[00:00:06]
          ALL RIGHT, WELCOME BACK TO THE MID-YEAR BUDGET HEARINGS WITH THE FINANCE AND MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE. THIS MORNING WE'RE GOING TO START WITH THE COUNTY CLERK'S OFFICE, BUT BEFORE WE DO THAT, I JUST WANT TO GO THROUGH OUR SCHEDULE. 
          THIS MORNING WE'RE TRYING TO BREAK AT NOON. 
          WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO GET THROUGH THE CLERK, THE CONTROLLER, THE SHERIFF, HOMELAND SECURITY, AND CENTRAL POLICE SERVICES BEFORE THAT BREAK. THAT'S OUR PLAN. WOW. 
          SO, LET'S TRY TO STAY ON 
          [County Clerk]
SCHEDULE AND ASK SOME BUDGET-RELATED QUESTIONS TODAY. 
          AND SORRY, I DIDN'T MEAN TO TAKE YOUR TIME, MR. CLERK, BUT NO, THAT'S ALL RIGHT. 
          IF YOU HAVE A MID-YEAR BUDGET MESSAGE, WE WOULD LOVE TO HEAR IT. SURE. WELL, WE'RE GOING TO KEEP IT AS SHORT AND SWEET, TO THE POINT. 
          THANK YOU FIRST FOR HAVING US HERE TODAY. I WANT TO THANK THIS HONORABLE BODY FOR THE OPPORTUNITY ONCE AGAIN TO APPEAR BEFORE YOU. ALSO TOO, I SEE THE BUDGET COMMISSIONERS HERE TODAY. 
          BASICALLY, I'LL, I'LL MAKE IT REAL EASY. WE'RE DOING REALLY WELL IN THE CLERK'S OFFICE. AS YOU KNOW, WE'RE THE PRIMARY REVENUE GENERATOR BRANCH, AND OUR EMPLOYEES ARE DOING QUITE WELL. 
          AND I'M JUST GOING TO HIGHLIGHT A FEW THINGS. YOU KNOW, I DO WANT TO RECOGNIZE THE OUTSTANDING WORK THAT THE STAFF IS DOING, THEIR PROFESSIONALISM, THEIR DEDICATION AND COMMITMENT TO PUBLIC SERVICE. WE HAVE GONE THROUGH SOME ROUGH THINGS OVER THE PAST YEAR, AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE'VE COME THROUGH THEM QUITE WELL. 
          JUST SO TO STICK TO THE KEY POINTS, YOU KNOW, THE CLERK'S OFFICE TOTAL REVENUE AND EXPENSES ARE IN LINE WITH THE 2020 BUDGET, AND I HAVE TO GIVE AT LEAST AT THIS POINT IN TIME CREDIT TO THE BUDGET DIRECTOR. I WAS MORE CONSERVATIVE WITH MY NUMBERS, HE WAS MORE OPTIMISTIC. AND HE WAS RIGHT. 
          WE ARE WE'RE GETTING CLOSE TO WHAT HE'S PROBABLY SAYING. 
          SO, IT WAS A GOOD JOB BY HIM. 
          OUR SAP REPORT FOR REVENUE IS ONE MONTH BEHIND. 
          SO, IF YOU'RE WONDERING WHY IT LOOKS AS THOUGH MAYBE POSSIBLY OUR REVENUE IS A LITTLE SHORT IN THE AUTO BUREAUS, IT'S BECAUSE OF OUR NEW DRIVE SYSTEM. AND I JUST HAVE TO COMMENT ABOUT THE STAFF ONCE AGAIN. 
          NEW YORK STATE HAS IMPLEMENTED A NEW SOFTWARE UPDATE. 
          SORRY, I DON'T UNDERSTAND. 
          OKAY, I'LL BE WITH YOU IN ONE SECOND. THAT WAS SIRI. 
          SHE SAID SHE DOESN'T UNDERSTAND. SO SIRI, WE'RE GOING TO EXPLAIN IT TO YOU. 
          SO, THE NEW DRIVE SYSTEM IS IMPORTANT TO UPDATE OUR SOFTWARE. 
          WE DID HAVE OUTAGES. I WORKED WITH THE FORMER COMMISSIONER ON THAT, AND IT WAS A PRIORITY FOR MANY OF THE CLERKS, AND I'M GLAD WE'RE DOING IT. 
          BUT IT'S LIKE LEARNING A NEW SYSTEM, JUST LIKE OUR CONVERSION TO OUR SYSTEM AND REGISTRARS. 
          THE REASON WHY I SAY THAT IS NEW YORK STATE IS LATE ON PAYMENTS DUE TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THAT DRIVE SYSTEM. SO, WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT THOSE NUMBERS, MORTGAGE TAX COLLECTION THROUGH MAY OF 2026, WE'RE UP $4.1 MILLION COMPARED TO MAY OF 2025. 
          AND I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT THAT OUR MORTGAGE TAX COLLECTION THROUGH JUNE OF 2026, WE'RE UP $5.2 MILLION COMPARED TO JUNE OF 2025. 130 MORE TRANSACTIONS THAN IN JUNE OF 2025. 
          SO, I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT. 
          SOMETHING WE DON'T GET CREDIT FOR, BUT I THINK IS ALSO IMPORTANT, IS THE COUNTY TRANSFER TAX, THE ROAD REPAIR. THAT'S THE MONEY THAT WE COLLECT. 
          WE'RE AT APPROXIMATELY $9 MILLION, WHICH IS FABULOUS, AND I'M SURE THE BUDGET DIRECTOR WILL TALK ABOUT THAT, THROUGH MAY OF 2026. THIS EXCEEDS THE BUDGET BY $2.7 MILLION AND IS UP FROM $2.5 MILLION COMPARED TO MAY OF 2025. AND THEN FINALLY, WE'RE JUST SAYING IF OUR CURRENT TRENDS CONTINUE, WE'RE DEFINITELY ONCE AGAIN GOING TO EXCEED OUR 2026 BUDGET EXPECTATIONS. ONCE AGAIN, I WAS MORE CONSERVATIVE, THE BUDGET DIRECTOR WAS MORE OPTIMISTIC. 
          HE WAS RIGHT, AND WE'RE GOING TO DELIVER SIGNIFICANT REVENUES TO THE COUNTY AND VARIOUS STATE AGENCIES. SO JUST TO SUMMARIZE, I BELIEVE WE'RE ON TIME, WE'RE ON TARGET, WE'RE MOVING FORWARD. I HAVE WITH ME OUR BUDGET DIRECTOR FROM OUR OFFICE, OUR CFO, JIM GRAMKE. 
          IN ADDITION TO THAT, I BROUGHT MADONNA BISHOP, AND WE WERE TALKING YESTERDAY, OUR REGISTRATIONS ARE UP IN THE AUTO BUREAU OVER 20%. 
          WE'RE DOING QUITE WELL THERE. 
          AND THEN OF COURSE I HAVE WILL LORENZ, OUR LEGAL CLERK. 
          HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY OF YOUR QUESTIONS, OR THEY CAN ANSWER ON MY BEHALF. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. 
          THANK YOU, LEGISLATOR LARIGO. 
          THANK YOU. I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS JUST TO YOUR COMMENT. 
          YOU SAID THAT NEW YORK STATE IS LATE ON PAYMENTS. CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT AND WHAT PAYMENTS THEY'RE LATE ON? YEAH, SO NEW YORK STATE, THEY PAY US SHARED REVENUE, AND THEY ALSO PAY US USE TAX, AND THEY'RE BEHIND ON THE PAYMENTS. WE JUST RECEIVED THE PAYMENTS FOR MAY. 
          IT WAS EITHER LATE JUNE OR EARLY JULY. SO HOW MUCH IS 
          [00:05:01]
OUTSTANDING? WELL, IT'S ABOUT A MILLION FOR MAY. IT'S NOT BEEN RECORDED HERE, AND THEN WE EXPECT ABOUT THE SAME AMOUNT FOR JUNE. 
          AND WHAT IS THE HOLDUP? IT'S THEIR THE DRIVE SYSTEM. WHAT IS THE DRIVE SYSTEM? IT'S THEIR NEW. THE CLERK WAS TALKING ABOUT IT. 
          IT'S THE NEW. SYSTEM THAT THEY IMPLEMENTED THROUGHOUT THE STATE. OKAY. 
          AND IT'S JUST CAUSING A PROBLEM IN THEIR COLLECTIONS AND RECONCILIATIONS AND GETTING THE MONEY TO US. DO YOU MIND IF I PUT THAT INTO THE DRIVE SYSTEM? NO, THAT'S ALL RIGHT. IS IT LIKE SOFTWARE? IS IT IT'S A NEW SOFTWARE. 
          IT'S A NEW PROCESSING SYSTEM, BUT ONLY FOR OUR LICENSING SIDE AND OUR RECONCILIATION AND AUDITING PART OF IT. AND THERE'S BEEN SO MANY HICCUPS THAT AND I THINK WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS BEFORE WHEN WE'VE BEEN UP HERE. 
          EVERY DAY WE'RE LEARNING SOMETHING ELSE, AND IT'S NOT JUST US. 
          THE STATE THEMSELVES DON'T KNOW A LOT OF THE ANSWERS TO HOW TO DO THINGS, AND WE'RE FUMBLING AND FIGURING OUT THINGS FOR OURSELVES. SO THAT TIES INTO WHAT JIM'S SAYING ON THE BACK END OF THE MONEY PART AND TRANSFERS. DO WE SEE ANY RESOLUTION TO THAT, OR DO WE ANTICIPATE ANY BUDGET GAPS BASED ON THOSE DELAYED PAYMENTS? I MEAN, I WOULDN'T ANTICIPATE BUDGET GAPS. 
          IT'S JUST, IT'S A TIMING ISSUE MORE THAN, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S CASH VERSUS ACCRUAL, SO IT'S MORE OF A TIMING ISSUE. 
          I THINK THEY'RE GETTING BETTER. 
          THE INFORMATION WE GOT FROM MAY WAS A LITTLE FAST, AND THAT WAS STILL SLOW AND BEHIND, BUT IT WAS FASTER THAN WHAT WE HAD BEEN GETTING FOR FEBRUARY AND MARCH. 
          SO, I THINK IT'S GOING TO GET BETTER. AND THEN I KNOW YOU MENTIONED THAT THE FEE REVENUE THE BUDGET DIRECTOR EXPECTED MORE THAN YOU DID. SO HOW ARE WE DOING WITH REVENUE? I KNOW YOU TOUCHED ON IT A LITTLE BIT, BUT ARE WE LIKE AHEAD OF PACE? ARE WE RIGHT ON TRACK? YEAH, WE'RE RIGHT. 
          I BELIEVE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE RIGHT ON TRACK. WE'RE RIGHT ON TARGET. I THINK IF THINGS GO AS WELL AS THEY'RE GOING AND CONTINUE, YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T PREDICT THE FUTURE, BUT I ANTICIPATE ANOTHER BUDGET SURPLUS. 
          YEAH, AND THE ISSUE WAS WHEN WE DID THE BUDGET, WE WERE CONSERVATIVE ON THE AUTO BUREAU FEES. AND THE BUDGET DIRECTOR WANTED THE NUMBERS A LITTLE BIT HIGHER, AND HE HAD WE TALKED ABOUT IT, YOU KNOW, IT WAS REALLY A DIFFERENCE OF OPINION, SO WE WENT WITH HIS NUMBERS. AND IT LOOKS LIKE RIGHT NOW THOSE NUMBERS ARE HIS ESTIMATES ARE PLAYING OUT, YOU KNOW, BETTER THAN OUR LOWER ESTIMATES. 
          OKAY, THAT SOUNDS GREAT. AND THEN ONE OTHER QUESTION STAFFING. HOW ARE YOU GUYS DOING ON STAFFING LEVELS? DO YOU HAVE A LOT OF VACANCIES? NO, WE DID WELL, GO AHEAD. 
          NO, NO, WE'RE, WE'RE DOING WE'RE DOING WELL. WE'RE FILLING ALL OF THE POSITIONS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. WE NEED THOSE POSITIONS, OF COURSE. 
          THE ONE THING WE'RE LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO BE PREPARING FOR THE BUDGET GOING FORWARD. 
