WE HAD TO MEET ON A REGULAR BASIS BEFORE IT ALL GOT SETTLED.

SO, YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE THE TYPE OF THINGS WE LIKE TO KNOW ABOUT IF THERE ARE FROG ISSUES, WE WANT TO KNOW. ALL RIGHT. I WILL GET ALL FROG ISSUES RIGHT TO YOU.

LEGISLATOR. I GOT A, I GOT A, I GOT IT, I GOT AN AMPHIBIAN LAWYER IN MY FAMILY.

IF YOU NEED ANY HELP WITH FROGS, LET YOU KNOW.

I THINK THAT WRAPS IT UP FOR THIS. WHO WOULD THAT BE? YOUR BROTHER? YEAH, HE'S BIG WITH ALLIGATORS.

ALL RIGHT, WELL, THANKS A LOT. THANKS FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. I THINK WE'LL TAKE A RECESS NOW UNTIL 1:00. I DON'T BELIEVE WE HAVE ANYONE ELSE HERE, SO WE'LL BE BACK AT ONE.

THANKS. DID JUST THINK OF THAT ON YOUR OWN. NO, HE TOLD ME TO SAY IT.

[02:40:01]

WE'RE GOING TO GET STARTED WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND PLANNING.

[Environment & Planning]

THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO INVITE US IN TO CHAT ABOUT OUR BUDGET FOR THIS YEAR.

I'VE BROUGHT ALONG WITH US, YOUR FOLKS FROM LAST YEAR WITH SPECIFIC QUESTIONS TO ANSWER THEM WITHOUT ANY BACKLASH.

SO THIS YEAR, WHEN WE WERE HERE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, THE BUDGET HEARINGS WE TALKED ABOUT.

THANK YOU. WE TALKED ABOUT THE GOAL OF DEP THIS YEAR IS REALLY TO CONTINUE ADMINISTERING ALL THE GRANTS AND PROGRAMS THAT THE ADMINISTRATION APPROVED AND THIS BODY AUTHORIZED.

THERE'S A LOT OF ARPA PROJECTS. THERE WAS RENEWED PROJECTS ARE STILL CULTURAL CAPITAL.

WE'RE CLOSING OUT. THE STOREFRONT WAS ALREADY CLOSED, BUT WE REALLY DIDN'T TAKE ON ANY NEW PROGRAMS THIS YEAR AS WE HAD IN THE PAST 4 OR 5 YEARS, NEW INITIATIVES. SO YOU KNOW, OUR PRIMARY FOCUS HAS BEEN SPENDING THE ARPA DOLLARS THAT HAVE TO BE SPENT BY THE END OF THIS YEAR.

AND I'M VERY PROUD TO SAY THAT WE ARE WELL ON TRACK TO DOING THAT.

I WAS TALKING TO JOE YESTERDAY THE SEWERS GOT ABOUT $63 MILLION OF OUR ARPA FUNDS.

HE'S GOT $5,000 LEFT TO AUTHORIZE ONE, ONE LAST INVOICE.

AND THE REST OF OUR PROGRAMS ARE, ARE NEARING THE COMPLETION OF THAT AS WELL.

SO OVERALL, WE ARE ON TRACK, RIGHT? WITH WHERE OUR SPENDING SHOULD BE.

WE, WE'VE HELD OFF ON MOVING FORWARD WITH OUR MUNICIPAL PLANNING GRANTS JUST TO SEE HOW THE, THE, THE YEAR WENT AND THE FISCAL CONDITION OF THINGS.

BUT I THINK WE'RE, WE'RE TO THE POINT WHERE WE CAN LOOK AT MOVING AHEAD WITH THAT.

SO I THINK ALL OF OUR OTHER PROGRAMS ARE ON TRACK AND OUR COSTS ARE IN LINE WITH WHERE THEY SHOULD BE AT THIS TIME OF YEAR.

SO I'M VERY HAPPY TO SAY THAT WE ONLY HAVE A COUPLE VACANCIES THAT WILL FILL, BUT I THINK WE'RE, WE'RE RIGHT WHERE WE INTENDED TO BE AT THIS TIME OF THE YEAR.

SO THANKS. THANKS. ANY QUESTIONS? LEGISLATOR LORIGO.

AND THEN THANK YOU. I DO HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.

THE FIRST ONE IS AT THE STATE OF THE COUNTY. THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE ANNOUNCED THAT THERE WAS GOING TO BE MAJOR OVERHAULS TO YOUR DEPARTMENT. CAN YOU GIVE US AN UPDATE IN LIKE WHAT THAT REALLY WOULD LOOK LIKE? SO THE DEPARTMENT OF LAW WE'VE MET WITH THEM A COUPLE TIMES.

THEY HAVE TO DRAFT A LOCAL LAW TO CHANGE IT TO THE DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

JOE'S DEPARTMENT WILL BE THE DIVISION OF CLEAN WATER.

THE PLANNING GROUP WILL BE THE DIVISION OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, PLANNING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND BONNIE'S GROUP WILL BE THE DIVISION OF CLIMATE RESILIENCE.

THE BUDGET OR THE LAW DEPARTMENT RATHER IS STILL DRAFTING THAT LEGISLATION.

I REALLY DON'T KNOW WHAT'S TAKING SO LONG. BUT I HAD I'D ASSUMED IT WOULD HAVE BEEN THROUGH YOU GUYS BEFORE THE BREAK, BUT IT'LL PROBABLY BE WAITING WHEN YOU GET BACK.

OKAY. AND FUNCTIONALLY, WHAT WILL HAPPEN DIFFERENTLY? FUNCTIONALLY, NOT A LOT DIFFERENT REALLY IS JUST TO PROVIDE A LARGER FOCUS ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

OKAY. AND, YOU KNOW, PLAY UP THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING WE DO HAS AN UNDERCURRENT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

AS A PLANNER, I, YOU KNOW, WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE PLANNING IN THE, IN THE DIVISION TITLE.

BUT THIS IS THE, THE DIRECTION THAT WE'VE BEEN GIVEN.

SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO GO. OKAY. I WAS JUST CURIOUS IT DOESN'T HAVE ANY NEW PEOPLE.

WE'RE NOT ASSIGNING DIFFERENT ROLES OR IT'S NOT THERE'S NO CHANGE OF PROGRAM PEOPLE.

IT'S JUST YOU KNOW, TO, TO DEMONSTRATE A MORE BROAD COMMITMENT TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

ALL RIGHT. THAT SOUNDS GOOD. I DID JUST HAVE ONE OTHER QUESTION.

WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT THE AGRIBUSINESS PART. CAN YOU GIVE US JUST AN UPDATE ON WHERE WE'RE AT WITH THIS PROJECT? SURE. SO WE JUST ABOUT FINISHED WITH THE ACCESS ROAD THAT IT'S ALL IN.

WE'RE WORKING ON THE SIGN, A SIGN TO ANNOUNCE IT AT THE, AT THE FRONT.

THE WATER AND SEWER IS IN PLACE. I THINK THE INFRASTRUCTURE IS THERE FOR THE FIRST PHASE.

AND YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN PUSHING THE I'D A AND INVEST BUFFALO INVEST, BUFFALO NIAGARA TO REALLY KIND OF STEP UP EFFORTS TO, YOU KNOW, MARKET THE SITE AND GET SOMEONE IN THERE TENANT IN THERE.

BUT WE WERE GREATLY HELPED WITH A NEW YORK FORWARD GRANT.

FAST. NEW YORK CAN NEVER KEEP THEM CLOSE TO STRAIGHT, FAST.

NEW YORK GRANT. THAT IS, PROVIDING MONEY FOR.

UPGRADE TO THE SEWER SYSTEM THAT. JOE HAS AN RFP OUT NOW FOR UPGRADES TO THE TREATMENT PLANT.

[02:45:03]

DESPITE WHAT YOU HEAR ABOUT THE STATE NOT FUNDING THAT THEY ARE PROVIDING FUNDS.

THE CHALLENGE WE HAVE RIGHT NOW ON THE NATURAL GAS SIDE IS THAT NATIONAL FUEL, NATIONAL FUEL THEIR POLICY IS THAT IF YOU DON'T HAVE A TENANT, THEN WE PAY.

IF WE HAVE A TENANT, THEY WILL PAY TO EXTEND THE GAS.

SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TRYING TO, TRYING TO RUN THE BALANCE OF, YOU KNOW, DO WE JUST USE THE GRANT REVENUE TO EXTEND THE GAS OURSELVES OR DO WE WAIT AND GET A TENANT AND THEN MOVE TO GET IT THERE QUICKLY.

YOU KNOW, WE HAVE ELECTRICITY, WE HAVE WATER, WE HAVE SEWER.

YOU KNOW, WE COULD OPEN UP NOW DEPENDING ON THE USE THAT WE FIND.

BUT THAT'S, THAT'S THE CURRENT STATUS. I THINK WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING AT HAVING A RIBBON CUTTING AS SOON AS THE SIGN IS PUT IN PROBABLY SOMETIME IN THE NEXT MONTH OR TWO MONTH OR SO. SO IF ANY OF YOUR, YOU KNOW, THE LEGISLATORS IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE COUNTY OR THE NORTHERN WITH AGRICULTURE AND, YOU KNOW, SOMEONE LOOKING FOR SOME SPACE AND AGRIBUSINESS SPACE, THIS IS READY TO GO.

OKAY, AWESOME. AND THEN I DO HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU, JOE.

CLEAN WATER. ARE YOU IN FAVOR OF THAT NAME CHANGE TO THE SEWER DEPARTMENT? IT'S GOT TO SOUND A LITTLE NICER FOR YOU YOU KNOW, I WE ACTUALLY WE HAD DISCUSSED AT SOME POINT ABOUT CHANGING THE NAME OF THE DIVISION BECAUSE SEWERAGE, I MEAN, PEOPLE ASSUME THAT THAT'S ACTUALLY SEWAGE, BUT SEWERAGE IS ACTUALLY THE INFRASTRUCTURE.

SO WE MANAGE THE INFRASTRUCTURE. RIGHT. SO ALL THE TIME IN AND OF ITSELF IT WAS A BIT CONFUSING.

I MEAN, REALLY MOST OF OUR FACILITIES ARE FACILITATED BY THE CLEAN WATER ACT.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, BEING ABLE TO DESCRIBE THAT IN THAT WAY, YOU KNOW, PROVIDES A BUDGET QUESTION TWO POINT.

YEAH. SO I MEAN, WE'RE PERFECTLY, PERFECTLY FINE WITH THAT.

WE'VE RENAMED OUR WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANTS AS WATER RESOURCE RECOVERY FACILITIES.

THERE WAS A SEVERAL YEARS AGO, THE LEGISLATURE PASSED A RESOLUTION WITH REGARD TO THAT.

SO IT'S A LOT OF WHERE THE INDUSTRY AS A WHOLE IS GOING.

YEAH. CAN YOU GIVE US JUST AN UPDATE ON HOW THE UPGRADES ARE GOING TO THE TREATMENT FACILITY? YEAH. SO I ASSUME YOU'RE REFERRING TO SOUTH TOWN.

YES. SO WE ARE AT 99.9% DONE WITH THE FIRST PHASE OF THE PROJECT.

OH THAT'S GREAT. YOU KNOW THAT THE PROJECT HAS GONE REALLY WELL.

I MEAN, YOU KNOW, IT'S CONSTRUCTION, SO WE'VE HAD A FEW ISSUES HERE OR THERE, BUT ALL IN ALL YOU KNOW, IT'S ON TRACK ON BUDGET. YOU KNOW, I THINK WE'RE ONLY LIKE A MONTH BEHIND ON THE SCHEDULE.

THE SECOND PHASE IS REALLY PREDICATED ON US GETTING A FINAL PERMIT WITH THE NEW YORK STATE DEC.

AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE TALKED WITH THE DC FOR A LONG TIME.

I'M TALKING YEARS. WE ARE NOW AT THE POINT WHERE WE'RE HAVING BIWEEKLY MEETINGS WITH THEM AND I'VE DEPENDING ON 1 OR 2 PATHS I'VE BEEN TOLD BY THE DC, WE WILL EITHER HAVE THAT PERMIT IN PLACE AT THE END OF AUGUST OR SOMETIME IN THE FALL.

AND IT DEPENDS ON IF A CERTAIN PARAMETER HAS TO BE CHANGED AND THE PERMIT NEEDS TO GO OUT TO FOR RE NOTICE.

THE LONG STORY SHORT, WE ALREADY HAVE THE DESIGN PLANS READY FOR PHASE TWO CONSTRUCTION.

OUR CONSULTANT IS READY TO GO. AS SOON AS WE HAVE THAT PERMIT, WE'LL BE READY TO BID.

DO WE ANTICIPATE THERE WILL BE ANY LAG TIME BETWEEN ENDING PHASE ONE AND PHASE TWO, OR SHOULD WE BE ABLE TO MOVE PRETTY QUICKLY? WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO MOVE PRETTY QUICKLY. WE WANTED WE WANTED TO BID THE PROJECT ALREADY, FRANKLY.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT. SOUNDS GOOD. THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

I WOULD NOTICE THAT THAT IS THE LARGEST ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECT WE HAVE IN THE DEPARTMENT.

HELLO. GOOD AFTERNOON. I JUST WANTED TO GO BACK TO THE STOREFRONT.

I KNOW YOU SAID THAT WAS CLOSED UP, BUT I REMEMBER THAT THIS HONORABLE BODY, WE ALSO PUT FUNDING THROUGH MID-YEAR FOR STOREFRONT.

SO I JUST WANTED TO SEE REGARDING THAT ASPECT, IS THAT TECHNICALLY WE KIND OF REOPENED IT IN A WAY.

YEAH. I THINK THERE STILL NEEDS TO BE SOME DIRECTION ON HOW THAT WOULD BE ADMINISTERED.

OKAY. I HAVE NOT BEEN DIRECTED FROM THE ADMINISTRATION THAT WE WILL BE DOING THAT.

WE CERTAINLY COULD. BUT YEAH, WE WOULD HAVE TO AMEND THE CONTRACTS FOR THE PROGRAM MANAGEMENT FIRM.

THEY'RE THE, THEY'RE THE ONES THAT SOLICITED PROJECTS.

THEY GOT APPLICATIONS IN, THEY VETTED THEM, MADE SURE THE BUSINESS WAS MET.