          THE ONE THING THAT WE MAY NEED TO DO IS, BECAUSE WE HAVE SOME SENIOR STAFF, TRAINING OF OUR MANAGERS. WE HAVE SOME PEOPLE THAT ARE CLOSE TO RETIREMENT. 
          THEY HAVE VERY TECHNICAL JOBS. 
          SO, WE'LL PROBABLY ASK THE BUDGET DIRECTOR FOR DOUBLE FILLS. WE HAVE A VERY IMPORTANT PERSON WHO'S OUT ON MATERNITY LEAVE AND COULD BE OUT FOR QUITE SOME TIME. 
          HE'S VERY IMPORTANT. SO, BUT I THINK OVERALL WE'RE ABLE TO FILL THE POSITIONS. THE ONE PROBLEM WE DO HAVE THOUGH IS BECAUSE WE TRAIN THEM, AS I STATED THIS IN THE PAST, WE DO LOSE SOME OF OUR STAFF TO THE COURT SYSTEM BECAUSE IT'S LIKE GOING FROM AAA TO THE MAJORS. 
          THEY'RE ALREADY TRAINED. AND THEY PAY THEM MORE. YEAH, THAT'S WHY I WAS CURIOUS IF YOU HAD ANY ISSUES WITH RETENTION. 
          AND I WILL SAY I WAS AT THE WEST SENECA AUTO BUREAU A MONTH AGO ON MY BIRTHDAY BECAUSE I NEEDED TO RENEW MY LICENSE, AND I WAS IMPRESSED. I WAS IN AND OUT OF THERE IN 15 MINUTES. AND I WILL SAY IT WAS ABSOLUTELY JAM-PACKED, AND I'VE NEVER BEEN IN A DMV BEFORE WHERE PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT HOW QUICKLY THINGS ARE MOVING. 
          SO GOOD WORK. YEAH, AND THEN WE THE STAFF AND THE TEAM AND THE APPOINTMENT SYSTEM IS THE KEY, YOU KNOW, READY, RESERVE, RENEW. SO, IT'S, IT'S THE TEAM THAT WE'RE WORKING IN. 
          WE'RE WHILE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE AUDITOR, I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT. ERIE COUNTY WAS NUMBER 1 IN THE STATE ON REAL ID COMPLIANCY. I KNOW WE'LL BE GOING TO A WESTERN DISTRICT MEETING. 
          I GOT CONTACTED BY THE NIAGARA COUNTY CLERK. WE, BASED ON NUMBERS, AND THERE'S SOME BIG COUNTIES IN NEW YORK STATE, WE HAVE MORE PEOPLE, OVER 50% OF OUR PEOPLE ARE COMPLIANT WITH REAL ID. NUMBER ONE IN THE STATE. 
          AND IN ADDITION TO THAT YOU KNOW, NIAGARA COUNTY, I HAVE TO GIVE THEM CREDIT PERCENTAGE-WISE WE'RE TIED WITH NIAGARA COUNTY FOR PERCENTAGE-WISE. SO, OUR TEAM WORKS HARD. ALL THOSE CLERKS ON THE GO IN YOUR COMMUNITIES REALLY PAY OFF. 
          THANKS. THANKS. LEGISLATOR BEITEL. 
          HI, THANK YOU. I WAS WONDERING IF WITH REGARD TO THE OVERTIME, IF YOU COULD EXPLAIN THAT. DO YOU LIKE YOU ALREADY USED UP ALL THE OVERTIME MOSTLY? FOR THE YEAR? SURE. 
          WE IN THE REGISTRAR'S OFFICE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE STOPPED OVERTIME. 
          BUT AS I STATED EARLIER, WE HAVE SOME PEOPLE OUT ON SOME LONG-TERM, YOU KNOW, LEAVES. VERY IMPORTANT PERSON IN OUR ACTIONS AND PROCEEDINGS, 
          [00:10:02]
HIS WIFE HAD A BABY AND HE'S GOING TO BE OUT. 
          HE'S ACCRUED SOME TIME. SO WE HAVE STOPPED OVERTIME. WE HAVEN'T GONE IN THE REGISTRAR'S DEPARTMENT, WE HAVEN'T GONE ABOVE AND BEYOND. 
          AND AS I STATED, OUR NORMAL HOURS, WE DID BUDGET MORE FOR OVERTIME THAT WAS CUT, BUT I THINK WE'RE WITHIN OUR BUDGET. WE'RE BEING VERY FRUGAL WHEN IT COMES TO THAT, BUT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PROVIDING GOOD SERVICE IN THE COMMUNITY. AND OUR, YOU KNOW, OUR NUMBERS IN THE AUTO BUREAU, WE'RE DOING QUITE WELL. 
          SO, I THINK THAT'S A REVENUE-GENERATING OFFICE. 
          BUT YES, WE'RE PROBABLY ABOVE, A LITTLE ABOVE IN OVERTIME FOR THE AUTO BUREAU. 
          BUT WE SHOULD BE RIGHT THERE AT REGISTRAR'S, AND WE'RE ONLY HALFWAY THROUGH THE YEAR AND WE'RE THERE. 
          BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH. AND THEN ON THE WHEN YOU SAID THAT IT WAS CUT, WAS IT THAT YOU, DURING THE BUDGET PROCEDURE LAST YEAR, YOU ASKED THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH FOR A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF OVERTIME AND THEY CUT IT? AND THEN, BECAUSE WE DIDN'T CUT IT, WE GAVE YEAH, NO, IT WAS YEAH, I THINK, I THINK IT WAS IN OUR DISCUSSION OKAY, GREAT. 
          YES. 
          ALL RIGHT. AND THEN AS FAR AS ON YOUR VACANCIES, THERE'S 15 VACANCIES. ARE THOSE STILL ACCURATE NOW? NO, WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO FILL AS MANY, ESPECIALLY THE AUDIT BUREAUS. 
          I KNOW WE'RE IN TRAINING. 
          MADONNA, WE'RE I KNOW WE HAD SOME PEOPLE LEAVE JUST RECENTLY. WE HAD A COUPLE RETIREMENTS AND SOME PART-TIMERS THAT WE HAD HIRED THAT DIDN'T LAST. 
          LET'S PUT IT THAT WAY TO BE NICE. BUT WE'RE ACTIVELY FILLING THOSE. WE'RE GOING TO MOVE SOME PART-TIME PEOPLE INTO THOSE FULL-TIME POSITIONS THAT THE RETIREES VACATED, AND THEN WE HAVE A STACK OF FOLKS THAT WE'RE GOING TO INTERVIEW TO FILL THOSE PART-TIME POSITIONS BECAUSE, AS YOU SAW IN THAT OFFICE, WE CAN USE IT. 
          AND THEN DO YOU HAVE CAN PEOPLE APPLY ONLINE? IS IT WITH THE WEBSITE? YEAH, THEY'RE APPLYING NOW FOR THOSE NOW. 
          OKAY, THANK YOU. THANKS. 
          SENATOR BARNESE. THANK YOU. 
          GOOD MORNING. 
          I WAS JUST WONDERING, CAN CAN I GET AN UPDATE ON THE LEASE SITUATION IN THE TONOTAH ISLAND? YEAH, THE PERSON WHO WON, THE ENTITY THAT WON THE LEASE IN THE RFP PROCESS THEY WERE TRUE. SO RIGHT NOW, WE'RE IN CONVERSATIONS WITH GROUPS AND WE'RE ACTIVELY LOOKING. I KNOW I'VE BEEN RECEIVING EMAIL FROM OUR CURRENT LEASEHOLDERS, SO WE'RE KEEPING ALL OF OUR OPTIONS OPEN. 
          YOU HAVE YOU HAD DISCUSSIONS WITH THE CURRENT LEASEHOLDER? NO, WE JUST EXCHANGED EMAILS, THAT'S IT. WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON OBVIOUSLY OUR SOFTWARE CONVERSION, BUT I HAVE TALKED TO CURRENT LEASEHOLDERS HOLDERS, PEOPLE THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY RENTING SPACE FROM RIGHT NOW. AND, YOU KNOW, I'LL ACTIVELY LOOK AT SO IF THERE ARE PEOPLE IF THERE ARE ENTITIES THAT, YOU KNOW, ARE INTERESTED, WE'RE DEFINITELY INTERESTED. 
          WE STILL BELIEVE WE NEED MORE SPACE THAN OUR CURRENT SPACE. 
          WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO LOOK. OKAY, YOU DON'T THINK YOU SHOULD REACH OUT TO THE CURRENT LANDLORD? NO, WE WILL. 
          WE'RE CONTINUE TO DO THAT. WE WON'T. WE WON'T. 
          OKAY, BECAUSE HE, HE REACHED OUT TO ME AND SAID HE HAD MORE SPACE, BUT HE HASN'T HEARD FROM HIM. HE SAID THAT IN HIS EMAIL, CORRECT? CORRECT. OKAY, SO YOU HAVE NO INTEREST IN REACHING OUT TO HIM? AND I DIDN'T SAY THAT. 
          I SAID WE'RE KEEPING ALL OF OUR OPTIONS OPEN. WE'RE TRYING TO WE TALKED TO ONE OF OUR CURRENT LEASEHOLDERS. 
          WE, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE COMMITTED TO THAT NUMBER THAT THE LEGISLATURE WANTED. 
          SO, WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO ACTIVELY LOOK, BUT YEAH, WE'RE KEEPING ALL OF OUR BECAUSE YOUR LEASE EXPIRES AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, CORRECT? ALL RIGHT; IT JUST SEEMS TO ME THAT YOUR TIME IS SHORT IF THERE WAS A MOVE TO TAKE PLACE. IT'S QUITE A LARGE MOVE. YEAH, IT'S GOING TO BE WE SAID THAT LAST TIME WE WERE HERE, IT'S A LENGTHY PROCESS, BUT WE PROBABLY WON'T DO AN RFP. 
          WE'RE PROBABLY GOING TO GO DIRECT TO THE VENDOR AND DIRECT TO YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 
          THANKS. 
          ANYONE ELSE FOR THE OH, LEGISLATOR ST. JEAN-TERRY. 
          THANK YOU. 
          HELLO, CLERK. I JUST HAVE A QUESTION ON I KNOW JIM, WHO'S HERE, AND HE ALWAYS GIVES ME THE NUMBERS. I KNOW WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE INCREASE OF LEASES GOING INTO THE NEXT YEAR. 
          I KNOW YOU SAID YOU HAD MONEY IN CASE ANYTHING FOR THIS YEAR. HOW DO YOU WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT AND THEN WHAT WE'RE EXPECTING FOR SURE NEXT YEAR? I KNOW WITH THE ONE LEASE UP IN THE AIR, BUT I KNOW YOU'RE PROJECTING SOME INCREASES AND I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR THIS CONVERSATION, ESPECIALLY IF WE'RE PULLING FROM ANY LINE. YEAH, SO WITH THE LEASES, WHEN WE PREPARED THE BUDGET FOR THIS YEAR, WE HAD ANTICIPATED THAT WE'D BE POSSIBLY PAYING HIGHER RENTS OR DOUBLE RENTS. 
          THE BUDGET INCLUDED ABOUT $100,000 OF ADDITIONAL RENT EXPENSE, 
          [00:15:02]
WHICH WE'RE CURRENTLY SAVING ON THAT. AND I THINK WE ALSO PULLED FORWARD SOME RENT EXPENSE FROM 2025. SO, WE SHOULD SEE A SURPLUS THIS YEAR OVERALL FROM OUR RENT AND LEASE EXPENSE, DEPENDING ON WHAT HAPPENS OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS, RIGHT? IF WE WERE TO FIND A PLACE AND START TO MOVE IN OR START TO HAVE TO PAY LEASE PAYMENTS. 
          AS FAR AS NEXT YEAR, YOU KNOW, BASED ON THE CURRENT LEASES, WE'D PROBABLY BE IN A SIMILAR RANGE TO THIS YEAR OF AROUND, LET'S SAY, $650,000, $700,000. 
          OKAY. OKAY, BUT THAT'S GOING TO CHANGE DEPENDING ON, YOU KNOW, THE NEW LEASE. 