ALL THE CRITERIA THEY WERE ELIGIBLE. THEY, THEY THEN HAD AN ARCHITECT CAME IN TO DESIGN IT.

THEN THE ARCHITECT HAD TO APPROVE THE DRAWINGS.

THE PROGRAM MANAGEMENT FIRM APPROVED THAT THEY HAD ALL THE PERMITS AND THEN THEY GET MOVING.

SO THOSE TWO ARE PRETTY CRITICAL. OKAY. WHEN I LOOK BACK AT THE FUNDING AND THE PROGRAM THE FIRST TIME AROUND, WE USED ABOUT 14, BETWEEN 14 AND 15% OF THE MONEY FOR PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION AND THE ARCHITECTS.

THE REST OF THE MONEY ALL WENT TO THE CONSTRUCTION.

[02:50:01]

SO YOU COULD DO 10% OF THAT, WHICH PROBABLY IS, YOU KNOW, 20, 25 STOREFRONTS.

BY THE TIME YOU TAKE 1.5 MILLION, YOU TAKE OFF 300,000 FOR PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION AND DESIGN ARCHITECTS.

YOU HAVE 1.2 MILLION AT 40, $40,000 EACH. OKAY.

OH, YEAH. GO AHEAD. SURE. I'M SORRY. JUST ONE SECOND. I THOUGHT THAT THE POLICY HAD TO BE LOOKED AT BECAUSE IT WAS DONE WITH ARPA MONEY.

IT WAS NOT ARPA MONEY THE FIRST TIME. IT WASN'T.

IT WAS EXCESS SALES TAX REVENUE. OH, OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

I THOUGHT STRAIGHT COUNTY MONEY. OKAY. YEP. YEAH.

I DON'T THINK ARPA FUNDS WOULD NOT HAVE THAT.

COULD HAVE DONE THAT PROGRAM WITH ARPA FUNDS. YEAH.

BEEN ELIGIBLE. OKAY. PERFECT. SO I GUESS WE WOULD JUST HAVE TO CHAT OFFLINE AND FIGURE OUT WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO GET IT MOVING.

IT SOUNDS LIKE I JUST BECAUSE I KNOW YOU JUST MENTIONED, I WAS LIKE, WAIT, I THOUGHT WE ALLOCATED, BUT THAT MAKES PERFECT SENSE.

THANK YOU. JUST HAVE TO GET THE AGREEMENT WITH THE ADMINISTRATION THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT AND WE NEED TO GET MOVING TO DO THAT.

IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT WOULD MOUNT TO, YOU KNOW, 2 OR 3 PROJECTS PER DISTRICT, BUT EVERY PROJECT'S IMPORTANT, RIGHT? ALSO, I DO WANT TO SAY ON THE RECORD, THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER, FOR WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH THE CORRECTIONAL ADVISORY BOARD.

THEY CAME AND PRESENTED AND THE CHAIR OF THE BOARD MENTIONED HOW HELPFUL YOU WERE THROUGH DIFFERENT DECISION MAKING SITUATIONS AND EXPLAINING DIFFERENT PLANNING ASPECTS. SO I DO WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THAT.

THEY'RE A GREAT GROUP OF PEOPLE. I MEAN, REALLY DEDICATED TO THAT. SO IT'S, IT'S ENJOYABLE.

LEGISLATOR GREENE. THANK YOU. I DON'T KNOW WHETHER IT'S DAN OR ZACH THAT WANTS TO ANSWER THIS.

BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE ECONOMY AND THE BUSINESS CLIMATE NORTH OF THE BORDER RIGHT NOW IT'S IN RELATIVELY POOR SHAPE TO THE POINT WHERE RIGHT NOW THERE ARE MORE CANADIANS OPENING BUSINESSES IN THE UNITED STATES THAN IN CANADA.

ACCORDING TO SOME INFORMATION THAT WAS PUBLISHED AND RELEASED YESTERDAY, 11% OF CANADIAN MANUFACTURERS HAVE ALREADY RELOCATED TO THE UNITED STATES. 29% HAVE RELOCATED THEIR HEADQUARTERS, 29% HAVE RELOCATED A PORTION OF THEIR BUSINESS IN.

42% OF CANADIAN MANUFACTURERS ARE PLANNING TO MOVE TO THE UNITED STATES, CITING LOWER COST, LOWER CORPORATE TAXES, LOWER COST OF LIVING FOR THE EMPLOYEES, HOUSING ISSUES, AS WELL AS ACCESS TO LOWER COST ENERGY.

WHAT ARE WE DOING IN ERIE COUNTY TO MARKET US TO BE THE HOMES AND BE IN CONSIDERATION FOR THESE COMPANIES THAT ARE LOOKING TO MOVE? THAT'S A GREAT. WELL, I'LL SAY A COUPLE OF THINGS AND THEN THAT CAN CHIME IN.

I THINK AND BY THE WAY, THE FOLLOW UP QUESTION IS WHAT CAN WE DO TO BE YOUR PARTNER? YEAH, I THINK THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. SO ONE OF THE I MEAN, WE HAVE, I THINK SUCRO SOURCING, WHICH IS IN AG PARK IS A CANADIAN COMPANY. AND I, AND I THINK WELDED TUBE IS CANADIAN ALSO.

SO WE HAVE A TRACK RECORD OF GETTING BUSINESSES IN THERE.

YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. ONE OF THE REASON FOR THE AG PARK ALSO WAS CONNECTION TO THE CANADIAN MARKET.

THERE WAS A LOT OF INTEREST FROM, YOU KNOW, GETTING TO A QUICK, YOU KNOW, GETTING THE PRODUCE HERE, CONSOLIDATING, GETTING INTO THE TORONTO MARKET.

SO I THINK WE'RE VERY WELL POSITIONED FOR THAT.

I KNOW IN DISCUSSIONS WITH INVEST, BUFFALO NIAGARA, THEY'RE THE KIND OF THE REGIONAL FIRM THAT DEALS WITH SITE SELECTORS AND MARKETING THE SHOVEL READY SITES THAT WE HAVE. THEY ARE GETTING A LOT OF REQUESTS FROM CANADIAN COMPANIES, BUT THEY'RE DOING THEIR DUE DILIGENCE ALL OVER THE PLACE. RIGHT. THEY'RE THEY'RE LOOKING AT A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT PLACES. BUT WE DO TEND TO SCORE VERY HIGHLY BECAUSE RENAISSANCE COMMERCE PARK IS, YOU KNOW, AN EIGHT MINUTE DRIVE TO THE PEACE BRIDGE FROM THAT SITE.

RIGHT. AND THE AG PARK IS A LITTLE LONGER, BUT NOT THAT BAD.

SO I THINK WE ARE DOING THAT. I'M SURE. THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION AND I'D LOVE TO SEE THAT REPORT OR WHEREVER THAT WAS PUBLISHED BECAUSE I'M ALWAYS KEEPING CTV NEWS CTV. OKAY. YEAH. SO IN ADDITION TO SUCROSE SOURCING AND WELDED TUBE AT RENAISSANCE COMMERCE PARK, WE ALSO HAVE MAX ADVANCED BRAKES IN ONE OF THE LAND BUILDINGS.

THEY'RE A CANADIAN COMPANY. THROUGH MY WORK AS THE COUNTY'S LIAISON WITH THE I'D A ECOSYSTEM, I DO HAVE TO SAY THERE'S A LOT OF STUFF THAT'S UNDER NDAS OR ALSO IN THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SPACE, THE PORPOISES, THEY MAKE AN APPEARANCE, THEN THEY DISAPPEAR.

BUT I CAN TELL YOU THERE ARE AT LEAST THREE THAT WE ARE IN BETWEEN LIGHT AND MEDIUM CONVERSATIONS WITH AS IT STANDS NOW IN THE MANUFACTURING SPACE TOO, WHICH IS GOOD BECAUSE THOSE ARE GOOD PAYING JOBS AND OFTEN VERY JOB DENSE.

[02:55:02]

WE'VE GOT DEEP WATER PORT, WE'VE GOT RAIL, WE'VE GOT HIGHWAY.

WE'RE RIGHT BY THE PEACE BRIDGE. WE'RE NOT TOO FAR FROM THE AIRPORT.

WE HAVE REALLY GOOD. WE HAVE A VERY GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CANADIAN CONSULATE.

THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE AND I HAVE MET MULTIPLE TIMES WITH THE CONSUL GENERAL FOR TRADE.

THERE HAS BEEN DISCUSSIONS ABOUT MAYBE DOING SOME GOODWILL MISSIONS TO TORONTO.

IN THAT NATURE. IT'S JUST TOUGH RIGHT NOW BECAUSE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS HAVE LONG LEAD TIMES, RIGHT? SO WHILE THERE IS LOTS OF INTEREST AND THERE ARE BUSINESSES OPENING UP, YOU HEAR ABOUT CANADIAN BUSINESSES INTERESTED IN COMING TO THE US OR EXPANDING A US OPERATION. THERE, THERE'S STILL AT LEAST USUALLY 36 MONTHS FROM HERE TO FINISH.

ONE THING I WILL SAY THE MAJORITY OF SOFTWOOD LUMBER IN THE US COMES THAT'S USED IN US HOMES COMES FROM CANADA.

OUR FOREIGN TRADE ZONE, WHICH ERIE COUNTY MANAGES JUST SOUTH OF RENAISSANCE COMMERCE PARK AT THE AT THE BETHLEHEM STEEL SITE.

A LOT OF THAT IS CANADIAN LUMBER THAT'S COMING THERE AND READY TO GO, BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE TO PAY THE TARIFFS UNTIL IT GOES OUT INTO THE MARKETPLACE.

SO THERE IS A GOOD AMOUNT OF CANADIAN BUSINESS ACTIVITY STILL HAPPENING IN ERIE COUNTY.

YOU MIGHT HEAR MORE FROM LIKE THE PATRICK TAYLOR SIDE OF THE EQUATION.

TOURISM MIGHT BE DOWN, BUT THERE IS STILL A HEALTHY AMOUNT OF COMMERCE HAPPENING.

SO. YEAH, THEY TYPICALLY WILL BE THE FIRST POINT OF CONTACT WHEN THE SITE SELECTOR IS REACHING OUT. A LOT OF THESE TIMES THESE COMPANIES AREN'T REACHING OUT THEMSELVES OR THEY'RE WORKING THROUGH A SITE SELECTOR. AND ONE OF THE REASONS WHY AT RENAISSANCE COMMERCE PARK, THE IDEA WENT WITH A COMPANY CALLED PETRUCCI, WHICH IS BASED OUT OF NEW JERSEY, BUT THEY HAVE A LOT OF MORE NATIONAL LEADS AND CONTACTS AND RELATIONSHIPS TO BE ABLE TO TAP SOME OF THE CANADIAN MARKET.

BUT IT'S JUST THESE ARE SURVEYS WE GET BACK. YEAH, YEAH.

HEADQUARTERS HAVE MOVED IN 42%. YEAH. WE GOT THERE'S A LOT OF LOOKING AT.

YEAH. YEAH. NO, I WON'T BE HERE NEXT YEAR. ROLLS AROUND.

BUT I GOT TO TELL YOU, BUFFALO HAS A HABIT OF SWINGING AND MISSING ON SOME THINGS.

AND. I THINK A LOT OF CANADIAN COMPANIES STATED.

YEAH, OUR ACCESS TO OUR ACCESS. YEAH. YEAH. YOU KNOW, I JUST MADE A NOTE.

I THINK WHEN WE LOOK TOWARDS OUR 2027 BUDGET AND PLANNING, I THINK WE'LL PUT A SPECIFIC EMPHASIS ON, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO ATTRACT THE CANADIAN BUSINESSES TO OUR CP OR TO THE AG PARK BECAUSE.

YEAH. YEAH. THANK YOU, I APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. DAN, I'LL TELL YOU, IN THE 21 YEARS I'VE BEEN HERE THIS DEPARTMENT, YOUR DEPARTMENT NOW HAS DONE AN OUTSTANDING JOB COMING UP. YOU YOURSELF, I'M JUST HOPING THE LEGISLATURE AFTER I DEPART, CONTINUE TO MAKE SURE YOU'RE FUNDED PROPERLY SO YOU CAN CONTINUE YOUR GOOD WORK. AND HAVING SAID THAT, I'M GOING TO SWITCH OVER TO MY FRIEND JOE FIEGEL AND SEWERS BECAUSE I WAS THERE FOR A LONG TIME IN THAT BOARD. A COUPLE QUESTIONS, JOE. ARE WE UNDER ANY THESE DESCENT ORDERS FROM DC, ANY OF WHAT WE'RE DOING DOWN THERE RIGHT NOW? ARE YOU SPEAKING WITH SOUTH TOWNS OR SOUTH TOWNS? NO, NO ORDER ON CONSENT WITH SOUTH TOWNS. WE'RE HANDLING THIS THROUGH THE REGULATORY PERMIT.

OKAY. AND YOU KNOW, WE ALWAYS TALK ABOUT WHEN WE, WE, WE TOUR THE PLANT IS THE QUALITY WHAT WE PUT BACK IN LAKE ERIE STILL PRETTY HIGH.

YEAH. BECAUSE WE GOT WOODLAWN BEACH RIGHT NEXT DOOR AND WE HAVE EXCESSIVE TEMPERATURES THIS SUMMER 90S.

AND I WANT ALGAE BLOOMS OR ANYTHING GOING ON THERE.

AND MY THIRD QUESTION IS WHAT'S THE STATUS ON STEUBEN FOODS? ARE THEY HOLDING TRUE TO WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING? SO ON THE ON THE ALGAL BLOOM SIDE THE SOUTH TOWN PERMIT HAS A LIMITATION FOR PHOSPHORUS.

AND PHOSPHORUS HAS BEEN FOUND TO BE THE, THE NUTRIENT THAT WHEN IT GOES INTO AQUATIC ENVIRONMENTS PROVIDES THE QUOTE UNQUOTE FOOD FOR THE ALGAE TO REALLY BLOOM. SO WE DO HAVE A LIMITATION ON THAT. AND WE HAVE AN ACTIVE PROCESS THAT REMOVES PHOSPHATE FROM, FROM THE, FROM THE TREATED EFFLUENT SO THAT IT IS PROTECTIVE OF THE DESIGNATED USE OUT THERE.

SO I HAVE HEARD THAT THERE ARE SOME CONCERNS IN THE WESTERN BASIN OF LAKE ERIE FOR, FOR ALGAL BLOOMS,

[03:00:08]

WE WERE ABLE TO GET A $500,000 GRANT THROUGH THE FAST NEW YORK PROGRAM THROUGH EMPIRE STATE DEVELOPMENT TO PARTIALLY FUND THAT EFFORT.

SO WE'RE OUR, OUR GOAL RIGHT NOW IS TO GET A LOT OF THAT PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING AND GET A GOOD COST ESTIMATE TO GO BACK TO EMPIRE STATE DEVELOPMENT AND SUBMIT FOR THE CONSTRUCTION COSTS TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THAT INFRASTRUCTURE.

BECAUSE, AND WE'VE TALKED MANY TIMES, YOU KNOW, OVER THE YEARS THAT, THAT STEUBEN FOODS IN PARTICULAR, BUT ALSO, OF COURSE, TO THE LARGEST EMPLOYERS IN WESTERN NEW YORK, STEUBEN FOODS HAS GROWN TREMENDOUSLY OVER THE COURSE OF TIME.

SUPPORTS AGRICULTURE, YOU KNOW, DAIRY AND, YOU KNOW, OTHER TYPES, TYPE OF SPIN OFF BUSINESS FROM THERE.

IT'S A COMPANY THAT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT, THAT WE'RE SUPPORTING.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHY THAT'S WHERE WE ARE WITH REGARD TO THAT EFFORT.

I THINK THEY HAVE 900 EMPLOYEES NOW, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

YEAH. I'M NOT, I'M NOT 6 OR 900. I MEAN, THEY'RE THE BEST KEPT SECRET IN WESTERN NEW YORK.

THEY'RE THEY'RE. LET'S KEEP IT THAT WAY. THEY'RE FLOWS OF ALMOST TRIPLED OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS.

I MEAN, THAT SHOWS YOU HOW MUCH THE GROWTH THAT THEY'VE, THEY'VE HAD OVER THE COURSE OF TIME.

AND YOU KNOW, THAT AGAIN, THAT THAT, THAT ALMOST PROBABLY IS PROPORTIONAL TO THE NUMBER OF JOBS THEY'VE HAD ON THAT SITE.

THANK YOU. GOOD JOB. THANK YOU.

I THINK IT'S COOL WITH YOU. BASKIN. YEAH. COMMISSIONER.

HOW ARE YOU TODAY? I'M DOING WELL. THANKS FOR HAVING US.

I'M JOINED BY DEPUTY COMMISSIONER JAMES JIMBO MCDONALD THIS MORNING AS WELL.

OR THIS AFTERNOON. YEAH. HONESTLY SINCE THE

[Parks]

I HAVE SOME REAL NUMBERS, SOME NUMBERS TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY.

THE ONE THING I DO WANT TO COVER IS GOLF COURSES.

I DO HAVE A FEW NUMBERS. ELMA MEADOWS, WE'RE DOWN ABOUT 15% ON TEE TIMES.

GROVER AROUND 11%. BUT OVERALL, WE'RE UP 19% ON PAST SALES AND THAT'S RELATED TO THE WET SPRING GOLF.

WE JUST COULDN'T GET THE TEE TIMES OUT IN THE SPRING. WEEKS LIKE THIS WILL MAKE UP FOR THAT, CERTAINLY, BUT OVERALL, WE'VE ALREADY SOLD 190 MORE PASSES THAN WE DID LAST YEAR.

SO WE CONTINUE TO JUST SELL A LOT OF SELL A LOT OF ANNUAL PASSES.

SO GOOD ON THE GOLFING SIDE. EVERY OTHER THING ELSE SHELTER, BUILDINGS, CAMPINGS WE'RE RIGHT ON PAR FOR WHAT'S BEEN BUDGETED OR SLIGHTLY BELOW OR OVER.

SO IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS SPECIFIC TO PARKS PROJECTS, WE'RE HERE TO ANSWER THOSE.

THANK YOU. I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS. ONE WITH I KNOW ONE CONVERSATION WE ALWAYS HAVE IS WITH THE TEE TIME SYSTEM.

HOW IS THAT? I KNOW WE'RE LIKE A YEAR OR SO INTO USING THE NEW SYSTEM.

NOW, HOW IS THAT GOING? IT'S GOING REALLY WELL.

IT'S WE'VE MADE, WE'VE MADE ADJUSTMENTS OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS.

THE ADJUSTMENTS WE MADE THIS YEAR IS WITH PASSHOLDERS.

[03:05:03]

WE ARE HAVING SOME OF THE PASS HOLDERS PLAYING GAMES, WITH THE TEE TIME SYSTEM MONOPOLIZING TEE TIMES, ONLY SHOWING UP AT TWO WHEN YOU TAKE FOUR. SO AFTER THREE STRIKES YOU LOSE A 30 DAY PRIVILEGE OF TEE TIME RESERVATIONS ON YOUR PASS.

SO THAT HAS CERTAINLY HELPED CUT DOWN ON SOME OF THAT.

AND JUST EVERY YEAR WE TINKER WITH IT, WE WE HAVE A POST GOLF SEASON REVIEW OF WHAT WE CAN DO BETTER.

IT'S WITH US, OBVIOUSLY WITH AN INCREASE IN PASTELS, JUST TRYING TO OPEN AS MANY TEE TIMES TO THE PUBLIC AS POSSIBLE.

OKAY. I KNOW IN YEARS PAST FOR THE BUDGET, YOU TEND TO, YOU COME OVER AND REQUEST AN INCREASE IN PARK FEES.

DO YOU ANTICIPATE DOING THAT AGAIN IN THIS BUDGET ROUND? I MAY NOT. I THINK I'M ZERO FOR FIVE ON THAT OR OVER SIX ON THAT.

I FEEL LIKE I'M PUTTING MY HEAD AGAINST A ROCK, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU.

AS MOST OF YOU KNOW, WE HAVE NOT INCREASED FEES IN ERIE COUNTY PARKS SINCE 2014.

GIVE ME SOMETHING ELSE THAT HAS BEEN INCREASED SINCE 2014, AND I'D LIKE TO, BUT WE'LL SEE.

JUST CURIOUS CAN YOU GIVE US AN UPDATE ON CHESTNUT RIDGE PARK AND HOW WE'RE DOING WITH THE PARKS OVERALL WITH CONCESSIONS? SURE. WE ARE ACTUALLY OUT CHESTNUT RIGHT NOW.

AN RFP IS OUT FOR CHESTNUT RIDGE. I TALKED TO LEGISLATOR MILLS ABOUT THIS A WEEK OR SO AGO.

WE'RE OUT TRYING TO GET SOMEONE FOR SEASONAL CONCESSIONAIRES AT CHESTNUT RIDGE.

AND LATER THIS YEAR, WE'RE GOING OUT FOR GROVER AND ELMA FOR NEXT YEAR.

HAVE YOU MADE ANY CHANGES TO THOSE RFP PROCESSES SINCE THEY HAVEN'T? OKAY. CAN YOU JUST WALK US THROUGH THOSE? YEAH.

SO WE'VE MET, OBVIOUSLY WITH THE COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE AS PART OF THEIR ANALYSIS.

WE'VE MET WITH THE LAW DEPARTMENT, AND INTERNALLY WE JUST MADE CHANGES FROM LANGUAGE TO REQUIREMENTS TO OPENING UP OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEM TO A MINIMUM FEE.

SO WE'VE JUST MADE A LOT OF OVERALL CHANGES TO, TO TRY TO TO TRY TO GET SOMEONE TO RUN SOME CONCESSIONAIRES AT ALL THREE LOCATIONS.

ALL RIGHT. I'M CURIOUS TO SEE HOW THAT GOES. I LOOK FORWARD TO IT. THANK YOU.

APPRECIATE IT. HI. HOW ARE YOU, TROY? I'M DOING WELL.

THANK YOU. FIRST, I HAVE A GOLF COURSE IN MY DISTRICT, AND IT LOOKS GREAT.

IT'S ALWAYS BUSY. SO THANKS TO WHOEVER IS MAINTAINING IT.

IT LOOKS REALLY. I WOULD SAY IT LOOKS BETTER THAN IT HAD IN THE LAST YEAR.

SO YOU GUYS HAVE DONE A BETTER JOB THERE. YOU MENTIONED THE INCREASE OF FEES ARE STAYING THE SAME.

I KNOW YOU CAME TO THIS BODY BEFORE MULTIPLE TIMES FOR INCREASE FOR, FOR RATES, BUT HAS THE MAINTENANCE OF THESE PARKS INCREASE? LIKE HAVE, HAVE YOU SEEN A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A COST FOR US TO CONTINUE TAKING CARE OF OUR PROPERTIES? YES, ABSOLUTELY. STAFF SALARIES, MAINTENANCE, EVERYTHING'S INCREASED SINCE 2014.

AND OBVIOUSLY BEFORE WE MADE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FEE INCREASES, WE BENCHMARKED WITH OTHER MUNICIPALITIES.

OTHER GOLF COURSES, OTHER PLACES THAT HAVE RENTALS OF SHELTERS AND BUILDINGS.

THE CAPITAL COST TO REPAIR, RENOVATE WPA STRUCTURES AND A LOT OF THE HERITAGE PARKS IS SUBSTANTIAL.

SO YES, WE, WE, THERE'S A, THERE'S A, THERE'S A HUGE COST OF MAINTAINING OUR PARKS AT A HIGH LEVEL, WHICH I THINK PEOPLE DESERVE. AND, YOU KNOW, THE FEE INCREASE HAS TO BE APPROVED BY YOUR HONORABLE BODY.

OKAY. AND THEN THE OTHER QUESTION IS, SO CURRENTLY YOU, IT'S HARD FOR YOU RIGHT NOW TO TELL US WHERE YOU'RE REALLY AT.

THIS IS PEAK TIME. YOU KNOW, WE ONLY HAVE A COUPLE OF MONTHS THAT ARE NICE WEATHER HERE. SO THAT'S THE TIME THAT PEOPLE ARE REALLY USING OUR PARKS.

AND YOU PROBABLY HAVE A LOT OF SEASONAL WORKERS.

BUT AFTER THIS, DO YOU THINK THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BUDGET A LITTLE BIT HIGHER DUE TO THE COST OF EVERYTHING GOING UP, GOING INTO THE NEXT BUDGET? DO YOU FEEL LIKE WHAT YOU BUDGETED FOR THIS YEAR IS ON PAR SAFE FOR WHAT WE'RE EXPECTING TO TAKE CARE OF OUR PARKS AT A HIGH LEVEL. YEAH. YOU KNOW, WITH WITH THE 227 2027 FORECAST, WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO BE AS CLOSE TO THE VEST AND AS FAIR AS AS FAIR AS POSSIBLE IN TERMS OF OUR MASK AND OUR REQUEST AND OUR BUDGET. OBVIOUSLY, WE ARE WE ARE TAKING ON AN ADDITIONAL 180 ACRES IN WILLOWDALE, WHICH IS ANOTHER GOLF COURSE, WHICH WILL BE A TREMENDOUS ASSET TO THE DEPARTMENT ONCE IT'S FINALIZED.

SO WE'LL ASK FOR SOME ADDITIONAL SEASONAL STAFF, CASHIERS, STARTERS, REC TUS TO HELP RUN THAT OPERATION AS WELL.

BUT WE'LL WE'LL TRY TO LOOK AT WHAT WE PROVIDED THIS YEAR ONCE WE GET A LITTLE CLOSER TO ACTUALLY SUBMITTING OUR BUDGET.

WE'LL ADJUST THOSE NUMBERS BASED ON WHAT WE SEE.

AND I HAVE MARK HERE REGARDING THOSE BIG IMPROVEMENTS, CAPITAL PROJECTS THAT WE'RE DOING, HOW MUCH IS REALLY GETTING ADDED TO OUR DEBT SERVICE, IF ANY FOR, FOR NEXT YEAR, I THINK WE'RE STILL ACTUALLY GOING TO BE A BIT BELOW WHAT WE WOULD HAVE CONSIDERED LIKE OUR HISTORICAL NORM, WHICH WAS GIVE OR TAKE, ABOUT $60 MILLION WAS OUR DEBT SERVICE. I THINK FOR NEXT YEAR, THE FORECAST IS ABOUT $53 MILLION FOR DEBT SERVICE.

[03:10:08]

I DIDN'T EXPECT THE DEBT SERVICE CONVERSATION, BUT NONETHELESS WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT CAPITAL, RIGHT? BLAME TROY. ONE OF THE AREAS ALSO TO KEEP IN MIND TOO, IS THAT SO LIKE THIS HISTORICAL DEBT SERVICE WHERE I THINK OUR HIGH WAS ABOUT 65, $68 MILLION. THAT WAS BACK IN LIKE 2013. THAT WAS OVER A DECADE AGO.

SO WE DEFINITELY WANT $60 MILLION IN 2013 IS MORE LIKE 85, $90 MILLION TODAY JUST WITH THE COMPOUNDING OF OF, OF INFLATION. SO WE'RE IN A GOOD PLACE IN TERMS OF DEBT SERVICE.

AND TO BE HONEST THE AT LEAST FOR THE TIME BEING, NOT DOING A YOU KNOW, HALF $1 BILLION JAIL HELPS THE DEBT SERVICE, BUT THAT ONLY HELP US SO LONG, RIGHT? BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO BE PROBABLY PUMPING IN TEN TO, YOU KNOW, 10 TO $20 MILLION PROBABLY ANNUALLY TOWARDS THE JAIL FACILITIES OVER TIME.

THE, THE ONLY OTHER THING I WILL MAKE NOTE ABOUT THEIR BUDGET LOOKING FOR 2027 IS MORE THAN LIKELY I DON'T KNOW THE EXACT NUMBER, BUT THEIR PERSONNEL EXPENSES ARE PROBABLY GOING TO GO UP RELATIVELY SIGNIFICANTLY BECAUSE THEIR WORKFORCE IS PREDOMINANTLY AFSCME.

THAT'S ONE OF THE CONTRACTS THAT'S ALREADY BEEN SETTLED.

SO WE KNOW THAT I THINK THE YEAR ONE CO, IT WAS LIKE FOUR, 4 OR 5%.

I THINK IT WAS, IT WAS A RELATIVELY HIGH COLA.

SO SAME THING YOU WOULD SEE IN PUBLIC WORKS ALSO.