          I CAN GET YOU MORE ACCURATE NUMBERS FOR 2020. $127,000 BASED ON THE LEASES WE HAVE IN PLACE, IF YOU WANT. THAT'D BE GREAT. 
          BUT THAT'S, THAT'S A, YOU KNOW, APPROXIMATE RANGE. AND JIM, YOU MENTIONED THERE WAS A SURPLUS ADDITIONAL TO THE $100K. WHAT WAS THAT NUMBER THAT YOU'RE BRINGING OVER FOR THAT LEASE? I BELIEVE THAT NUMBER WAS IN THE MAYBE $40,000-$50,000 RANGE. 
          SO, WE HAVE ABOUT $150,000 IN THAT ACCOUNT JUST IN CASE FOR A LEASE THAT YOU GUYS DECIDE TO LIKE DO, OR DOUBLE RENT. RIGHT, IN THAT RANGE. AND I CAN GET YOU A MORE EXACT NUMBER ON THAT, BUT IT WAS IN THAT RANGE, $40,000 TO $50,000. 
          THANK YOU SO MUCH. YOU'RE WELCOME. REPRESENTATIVE GREEN. 
          THANK YOU. AS CHAIR KASHOYAN SAID, I WANT TO TRY TO STICK TO JUST THE SIMPLE NUMBERS RIGHT NOW WITH THIS. SO IT'S PROBABLY A LONG DISCUSSION, BUT REGARDING THE EASTERN HILLS LOCATION, KIND OF PIGGYBACKING ON WHAT LEGISLATOR ST. 
          JEAN-TARD WAS TALKING ABOUT, AS FAR AS RENTS, FUTURE. WHAT IS THE STATUS NOW THAT EVERYTHING SEEMS TO BE MOVING FORWARD IN THE REDEVELOPMENT OF THAT PARTICULAR LOCATION? HOW LONG DO YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING TO BE THERE, AND WHERE DO YOU SEE THAT IMPACTING THE BUDGET? THIS, OBVIOUSLY, PROBABLY NOT NEXT YEAR, BUT IS IT '28, '29? WHEN DO YOU THINK THE MOVE WILL END UP TAKING PLACE, OR IF YOU STAY THERE? IT'S A GREAT LOCATION. WE'RE VERY, VERY HAPPY THERE. 
          THE PUBLIC LOVES UTILIZING THAT FACILITY. THANKS TO THIS HONORABLE BODY, WE ADDED AN OUTREACH CENTER ADJACENT TO THAT EASTERN HILLS WHERE WE'RE DOING PASSPORTS, THANK YOU BECK CARDS. YOU KNOW, WE'RE OPEN RIGHT NOW ONLY 3 DAYS A WEEK, BUT WE'RE OPEN ON SATURDAYS WITH THE PUBLIC FLIGHTS AND THE PASSPORT AGENCY REQUIRED. 
          SO RIGHT NOW, I DON'T ANTICIPATE ANY PROBLEMS WITH EASTERN HILLS. THEY'VE BEEN A GREAT LANDLORD. WE'RE VERY HAPPY THERE. 
          I GUESS LET ME, LET ME REPHRASE IT. HAVE YOU HAD ANY DISCUSSIONS ON WHEN THEY'RE GOING TO BE RAISING THE MALL OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT? I HAVEN'T GOTTEN NO, I DO TALK TO THE SUPERVISOR QUITE OFTEN, AND THAT'S A PRETTY BIG THAT'S A MAJOR PROJECT. YEAH, WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE, AND I KNOW THEY'RE WAITING ON SOME STATE DOLLARS FOR THAT. 
          SO ONCE AGAIN YOU KNOW, I'M NOT SOUNDING THE ALARM. I THINK WE'LL BE FINE THROUGH OUR LEASE, BUT THEY HAVEN'T SO HOW LONG IS THE LEASE GOOD FOR? WELL, JIM, WHEN DO WE END IT? WE JUST, WE RE-UPPED IT A COUPLE YEARS. 
          YEAH, I THINK THAT GOES A FEW MORE YEARS. 
          OKAY, ALL RIGHT, THAT'S ALL I NEED TO KNOW. 
          OKAY. AND THAT'S WHY, YOU KNOW, GETTING ANOTHER LOCATION IS GOING TO BE IMPORTANT IN THE NORTHTOWNS. 
          WE FEEL SO THE NORTHTOWNS ARE GROWING SO WE'LL CONTINUE, WE'RE WORKING HARD ON THAT, BUT WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE GET THE RIGHT LOCATION. 
          OKAY, THANK YOU. JUST A NOTE ON THE EASTERN HILLS LEASE, I PULLED IT UP, IT EXPIRES AT THE END OF 2028. 
          HOWEVER, THERE IS AT LEAST ONE RENEWAL FOR ANOTHER CONSECUTIVE 5-YEAR TERM OF THAT. SO, WE COULD IN THEORY STAY THERE UNDER THIS LEASE UNTIL END OF 2032, 2033. HE'S ALL SET. 
          ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OKAY, THANK YOU. HAVE A GOOD DAY. 
          YOU TOO. UP NEXT, WE HAVE THE COUNTY CONTROLLER'S OFFICE. 
          [Comptroller]
ARE WE WAITING FOR KEVIN? YEAH, DO YOU MIND? IT'S EASIER TO HEAR. 
          OH, I THINK WE GOT TO MOVE THE WHO'S THE GUY? WHERE'S THE GUY? YEAH, YOU DON'T WANT THAT, RIGHT? SORRY, I CAN'T HEAR ANYTHING BACK THERE. ALL RIGHT. 
          YES, WE ARE. 
          THANK YOU. OKAY GOOD MORNING LEGISLATORS. SO TODAY YOU GET JUST ME. 
          THE CONTROLLER IS IN OLD FORGE. THE DEPUTY CONTROLLER IS BACK FROM THE FIRST DAY OF HIS LONG EUROPEAN VACATION ON A BOND CALL RIGHT NOW. THE 
          [00:20:02]
DEPUTY FOR AUDIT IS IN DISNEY WORLD, AND EVERYBODY ELSE IS HARDWORKING. 
          SO, AND I'M THE ONE HERE. BUT AS THE PERSON WHO ASSEMBLES OUR BUDGET, IT MAKES SENSE THAT I WOULD BE THE ONE HERE TO SPEAK TO YOU ANYWAY. I DON'T HAVE ANY OPENING REMARKS PER SE. 
          I KNOW I CAME HERE A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, WE TALKED ABOUT SOME STAFFING ISSUES WE HAVE IN THE OFFICE. OBVIOUSLY, YOU HAVE SEEN THE REPORTS THAT THE BUDGET OFFICE PUT TOGETHER. 
          JUST GENERALLY SPEAKING, I'M HAPPY TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE FILLING THOSE POSITIONS IF YOU'RE INCLINED. 
          AND OTHERWISE, I THINK OUR OFFICE FROM A BUDGETARY STANDPOINT IS FAIRLY BORING. SO HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE ON OUR STAFFING LEVEL. 
          ALSO, I CAN GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON THE COUNTYWIDE CONTROLLER ACCOUNTS, MOSTLY WHAT OUR INTEREST EARNINGS LOOK LIKE TO DATE AND WHAT WE PROJECT FOR THE YEAR END. 
          SO, FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE, AND I KNOW YOU PROBABLY SAW ON THE MOST RECENT BMR, WHICH I THINK I THINK IT WAS MAY WAS THE MOST RECENT ONE YOU SENT. WE ARE OVER BUDGET IN TERMS OF INTEREST EARNINGS. WE BUDGETED, I THINK, $11.5 MILLION THIS YEAR, AND I THINK TO DATE WE HAVE RECEIVED $7.7 MILLION ACROSS ALL FUNDS. SO AS LONG AS WE DON'T HAVE ANY DRASTIC RATE CUTS, WE WOULD EXPECT THERE TO BE SOMEWHERE BETWEEN $14 TO $15 MILLION IN INTEREST REVENUE THIS YEAR, US OVER BUDGET BY $2.5 TO $3 MILLION. OTHER THAN THAT, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY OF YOUR QUESTIONS. LEGISLATOR LARIGO. 
          I HAVE QUESTIONS FOR THE CONTROLLER CONCERNING HIS OPINION ON GENERAL COUNTY FINANCES SINCE WE'RE AT MID-YEAR BUDGET. I MEAN, I THINK GIVEN THAT A PRIMARY PART OF HIS ROLE IS TAKING A LOOK AT COUNTY FINANCES, IT'S DISAPPOINTING THAT HE'S ON VACATION WHEN WE HABITUALLY HAVE MID-YEAR BUDGET HEARINGS. 
          SO, I WILL BE HAPPY TO CLOCK IN A LETTER FOR HIM AND ASK HIM DIRECTLY BECAUSE I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR HIS RESPONSES. 
          BUT I'M KIND OF SHOCKED THAT THE CONTROLLER DID NOT COME TO MID-YEAR BUDGET HEARINGS. 
          THIS IS INCREDIBLY SURPRISING TO ME. IF YOU CAN GIVE ME, I GUESS, A GENERAL OUTLOOK ON WHERE WE'RE AT, AT LEAST WITH INTEREST EARNINGS, AND THEN THE REST I WILL DIRECT TO THE CONTROLLER FOR WHEN HE RETURNS. 
          YEAH, SO I MEAN, I THINK IF YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, BUT LIKE I SAID, WE PROJECT ABOUT $14 MILLION EVERY YEAR. WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF A NEGOTIATION WITH THE BUDGET OFFICE BECAUSE OUR OFFICE TENDS TO WANT TO BE MORE CONSERVATIVE, BUT ALSO, WE DO WANT TO GIVE YOU AN ACCURATE PICTURE OF WHAT WE EXPECT. YOU'LL REMEMBER WHEN THE BUDGET WE INHERITED IN 2022 PROJECTED $200,000 IN INTEREST EARNINGS. 
          SO, WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THE WORK WE'VE DONE, AND ALL OF THOSE ARE GOOD, SAFE INVESTMENTS. WE'VE ACTUALLY MADE SOME CHANGES. WE STILL HAVE FUNDS IN NEW YORK CLASS, AND WE DO SOME LADDERED TREASURIES, BUT, YOU KNOW, GIVEN THE VOLATILITY OF THE MARKETS, WE HAVE HAD TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS LIKE ANYBODY ELSE, PROBABLY, IN TERMS OF THEIR 401 OR WHATEVER OTHER INVESTMENTS THEY'RE MAKING. 
          SO, WE MONITOR THAT PRETTY CLOSELY. OUR CASH MANAGEMENT TEAM IS SECOND TO NONE. JOHN SALECKI HAS BEEN DOING THIS JOB FOR 40 YEARS, SO WE HAVE A LOT OF FAITH IN HIM, AND I THINK IN TERMS OF WHAT WE'VE EARNED. 
          AND WE'D BE HAPPY TO TAKE YOUR LETTER. YOU SHOULD ALL EXPECT OUR ANNUAL DOOM AND GLOOM LETTER WHICH WE HAVE SENT EVERY YEAR, AND OBVIOUSLY WE WILL OPINE, AS IS OUR CHARTER OBLIGATION, ON THE REVENUE ESTIMATES BY, I THINK, OCTOBER 15TH. AND I DO APOLOGIZE FOR HIM IN HIS STEAD. 
          HE PLANS A FAMILY VACATION TO OLD FORGE EVERY YEAR. I, YOU KNOW, WE RECEIVED A SCHEDULE AND WE DO OUR BEST TO ACCOMMODATE. WOULD HAVE BEEN HAPPY TO HAVE A LARGER PORTION OF THE TEAM HERE, BUT ALSO OUR BOND SALE IS FAIRLY IMPORTANT, AND THIS HAPPENED TO BE THE DAY THAT WORKED FOR THAT CALL. 
          BUT WE'LL GLADLY RESPOND, LEGISLATOR, AND I UNDERSTAND. 
          LEGISLATOR FEINHOFF. YOU HAVE 2 POSITIONS OPEN, ONE IN AUDIT AND ONE IN ACCOUNTING? SO CURRENTLY, I ACTUALLY UPDATED YESTERDAY, WE CURRENTLY HAVE 5 OPEN POSITIONS. 