AND YOU SEE IT IN SEWERS WHERE, YOU KNOW, THE MOST PEOPLE THINK OF COUNTY EMPLOYEES AS ALMOST ENTIRELY CSC, BUT YOU GOT A COUPLE OF DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE ENTIRELY AFSCME, SO THAT'LL PROBABLY BE THE BIGGEST COST INCREASE FOR THEM NEXT YEAR.

SO REALLY PERSONNEL. YEAH. PERSONNEL INCREASES BASED ON THE UNION CONTRACTS.

AND THEN THE AMHERST GOLF COURSE WILL HAVE ALSO AFFECT.

PERFECT. THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH. OF COURSE. THANK YOU.

WELCOME TROY. HOW YOU DOING? AS YOU MENTIONED WITH THE WITH THE GOLF COURSES AND SEEING A LITTLE DIP IN USAGE, WE HAD A WET SPRING. AND THAT, YOU KNOW, IS, YOU KNOW PUTS YOU BEHIND THE EIGHT BALL, I'M SURE IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS.

I KNOW WE'VE HAD KIND OF A PROGRAM HERE WHERE WE DON'T ALWAYS MOW EVERY SINGLE PIECE OF.

AND OBVIOUSLY THE GRASS IS GROWING SIGNIFICANT THIS YEAR, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT ALSO HAPPENED IS A LOT OF INCREASE IN TICKS.

JUST KIND OF, YOU KNOW, I DON'T NEED TO GET INTO THE, YOU KNOW, THE WEEDS TOO MUCH.

I KNOW WE MIGHT HAVE A COMMITTEE DISCUSSION ON THIS, BUT JUST KIND OF THE 40,000 FOOT VIEW, WHAT ARE WE DOING TO KIND OF ADDRESS TICK ISSUES? WELL, WE WORK WITH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, OBVIOUSLY.

AND THE BIG COMPONENT THERE IS THE BLACK LEGGED TICK.

AND WE STRUGGLE IN THE SPRING EVERY YEAR WITH SOME AREAS THAT WE JUST CAN'T GET TO UNTIL IT DRIES OUT THIS YEAR MORE THAN MOST YEARS.

WE DO HAVE LOW MOW AREAS AND WE DO HAVE NATURAL REGENERATION AREAS AND OUR LOW MOW AREAS.

THOSE ARE USUALLY IN PLACES, PASTURES AND MEADOWS WHERE YOU WOULDN'T FIND BLACK LEGGED TICKS ANYWAY BECAUSE THEY'RE HOT AND DRY. USUALLY THAT, THAT TICK IS FOUND IN THE, IN THE FOREST OR IN THE, AND THE TRANSITION ZONE BETWEEN THE TWO.

BUT WE'VE, WE MOW THE LAWN MOWERS ONCE OR TWICE A YEAR.

THIS YEAR WE MOWED THEM A LITTLE EARLY TO GET A JUMP ON IT.

WE ALSO MOWED THEM A LITTLE DEEPER AND A FEW AREAS AS WELL, JUST TO GET A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A BUFFER. BUT THE BIGGEST THING WE'VE DONE IS EDUCATION.

WE'VE SOCIAL MEDIA, WORKING WITH HEALTH DEPARTMENT, SOCIAL MEDIA.

WHEN WE HAVE ANY KIND OF TRAILS OR PROGRAMS AND OUTSIDE NATURE, WE HAVE OUR STAFF REITERATE THE ESSENTIALS OF TICK AND WHAT YOU DO AND SHOWER DIRECTLY AFTER AND STAND DESIGNATED TRAILS AND STAY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TRAIL. AND YOU KNOW, WE'RE LONG, LONG, LONG SLEEVE PANTS AND SHIRTS.

SO JUST THE BASICS. EDUCATION. I THINK, YOU KNOW, IT'S TOUGH GETTING PEOPLE TO WEAR LONG SLEEVE PANTS AND SHIRTS IN 90 DEGREE WEATHER.

YEAH. IT IS. BUT PEOPLE THAT HIKE AND HIKE FOR A LIVING, THAT'S, THAT'S TYPICALLY WHAT THEY DO.

BUT YEAH, WE SO JUST A LOT OF EDUCATION BEFORE AND AFTER PROGRAMS AND JUST GETTING THE WORD OUT MESSAGE OUT ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. AND THEN MARKET TOUCHED ON EARLIER YOU KNOW, A COUPLE OF THE KIND OF SUNSETTING ARPA FUNDS THAT AND YOU MENTIONED THE WET, WET BEACH.

SO I KNOW YOU'RE KIND OF HEADING THAT UP. THAT'S CORRECT.

YEP. SO THAT'S GOING TO BE THOSE FUNDS GOT TO BE USED AT THE END OF THE YEAR.

WHAT'S THE STATUS ON ALL THE UPGRADES THERE? YEAH, WE WE, WE ANTICIPATE THE FULL AMOUNT OF THOSE ARPA FUNDS THAT WERE DEDICATED TO THE WENT MANSION. THAT PROJECT, THE EXTERIOR OF WINJE MANSION, SHOULD BE DONE BY THE END OF THE YEAR.

SO THOSE SHOULD BE INVOICED AND PAID. THAT'S THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE ARPA FUNDS WE HAVE IS WHITE MANSION.

[03:15:04]

WAS THAT PARKS RELATED? NO, THE $500,000 THAT WAS SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO THE AGRIBUSINESS PARK AND THE ROAD, BUT THAT WAS MORE OF A TIMING ISSUE. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. PERFECT.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. LEGISLATOR. CAN YOU ELABORATE A LITTLE MORE? ON WENT BEACH. I KNOW YOU MIGHT HAVE HAD AN ORIGINAL VISION.

YEAH. FOR THE WENT MANSION, I SAID BEACH. BUT YOUR PLAN MIGHT HAVE CHANGED.

YEAH. THAT'S CORRECT. SO ORIGINALLY WE WE WERE LOOKING FOR A THIRD PARTY VENDOR TO FRANKLY, BE A PARTNER WITH RUN AN OPERATION OUT THERE, WHETHER IT'S WEDDING VENUE, SPECIAL EVENT VENUE FINANCIALLY HAVE SOME STAKE IN THE GAME WITH US. WE, WE WENT OUT ON TWO RFP FOR THAT.

UNFORTUNATELY, WE GOT NO RESPONSIVE BIDDERS OR PROPOSALS TO REVIEW.

SO AT SOME, SOME POINT DURING THE GAME, WE CHANGED FROM ONE DESIGN TO A EXTERIOR WE WANTED, WE COULDN'T WAIT ANY LONGER. WE WANTED TO PROTECT THE MANSION.

SO THE EXTERIOR WILL BE DONE BY THE END OF THE YEAR.

THE VAST MAJORITY OF THOSE FUNDS WILL BE SPENT, AND WE ARE NOW UNDER CONTRACT WITH FOR DESIGN OF THE INTERIOR.

AND WE'RE GOING TO DESIGN THAT WHICH WILL ALLOW FOR PARKS USAGE, OTHER DEPARTMENT USAGE, BUT ALSO POSSIBLE RENTAL.

WE OPENED UP THE INSIDE OF THE MANSION. WE MADE SOME DECISIONS TO MAKE IT MORE, I GUESS A USABLE SPACE FOR PEOPLE THAT WANT TO HAVE A SPECIAL EVENT OR FUNCTION IN THERE. YEAH. BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH YOU SAY THE WORD MANSION, BUT WHEN YOU GO IN, IT WAS REALLY CHOPPY. SO WE OPENED UP THE FIRST FLOOR AND THE BIG AREA TO CREATE A BIGGER, A VAUNTED LOOK. WE'RE JUST SO WE'RE GOING TO, WE'RE GOING TO WORK WITH THE CONSULTANT TO DESIGN THE INTERIOR.

AND THEN HOPEFULLY AT SOME POINT NEXT YEAR, GO OUT ON THE INTERIOR OF THE MANSION.

BUT BY THE END OF THIS YEAR, IT'LL BE PROTECTED. NEW DOORS, WINDOWS, SIDING THE GAZEBOS ALL POURED ALREADY.

THE CONCRETE FRAMERS ARE COMING NEXT WEEK TO START COMING OUT OF THE GROUND ON A MUCH FASTER RATE, NEW ROOF, SO IT'LL BE PROTECTED. SO YOU'RE STILL ENVISIONING SOME SORT OF MAYBE I'M GOING TO CALL IT A BANQUET TYPE FACILITY THAT PEOPLE WOULD BE RENTING OUT. YES. YEAH. WE'RE GOING TO EVENTUALLY COME IN FRONT OF YOUR HONORABLE BODY LOOKING FOR A FEE STRUCTURE FOR THE RENTAL OF THE SPACE WITHIN THERE, BUT I DON'T WANT TO PUT ALL THE EGGS IN ONE BASKET.

I STILL WANT SOME OFFICES ON THE SECOND FLOOR AND QUITE FRANKLY, PROGRAMING FOR OUR PARK RANGERS.

IT COULD BE A QUASI ENVIRONMENTAL CENTER, IT COULD BE WHERE WE HOUSE EVENTS AND WE HOLD THINGS FOR THE FOR THE PUBLIC AS WELL.

THANK YOU. ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU. TROY, WHAT'S THE STATUS IN ON THE PARK RANGERS NOW? WHAT EXACTLY IS IT BEEN A SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM.

PARK RANGERS. YEAH. THANK YOU. LEGISLATOR. HONESTLY, THE PARK RANGER PROGRAM, IF I HAD TO RANK THE THREE MOST.

THE THINGS I'M PROUD OF THE MOST IS, IS BRINGING ONE OF THE BRINGING THE PARK RANGER PROGRAM BACK.

I CAN'T TELL YOU THE VALUE OF THE PARK RANGER PROGRAM ON OUR 10,000 ACRES FROM THE LAW ENFORCEMENT WORKING WITH THE ERIE COUNTY SHERIFF'S TO THE EDUCATIONAL COMPONENT, TO THE SET OF EYES IN THE FIELD, TO JUST BRIDGING THE GAP.

AND EACH ONE OF THEM HAVE THEIR OWN, YOU KNOW NATURAL DEGREES AND BRING SOMETHING TO THE TABLE.

THEY'RE GREAT. THEY BRING SO MUCH TO THE TABLE. WE THEY'RE STATIONED OUT AT CHESTNUT RIDGE, BUT IN THE SUMMERTIME, WE HAVE A SUBSTATION OUT OF ELLICOTT CREEK. SO WE CAN COVER AS MUCH OF THE COUNTY AS POSSIBLE WITH THE WITH THE LIMITED RANGES WE HAVE.

YOU'RE WELCOME. THANKS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

APPRECIATE IT. UP NEXT, WE HAVE THE DEPARTMENT FOR THE AGING.

SPEAKING OF AGING, I THINK WE SHOULD WISH LEGISLATOR TODARO A HAPPY BIRTHDAY TODAY.

LEGISLATOR TODARO. I DON'T KNOW IF WE NEED TO TAKE A BREAK, BECAUSE I DON'T SEE COMMISSIONER HOKE HERE.

FIVE MINUTES. CAN WE COME BACK IN FIVE MINUTES? THANKS.

ALL RIGHT, WE'RE BACK. NOW WE HAVE THE DEPARTMENT FOR THE AGING COMMISSIONER.

HOKE IS HERE. COMMISSIONER, CAN YOU GIVE US AN UPDATE ON YOUR MID-YEAR BUDGET STATUS?

[Department for the Aging]

MID YEAR AS AS YOU LIKELY KNOW, OUR DEPARTMENT IS FUNDED BY A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF STATE AND FEDERAL GRANTS.

SO WE KNOW AT THE BEGINNING OF THE, THE VARIOUS CALENDAR YEARS HOW MUCH FUNDS WE HAVE TO, TO SPEND.

[03:20:03]

ONE OF OUR LARGEST EXPENSES IS FOOD. REALLY. OUR BIGGEST BUDGET LINE IS FOOD FOR HOME DELIVERED AND CONGREGATE DINING PROGRAMS. IN REVIEWING THE MID-YEAR REPORTS WITH TONY, WE BELIEVE THAT WE'RE WITHIN NORMAL LIMITS ACROSS MOST BUDGET LINES.

THERE ARE SOME AREAS WHERE WE ARE ABOVE THE 50% MARK.

BUT THOSE HAVE SOME EXPLANATIONS THAT THAT TONY CAN SHARE.

SO WE WERE, WE WERE OVER 50% ON TWO LINES. ONE WAS THIS 91639 D I'D SENIOR SERVICES GRANTS.

CAN YOU HEAR ME? I CAN OKAY. WHAT THAT IS, IS WE'RE ABLE TO CHARGE THE DSS HEAT PROGRAM FOR PART OF THE COST OF OUR NEW YORK CONNECTS CASE MANAGERS WHO ARE ON THE PHONES.

IF THEY TAKE CALLS THAT ARE FROM SENIOR CITIZENS AND THEY HELP THEM GET HEAT BENEFITS, WE CAN CHARGE THAT TO DSS THE BUDGET IS 27,856. THAT'S BASICALLY BEEN FLAT. BUT AS THE NUMBER OF CALLS INCREASES, AS THE NUMBER OF SENIOR CITIZENS OUR CASE MANAGERS DEAL WITH, WE WE END UP USING THE DSS MONEY FIRST. SO WE MOVE THEIR COSTS FROM THE NEW YORK KNICKS GRANT INTO D.

S S SO WE GET THE 100% FUNDING THROUGH HEAP FIRST, AND THEN ONCE THE DSS MONEY IS USED UP, THEN THEY JUST STAY IN THE GRANT AND WE USE UP THE GRANT FUNDS.

SO IT'S IT'S JUST THAT IT'S A TIMING THING. IT'S JUST THAT WE'RE USING IT UP QUICKER THAN WE THAN WE HAVE IN THE PAST YEARS.

THE OTHER, THE LINE BELOW THAT 9800 I'D DISS SERVICES.

THIS IS THE DISS CHARGES COMPUTER CHARGES TO THE DEPARTMENT.

AND WHAT WE DO IS ON A QUARTERLY BASIS, THEY CHARGE THIS GENERAL FUND ACCOUNT ON A QUARTERLY BASIS.

WE RECLASS SOME OF THOSE EXPENSES INTO OUR GRANTS.