          WELL, I SHOULD SAY WE CURRENTLY HAVE 4 OPEN ACCOUNTING POSITIONS, 2 OF WHICH WILL BE FILLED MONDAY. SO THAT WILL LEAVE US WITH ONE OPEN MC POSITION 2 OPEN ACCOUNTING POSITIONS, AND 2 OPEN AUDIT POSITIONS RIGHT NOW, VACANT. WE HAVE GONE ON A LITTLE BIT OF A HIRING BLITZ, WHICH HAS SORT OF BEEN MY PRIMARY FOCUS IN THE LAST MONTH AND A HALF. 
          AS ANYBODY CAN TELL YOU WHO'S EVER WORKED IN THAT OFFICE, BRIAN AMONGST OTHERS, THERE IS, IT IS HARD TO HIRE ACCOUNTANTS IN OUR OFFICE, AS I EXPRESSED TO YOU EARLIER, BUT IT'S ALSO IMPERATIVE THAT WE HAVE SORT OF SUCCESSION PLANNING LINED UP. 
          WE HAVE BEEN REALLY FORTUNATE TO HAVE THE EXPERTISE OF CAREER CIVIL SERVANTS IN THAT OFFICE, AND THEY ARE SLOWLY DECIDING THAT MAYBE RETIREMENT LOOKS NICE, AS MUCH AS WE TRY TO DISSUADE THEM FROM SUCH AN IDEA. SO WE EXPECT A PRETTY MONUMENTAL RETIREMENT IN DECEMBER. 
          I CROSS MY FINGERS THAT HE STAYS A LITTLE LONGER, BUT WE'VE ALREADY TALKED HIM OUT OF AUGUST, OCTOBER, AND NOW WE'RE INTO DECEMBER. I THINK THIS YEAR MIGHT BE THE YEAR THAT JOHN SZALACKI FINALLY DECIDES TO RETIRE. SO YOU'LL REMEMBER WE HAVE SOME V-BOOK REZOS, ONE OF WHICH WE WILL BE EXERCISING 
          [00:25:01]
TO CONTRACT WITH CHERYL MAKARSKI, ANOTHER CAREER CIVIL SERVANT WHO LEFT OUR OFFICE, I THINK ABOUT 2 YEARS AGO NOW, UPON RETIREMENT. 
          SHE WILL BE INTERESTED, OR SHE IS INTERESTED IN COMING BACK TO DO SOME TRAINING, WHICH WE HAVE ALL REALLY WELCOMED FOR OUR NEW EMPLOYEES, AND WE'D BE LOOKING FOR THE SAME WITH JOHN. SO, ALL THAT SAID, WE HAVE CURRENTLY 5 VACANCIES. WE HAVE 2 NEW INDIVIDUALS WHO WE ARE ONBOARDING MONDAY. 
          WE HAVE JUST HIRED JOB GROUP 9 ACCOUNTANT WHO STARTED JUNE 29TH. AND SO, WE ARE REALLY KIND OF AT A GOOD PLACE IN TERMS OF AT LEAST MAKING MOVEMENT ON FILLING SOME OF THESE VACANCIES SO WE CAN START HANDING DOWN THE TASKS AND DUTIES THAT OUR MORE SENIOR-LEVEL ACCOUNTANTS ARE STILL COMPLETING, WHICH SHOULD BE BUILDING IN REDUNDANCY IN OUR SYSTEM. 
          ON THE AUDIT SIDE, ON THE FIRST AUDIT WITH REGARD TO THE ASSIGNED COUNSEL PROGRAM, I DID TALK TO THE BAR PRESIDENT, AND HE SAID THAT THEY'RE COMPLETED THEIR, OR NEAR TO COMPLETE WITH THEIR EVALUATION. 
          AND I JUST WONDERED IF YOU HAD ANY FOLLOW-UP ON THAT. YEAH, SO WE, I KNOW THERE HAS BEEN SOME COMMUNICATION. AS YOU MAY OR MAY NOT KNOW, WE DON'T REQUIRE CORRECTIVE ACTION PLANS AS PART OF OUR AUDIT PROCESS. 
          WE CERTAINLY ENCOURAGE THEM AND WE ACCEPT THEM, BUT I THINK WHATEVER STEPS THAT ASSIGNED COUNSEL IS TAKING ARE BOTH GOOD FOR THE ORGANIZATION, BUT ALSO THEIR OWN TO SORT OF MONITOR. WE HAD, I THINK, ONLY ONE COMMUNICATION WITH AN INDIVIDUAL WHO WAS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT ENTITY, AND, YOU KNOW, HEARD HIS CONCERNS, AND BASICALLY SAID THAT THIS WAS SOMETHING HE HAD TO TAKE UP WITH THE AGENCY ITSELF. SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE HAPPY TO SEE ANYBODY WHO USES OUR AUDITS AS TOOLS FOR MAKING THEM BETTER, TAKE THOSE STEPS. 
          BUT OTHER THAN THAT, WE HAVEN'T HAD ANY FOLLOW-UP. 
          OKAY. AND THEN WITH REGARD TO AUDITS COMING, DO YOU HAVE ANY AUDITS COMING OF OVERTIME USE? SO RIGHT NOW, WE'RE WORKING ON A PAYROLL AUDIT, WHICH WILL CERTAINLY INCLUDE OVERTIME AS A PAY CATEGORY. 
          I KNOW MOST OF THE COUNTY, IF NOT ALL OF THE COUNTY DEPARTMENTS, DID RECEIVE A QUESTIONNAIRE REGARDING ANYBODY WHO'S A TIME APPROVER, WHICH MEANS SOMEBODY WHO SUPERVISES OR OVERSEES EMPLOYEES WHERE THEY ARE ACTUALLY AUTHORIZING COMP TIME, OVERTIME, SICK TIME USAGE. 
          THEY RECEIVED THAT QUESTIONNAIRE, SO THAT'S IN PROCESS. WE ARE ALSO, WE HAVE MANAGEMENT FELLOWS IN THE OFFICE RIGHT NOW WHO WE HAVE FOR AN 8-WEEK PERIOD DURING THE SUMMER, AND THEY ARE WORKING ON HELPING WITH OUR NONPROFIT. 
          ACTUALLY, THEY ARE WORKING ON SENECA BABCOCK CURRENTLY AS WE SPEAK. AND SO, WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING NECESSARILY GEARED DIRECTLY TOWARDS OVERTIME, BUT CERTAINLY ANYTIME WE CONDUCT AN AUDIT, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS SOMETIMES FALL IN THE CATCH-ALL GROUP OR CATEGORY OF THINGS WE ARE LOOKING AT. I WOULD EXPECT THERE TO BE AT LEAST SOMETHING ABOUT THE OVERTIME PAY CATEGORY IN THE PAYROLL AUDIT, ALTHOUGH I HAVEN'T SEEN EVEN A DRAFT AT THIS POINT. 
          THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. 
          THANKS. 
          THANKS. LEGISLATOR ST. 
          JEAN-TARD. 
          THANK YOU. HI, JEFF. I JUST WANTED TO FOCUS ON A LITTLE BIT OF THE VACANCIES THAT YOU MENTIONED. 
          I KNOW OTHER DEPARTMENTS HAVE COME TO THIS BODY AND ASKED FOR SOME RESTRUCTURING. AND OBVIOUSLY IT DOES SAVE US A COUPLE, A LITTLE BIT OF MONEY, BUT ALSO IT HELPS US RETAIN OR ATTRACT SOME TALENT. 
          IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU GUYS ARE LOOKING AT? YEAH, SO WE'VE HAD SOME, WE HAVE CONSIDERED SOMETHING OF THAT NATURE. 
          ONE OF THE PROBLEMS THAT WE STRUGGLE WITH IS UNLIKE I THINK SOME OF THE OTHER ENTITIES OR THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS OR ELECTED OFFICIALS IS WE SORT OF HAVE TO RECRUIT FOLKS WHO HAVE MORE PROFESSIONAL DEGREES. SO OFTENTIMES IT'S REALLY NOT NECESSARILY THE COUNTY, BUT IT IS MORE WHAT THE STATE REQUIRES IN TERMS OF QUALIFICATIONS FOR CIVIL SERVICE. SO, WE MAY BE REQUESTING SOME CHANGES. 
          ONE OF THE CHANGES I CAN THINK OF OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD IS PERHAPS ANOTHER JOB GROUP 13 AUDITOR IN OUR AUDIT DIVISION. I HAVEN'T NECESSARILY I HAVEN'T NECESSARILY HAD REALLY IN-DEPTH DISCUSSIONS WITH MARY ABOUT THAT, BUT THE WAY THAT SHE STRUCTURES THE HER PORTION OF THE OFFICE IS IT'S KIND OF LIKE IN A TEAM STRUCTURE, AND IT SEEMS LIKE IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL TO HAVE ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE TITLES SO THAT WE KIND OF HAVE 2 TEAMS WORKING AT THE SAME TIME UNDER A SENIOR AUDITOR WHO CAN OVERSEE THE AUDIT WORK PRODUCT. A LITTLE MORE CLOSELY. 
          OTHER THAN THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE OBVIOUSLY ASKED FOR VARIABLE MINIMUMS WHEN WE THOUGHT THEY WERE WARRANTED. 
          WE TRY TO BE JUDICIOUS ABOUT THAT BECAUSE WE DO RESPECT THIS BODY AND CIVIL SERVICE AND WHAT OUR PAY RATES ARE. I MEAN, WE'RE ALSO THE COUNTY CONTROLLER, RIGHT? RIGHT. 
          WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO COUNT DOLLARS AND CENTS. 
          YOU KNOW, IT'S A LITTLE BIT TRYING, BUT I THINK THIS LAST ROUND OF INTERVIEWS AND HIRING ACTUALLY LEFT ME FEELING A LITTLE BIT MORE I DON'T WANT TO SAY EXCITED OR HAPPY, BUT IT DOES SEEM LIKE SOME OF THE BANKS IN THE AREA ARE DOWNSIZING, AND WE GOT A FAIRLY LARGE POOL OF APPLICANTS. SO THAT WAS I MEAN, SORRY FOR THEM THAT THEY LOST THEIR JOBS, BUT WE CERTAINLY, I THINK, 
          [00:30:01]
GOT REALLY GOOD PICKUPS IN TERMS OF WHO WE WERE ABLE TO HIRE. 
          AND THEN I KNOW YOU MENTIONED EARLIER IN YOUR OPENING STATEMENT ABOUT OUR INTEREST RATE GOING WE BASICALLY BUDGETED UNDER. IS IT A SURPRISE WE GOT A LITTLE BIT MORE MONEY? SO, YOU KNOW, WE ALWAYS HAVE THIS MARKLE WE ALWAYS HAVE THIS BACK AND FORTH. LIKE, WE TEND TO BE VERY CONSERVATIVE IN WHAT WE ARE, BECAUSE WE'RE SORT OF AT THE MERCY OF THE FED, RIGHT? WE CAN'T CONTROL WHAT INTEREST RATES DO, AND WE DON'T AND WE HAVE LESS CASH, WHICH MARK RIGHTLY REMARKED IN THE BMR, THAT WE JUST DON'T HAVE THE SAME FUNDS TO INVEST. 
          SO WE TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT WHATEVER NUMBER WE USE BETWEEN BOTH OF OUR OFFICES, IT IS VERY ACCURATE. AND THAT WE DON'T EXPECT ANY SHORTFALL, RIGHT? BECAUSE THIS IS REVENUE THE COUNTY IS COUNTING ON AT THIS POINT TO SUPPLEMENT ALL THE REST OF THE PROGRAMMING WE DO. AND THEN I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I HAD THE NUMBER RIGHT. 
          YOU SAID IT WAS $7.7 RIGHT NOW, AND THEN POTENTIALLY WE COULD GET UP TO $14 TO $15 MILLION. 
          IS THAT FAIR? YEAH, IF THINGS STAY THE WAY THEY ARE, BETWEEN $14 AND $15 MILLION IN INTEREST EARNINGS SEEMS REASONABLE. 
          THE BUDGETED NUMBER FOR '26 WAS $11.5. SO ANYTHING, KNOW, ABOVE AND BEYOND THAT WOULD, WOULD BE ESSENTIALLY SURPLUS. 