THIS REPORT IS THROUGH MAY. SO IT HAS ALL OF THE APRIL AND MAY EXPENSES.

AND WE HAVEN'T DONE WE HADN'T DONE THE RECLASS ENTRIES YET TO PULL IT INTO THE GRANTS.

SO ONCE WE DO THAT WE WILL DROP BELOW THE 50%.

WE HAVEN'T DONE THAT YET BECAUSE DSDISS HAS NOT YET GIVEN US THE JUNE NUMBERS YET.

THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO DO IT BY THE END OF THIS WEEK, AND ONCE THEY DO THAT, WE'LL DO THE ENTRY TO PULL OUT THE APRIL, MAY AND JUNE EXPENSES AND JUST RECLASS IT TO THE GRANTS.

SO AGAIN, IT'S A TIMING ISSUE. OKAY. OKAY. THANKS.

DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING? IS HE GETTING OUT OF HERE UNSCATHED? I THINK RIGHT. THANKS. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE SOCIAL SERVICES AND YOUTH SERVICES.

IN TWO MINUTES. SO, I MEAN, WE CAN TAKE A BREAK IF YOU GUYS WANT, FOR A COUPLE COUPLE MINUTES.

PUT THEM ON THE SPOT. YOU DON'T LISTEN TO ME.

I WAS ABLE, I WAS ABLE TO CONFIRM THE ID OF CHARGES TO THE LEGISLATURE.

IT'S FOR ALL OF YOUR PARKING SPOTS IN THE RATH BUILDING.

BY THE WAY. PARKING SPACE. PARKING SPACES? WELL, YES. SO THROUGH HALF THE YEAR, IT WAS 7500. I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THE GOING RATE.

THAT IS CALCULATED FOR PARKING. WELL, EVERY, EVERY PARKING SPACE PER MONTH HAS A CHARGE TO IT. SO YOU JUST MULTIPLY BY THE LEGISLATURE LEGISLATORS WHO HAVE PARKING SPACES AND.

WELL, IT'S IT'S, IT'S I, IT'S I'D BUILD. SO IT IS PART OF THE COSTS OF OPERATING THE RATH BUILDING.

SO LIKE FIVE YEARS AGO WHEN THEY REDID THE FLOOR SURFACE AREA LIKE THAT HAD A COST TO IT.

AND THOSE THINGS ARE CHARGED BACK TO ALL THE DEPARTMENTS THAT UTILIZE THOSE FOR MAINTENANCE.

YES. MAINTENANCE. YES. BASICALLY MAINTENANCE. MAINTENANCE OF THE MAINTENANCE OF THE ROOM.

SO EVERY DEPARTMENT PAYS THEIR FAIR SHARE. YEAH.

WHO WHO HAS THOSE SPOTS.

[03:25:07]

WE HAVE THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES AND YOUTH SERVICES COMMISSIONER.

BECKY, HOW ARE YOU? GOOD. HOW ARE YOU? GOOD. USUALLY WOULD YOU WANT TO START WITH A MID-YEAR BUDGET MESSAGE FOR US,

[Social Services/Youth Services]

THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE A MID-YEAR UPDATE ON THE ERIE COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES, PROGRAMS, OPERATIONS AND OUR BUDGET. WITH ME TODAY REPRESENTING DSS IS PEGGY KRAGTHORPE, SPECIAL ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER ERIC TOWER, AND MY DEPUTY COMMISSIONERS, KATIE GAVIN, DAN SWICK AND MARY ELLEN BROCKMEYER.

AS YOU KNOW, OUR DEPARTMENT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ADMINISTERING A BROAD RANGE OF STATE AND FEDERALLY MANDATED PROGRAMS THAT SERVE SOME OF THE MOST VULNERABLE MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY. THESE PROGRAMS OPERATE WITH STRICT STATUTORY AND REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS, AND COMPLIANCE IS NOT OPTIONAL.

IT'S ESSENTIAL IN PROTECTING THE COUNTY FROM LITIGATION, PRESERVING CRITICAL STATE AND FEDERAL REIMBURSEMENT, AND ENSURING THAT THE PEOPLE WE SERVE RECEIVE THE SERVICES TO WHICH THEY'RE ENTITLED.

BEYOND ADMINISTERING THOSE PUBLIC ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS, WE'RE ALSO CARRYING THE PROFOUND RESPONSIBILITY FOR PROTECTING CHILDREN INVOLVED IN THE CHILD WELFARE SYSTEM, ENSURING THE SAFETY AND WELL-BEING OF VULNERABLE ADULTS THROUGH APPS, SERVICES AND PROVIDING SECURE, APPROPRIATE CARE FOR YOUTH PLACED IN OUR DETENTION FACILITY.

THESE RESPONSIBILITIES ARE AMONG THE COUNTY'S MOST SIGNIFICANT OBLIGATIONS.

SO THIS AFTERNOON, I WANT TO BEGIN WITH AN OVERVIEW OF OUR MAJOR PROGRAMS AND BUDGET ACTIVITIES THROUGH THE FIRST HALF OF THE YEAR.

AND THEN I'LL HIGHLIGHT SEVERAL KEY ISSUES THAT WERE CLOSELY MONITORING AS WE MOVE THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF 2026 AND BEGIN PLANNING FOR 2027.

SO I'LL START WITH AN UPDATE ON TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE.

OUR SAFETY NET CASELOADS REMAIN STABLE FOR THE YEAR, WITH ONLY ABOUT A 1% INCREASE.

HOWEVER, THOSE EXPENSES ROSE APPROXIMATELY 4%, AND THAT'S INDICATING AN INCREASE IN THE COST PER CASE THAT WE'RE SERVICING.

WE ATTRIBUTE THIS TO A HIGHER LEVEL OF EMERGENCY SERVICES THAT ARE BEING SOUGHT FROM OUR DEPARTMENT AND OUR HOMELESS PLACEMENTS, SO WE'RE PAYING MORE PER BENEFIT PER HOUSEHOLD.

OUR SAFETY NET CASH APPLICATIONS ACTUALLY HAVE DECLINED IN 2026.

AND WHAT THAT'S SUGGESTING TO US IS THAT WE'RE SEEING FEWER NEW APPLICANTS.

PART OF THAT IS A GOOD THING BECAUSE IT'S DUE TO MORE TIMELY RECERTIFICATIONS ON HOUSEHOLDS, SO THEIR CASES AREN'T BEING CLOSED AND THEN THEY'RE COMING IN TO REAPPLY.

BUT WE'RE ALSO SEEING THE IMPACT OF THOSE ABLE BODIED ADULTS WITHOUT DEPENDENTS REQUIREMENTS THAT ARE BEING IMPLEMENTED AND WORK SANCTIONS THAT ARE BEING PUT INTO PLACE.

SO THAT'S HAVING AN IMPACT. IN CONTRAST, ON THE FAMILY ASSISTANCE SIDE OF THE HOUSE, THOSE CASELOADS HAVE REMAINED ESSENTIALLY FLAT, BUT THE EXPENSES ASSOCIATED WITH THOSE HAVE INCREASED BY APPROXIMATELY 17%.

AGAIN, THAT'S REFLECTING A HIGHER SERVICE AND COST BENEFIT PER CASE IN EMERGENCY SERVICES AND OUR TEMPORARY HOUSING ASSISTANCE PLACEMENTS.

OUR FAMILY APPLICATIONS HAVE INCREASED BY 25%.

AND WHAT THAT'S POINTING TO US IS A GROWING ECONOMIC PRESSURE ON FAMILIES.

SO THE RISE IN APPLICATIONS WITHOUT A CORRESPONDING CASELOAD INCREASE IS ALSO INDICATING TO US THAT WE'RE SEEING QUICKER CASE RESOLUTIONS WITHIN OUR DEPARTMENT, BUT WE'RE ALSO SEEING HIGHER DENIAL RATES AMONG THOSE FAMILY ASSISTANCE CASES.

AND A LOT OF WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS THAT FAMILIES ARE DRIVEN TO APPLY FOR BENEFITS DUE TO INCREASED COSTS IN HOUSING AND CHILD CARE AND OTHER RELATED EXPENSES, BUT THEY'RE INELIGIBLE FOR THE CASH ASSISTANCE BENEFITS THAT ARE PROVIDED THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES DUE TO EXCESS INCOME FOR PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY.

SO DOESN'T MEAN FAMILIES AREN'T STRUGGLING, THEY JUST DON'T MEET THE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA.

OUR MID-YEAR APPLICATION TRENDS FURTHER HIGHLIGHT A SHIFTING DEMAND ACROSS OUR CORE PUBLIC ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS, AND OVERALL, IT'S JUST IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THE COST OF MEETING THE NEEDS HAS RISEN IN 2026.

71% OF THOSE SAFETY NET COSTS REMAIN LOCAL SHARE DOLLARS, WITH 29% BEING REIMBURSED BY THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

AND WE'RE CURRENTLY STILL RECEIVING 100% FEDERAL REIMBURSEMENT FOR THOSE FAMILY ASSISTANCE CASES.

NOW, I WANT TO TALK WITH YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR HOMELESS PLACEMENTS.

I KNOW I'VE SHARED A LOT OF INFORMATION WITH YOU IN THE PAST ABOUT THAT.

OUR HOMELESS PLACEMENTS CONTINUE TO BE HIGH ON OUR WATCH LIST THROUGHOUT THE FIRST HALF OF 2026, DEMAND FOR HOMELESS SERVICES HAS REMAINED HIGH.

OUR TEMPORARY HOUSING ASSISTANCE APPLICATIONS HAVE INCREASED THIS YEAR, AND MY TEAM IS ASSESSING MORE SINGLES AND FAMILIES THAT ARE COMING THROUGH OUR DOORS WHILE WE PROCESS MANY DENIALS. HOMELESS PLACEMENTS INCREASED 15% IN 2026, AND WE'RE SEEING GROWTH BY BOTH SINGLES AND FAMILIES SEEKING ASSISTANCE. SHELTER PLACEMENTS REMAINED FLAT, AND THAT'S BECAUSE WE MAX OUT CAPACITY ON A DAILY BASIS OF OUR SHELTER BEDS.

BUT OUR HOTEL PLACEMENTS HAVE INCREASED BY MORE THAN 31%, AND THAT'S DEMONSTRATING THE CONTINUED STRAIN ON OUR EMERGENCY HOUSING SYSTEM.

[03:30:09]

THAT BREAKS DOWN TO 365 SINGLE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE PLACED AND 225 FAMILIES.

OF THAT, 365, THERE IS 179 THAT ARE IN HOTELS AND 186 SINGLES THAT WE HAVE IN SHELTER BEDS.

OF THOSE 225 FAMILIES, 197 OF THEM ARE CURRENTLY RESIDING IN HOTELS AND 28 ARE IN SHELTERS.

SO THAT'S PROBABLY THE AREA MY DEPARTMENT HAS THE LARGEST FOCUS ON WITH REGARD TO TIME MANAGEMENT AND HIGH NEED.

RIGHT NOW, I AM HAPPY TO SHARE THAT THE SAFE PROGRAM.

WE RECEIVED $1.5 MILLION THIS YEAR IN STATE FUNDING, AND D I, S AND D S RECEIVED THAT IN OCTOBER.

WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO FORESTALL 352 EVICTIONS SO FAR THIS YEAR, WHICH ASSISTED 425 ADULTS AND 269 CHILDREN FROM PENETRATING OUR HOMELESS SYSTEM.

THE HOUSEHOLDS ASSISTED SPAN ALL OF THE LEGISLATIVE DISTRICTS ACROSS ERIE COUNTY, AND THE STATE HAS REAUTHORIZED FUNDING TO CONTINUE THIS PROGRAM INTO 2027, WHICH WAS GREAT NEWS FOR US. OUR RENT SUPPLEMENT PROGRAM, WE'RE ALSO SEEING AN INCREASE IN HOUSEHOLDS ENROLLED WITH THAT $3.5 MILLION THAT WE RECEIVE, $277,000 IN SUBSIDIES IS ASSISTING 274 FAMILIES EVERY SINGLE MONTH.

AND THAT PROGRAM IS 100% STATE FUNDED. SO THAT'S ALSO HELPING US TO SAVE LOCAL DOLLARS ON OUR HOMELESS MITIGATION EFFORTS IN EMERGENCY SERVICES. WE RECEIVED 4692 APPLICATIONS IN THE FIRST HALF OF 2026.

THAT WAS A 4% INCREASE OVER 2025. OUR SECURITY AGREEMENTS ROSE BY 23%.

SO THAT'S DRIVEN BY THE EXPANDED HOMELESS REHOUSING EFFORTS THAT MY TEAM IS UTILIZING TO TO TRY OUR BEST, EVEN THOUGH WE'RE HAVING A LARGE NUMBER OF FOLKS THAT ARE COMING INTO SHELTER. WE'RE ALSO WORKING TO GET FOLKS OUT OF SHELTER AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN.

WE'VE ALSO HAD A 6% INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF MOVES THAT WE'VE ASSISTED WITH, AND AN 8% INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF STORAGE UNITS THAT WE'RE PAYING FOR.

SO WHEN FOLKS COME INTO SHELTER, WE'RE ASSISTING THEM WITH SAVING THEIR BELONGINGS.

WATER BILL ARREARS HAVE INCREASED BY 77% THIS YEAR.

NOW AGAIN, LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS, IT WENT FROM 48 HOUSEHOLDS WE ASSISTED IN 25 TO 85 THAT WE'VE ASSISTED IN 26.

AND WE BELIEVE THAT'S LARGELY DUE TO LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES LIFTING THOSE COVID ERA SUSPENSIONS ON COLLECTION AND ENFORCEMENT.

NOW, I WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT DAYCARE.

FROM OCTOBER 25TH TO SEPTEMBER 26TH, WHICH IS THE FEDERAL FISCAL YEAR, OUR CHILD CARE BLOCK GRANT ALLOCATION WAS $65.9 MILLION.

OUR MONTHLY SPENDING PEAKED AT $7.6 MILLION. SO WE HAD TO MOVE TO ESTABLISH A WAITLIST FOR CHILD CARE SUBSIDIES IN OCTOBER OF 2025.

REGULATIONS NOW REQUIRE COUNTIES TO GUARANTEE 12 MONTHS COVERAGE UPON OPENING UP A CASE.