          SURPLUS IS ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU SO MUCH. 
          YOU'RE WELCOME. YOU SAID THE SURPLUS SO FAR IS $2.9 MILLION. 
          YES. OKAY IF NOT SURE IF YOU HAVE ANY UPDATES AT THIS TIME OR IF IT'S STILL IN THE PROCESS, BUT YOU GUYS HAVE DONE A NUMBER OF AUDITS ON VARIOUS 501S, SENATOR BABCOCK BEING ONE, AFRICAN-AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER, THAT HAVE KIND OF HAD SOME RED FLAGS. JUST WANT TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY UPDATES ON THOSE. 
          YEAH, SO, MY MIC OFF AGAIN, SORRY. SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING, AND I'M NOT, MAYBE I SHOULD HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS IN MY OPENING, IS WE HAVE CONDUCTED AT THIS POINT 2, AND WE ARE LOOKING AT A 3RD NONPROFIT WORKSHOP WHERE WE HAVE BROUGHT IN HODGSON RUSS, OUR OFFICE, AND THEN THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE FROM THE CHARITIES BUREAU TO TALK ABOUT GOVERNANCE, GENERAL BOARD RESPONSIBILITIES, AND THAT IS ALL BECAUSE OF THE CONCERNS WE'VE HAD WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT ALL OF THESE SORT OF 501 ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE'VE LOOKED AT. NOW, I WILL SAY, ALL OF THEM, INCLUDING THE ONES THAT MAYBE HAD, YOU KNOW, SLIGHTLY DEFICIENT REPORTS OR EVEN SOME GLARING PROBLEMS, THEY HAVE ALL BEEN PARTICIPANTS, THEY HAVE ALL COME TO THOSE TRAININGS. 
          WE ARE WORKING WITH THOSE ORGANIZATIONS TO TRY AND HELP THEM BOTH UNDERSTAND REASSEMBLE IF THEY NEED HELP IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, CONSTRUCTING A GENERAL LEDGER. 
          I MEAN, SOME OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS ARE VERY SMALL, AND THEY ARE JUST SIMPLY PEOPLE TRYING TO DO WELL BY THEIR COMMUNITY MEMBERS. 
          THEY DO NOT HAVE ACCOUNTANTS. 
          THEY DO NOT HAVE PAID STAFF. 
          SO, YOU KNOW, WE TRY TO FOLLOW UP WITH THEM TO THE EXTENT THAT THEY NEED. 
          AND CERTAINLY, WHEN ANY OTHER ENTITY IS INVOLVED, LIKE THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE OR THE DA OR ANYBODY ELSE, WE ARE HAPPY TO WORK WITH THOSE ORGANIZATIONS ALSO BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THE WORK BECOMES REDUNDANT, RIGHT? SENECA BABCOCK IS A GOOD EXAMPLE. 
          OBVIOUSLY, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF MEDIA AROUND THAT ORGANIZATION, AND WE REGULARLY CONVERSE WITH THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE AT THIS POINT TO MAKE SURE THAT ANY WORK WE HAVE, ANYTHING WE FIND, WE ARE SHARING WITH THEM. I GUESS, YOU KNOW, I KNOW FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, WE OBVIOUSLY WORK WITH A LOT OF THE 501S WITHIN OUR INDIVIDUAL DISTRICTS. IF IT WOULD BE HELPFUL, MAYBE, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU COME UP WITH, YOU KNOW, KIND OF A BEST PRACTICES, IF YOU COULD, LIKE A SINGLE SHEET. 
          ANOTHER GOOD POINT, I DIDN'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT. 
          SO, WE ACTUALLY ADDED, SO YOU'LL REMEMBER ON THOSE, WHICH I SHARED WITH, I POINTED TO LEGISLATOR ST. JEAN-TARD 'CAUSE I SHARED IT WITH HER AND I PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE SENT IT TO EVERYBODY AND I WILL. 
          YOU'LL REMEMBER THOSE REPORTS, THE FIRST 3 PAGES WERE BASICALLY BOILERPLATE, LIKE THEY WERE KIND OF ALL THE SAME 'CAUSE WE SAW SOME OF THE SAME PROBLEMS. WE ACTUALLY DID CREATE A DOCUMENT AFTER THAT THAT'S AN APPENDIX THAT WE'RE NOW INCLUDING IN THE NEW VERSIONS OF THE REPORTS. IT'S ON OUR WEBSITE. 
          I'LL BE HAPPY TO SEND IT AROUND SO YOU GUYS CAN ALL HAVE IT. 
          IT IS BASICALLY EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT. IT'S MORE OF AN IN-DEPTH BEST PRACTICES. 
          HERE ARE REQUIREMENTS YOU NEED TO FOLLOW. AND IT WAS BUILT AROUND THE, THE SEMINARS WE HAVE DONE IN, YOU KNOW, QUESTIONS THAT OTHER ORGANIZATIONS HAVE PRESENTED TO US. SO THAT'S I WILL SEND IT TO ALL OF YOU. 
          I KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO BE THINKING ABOUT APPROPRIATIONS FOR UPCOMING BUDGET YEARS, AND IT WOULD BE REALLY GREAT FOR YOU TO BE ABLE TO SHARE THAT INFORMATION. 
          YEAH, SO HERE'S WHAT I'M KIND OF ENVISIONING. LIKE, FOR A GOOD EXAMPLE, I HAVE GOT APPROACHED RECENTLY BY A VOLUNTEER FIRE COMPANY ON SOME NEEDS. 
          I'D LOVE TO BE ABLE TO JUST GIVE THEM A SINGLE ONE-PAGE THAT SAYS, YOU KNOW, FOR A GOOD EXAMPLE, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S KEEP THE COUNTY GRANT FUNDS IN A SEPARATE ACCOUNT. 
          DON'T USE A DEBIT CARD. WELL, NO, NO, RIGHT, BUT JUST BE ABLE TO SAY, HEY, I'LL HELP YOU OUT, I'LL SUPPORT YOU, HERE'S WHAT OUR EXPECTATIONS ARE. 
          AND THEN SOME OF THEM, IF THEY, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, WE REALLOCATE THINGS, SO SOMETIMES THESE ORGANIZATIONS KIND OF LOOK AT THE, THE RED TAPE WE THROW IN FRONT OF THEM AND THEY'RE LIKE, IT'S NOT WORTH IT. I'D RATHER KNOW THAT AHEAD OF TIME BE ABLE TO PROVIDE IT, AND IF THEY SAY THIS IS TOO MUCH, THEN WE CAN JUST MOVE IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION BEFORE WE EVEN PASS ANY RESOLUTIONS HERE. SO ABSOLUTELY, I'LL SEND YOU AROUND WHAT WE HAVE. 
          IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR WANT TO SUGGEST ANY EDITS, 
          [00:35:01]
WE CAN CERTAINLY WORK WITH YOU AND CURATE SOMETHING THAT WORKS FOR YOUR ORGANIZATION. IT DOESN'T TAKE US LONG TO DO THAT, SO I'D BE HAPPY TO DO THAT. GREAT, THANK YOU. 
          ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE TODAY, AND FOR ACCOMMODATING OUR SCHEDULE. I APPRECIATE IT. I WAS HAPPY TO SEE YOU TODAY. 
          THANK YOU. I'M GLAD AT LEAST, AT LEAST SOMEBODY WAS LEGISLATIVE. THANKS. 
          [Sheriff]
UP NEXT, WE HAVE THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, AND I THINK SHERIFF GARCIA IS IN THE HALLWAY. 
          TILL DECEMBER. NOVEMBER, DECEMBER, RIGHT? WE'LL GET ONE MORE CRACK AT YOU. 
          DON'T LET IT HIT YOU, MAN. I'M JUST JOKING. I TALK LIKE THAT IN EVERY CHAIR. 
          GIVE HIM THE BIG CHAIR. WE TOOK IT FOR WRONG. ALL RIGHT, WE'RE GOING TO SILENCE LEGISLATOR ARNAZ. 
          AND WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO THE SHERIFF'S MID-YEAR BUDGET. 
          THANKS FOR JOINING US TODAY, SHERIFF GARCIA. DID YOU HAVE A MID-YEAR BUDGET MESSAGE THAT YOU WANTED TO SHARE? YES, I DO. 
          AND I WANT TO THANK THE HONORABLE MEMBERS. 
          GOOD MORNING, AND THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME HERE TODAY. 
          THROUGH THE FIRST HALF OF 2026, I REMAIN PROUD OF MY STAFF FOR THE GREAT WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING SERVING THE PEOPLE OF ERIE COUNTY. 
          WITH OUR ORGANIZATION ACCREDITED ACROSS MULTIPLE DIVISIONS, WE MEET, AND IN MOST CASES EXCEED, STATEWIDE AND NATIONWIDE STANDARDS. THIS IS AN AGENCY THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT PROFESSIONALS FROM ACROSS ERIE COUNTY WANT TO WORK FOR. WE ARE FILLING VACANCIES FASTER THAN WE EVER HAVE, CONTINUING TO HIRE AND DEVELOP SERVICE-DRIVEN YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN TO WORK IN OUR OFFICE IN THIS GREAT PROFESSION. 
          WE HAVE GRADUATED 2 JAIL MANAGEMENT CLASSES SO FAR THIS YEAR, BOLSTERING OUR STAFF WITH 62 EMPLOYEES EMBARKING ON A NEW CAREER. I WANT TO THANK PERSONNEL COMMISSIONER BRIAN BRAY AND HIS STAFF FOR WORKING WITH US TO STREAMLINE THE CIVIL SERVICE PROCESS. IT'S REALLY CUT DOWN ON THE AMOUNT OF TIME WE HAVE TO WAIT TO FILL JOBS. 
          AND I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE NEW YORK STATE COMMISSIONER OF CIVIL SERVICE, TIM HOLKS, FOR GIVING US THAT OPPORTUNITY TO IMPLEMENT THE EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING EXAM. WE HAVE ALSO HIRED 6 NEW POLICE SERVICES DEPUTIES THIS YEAR. 2 OF THEM TRANSFERRED FROM OTHER AGENCIES. 
          THE REMAINING 4 GRADUATED FROM THE POLICE ACADEMY LAST MONTH. 
          AND ALSO, WHAT WE'RE GETTING IS THAT IT'S REALLY WORKING OUT REALLY WELL WHERE OUR JAIL MANAGEMENT DIVISION EMPLOYEES ARE TAKING THE POLICE SERVICES EXAM. SO, WE'RE NOT LOSING THOSE PEOPLE TO OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES. 
          THEY'RE ACTUALLY STARTING IN THE JAIL AND THEN GOING ON THE ROAD. AND THE, THE PEOPLE, THE TRAINERS AT THE CENTRAL POLICE SERVICES ARE TELLING US THAT THEY MAKE THE BEST CANDIDATES FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT. THERE'S GOING TO BE ANOTHER POLICE SERVICE EXAM ON OCTOBER 17TH, SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO RECEIVING THAT LIST, HIRING, AND THAT'S GOING TO BE THE NEW GENERATION OF DEPUTIES. 
          SO, YOU KNOW, I SAW ONE OUT THERE, AND WE'RE GOING TO GET THESE BROCHURES OUT DURING THE UPCOMING FESTIVALS THAT ARE GOING TO BE THROUGHOUT ERIE COUNTY TO BRING PEOPLE THAT MAYBE ARE NOT AWARE ABOUT THE CIVIL SERVICE PROCESS, MAKE THEM AWARE AND COME INTO THIS GREAT PROFESSION. 
          COMBATING PROPERTY CRIME REMAINS A CHALLENGE. LARCENIES ARE UP 25%. 
          STOLEN VEHICLE COMPLAINTS INVESTIGATED BY MY OFFICE ALONE ARE NEARLY UP 20%. CALLS FOR ITEMS STOLEN OUT OF VEHICLES ARE UP MORE THAN 10%. 
          IN MY DIRECTION, THE ERIE COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE ROAD PATROL, INTELLIGENCE UNIT, AVIATION UNIT HAVE ENGAGED WITH OUR FELLOW PARTNERS IN LAW ENFORCEMENT THROUGHOUT ERIE COUNTY AND THE NEW YORK 
          [00:40:01]
STATE POLICE, AND WE'VE CREATED A TASK FORCE THAT TARGETS CAR THIEVES AND THINKS AND SEEKS THE RECOVERY OF THESE STOLEN VEHICLES. 
          THE FIRST DETAIL THAT TOOK PLACE EARLIER THIS MONTH, WE RECOVERED A QUARTER OF THE STOLEN VEHICLES COUNTYWIDE THAT WERE ON THE HOT LIST. THE HOT LISTS ARE THOSE OUTSTANDING VEHICLES THAT WERE STOLEN AND NOT RECOVERED, AND WE MADE MULTIPLE ARRESTS. 
          WE WANT OUR RESIDENTS TO KNOW THAT WE UNDERSTAND THE FRUSTRATION, THE AGGRAVATION THAT COMES WHEN YOUR VEHICLE'S STOLEN, AND WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING POSSIBLE WE CAN TO RETURN YOUR PROPERTY TO YOU. 
          WE'RE INVESTING IN THE COMMUNITY BY PROVIDING RESIDENTS WITH A SERVICE-DRIVEN MODEL OF LAW ENFORCEMENT THAN THEY CAN BE PROUD OF. NONE OF THIS IS TO SAY THAT WE HAVEN'T HAD SOME CHALLENGES TO OVERCOME IN 2026. INFLATION AND CONTRACTUAL RAISES HAVE, OF COURSE, INCREASED OUR EXPENSES THIS YEAR, JUST AS THEY HAVE INCREASED THAT THOSE OF COUNTY GOVERNMENTS THROUGHOUT NEW YORK STATE. 
          FOR INSTANCE, OUR CORRECTIONAL HEALTH STAFF HAS BEEN NAVIGATING CHALLENGES RELATED TO PHARMACEUTICAL COSTS. THE TOTAL PHARMACEUTICAL COSTS ARE PROJECTED TO REACH $2.2 MILLION THIS YEAR. 
          THAT'S OVER A 5% INCREASE OF LAST YEAR. WE HAVE MORE INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS ENROLLED IN THE VERY SUCCESSFUL MEDICATED ASSISTANCE TREATMENT PROGRAM THAN EVER BEFORE 216 INDIVIDUALS. THAT'S NEARLY 30% OF THE ENTIRE INCARCERATED POPULATION AT BOTH FACILITIES. 
          THE PROJECTED MAT COSTS THIS YEAR ARE EXPECTED TO REACH BETWEEN $900,000 AND $1 MILLION. THAT'S EXCEEDING LAST YEAR'S TOTAL BY 26%. WE HAVE A MORAL, ETHICAL, AND STATUTORY REQUIREMENT TO PROVIDE THIS CARE TO THE INCARCERATED, BUT THE COSTS KEEP ON RISING. 
          IN ALBANY THAT MANDATED THIS, AND WE WERE VERY HAPPY TO IMPLEMENT, IS NOT LENDING A HELPING HAND. 
          IN FACT, WE WERE DISAPPOINTED EARLIER THIS YEAR WHEN THE NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS AND COMMUNITY SUPERVISION DENIED OUR REQUEST FOR A $617,000 REIMBURSEMENT RELATED TO THE HELP THAT WE PROVIDED THEM DURING THEIR, THEIR CRISIS LAST YEAR. THIS FIGURE IS ASSOCIATED WITH PAROLE VIOLATORS THAT WE HELD IN CUSTODY ON THEIR BEHALF. 
          AS THE STATE WAS UNABLE TO TAKE CUSTODY OF THEM, WE ASKED TO BE MADE WHOLE. THE STATE SAID NO. 
          TO GET AN UNDERSTANDING OF THIS, LAST YEAR WE RECEIVED, I BELIEVE IT WAS $1.4 MILLION TO HOLD STATE READIES. 
          HOWEVER, THEY DENIED PAROLE VIOLATORS THEY HAD NO OTHER CRIMINAL CHARGES OTHER THAN VIOLATING THEIR TERMS OF PAROLE, WHICH MEANS THEY'RE STATE READIES AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO HELP THE COUNTY OF ERIE AND EVERY OTHER COUNTY AROUND NEW YORK STATE AND MAKE US WHOLE FOR THEIR PAROLE VIOLATORS. 
          AND WE'RE TALKING A DROP IN THE BUCKET. 
          NEW YORK STATE HAS SPENT $100 MILLION A MONTH TO HAVE NATIONAL GUARDSMEN AT CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES. 
          THEY'VE SPENT $711 MILLION $711 MILLION ON OVERTIME FOR CORRECTIONS OFFICERS BECAUSE THEY'RE PAYING THEM 2.5 TIMES. 
          WE CAN'T DO THAT. IF TO DENY THEIR PARTNER AND OTHER PARTNERS THROUGHOUT THE STATE A DROP IN THE BUCKET TO MAKE US WHOLE? IT'S CONCERNING. IT REMAINS EXTREMELY COSTLY AND CHALLENGING TO OPERATE 2 ANTIQUATED JAIL MANAGEMENT FACILITIES. 
          WE CURRENTLY HAVE 236 CELLS OUT OF SERVICE DUE TO VARIOUS ISSUES. WE'RE GOING TO COMMENCE A $3 MILLION PROJECT TO REPLACE THE AIR HANDLERS LATER THIS YEAR. AND JUST TO SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT, THESE AIR HANDLERS, IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT AIR CONDITIONING FOR THE INCARCERATED OUT AT THE PEN AND FOR THE STAFF. 
          THIS IS ABOUT CIRCULATING FRESH AIR THROUGHOUT THE UNIT. THIS IS FRESH AIR. SO, WE HAD TO ABANDON THAT WHOLE UNIT AND IF ANOTHER AIR HANDLER WOULD HAVE GONE DOWN AT THE PENN AT THE SAME TIME, WE WOULD HAVE BEEN HERE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO BRING PEOPLE DOWNTOWN, WHICH WE DON'T HAVE ROOM. 
          AND LATER THIS YEAR, WE'RE GOING TO DO SOME EXPENSIVE PLUMBING, STEEL REPAIR, AND CAMERA UPGRADE PROJECTS ARE SOON TO FOLLOW. AS A MATTER 
          [00:45:01]
OF FACT, OUR PEOPLE MET WITH BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS IN THE LAST 2 DAYS, AND THEY'RE PROJECTING $20 MILLION A YEAR FOR THE NEXT 6 YEARS. $120 MILLION OF REPAIRS AT BOTH FACILITIES. 
          AND THIS COMES WITH ZERO COST SAVINGS, MEANING EVERYTHING ELSE REMAINS THE SAME. WE'RE JUST FIXING UP OUR OLD PLACE. THAT SAID, WE TAKE OUR FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT SERIOUSLY. 
          WE'RE PROUD TO FINISH 2025 LAST YEAR NEARLY 4% UNDER BUDGET, AND 2026 IS OFF TO A GREAT START. THOSE ARE MY INITIAL COMMENTS. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'D BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO ANSWER. 
          YEAH, JUST BRIEFLY, YOU SAID THE $120 MILLION IN UPGRADES IS WHAT WE'RE SEEING COMING DOWN THE ROAD, AND YOU ALSO HAD THE $30 MILLION FOR THE AIR HANDLER SYSTEM THAT'S GOING ON NOW. SO THAT'S $150 MILLION TOTAL, OR IS THE $30 INCLUDED IN THE $120? SO, THE $20 MILLION THAT'S COMING IN 2027 THE $20 MILLION, I THOUGHT YOU SAID $120 MILLION. YEAH, SO IT'S I'M SORRY. 
          IT'S $120 MILLION LEGISLATOR OVER A 6-YEAR PERIOD. SO, TRACY SAKAKI, WHO MET WITH OUR SUPERINTENDENT, IS STATING THAT EACH FACILITY IS GOING TO GET $10 MILLION OF IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE NEEDED, RIGHT, JUST FOR THE SAFETY AND WELL-BEING OF EVERYBODY. THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE 2026 AND THE PROJECTS THAT WE'RE DOING TODAY. 
          BUT WHAT I'M SAYING IS THAT'S A 6-YEAR PROJECT AT $20 MILLION. 
          THAT'S $120 MILLION. BUT WE DON'T SEE A COST SAVING. 
          PLUS, IT'S NOT LIKE WE HAVE LESS STAFF. WHAT WAS AND YOU, YOU HAD COME IN AND YOU WERE LOOKING FOR A NEW FACILITY OR TRYING TO WE WERE KICKING THE TIRES ON THAT. DO YOU RECALL THE PRICE TAG ON THE NEW FACILITY? SO, THEY CAME WITH THE STUDY CAME BACK WITH 3 DIFFERENT 3 OPTIONS. 
          ONE OF THEM WAS TO TRY TO FIX UP THE HOLDING CENTER. 
          THE OTHER ONE WAS TO DO THE PEN, AND THEN ONE WAS TO THE, THE CHEAPEST ONE WAS THE ERIE COUNTY CORRECTIONAL FACILITY, WHICH WAS RIGHT ABOUT $450 MILLION. OKAY, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE THERE'S GOING TO BE DEBT SERVICE ON OBVIOUSLY THE $20 MILLION PER YEAR, YOU KNOW. 
          SO, I JUST, I JUST WANT TO GET A HANDLE ON THAT BECAUSE I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE AN ONGOING CONVERSATION ABOUT WHICH WAY TO GO FORWARD. NO, ABSOLUTELY. 
          LISTEN, IT'S A BIG PRICE TAG. 
          I, I GET IT. I, I LOVE THE BILLS $250 MILLION, FANTASTIC. I LOVE THE BROADWAY MARKET $47 MILLION, FANTASTIC. 
          SHADES $20-SOME MILLION. ALL GREAT. BUT, YOU KNOW, WE, WE, WE HAVE INCARCERATED PEOPLE, RIGHT? OUR, OUR TAXPAYERS ARE ON THE HOOK FOR WHERE'S IT GOING TO END? I MEAN, YOU GOT TO REMEMBER THE $15 MILLION IN SAVINGS THAT THE STUDY PROJECTED NOW WITH CONTRACTUAL INCREASES AT 3%, YOU'RE TALKING 10 YEARS FROM NOW. 
          WHAT'S THAT GOING TO BE? YOU KNOW, IS IT GOING TO BE $20 MILLION? BUT WE DON'T SEE THE RETURN BECAUSE ALL WE'RE DOING IS WE KEEP ON FIXING 2 OLD PLACES AND WHAT WE'RE NOT DOING IS THAT, AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, WHATEVER YOU PROVIDE AT ONE LOCATION, YOU NEED TO PROVIDE AT THE OTHER PLACE. AND IT'S VERY COSTLY. OKAY, I UNDERSTAND THAT. 
          THANKS. AND THEN, LEGISLATOR LARIGO. THANK YOU, CHAIR. 
          I HAVE SEVERAL QUESTIONS. IT SEEMS TO BE AN OVERARCHING THEME THROUGHOUT THE PAST 2 DAYS THAT THE STATE IS CAUSING ISSUES WITH PAYMENT. SO, WHEN WE AND I REMEMBER WE TALKED ABOUT THIS LAST YEAR AT LENGTH ABOUT THE STATE READIES AND ANTICIPATING THAT PAYMENT. 
          WOULD THAT $617,000 THAT WE WERE DENIED, WOULD THAT EVEN COVER THE ACTUAL COST OF HAVING THE STATE READIES THAT YOU COVERED FOR THE STATE? NO, BECAUSE THE WAY IT WORKS, LEGISLATOR, IS THAT WE DON'T GET PAID UNTIL THE 11TH DAY. SO, THE FIRST 10 DAYS, WE, WE HOLD THAT STATE READY IN OUR CUSTODY, WHICH WE HOUSE, WE FEED, WE MEDICATE, AND COUNSEL, IF THEY'RE IN THE MAT PROGRAM, IF THEY'RE ON VERY EXPENSIVE CANCER MEDICATION, WE GET $100 A DAY, WHICH HAS BEEN THE SAME NUMBER FOR I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY YEARS. BUT MY POINT BEING, IF YOU'RE YOU KNOW, WE HELPED OUT WHEN YOU IT WAS THEIR CRISIS, THEIR CRISIS. 