SO WHILE WE DIDN'T WANT TO MOVE TO A WAITLIST, WE COULDN'T CONTINUE TO SPEND AT $7.6 MILLION WHEN WE DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO BE ABLE TO COVER THOSE 12 MONTHS OUT INTO THE FUTURE.

SO UPON ESTABLISHING THAT WAITLIST, WE HAD TO PUT 512 FAMILIES ON THAT WAITLIST.

WE FOUND OUT ON THE 16TH OF JUNE THAT OCFS IS GRANTING US AN ADDITIONAL $6 MILLION THIS YEAR THAT WE CAN USE FOR CHILD CARE SUBSIDIES. SO THAT'S TAKING OUR ALLOCATION TO $72 MILLION.

SO WE DID IMMEDIATE OUTREACH TO THOSE HOUSEHOLDS.

OF THOSE 512 HOUSEHOLDS THAT WERE ON THAT LIST.

TO DATE, 232 HOUSEHOLDS HAVE GOTTEN BACK IN TOUCH WITH US AND SAID THAT THEY'RE STILL INTERESTED IN CONTINUING TO RECEIVE ASSISTANCE.

SO WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF OPENING UP THOSE CASES.

SOME POSITIVE NEWS THAT I CAN ALSO SHARE WITH YOU IS THAT WE'VE ALSO BEEN ADVISED THAT EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 1ST, WHICH IS STILL PART OF THIS BUDGET YEAR BUT WILL BE THE NEW FEDERAL FISCAL YEAR, OUR ALLOCATION IS BEING FURTHER INCREASED TO $83.5 MILLION.

SO THAT WILL ALLOW US TO CONTINUE TO OPEN UP EVEN MORE HOUSEHOLDS.

WE'LL HAVE TO CONTINUE TO MONITOR THAT CLOSELY, BECAUSE WE ESTIMATE THAT IF OUR SPENDING HAS TO STAY ABOUT $6.9 MILLION A MONTH TO BE ABLE

[03:35:09]

WITH REGARD TO MEDICAID, OUR COMMUNITY MEDICAID CASELOAD WAS REDUCED BY 9% IN 2026.

HOWEVER, OUR APPLICATION INTAKE INCREASED BY 53%.

SO WHAT THAT TELLS ME IS THAT WE CAN ATTRIBUTE THAT TO THE FACT THAT THERE WAS THAT COVID ERA UNWINDING OF APPLICATIONS.

IF YOU REMEMBER, DURING COVID, THEY JUST CONTINUED TO KEEP MEDICAID CASES OPEN DECEMBER 31ST.

THEY STOPPED THAT. SO WE HAD A LARGE NUMBER OF HOUSEHOLDS WHERE THE CASES WERE CLOSED.

AND THEN BEGINNING OF JANUARY, IF FOLKS STILL NEEDED TO HAVE ASSISTANCE, APPLICATIONS WERE COMING THROUGH THE DOOR.

SO IT DIDN'T DECREASE THE AMOUNT OF WORK THAT MY DEPARTMENT HAD TO PROCESS, JUST THE NUMBER OF HOUSEHOLDS THAT WERE ON ACTIVE ASSISTANCE.

OUR CASELOADS FOR CASA AND LONG TERM MANAGED CARE ALSO CONTINUE TO INCREASE, AND WE'RE MONITORING THAT CLOSELY AS WELL.

THE SNAP CASELOAD SIZE HAS REDUCED FROM LAST YEAR.

IT'S ABOUT A 5% DECREASE. AND THE SNAP DIVISION WAS CHALLENGED AT THE START OF 2026 DUE TO THE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN AT THE END OF 2025, AND THE UNPRECEDENTED LAPSE AND DELAYS IN THE DISTRIBUTION, IF YOU REMEMBER, OF SNAP BENEFITS TO ERIE COUNTY HOUSEHOLDS DURING THAT PERIOD OF TIME.

THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ABIDE WORK RULES THAT WERE ALSO PREVIOUSLY UNDER A WAIVER THROUGH FEBRUARY 28TH OF 2026 ALSO HAS ENDED.

SO THERE IS AN IMPACT TO THOSE SNAP CASES. AND WE BEGAN CLOSING CASES IN JUNE.

WE BELIEVE THAT THE BIGGEST IMPACT OF THAT WON'T BE FELT UNTIL THE SECOND HALF OF 2026.

BUT APPROXIMATELY 3500 ERIE COUNTY SNAP RECIPIENTS LOST THEIR BENEFITS FOR FAILING TO MEET THOSE ABIDE REQUIREMENTS.

SO WE ARE MONITORING THAT CLOSELY. DURING THE FIRST FIVE MONTHS OF 2026, OUR EMPLOYMENT SERVICES PROVIDED A MONTHLY AVERAGE OF 7889 TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE INDIVIDUALS WITH EMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE AND WORK ACTIVITIES.

THAT WAS A MINOR INCREASE, BUT ABOUT 1% FROM 2025.

ERIE COUNTY ALSO CONTINUED TO RECEIVE FUNDING TO ADMINISTER OUR YOUTH EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR ELIGIBLE YOUTH FROM LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLDS IN 2026.

THAT PROGRAM WAS INITIATED TO SUPPORT A REDUCTION IN GUN VIOLENCE INVOLVED YOUTH AND OUR SUMMER YOUTH PROGRAM IS ALSO AN IMPORTANT PLATFORM TO INTRODUCE INDIVIDUALS INTO THE WORKFORCE. WE HAD 352 YOUTH THAT PARTICIPATED IN YEP DURING THE 2526 SCHOOL YEAR, AND WE ANTICIPATE HAVING APPROXIMATELY 700 YOUTH EMPLOYED THROUGHOUT OUR SUMMER PROGRAM.

OUR ALLOCATION FOR SUMMER YOUTH THIS YEAR WAS $2.6 MILLION.

SO THAT WAS AN ADDITIONAL GREAT, YOU KNOW, ADDITION TO OUR BUDGET.

WITH REGARD TO HEAP. THE HEAP SEASON THIS YEAR WAS DELAYED UNTIL DECEMBER 2025.

SO GENERALLY WE START EARLY NOVEMBER. WE DIDN'T GET KICKED OFF TILL DECEMBER.

AND THE STATE ONLY RAN THAT PROGRAM THROUGH APRIL.

SO THE NUMBER, IF YOU'RE GOING TO LOOK AT NUMBERS IN THE SPENDING AND THE HOUSEHOLD SERVED, WE ARE GOING TO SEE A REDUCTION THIS YEAR BECAUSE THE TIME PERIOD WAS SHORTENED UP.

ALSO, WHEN IT COMES TO FURNACE REPLACEMENTS, THAT HEAP ASSISTS WITH THE RULES WERE CHANGED THIS YEAR.

SO BECAUSE OF THAT POLICY CHANGE, RESIDENTS AGED 60 AND OLDER WERE THE ONLY ONES THAT WERE ELIGIBLE TO QUALIFY IN THIS PROGRAM YEAR.

WE ASSISTED 51 HOUSEHOLDS THUS FAR. WITH THAT ASSISTANCE.

OUR HEAP COOLING PROGRAM WAS ALSO SHORTENED THIS YEAR.

OTDA KICKED THAT OFF ON APRIL 15TH, AND THAT PROGRAM ACTUALLY CLOSED ALREADY.

IT CLOSED JUNE 5TH, BUT 2724 ERIE COUNTY HOUSEHOLDS WERE PROVIDED WITH AIR CONDITIONING UNITS THIS YEAR.

NOW, I WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE FAMILY WELLNESS SIDE OF THE HOUSE AND OUR CHILD WELFARE PROGRAMS. CHILD WELFARE CONTINUES TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO SERVICES AND STRENGTHEN SUPPORT FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES THROUGH SEVERAL KEY INITIATIVES.

A NEW DEPARTMENT WIDE CALL CENTER WAS LAUNCHED IN 2026, ALLOWING FAMILIES AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO DIRECTLY REACH THE APPROPRIATE STAFF MEMBERS IN BOTH ENGLISH AND SPANISH. THE SYSTEM IS EXPECTED TO IMPROVE RESPONSIVENESS, STREAMLINE COMMUNICATION AND ENSURE OUR AFTER HOURS STAFF REMAIN FOCUSED ON THOSE EMERGENCY CHILD PROTECTION MATTERS TO BETTER SERVE ERIE COUNTY'S DIVERSE COMMUNITIES.

WE ALSO HAVE A BILINGUAL A BILINGUAL POSITION THAT WAS REASSIGNED TO OUR HOME FINDING UNIT, MAKING ERIE COUNTY THE ONLY DISTRICT IN THE REGION WITH A DEDICATED BILINGUAL HOME FINDER TO RECRUIT, LICENSE AND SUPPORT OUR SPANISH SPEAKING FOSTER FAMILIES.

[03:40:01]

I WANT THE LEGISLATURE TO BE AWARE OF GATEWAY.

LONGVIEW AND NEW DIRECTIONS ARE ANTICIPATING A MERGER AND WILL OPERATE UNDER THE NEW VIEW ALLIANCE NAME, EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1ST, 2027. THIS IS SUBJECT TO REGULATORY AUTHORITY FROM OCFS, THE OFFICE OF MENTAL HEALTH, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, BUT IT WILL HAVE AN IMPACT ON OUR CONTRACTS, SO WE WILL HAVE TO LOOK AT THAT. FINALLY, NEW YORK STATE RECENTLY ENACTED LEGISLATION ELIMINATING ANONYMOUS REPORTS FROM THE STATEWIDE CENTRAL REGISTRY OF CHILD ABUSE AND MALTREATMENT, EXCEPT WHEN REPORTS ARE MADE DIRECTLY BY A CHILD VICTIM.

FAMILY WELLNESS IS PREPARING FOR THIS CHANGE AND WILL CONTINUE WORKING WITH THE STATE PARTNERS TO ENSURE ENSURE A SMOOTH IMPLEMENTATION WHILE MAINTAINING A COMMITMENT TO CHILD SAFETY. AND JUST TO SHARE SOME CASELOAD TRENDS WITH YOU WITH REGARD TO OUR OPEN CPS INVESTIGATIONS FROM PER MONTH, I DO SEND YOU GUYS OVER A REGULAR REPORT EVERY MONTH ON OUR CHILD PROTECTIVE INFORMATION, BUT WE CURRENTLY HAVE 1176 OPEN CPS INVESTIGATIONS, WHICH IS DOWN 7% FROM LAST YEAR.

SO THAT'S A POSITIVE THING. OUR OPEN CPS AVERAGE CASELOAD PER WORKER IS 13.8.

WE HAVE 604 PREVENTIVE CASES, WHICH IS A 13% INCREASE FROM LAST YEAR.

AND OUR FOSTER CARE PLACEMENTS ARE DOWN 2%. WITH REGARD TO KINSHIP PLACEMENTS.

WE CURRENTLY HAVE 158 OF THOSE, WHICH IS AN INCREASE OF 9.7%.

SO WE'RE ABLE TO PLACE MORE CHILDREN WITH KINSHIP FAMILIES, WHICH IS POSITIVE.

STRENGTHENING OUR EMPLOYEE SAFETY AND MODERNIZING TECHNOLOGY HAS ALSO BEEN SOMETHING THAT WE FOCUSED ON IN 2026.

FAMILY WELLNESS AND PARTNERSHIP WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION AND SUPPORT SERVICES IMPLEMENTED SEVERAL INITIATIVES TO ENHANCE EMPLOYEE SAFETY AND IMPROVE SERVICE FOR BOTH CHILD WELFARE AND ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES. THIS YEAR, ALL OF OUR FIELD STAFF RECEIVED NEW PERSONAL DURESS DEVICES, COMPREHENSIVE TRAINING, AND ONGOING TECHNICAL SUPPORT TO INCREASE SAFETY WHILE IN THE COMMUNITY.

ADDITIONALLY, STAFF TRANSITIONED FROM FLIP PHONES TO IPHONES, PROVIDING MORE RELIABLE COMMUNICATION AND IMPROVED ACCESS TO TECHNOLOGY WHILE SERVICING RESIDENTS. WITH REGARD TO ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES, THE DEMAND FOR APS CONTINUES TO GROW AS THE POPULATION REQUIRING ASSISTANCE INCREASES. TO ADDRESS RISING CASELOADS, VACANT CASEWORKER POSITIONS HAVE BEEN STRATEGICALLY REASSIGNED TO APS, STRENGTHENING STAFFING LEVELS AND IMPROVING THE DEPARTMENT'S ABILITY TO RESPOND TO VULNERABLE ADULTS IN A TIMELY MANNER.

LOOKING AHEAD, THE DEPARTMENT ANTICIPATES THE NEED FOR ADDITIONAL SUPERVISORY CAPACITY TO SUPPORT STAFF AND MAINTAIN EFFECTIVE OVERSIGHT AS THE PROGRAM CONTINUES TO EXPAND. PLANNING IS ALSO UNDERWAY TO IDENTIFY FUTURE WORKSPACE NEEDS TO ACCOMMODATE THIS GROWTH.

AT THE STATE LEVEL. IMPLEMENTATION GUIDANCE IS STILL PENDING REGARDING THE NEW FEDERAL REGULATION ESTABLISHING A NATIONAL ADULT PROTECTIVE REGISTRY AND UPDATED DEFINITIONS RELATED TO MALTREATMENT AND EXPLOITATION.

BUT FAMILY WELLNESS WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THESE DEVELOPMENTS AND PREPARE FOR ANY OPERATIONAL CHANGES REGARDING THE FUTURE STATE GUIDANCE FOR OUR CURRENT APS CASELOADS. LAST YEAR WE WERE WE WERE AT 50 PER WORKER.

NOW WE'RE DOWN TO 47.4. WE'RE COMPLETING APPROXIMATELY 202 ASSESSMENTS A MONTH.

WE HAVE 680 REP PAYEE CASES, 81 ACTIVE PROTECTIVE CASES, 51 ACTIVE PREVENTIVE CASES AND ACT AS GUARDIAN FOR 167 INDIVIDUALS WITHIN ERIE COUNTY. NOW, I'LL JUST SHARE WITH YOU A FEW HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE YOUTH BUREAU AND OUR YOUTH DETENTION SIDE.

IN 2025, AS YOU'RE AWARE, YOUTH SERVICES WAS RESTRUCTURED TO IMPROVE ALIGNMENT AND THE SCOPE OF WORK APPROPRIATELY BETWEEN THE UNITS AND THE DEPARTMENT.