          WE HELPED OUT, WE STEPPED UP. 
          OUR PEOPLE WERE CHALLENGED TO BE MANDATED TO WORK BECAUSE WE WERE BUSTING AT THE SEAMS. AT LEAST HAVE THE COURTESY TO PAY YOUR BILL. 
          [00:50:01]
SO, IN THAT SITUATION, IF THEY WERE EVER TO SAY AGAIN, YOU KNOW, HEY, ERIE COUNTY, WE NEED YOU TO TAKE HOWEVER MANY PEOPLE, CAN WE SAY NO? NO, WE CAN'T. 
          SO, STATE COMMISSIONER OF CORRECTIONS SAYS THAT THEY COULD KEEP THEIR STATE READY AS LONG AS THEY BASICALLY WANT BY JUST COMPENSATING US, THE TAXPAYERS OF ERIE COUNTY, $100 A DAY. SO, THIS WAS NOT JUST AN ERIE COUNTY ISSUE. 
          THIS WAS MONROE, ONONDAGA, ALL THE BIG COUNTIES. WE'RE CONTEMPLATING OR DOING A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT AGAINST THE GOVERNOR AND DOCS, OR LOOKING TO OUR COUNTY, YOU KNOW, ATTORNEY TO DO SO. 
          BUT IF YOU'RE PAYING $711 MILLION FOR OVERTIME FOR YOUR CORRECTIONS OFFICERS, AND YOU'RE PAYING $100 MILLION A MONTH FOR THE NATIONAL GUARD, YOU CAN'T PAY YOUR PARTNERS FOR THE PAROLE VIOLATORS THAT WE KEPT? I MEAN, I, I COMPLETELY AGREE. 
          IT'S, IT'S RIDICULOUS THAT WE KEEP COVERING FOR THE STATE. 
          YOU KNOW, WE HAVE SO MANY PROBLEMS OF OUR OWN TO DEAL WITH, AND THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT THE POLICY OF THE STATE CREATED TO LEAVE THEIR CORRECTIONS OFFICERS OUT TO DRY. DO YOU WOULD KNOW MORE THAN I WOULD. 
          WHAT IS THE CURRENT STATE OF THE STATE WITH GETTING ENOUGH CORRECTIONS OFFICERS IN? BECAUSE THEY SHOULDN'T YOU'RE RIGHT. WHY ARE WE PAYING THE NATIONAL GUARD AND THEN KICKING THE BILL TO ERIE COUNTY? SO, THE THEY'RE STILL HAVING ISSUES. A LOT OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES ARE HAVING ISSUES, ESPECIALLY WITH THE CORRECTIONS SIDE OF THE HOUSE. 
          WE'RE BLESSED RIGHT NOW. I GOT TO TELL YOU, WE'RE BLESSED. 
          AND THAT TRAINING EXPERIENCE EXAM HAS REALLY STREAMLINED THE PROCESS. 
          BECAUSE WE'RE FIGHTING OVER A SMALLER POOL OF CANDIDATES IN THE LABOR MARKET. AND YOU COULD TALK TO ROOFERS, YOU COULD TALK TO LANDSCAPERS, YOU COULD TALK TO ANYBODY. THEY COULD PROBABLY HAVE 25 ON STAFF, AND THEY ONLY HAVE 5. 
          I DON'T KNOW WHERE THE EMPLOYEES HAVE GONE, BUT WE'RE HAVING A VERY DIFFICULT TIME. 
          SO IF YOU WANT TO GET INTO LAW ENFORCEMENT, CORRECTIONS IS THE TOUGHEST JOB. SO THEY'RE HAVING A VERY DIFFICULT JOB, AND BUT THEY'VE BUDGETED IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET, NEW YORK STATE, $500 AND NEARLY $540 MILLION FOR THE NATIONAL GUARD ALONE. 
          THIS IS GOING TO BE OVER RIGHT NOW IT'S OVER $2 BILLION THAT THIS CRISIS HAS COST NEW YORK STATE, WHICH MEANS US TAXPAYERS. SO, WHAT I'M SAYING IS WE'RE A DROP IN THE BUCKET. WHY NOT HAVE A GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICES, BECAUSE IF THIS HAPPENS AGAIN, YES, THE ANSWER IS NO. 
          WE CAN'T SAY NO. WE'LL SAY YES, BUT JUST MAKE US WHOLE. I THINK THAT'S A VERY YOU HAVE A MORE MEASURED APPROACH THAN I DO. 
          ANOTHER ISSUE IS THE MEDICATION-ASSISTED TREATMENT PROGRAM. IT'S A GREAT PROGRAM. 
          WE HAVE NEARLY A THIRD OF THE PEOPLE THAT COME IN OUR CUSTODY THAT ARE OPIATE ADDICTED OR SUFFERING FROM ALCOHOLISM. 
          WE WANT TO HELP THEM. IT HELPS THEM START A NEW LIFE WHEN THEY COME OUT. WE PUT THEM IN CONTACT WITH A PROVIDER OUTSIDE. 
          BUT LEGISLATOR, IT'S EXPENSIVE. AND IT GOES BEYOND THE SUBOXONE AND THE METHADONE AND THE MEDICATION I CAN'T THINK OF RIGHT NOW FOR WHAT IS IT? SUBLOCADE. 
          SUBLOCADE, YEAH. 
          AND BUT IT'S COUNSELING. IT'S PEER PROGRAMS. YOU KNOW, WE JUST HAD TO SIGN A CONTRACT WITH THE NEW AGENCY THAT WE'RE USING FOR PEER PROGRAMS. THIS IS ALL VERY EXPENSIVE, BUT THERE'S A SECURITY COMPONENT BECAUSE THESE COUNSELORS CAN'T JUST COME IN, COME OUT, YOU KNOW, THE WHOLE THING. THEY HAVE TO BE ESCORTED. SO THERE'S A COST THERE TOO. 
          AND IT CAME DOWN WITH ZERO FUNDING FROM ALBANY. IF YOU'RE GOING TO MANDATE A PROGRAM, YOU KNOW, SO SARAH COFFEY, OUR DIRECTOR OF CORRECTIONAL HEALTH, IS MEETING WITH THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE AND OTHERS TO TRY TO GET SOME MORE MONIES FROM OASAS REGARDING THE OPIOID SETTLEMENT THAT SHOULD BE DISTRIBUTED TO, YES, SOME OF THE JAILS, BECAUSE WE HAVE PEOPLE IN CUSTODY THAT ARE WILLING TO GO INTO THIS PROGRAM, BUT IT'S COSTING ALL OF US A LOT OF MONEY. SO THAT'S INTERESTING. 
          SO, THE OPIOID SETTLEMENT FUNDING HAS COME UP TOO WITH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT. 
          THEY DIDN'T REALLY HAVE A GOOD HANDLE ON WHERE IT'S BEEN SPENT, AND IT'S AN AGGRAVATION I'VE HAD FOR A WHILE FROM THE LAST CONVERSATION WE HAD WITH THEM. 
          BUT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE WOULD BE ELIGIBLE, OR YOUR DEPARTMENT WOULD BE ELIGIBLE, TO GET SOME OF THAT FUNDING? OH YEAH, WE DO ALREADY. 
          WE DO ALREADY, AND IT COVERS A BIG PORTION OF THE MEDICATION FOR METHADONE, SUBOXONE. YOU KNOW, WE, WE WE'VE, WE'VE GONE TO OUR VENDORS, AND FOR EXAMPLE THE INJECTION FOR, UM SUBOXONE UH, WE, WE, WE GOT IT FROM $2,100 TO $1,600. IT'S NOT LIKE WE'RE NOT TRYING. 
          I MEAN, WE, WE OH NO, I'M NOT SAYING THAT. I JUST NO, 
          [00:55:01]
BUT IT'S, IT'S KIND OF, YOU KNOW, BUT INFLATION IS INFLATION, RIGHT? AND, AND WE'RE SUFFERING FROM IT BECAUSE WE HAVE FIXED COSTS FOR FOOD, MEDICATION. 
          YEP. 
          ALL RIGHT, WELL, THANK YOU FOR THE BACKGROUND ON THAT. 
          JUST FROM SOME OF YOUR OTHER COMMENTS, YOU MENTIONED THAT CIVIL SERVICE HAS GOTTEN BETTER. I KNOW I'VE SEEN THAT WE HAVE TESTS COMING UP. 
          WE TALKED ABOUT THEM YESTERDAY. 
          HOW ARE YOU DOING WITH LIST SIZES? DO YOU GUYS HAVE ENOUGH TO FILL THE ROLES? I KNOW IT'S ALWAYS BEEN DIFFICULT. LIKE YOU SAID, CORRECTIONS AND JAIL MANAGEMENT IS ALWAYS A DIFFICULT FANTASTIC. 
          GREAT. FANTASTIC. I'LL TELL YOU, THE OLD SCHOOL SYSTEM DID NOT WORK. 
          YOU HAD A TEST EVERY 3 YEARS, BUT BACK WHEN WE STARTED, YOU HAD 5,000 PEOPLE TAKING THE TEST. WE HAD MAYBE 500. SO, WHEN YOU GO THROUGH 500 PEOPLE, YOU'RE LEFT WITH NOT MANY, AND IT LASTED 3 YEARS. 
          NOW WE HAVE 2 EXAMS PER YEAR. 
          IT'S VERY SIMPLE. IT'S A TRAINING EXPERIENCE EXAM THAT YOU CAN TAKE FROM HOME. 
          SO, WE REALLY WANT TO GET THIS OUT TO THE COMMUNITY EVEN MORE, BUT WE HAVE, WE, WE HAVE AN ACTIVE LIST. AND, YOU KNOW, I'LL TELL YOU, COMMISSIONER BRAY HAS WORKED WITH US. IT'S, IT'S REALLY FANTASTIC. 
          I TALKED TO MY FELLOW SHERIFFS. 
          THEY'RE STRUGGLING. WE ARE NOT. 
          WHEN I CAME INTO OFFICE, EVEN THOUGH THIS HONORABLE BODY GAVE US EXTRA POSITIONS, I WASN'T ABLE TO FILL THEM BECAUSE EVERY POSITION THAT WE FILL HAS TO GO THROUGH CIVIL SERVICE, RIGHT? AND IF YOU DON'T HAVE A LIST I JUST HAVE A COUPLE OF OTHER QUESTIONS. THANK YOU FOR THAT, AND I'M HAPPY TO HEAR THAT YOU'RE THE EMPLOYEES THAT ARE IN JAIL MANAGEMENT ARE STAYING. 
          AND THAT'S I KNOW THAT WAS BEFORE THEY WOULD GO TO JAIL MANAGEMENT, AND WE USUALLY LOSE THEM TO NEW YORK STATE CORRECTIONS OR SOMEWHERE ELSE. 
          SO, I'M HAPPY TO HEAR THAT WE'RE, YOU KNOW, HOLDING ON TO THOSE EMPLOYEES. 
          IN TERMS OF OVERTIME, HOW ARE WE DOING ON OVERTIME? AND ALSO WITH THIS STATE-READY ISSUE. 
          DO WE HAVE DO WE STILL HAVE STATE-READIES IN ERIE COUNTY? WE'RE ALWAYS GOING TO HAVE STATE-READIES TO A CERTAIN EXTENT. 
          OKAY. IT, IT'S YOU KNOW, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT JUST WE'RE ALWAYS GOING TO HAVE SOME. 
          OKAY. 
          BUT TO HAVE A DOZEN, IT'S OKAY. YEAH, WE UNDERSTAND IT. IT'S LOGISTICS. 
          SURE. TO HAVE 120 IS NOT. 
          THAT, THAT WAS THE ISSUE LAST YEAR. 
          SO, WE'VE THAT'S IMPROVED TREMENDOUSLY. WE DON'T HAVE AN ISSUE WITH THAT. WE JUST WANT TO GET COMPENSATED FOR 2085 ON THE PRO-VIOLATOR SIDE. 
          THAT BROUGHT ME TO OVERTIME AND WHAT SO THE OVERTIME LAST YEAR, WE CAME IN 4% UNDER BUDGET. 