THE YOUTH BUREAU NOW FUNCTIONS INDEPENDENT OF THE YOUTH DETENTION CENTER AND IS RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUTH DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS AND SERVICES, JUVENILE DIVERSION SERVICES AND RUNAWAY AND HOMELESS YOUTH SERVICES.

THE YOUTH BUREAU FUNCTIONS BY WAY OF TWO TEAMS OUR YOUTH SERVICES PLANNING TEAM, WHICH IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PLANNING, MONITORING AND COMPLIANCE OF THE FUNDED PROGRAMS AND SERVICES, AND THE JUVENILE DIVERSION SERVICES TEAM, WHICH IMPLEMENTS SERVICES FOR JUSTICE, INVOLVED YOUTH AND FAMILY COURT IN COLLABORATION WITH PROBATION.

[03:45:03]

AND IT'S BRINGING JUVENILE JUSTICE DIVERSION INTO THE YOUTH CONTINUUM OF CARE.

THE YOUTH BUREAU CURRENTLY OVERSEES SIX FUNDING PROGRAMS OUR SUMMER PRIME TIME, OUR YOUTH DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS, OUR YOUTH TEAM SPORTS, OUR YOUTH SPORTS AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS, OUR RUNAWAY AND HOMELESS YOUTH SERVICES, AND OUR STREETS PROGRAM. ERIE COUNTY'S IMPROVED COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING AND ALIGNED ALLOCATION OF FUNDING AND SERVICES FOR THE YOUTH.

ALONG THIS CONTINUUM, FUNDING IS IMPLEMENTED IN A PLANFUL MANNER, PRIORITIZING THE HIGHEST NEEDS IN THE YOUTH COMMUNITY.

AND FOR THE FIRST TIME, TRADITIONAL YOUTH BUREAU PROGRAMS SUCH AS YDP ARE CONNECTED WITH JUSTICE INVOLVED YOUTH SERVED BY THE JUVENILE DIVERSION SERVICES TEAM AND OUR FAMILY SERVICES TEAM. THIS CROSS-SECTOR COLLABORATION IS CRITICAL TO BUILDING A STRONG SAFETY NET OF SERVICES AND PROGRAMS FOR THE YOUTH OF ERIE COUNTY.

WE'RE LEVERAGING RESOURCES ACROSS DEPARTMENTS AND REDUCING THE FRAGMENTATION AND COMPETITION AMONGST YOUTH SERVING AGENCIES.

MORE IMPORTANTLY, THIS ALIGNMENT STRENGTHENS THE CONNECTION OF CRITICAL YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AND PRO-SOCIAL OPPORTUNITIES TO THE HIGHEST RISK YOUTH WHO ARE OFTEN OVERLOOKED IN DEVELOPMENT OF SUCH PROGRAMS. THE ERIE COUNTY YOUTH BUREAU IS A KEY MEMBER OF THE NEW YORK STATE POSITIVE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT STEERING COMMITTEE, AND A TEAM FOCUSED ON REWRITING THE FRAMEWORK BY WHICH NEW YORK STATE YOUTH BUREAU SYSTEM FUNDS AND MONITOR PROGRAMS AND SERVICES FOR YOUTH AS ONE OF THE LARGEST COUNTIES IN NEW YORK STATE.

OUR CONTRIBUTION HAS BEEN CRITICAL TO MOVING THIS WORK FORWARD, PARTICULARLY AS THE ERIE COUNTY YOUTH BUREAU INCLUDES JUVENILE JUSTICE IN ITS BROADER SCOPE OF WORK, AND THIS IS A UNIQUE APPROACH TO THE CURRENT STATEWIDE YOUTH BUREAU MODEL.

I FURTHER WANT TO SHARE THAT THE YOUTH BUREAU IS AT THE CENTER OF CRITICAL CROSS-DEPARTMENTAL WORK AIMED AT IMPROVING SYSTEMS, PROCESSES AND STRUCTURES. WE'RE WORKING COLLABORATIVELY WITH THE DEPARTMENTS OF MENTAL HEALTH AND PROBATION, AS WELL AS OTHER INTERNAL DEPARTMENTS WORKING WITH YOUTH TO STRENGTHEN OUR WORK AND ALIGN STRATEGIES.

FINALLY, THE YOUTH BUREAU IS WORKING INTENTLY TO ANALYZE CURRENT INTERNAL APPLICATIONS, DATA COLLECTION, OUTCOMES, TRACKING AND REPORTING SYSTEMS TO ENSURE THAT ALL OF OUR PROCESSES ARE CLEAR, EQUITABLE, ALIGNED WITH NEW YORK STATE PRIORITIES AND ARE NOT OVERLY BURDENSOME.

OUR OUR GOAL IS TO EXPAND ACCESS AND DECREASE BARRIERS TO FUNDING AND CAPACITY TO SUPPORT THE YOUTH BUREAU AS BEST WE CAN OFFER.

AND THEN JUST TO SHARE WITH YOU A LITTLE BIT. THE TOTAL YOUTH THAT WERE SERVED THROUGH PRIME TIME HAVE WHAT.

LAST YEAR WAS 9023 13,546 YOUTH THROUGH OUR PROGRAMS 6055.

THROUGH OUR YOUTH TEAM SPORTS 8117 THROUGH OUR YOUTH SPORTS AND EDUCATION, 624 INDIVIDUALS WERE SERVICED THROUGH OUR RUNAWAY AND HOMELESS YOUTH SERVICES AND 170 THROUGH OUR STREET SJP PROGRAMS. SO THERE IS A GREAT NUMBER OF ERIE COUNTY YOUTH THAT BENEFIT FROM THE SERVICES THAT ARE BEING PROVIDED.

NOW LASTLY, YOUTH DETENTION. SEVERAL IMPROVEMENTS HAVE BEEN IMPLEMENTED AT THE FACILITY TO PROVIDE A STRUCTURED RESTORATIVE JUSTICE ENVIRONMENT FOR YOUTH.

AT 810 EAST FERRY, NEW YORK STATE OCFS HAS ACKNOWLEDGED ERIE COUNTY AS A MODEL FACILITY.

WE DO CONTINUE TO BE CHALLENGED WITH STAFFING AND HIGH TURNOVER RATES.

AND I JUST WANT TO SHARE THAT CONSTRUCTION WORK CONTINUES ON OUR LIGHT BLUE POD AT THE FACILITY, AT THE FACILITY. SO CURRENTLY EIGHT OF OUR 64 BEDS ARE CURRENTLY OFFLINE.

BUT THE CENSUS FOR YOUTH DETENTION AT THE FACILITY IS CURRENTLY ONLY IN THE LOW 40S, SO WE'RE STILL ABLE TO MEET THAT NEED.

I KNOW I'VE SHARED A LOT OF INFORMATION WITH YOU, AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME THE TIME AND SPACE TO BE ABLE TO SHARE UPDATES FROM DSS. MY TEAM AND I ARE NOW HAPPY TO TAKE ANY KIND OF QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE FROM US.

THANKS. GREAT. VINAL DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION? YES, ANDY. YOU SPOKE ABOUT THE 7889 TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE TO WORK, JOBS FOR THE PEOPLE.

WHERE ARE THOSE? I ALWAYS WAS WONDERING ABOUT, LIKE, WHAT IS THE ECONOMICS OF THOSE? LIKE, DO THE EMPLOYERS PAY THEM OR DO THE EMPLOYEES GET LIKE, HOW DOES THAT WORK AS FAR AS, DO THE PEOPLE WORK FOR FREE? SO THERE'S BOTH SO OF, SO WE HAVE 708 7889 TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE INVOLVED.

IT'S BOTH SUBSIDIZED AND UNSUBSIDIZED EMPLOYMENT.

SO CURRENTLY WE HAVE 361 TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE PLACED IN THAT SUBSIDIZED EMPLOYMENT.

SO THAT WOULD BE THROUGH OUR PIVOT PROGRAM. SO WITH THAT PIVOT PROGRAM, THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES FOR SIX MONTHS THAT THEY'RE ENGAGED IN THOSE ACTIVITIES

[03:50:03]

SO IT REALLY IS A WIN WIN. IT'S A WIN WIN FOR AGENCIES AND THEN ALSO FOR THE DEPARTMENT AND THE CLIENTS THE WHOLE TIME, THE PERSON WHO'S GETTING IT IS GETTING THAT PAYCHECK TO THEIR FAMILY.

THAT'S CORRECT. OKAY. AND THERE'S NONE. AND THEN THE OTHER ONES YOU SAID THOSE ARE THREE 60 ONE.

WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER 70? SO THE OTHER ONE ARE ENGAGED IN EMPLOYMENT ACTIVITIES.

SO THAT REALLY WOULD BE THAT AS PART OF THE ELIGIBILITY FOR RECEIVING THEIR PUBLIC ASSISTANCE GRANT THAT THEY HAVE TO BE ENGAGED IN WORK ACTIVITIES.

SO SOME OF THAT MIGHT BE THAT THEY'RE PLACED IN A NOT FOR PROFIT AGENCY IN THE COMMUNITY WHERE THEY'RE LEARNING JOB SKILLS, BUT THEY'RE NOT PAID A SALARY. IT'S ALMOST LIKE THEY'RE WORKING TO RECEIVE THEIR PUBLIC ASSISTANCE BENEFIT.

GO ON. IT SEEMS LIKE LIKE, SEEMS LIKE HOW LONG DOES IT GO ON LIKE THAT WHERE THEY'RE WORKING FOR FREE BASICALLY.

I MEAN, THEY'RE WORKING FOR THEIR BENEFITS, BUT THEY'RE NOT GETTING ANY MONEY TO THEIR HOUSEHOLD. SURE. WHILE THEY'RE ENGAGED WITH THE PARTNERS, LIKE WE'RE WORKING WITH THEM TO DO PREPARATION, RESUME PREPARATION YOU KNOW, IN EMPLOYMENT ACTIVITIES, WHAT IT MEANS TO GO TO WORK ON TIME, HOW TO DRESS FOR EMPLOYMENT.

ALL OF THOSE KIND OF ACTIVITIES ARE HAPPENING BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE WANT THOSE INDIVIDUALS TO BE EMPLOYED.

NOW WITH THAT BEING SAID, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT OVERALL POPULATION, 52% OF THAT TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE POPULATION THAT MIGHT BE ENGAGED IN THOSE ACTIVITIES ARE EXEMPT FROM WORK, EMPLOYMENT. SO AS A CRITERIA FOR MEETING THEIR THEY'RE NOT REQUIRED IN ORDER TO GET THAT CASH ASSISTANCE FROM BEING EMPLOYED BECAUSE THEY MIGHT HAVE SUBSTANCE ABUSE ISSUES, THEY MIGHT HAVE MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, THEY MIGHT HAVE BEEN ENGAGED WITH A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SITUATION.

THEY MIGHT BE NEEDED TO CARE FOR THEIR CHILDREN IN THEIR HOME.

SO REALLY, YOU TAKE THAT OVERALL POPULATION, 52% OF THEM DON'T HAVE TO BE ENGAGED.

THE OTHER 48% WE REALLY ARE TRYING TO GET, WE REALLY WANT TO GET THEM EMPLOYED.

SO, SO AGAIN, THE MORE PARTNERS THAT WE HAVE, LIKE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY THAT WANT TO WORK WITH US, THAT WE CAN PROVIDE A SUBSIDY THROUGH THE PIVOT PROGRAM, WE ARE WILLING TO BRING THEM ON AND ENGAGE AS BEST AS WE CAN WITH THEM IS IN SOME CASES, THEY'RE WORKING LIKE FOR YEARS FOR THESE NOT FOR PROFITS FOR FREE.

YOU KNOW, LEGISLATOR VINAL, I CAN'T TELL YOU THAT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.

MOST OF THE TIME THOUGH, WITH THOSE PUBLIC ASSISTANCE FOLKS THAT ARE EMPLOYABLE, WE WANT TO GET THEM IN AND WE WANT TO GET THEM OUT, AND WE WANT TO GET THEM GAINFULLY EMPLOYED BECAUSE TO YOUR POINT, THEY WILL MAKE A LOT MORE IF THEY'RE RECEIVING A WAGE THAN THEY ARE GOING TO FROM A PUBLIC ASSISTANCE GRANT. AND THEN WHEN YOU TALKED ABOUT THE WORK REQUIREMENTS, THE NEW WORK REQUIREMENTS, THERE'S A LOT OF QUESTIONS PEOPLE HAVE STILL ABOUT THAT.

SURE. IS THAT HOW IS THAT GOING AS FAR AS YOU SAID THAT 9% LEFT AND YOU THINK BECAUSE OF THAT OR WHATEVER, BUT WHAT DO YOU THINK IS GOING TO HAPPEN WITH THAT? I MEAN, ARE THOSE PEOPLE SUDDENLY WORKING OR ARE THEY, YOU KNOW, ON COUCHES AND, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO MAKE THE BEST THEY CAN? I MEAN, I THINK IT'S A COMBINATION OF BOTH.

I THINK THAT WELL, ACTUALLY, I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT WHAT I THINK.

I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE FACTS. WE SAW THE 9% DECREASE.

THE HOUSEHOLDS WERE INFORMED OF WHAT THEY NEED TO DO IN ORDER TO QUALIFY FOR SNAP ASSISTANCE.

THEY NEED TO BE ENGAGED, WORKING AT LEAST 20 HOURS A WEEK OR, YOU KNOW, IN SOME KIND OF WORK ACTIVITY.

SO THEY'VE BEEN INFORMED. WE'VE DONE ORIENTATIONS ON THAT.

SOME OF THOSE CASES THAT HAVE CLOSED, THEY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME BACK.

AND ONCE THEY CAN VERIFY THAT THEY'RE WORKING OR IN THOSE WORK ACTIVITIES, THEN THEY CAN REESTABLISH THEMSELVES TO BE QUALIFIED FOR BENEFITS THAT IS GOING TO IMPACT THOSE ABLE BODIED INDIVIDUALS CURRENTLY THAT ARE ON SNAP.

AND AS WE GET INTO NEXT YEAR, IT'S ALSO GOING TO IMPACT THE ABLE BODIED INDIVIDUALS TO CONTINUE TO RECEIVE THEIR MEDICAID BENEFITS.

SO WE WANT TO DO THE BEST WE CAN TO MAKE SURE FOLKS ARE INFORMED OF WHAT THEY NEED TO DO TO CONTINUE TO QUALIFY.

AND THEN WHAT DO THEY NEED TO DO TO PROVE THAT THEY'RE NOT REQUIRED TO DO IT, THAT THEY'RE PART OF AN EXCEPTION? SO IF THEY HAD A MEDICAL EXEMPTION, LIKE SOMETHING FROM A DOCTOR, THAT WOULD VERIFY THAT IF THEY WERE ON SSI, IF THEY WERE ON SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY, THEY HAD SOME KIND OF AWARD LETTERS TO BE ABLE TO VERIFY THAT, OR IF THEY'RE WORKING PAY STUBS, STATEMENTS FROM EMPLOYERS THAT WOULD BE ABLE TO VERIFY THAT.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

HELLO, COMMISSIONER AND TEAM. GOOD TO SEE YOU GUYS.

I JUST HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS ON. I KNOW YOU TOUCHED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE SNAP BENEFITS WITH WHAT'S GOING TO BE HAPPENING.

I KNOW THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BE MORE RENEWALS AND I WOULD SAY MORE CERTIFICATIONS FOR THOSE BENEFITS.

DO YOU THINK THAT'S GOING TO AFFECT YOUR STAFFING LEVELS? WELL, RIGHT NOW WE'VE SEEN A DROP IN THAT. SO I THINK INTERNALLY, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE IS WE'VE SHIFTED SOME OF OUR WORKERS,

[03:55:06]

IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'LL CONTINUE TO MONITOR CLOSELY.

BUT RIGHT NOW, WE'RE NOT FEELING, IN EFFECT, OF HAVING TO ADD THOSE ADDITIONAL JOBS TO OUR SNAP SNAPCASE.

I REMEMBER LIKE A COUPLE MONTHS AGO, THAT WAS MAYBE A CONCERN.

SO IN ADDITION TO THAT, I KNOW YOU MENTIONED THERE'S SOME STAFFING AND TURNOVER, WHICH I KNOW THAT YOUR DEPARTMENT IS A TOUGH DEPARTMENT.

LIKE YOU HAVE A LOT GOING ON. AND THEN YOU CAME TO THIS BODY FOR RESTRUCTURING.

DO YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO THAT AGAIN TO START GETTING MORE EMPLOYEES TO ACTUALLY STAY IN THESE DEPARTMENTS? I MEAN, I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CONTINUALLY LOOK AT AND I'M, YOU KNOW, ACTUALLY IN THE PROCESS OF WORKING WITH MY TEAM RIGHT NOW AS WE GET TO PREPARING FOR THE 2027 BUDGET TO LOOK WHERE OUR GAPS ARE.

I THINK WE ALL KNOW THAT THE 2027 BUDGET IS GOING TO BE A TOUGH BUDGET.

SO IT'S GOING TO BE A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WEIGHING OUR WANTS AND OUR NEEDS, AND WE'RE REALLY GOING TO HAVE TO FOCUS ON WHAT ARE THOSE CRITICAL AREAS THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CONTINUE TO SUPPORT. OKAY. AND THEN OBVIOUSLY, YOU GAVE US SOME GOOD NEWS FOR MORE FUNDING FOR DAYCARE.

I KNOW THAT WAS A BIG TOPIC LAST YEAR OF LIKE, THEIR NEED WAS THERE.

SO IT'S GREAT TO SEE THAT THERE'S MORE FUNDING GOING THERE FOR IT, FOR THOSE CERTAIN PROGRAMS. HOW DO YOU GUYS DO COMMUNITY OUTREACH WHEN WE DO HAVE NOW SOME EXTRA FUNDS? I DON'T THINK YOU SAID THERE'S A WAITLIST YET. LIKE, HOW DO YOU GUYS TRY TO MAKE SURE THE COMMUNITY IN ERIE COUNTY IS AWARE OF IT? SO ONE OF THE THINGS I'LL SAY IS THAT WE WHILE $83 MILLION SOUNDS FANTASTIC, LIKE WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR BUDGET, WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR BUDGET AND WE GO BACK INTO 2025 AND WE LOOKED AT OUR PEAK MONTH, WE WERE AT $7.6 MILLION AT OUR HIGH MONTH.

IF WE STAYED AT $7.6 MILLION, 83 MILLION WON'T EVEN BE ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO COVER THAT.

SO IT'S THAT DELICATE DANCE THAT WE HAVE TO DO.

AND, YOU KNOW, THANKS TO TO PEGGY. SHE MONITORS THAT FISCAL REPORT EVERY SINGLE MONTH.

SO WE HAVE TO BALANCE THE NUMBER OF KIDS THAT WE HAVE IN CARE AND THE COST OF THAT CARE BECAUSE IT'S DIFFERENT.

LIKE IF WE HAVE AN INFANT IN CARE VERSUS A TEN YEAR OLD, THAT'S AN AFTER SCHOOL CARE.

SO WE DID DO OUTREACH TO ALL 512 FAMILIES THAT WERE ON THAT WAIT LIST.

AND LIKE I SAID TO YOU, WE HAD OVER 200 AND 232, RIGHT? THAT RESPONDED ALREADY. WE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT THE FOLKS ON THE WAIT LIST FIRST BEFORE WE OPEN IT UP TO, YOU KNOW, THE GENERAL PUBLIC. INITIALLY, IF WE DETERMINE THAT FUNDING IS THERE, WE ABSOLUTELY WILL DO OUTREACH AND WE WORK VERY CLOSELY.

YOU KNOW, AS YOU'RE PROBABLY AWARE, ERIE COUNTY HAS A STRONG ADVOCACY AROUND CHILD CARE WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.

SO THE WORD WILL ABSOLUTELY GET OUT. AMAZING.

AND THEN MAYBE COMMISSIONER, YOU CAN ANSWER THIS OR. PEGGY.

YEAH. DO YOU GUYS FEEL LIKE THERE HAS BEEN AN INCREASE OF APPLICATIONS FOR THE DAYCARES SINCE THE LAST COUPLE MONTHS THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS PROGRAM? ACTUALLY APPLICATIONS WENT DOWN AND I THINK THEY WENT DOWN BECAUSE OF THE WAIT LIST.

SO FOLKS WEREN'T APPLYING BECAUSE OF THE WAIT LIST.

PERFECT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. YOU'RE WELCOME. THANKS, LEGISLATOR LORIGO.

THANK YOU. CAN YOU JUST WALK ME THROUGH THE FUNDING AGAIN ON THAT DAYCARE? ADDITIONAL FUNDING THAT WE'RE GETTING. DID YOU SAY WE'RE GETTING ADDITIONAL 7 MILLION OR AN ADDITIONAL 6 MILLION? I HAVE NUMBERS WRITTEN DOWN. ADDITIONAL 6 MILLION.

I CAN ACTUALLY GIVE YOU THE EXACT NUMBERS IF YOU HOLD ON ONE SECOND.

OKAY. IT'S GOING FROM $65,962,691 TO 72,048,095. SO WITH 72 MILLION, HOW MANY KIDS ARE RECOVERING FOR CHILD CARE? NOT JUST THE ADDITIONAL, BUT TOTAL. SO THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO LOOK AT.

AND THAT'S WHY I SAID I CAN'T. YOU WANT TO SEE 4000 KIDS ARE GETTING SERVICES.

OKAY. THAT'S WHAT WHEN YOU GUYS WERE SAYING LIKE THE THE 500 ADDITIONAL, THE LIST OF 200 THAT YOU GUYS WERE PULLING FROM AND EVERYTHING WAS LIKE 72 MILLION FOR 200 KIDS IS NOT THAT CAN'T BE RIGHT. OKAY. IT RUNS BETWEEN 4000, LIKE 4200.

YEAH. ACTUALLY, I CAN TELL YOU CURRENTLY. NOW THIS WOULD BE AS OF MAY.

AS OF MAY, WE HAD 4940 CHILDREN WITH A PAYMENT.

OKAY. AND THEN I HAD A COUPLE OF OTHER QUESTIONS.

YOU SAID THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE 179 PEOPLE THAT ARE OUT OF HOUSING IN HOTELS.

IS THAT THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY? WHAT HOTELS ARE THEY AT? I KNOW IT'S NOT REALLY A SAFE SITUATION. TYPICALLY WE SAY.

SO WE CURRENTLY HAVE 179 SINGLES IN HOTELS. AND WE HAVE 197 FAMILIES IN HOTELS.

OH, WOW. OKAY. AND WHERE ARE THEY LOCATED? DO YOU WANT TO TAKE I'LL HAVE DAN, WHO'S OUR COMMISSIONER THAT OVERSEES THAT AREA.

OKAY. SOME OF OUR. I THANK YOU. THE HOTELS ARE PRIMARILY IN HAMBURG, CHEEKTOWAGA, AND WE HAVE ONE IN LANCASTER.

[04:00:08]

I DON'T KNOW. I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE SHOULD CALL THEM OFFICIALLY. DO WE? WHERE IS THAT INCREASE COMING FROM? IS THERE JUST PEOPLE? WHERE ARE WE SEEING THAT INCREASE COME FROM? I MEAN, IT'S A LOT IT'S A LOT OF THINGS.

IT'S WE HAVE MORE EVICTIONS. WE HAVE FAMILIES THAT CAN'T AFFORD.

SO EVICTIONS IS THE BIGGEST PART OF IT. YOU HAVE INDIVIDUALS THAT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIMS WHERE SHELTER BEDS ARE FILLED.

BOTTOM LINE, WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH SHELTERS WITHIN OUR COUNTY TO BE ABLE TO MEET THE NEED.

AND AFFORDABILITY IS PROBABLY THE BIGGEST THING THAT WE'RE SEEING.

OKAY. I DON'T KNOW. DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD ON THAT? I WOULD JUST I WOULD JUST ADD THAT LIKE THE MEDIAN RENT IN THE COUNTY HAS RISEN BY NEARLY 50% IN FIVE YEARS.

AND OUR WAGES HAVE NOT RISEN BY 50% IN FIVE YEARS.

SO MOST OF THE HOUSEHOLDS WITH LOWER INCOMES ARE HAVING TROUBLE MEETING THE LEVEL OF RENT BEING ASKED IN THE MARKET.

WE'VE BEEN IN A LOT OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS, THOUGH, IN THE COUNTY, AND THE COUNTY LEGISLATURE HAS APPROVED A LOT OF PILOT PROGRAMS AND, YOU KNOW, OTHER FUNDING TO GO TOWARDS AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

ARE WE SEEING THAT MAKING AN IMPACT OR NOT REALLY? I MEAN, IF THE NUMBERS ARE GOING UP, IT SEEMS LIKE THE PROJECTS WE'RE DOING AREN'T WORKING. I WOULD I DON'T KNOW WHAT PROJECTS YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.

SO LIKE FROM OUR END, THERE WOULD BE A QUESTION OF SCALE IS LIKE, IS IT SUFFICIENT? I DON'T KNOW, WE DEFINITELY NEED TO DO A MUCH BROADER STUDY TO REALLY ANSWER THAT.

OKAY. AND THEN I JUST HAD ANOTHER QUESTION. YOU MENTIONED THAT THERE'S AN INCREASE IN THE COST PER CASE AND THAT IT'S LARGELY HAS TO DO WITH EMERGENCY SERVICE.

WHAT TYPES OF CASES ARE THOSE? SO IT COULD BE SO IT COULD HAVE TO DO WITH EVICTIONS.

IT COULD HAVE TO DO WITH THE UTILITY ARREARS THE MOVES THE STORAGE.

WHAT OTHER THINGS WOULD BE PART OF EMERGENCY SERVICES.

UTILITY. YEAH. UTILITIES. UTILITIES. COST OF UTILITIES.

YEAH. HAVE YOU GUYS HAD ANY COMMUNICATION WITH LIKE THE STATE ABOUT THE UTILITY COSTS? I MEAN, IT'S WE'RE TALKING ABOUT UTILITIES AND ELECTRIC AND GAS ACROSS THE BOARD.

I MEAN, I, YOU KNOW, SAID IT LAST WEEK MY BILL DOUBLED.

AND I SAID, I'M LIKE, I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS IS HAPPENING.

HAVE THERE BEEN CONVERSATIONS WITH THE STATE ABOUT HOW UTILITIES ACROSS THE BOARD? BECAUSE I KNOW A LOT OF IT IS THOSE STATE TAXES THAT ARE TACKED ON. YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE SEEING AN INCREASE IN HOMELESSNESS UP 31% AND WE HAVE NO SUPPORT FROM THE STATE TO TRY AND ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE STATE TAXES.

HAVE YOU HAD ANY CONVERSATIONS WITH THE STATE ABOUT WHAT YOU GUYS ARE SEEING AND THE NEED THAT THIS IS CAUSING? I WOULD SAY THE STATE HAS GIVEN US PROGRAMS LIKE SAFE TO HELP WITH LIKE RENTAL EVICTION FOR INSTALLMENT TO STOP THE EVICTIONS FROM HAPPENING. THE, THE UTILITY PRICES SPECIFICALLY ARE NOT NORMALLY SOMETHING WE'RE PAYING VERY CLOSE ATTENTION TO.

WE'RE KIND OF MANAGING CASES. OKAY. I MEAN, JUST WITH EVICTIONS GOING UP, IF PEOPLE CAN'T, IT JUST SEEMS LIKE THESE ARE CONVERSATIONS THAT NEED TO HAPPEN WITH THE STATE. IT'S NOT. I MEAN, IF YOU CAN'T PAY THE BILLS LIKE THIS IS THE SITUATION WE'RE IN. YEAH. BUT YOU KNOW, THAT COST IS REALLY TRICKLING DOWN AND EVERYWHERE IN LIFE.

AND I THINK THOSE ARE CONVERSATIONS WE SHOULD PROBABLY START HAVING MORE WITH THE STATE. LAST YEAR WE DID AUTHORIZE THAT EMERGENCY. I THINK IT WAS $1 MILLION FOR SNAP.

DID WE SEE ALL THAT FUNDING GO OUT THE DOOR SPECIFICALLY FOR FOOD? I KNOW WE HAD THAT CONVERSATION. THAT'S THE FOOD BANK.

YES. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. YES. YES. ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. THANKS. THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT. WE'LL RECESS UNTIL TOMORROW MORNING AT 930.

THANK. YOU.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.