          THIS YEAR I THINK WE'VE EXPANDED ABOUT 52% OF OUR TOTAL BUDGET AS FAR AS A WHOLE, 51% ON THE CORRECTIONAL SIDE FOR OVERTIME AND ABOUT 62% ON THE POLICE SERVICES SIDE. 
          AFTER QUARTER 1, WE TOOK A DEEP DIVE, ACTUALLY WORKED WITH OUR COLLEAGUE, DIRECTOR CORNELL, AND WE'RE TRENDING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, AND I FEEL VERY GOOD ABOUT WHERE WE'RE GOING TO END UP YEAR. 
          HAVE YOU IMPLEMENTED ANY LIKE STOPGAP MEASURES TO TRY AND LIMIT OVERTIME? ARE YOU GUYS CHANGING HOW YOU APPROACH OR NOT CHANGING, BUT ADJUSTING? I KNOW IT'S A CONSTANTLY EVOLVING ISSUE. 
          SO, WHAT HAPPENS IS YOU KNOW, WITH OUR POLICE SERVICES SIDE, WE HAVE 180 DEPUTIES COVERING 600 SQUARE MILES, AND WE'RE THE MOST WE'RE THE FORCE MULTIPLIER FOR EVERY AGENCY. WE'LL BE ON CHIPPEWA THIS WEEKEND. 
          WE'LL BE AT YOU KNOW, THE GREECE POLE FESTIVAL, WE'LL BE AT THE ITALIAN FESTIVAL. YOU KNOW, BUFFALO NEEDS HELP. 
          THERE'S ISSUES GOING ON. 
          SO AS A SHERIFF, I HAVE TO BALANCE THE SAFETY OF OUR PUBLIC WITH BEING FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE. SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO DO WHAT WE CAN AND BUT I, I FEEL VERY GOOD WHERE WE'RE HEADED, AND I BELIEVE THAT WE'RE GOING TO COME IN YOU KNOW, WITH OUR BUDGETED NUMBERS BY THE END OF THE YEAR. BUT, YOU KNOW, THE CALLS THAT WE HAVE NOW ARE MORE TIME-CONSUMING. 
          SURE. THE, THE, THE AMOUNT OF PROPERTY CRIMES THAT ARE HITTING OUR SUBURBAN AND RURAL AREAS AROUND ERIE COUNTY ARE JUST MIND-BOGGLING. SO, WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING. 
          WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING, BUT WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING WITHIN THE LIMITS OF OUR BUDGET. AND THAT'S YOU KNOW, A BALANCING ACT THAT, THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE. AND I WAS HAPPY TO HEAR THAT YOU GUYS ARE WORKING ON A TASK FORCE. 
          WE ACTUALLY HAD 2 CARS STOLEN JUST ON MY STREET, LIKE, IN THE PAST FEW WEEKS. AND I KNOW I GET CALLS ALL THE TIME FROM RESIDENTS THAT IT'S OUT OF CONTROL. SO, LEGISLATOR, ERIE COUNTY IS THIS BIG, RIGHT? IT'S A BIG LIVING ROOM. 
          IF YOU HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH ANYONE AT ANY EVENT THEY WILL TELL YOU ABOUT, 
          [01:00:01]
AND THEY'VE NEVER SEEN IT BEFORE, STOLEN CARS IN THEIR BLOCK, BREAK-INS IN THEIR BLOCK. AND IT JUST, IT GOES FROM BUFFALO TO CHEEKTOWAGA TO AMHERST TO ONONDAGA, AND THEN IT GOES TO ALMA AND GRAND ISLAND. AND SO, IT, IT JUST KEEPS ON GOING. 
          THERE'S NO REPERCUSSIONS. SO, THIS, I, THAT'S KIND OF WHAT I WAS GOING TO ASK YOU. LIKE, WHEN WE ARE LOOKING AT THESE PROBLEMS, AND OBVIOUSLY THERE'S ALWAYS BUDGET ISSUES, BUT FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE, WHAT CAN WE DO AT THE LEGISLATURE, OR WHAT CAN WE ADVOCATE FOR? I MEAN, THE CRIME SEEMS TO BE OUT OF CONTROL. 
          I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S TRENDS THAT YOU'RE SEEING OR SOMETHING THAT YOU THINK WE COULD DO TO BETTER SUPPORT. I THINK IT'S AN ALBANY ISSUE, RESPECTFULLY, AND I THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION. BUT WHEN YOU THERE'S NO REPERCUSSIONS OR ACCOUNTABILITY. 
          PEOPLE THAT STEAL CARS, CONTINUE TO STEAL CARS. WE MAKE AN ARREST, WE SEE THAT THEY HAVE 3 OUTSTANDING WARRANTS FOR THE PREVIOUS ARREST THAT THEY HAD AND NOT SHOWING UP FOR COURT. 
          AND SO, AND THERE'S A LOT OF UNDERAGE KIDS THAT ARE DOING THIS, 15, 16 YEARS OLD. 
          AND SO, I REALLY, YOU KNOW, THIS IS AN ALBANY ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE LOOKED AT. I KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, WITH THE RETAIL THEFT THAT WE'RE EXPERIENCING THROUGHOUT ERIE COUNTY AND NEW YORK STATE, THAT ALBANY CAME OUT WITH A FELONY CHARGE IF YOU ASSAULT A RETAIL WORKER. 
          NOW, IF YOU ASSAULT ANY WORKER, IT SHOULD BE A FELONY, YOU KNOW. 
          BUT THAT'S A KNEE-JERK REACTION TO A PROBLEM WHERE SOMEBODY AT WALMART GOES IN, STEALS SOMETHING, AND AN EMPLOYEE TRIES TO STOP THEM AND THEY GET PUNCHED IN THE FACE, AND NOW IT'S A FELONY. WELL, MAYBE WE SHOULD STOP PEOPLE FROM THINKING THAT THEY COULD GO INTO WALMART AND WALK OUT WITH A SHOPPING CART FULL OF GOODS WHILE WE'RE WAITING IN LINE TO PAY. YEAH, I THAT'S THE WORLD I'D LIKE TO LIVE IN. 
          THE CRIMINALS ARE EMBOLDENED BY SOME OF THE LAWS THAT CAME DOWN. 
          SO, WE AS LAW ENFORCEMENT, THE FIELD GOAL, THE, THE LAWS HAVE CHANGED. WHAT WE DO IS WE PLAY WITHIN WHAT WE HAVE AND BECOME BETTER. 
          AND I'LL TELL YOU, ERIE COUNTY IS VERY FORTUNATE THAT IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT JURISDICTION YOU'RE IN KENMORE, TONAWANDA, AMHERST, BUFFALO WE ALL WORK GREAT TOGETHER. THERE'S NO BOUNDARIES FOR THE CRIMINALS, AND THERE'S NO BOUNDARIES FOR US. I, I APPRECIATE THAT. 
          I JUST HAVE ONE LAST QUESTION ABOUT THE AIR HANDLER SITUATION. HOW DEBILITATING IS THAT WHEN THAT HAPPENS? LIKE, TO WHAT PERCENT ARE WE SHUTTING DOWN ALDEN? WHAT IS THE RISK THERE IF WE HAVE ANOTHER AIR HANDLER GO DOWN? WE HAD A PLAN IN PLACE OF WHAT TO DO IF ANOTHER AIR HANDLER WENT DOWN. 
          BUT THE PART, I BELIEVE, WAS DUE TO COME IN YESTERDAY. 
          AND THAT AGAIN IS AN ISSUE. AS WE ALL KNOW, IF YOU GET A FRIDGE OR A CAR PART, IT TAKES EVERYTHING TAKES LONGER NOW AFTER COVID. SO, YOU KNOW, THIS IS AN OLDER FACILITY THAT WAS BUILT IN 1985. 
          SO, YOU NEED A SPECIALIZED PART. IT WAS ORDERED BY BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS AND I HOPE IT GETS UP AND RUNNING. 
          BUT IF YOU HAVE ANOTHER ISSUE, WHAT DO WE DO? WELL, WE GOT TO PUT MORE PEOPLE TOGETHER, AND THAT IS A CLASSIFICATION ISSUE. 
          CLASSIFICATION WHERE YOUNG AND OLD ARE NOT PUT TOGETHER, CERTAIN GANG MEMBERS ARE NOT PUT TOGETHER, AND THAT IS WHERE THE ISSUE WOULD LIE. THANK GOODNESS, THANK GOD IT HASN'T COME TO THAT, BUT 200 AND WHAT IS IT? 236 CELLS DOWN. THAT'S INSANE, YOU KNOW? SO DID YOU HAVE ANY VIOLENCE OR ISSUES? I KNOW I WAS INCREDIBLY IMPRESSED WHEN I WENT TO THE HOLDING CENTER WITH THE INFORMATION YOU GUYS HAVE OF WHO TO KEEP SEPARATE. 
          LIKE, YOU'D NEVER SEE KASHOYAN AND I TOGETHER. JUST KIDDING. 
          BUT, YOU KNOW, I WAS INCREDIBLY IMPRESSED BY THE INFORMATION YOU GUYS HAD. 
          SO, WITH DOWNSIZING AND PUTTING MORE INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS TOGETHER, DID YOU HAVE ANY ACTS OF VIOLENCE OR ISSUES DURING THIS TIME? NO, WE THAT EVERYBODY DID A GREAT JOB. 
          NOW, ACTS OF VIOLENCE IN CORRECTIONS IS UNAVOIDABLE. 
          YEAH. 
          YOU HAVE X AMOUNT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE INCARCERATED, AND THERE'S SOME OF THEM THAT ARE VERY VIOLENT PEOPLE, LEGISLATOR. AND THEY'RE VERY VIOLENT. THEY'RE VIOLENT ON THE OUTSIDE, THEY'RE VIOLENT ON THE INSIDE. 
          FOR EXAMPLE, THE HALT ACT, THE HUMANE ALTERNATIVE TO LONG-TERM SOLITARY CONFINEMENT, HAS REALLY TIED THE HANDS OF THIS OFFICE AND EVERY OTHER COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS TO PUT THOSE THAT START FIGHTS, THAT ASSAULT FELLOW INMATES, THAT ASSAULT STAFF, 
          [01:05:04]
ASSAULT PEOPLE THAT ARE COMING IN TO PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL SERVICES OR CLERGY ASIDE. 
          WE'RE NOT THIS IS NOT AN OLD-SCHOOL, WHATEVER PEOPLE PICTURE SOLITARY CONFINEMENT. 
          IT'S JUST ANOTHER WING OF THE CORRECTIONAL FACILITY. 
          BUT WE CAN'T DO THAT ANYMORE. 
          THE PEOPLE NEED COUNSELING, AND THEY NEED TO LEARN TO NOT ASSAULT OTHERS. 
          LISTEN, THERE'S SOME PEOPLE IT JUST DOESN'T COME ACROSS, DOESN'T GET ACROSS, AND THEY CONTINUE TO DO SO. 
          SO, WE I GOT TO SAY, OUR STAFF STAYS AHEAD OF IT. 
          OUR INTEL UNIT STAYS AHEAD OF IT. WHEN SOMEBODY COMES IN AND THEY KNOW THERE'S A BEEF ON THE OUTSIDE REGARDING MAYBE A HOMICIDE OR SOMETHING, KEEPAWAYS AND STUFF LIKE THAT. 
          SO, THEY DO A GREAT JOB. THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE IT. 
          THANK YOU. THANK YOU, CHAIR. 
          SHERIFF, THANKS FOR BEING HERE TODAY. 
          MY FIRST QUESTION IS, IT SEEMS LIKE THE FACILITIES ARE LIMPING ALONG. THE CELLS ARE NOT FUNCTIONING. HOW MANY DO WE HAVE? OVER 200? NOT 236, I, I THINK, AS OF TODAY THAT ARE DOWN BETWEEN BOTH FACILITIES. 
          AND NOW WITH THE AIR HANDLER SITUATION IN ALDEN, IS, IS THIS ADDING TO THE OVERTIME WITH THE EMPLOYEES? WELL, WHAT HAPPENS IS IT'S, IT'S MORE LABOR-INTENSIVE. 
          IF, IF YOU HAVE AN AREA THAT'S, LET'S SAY, A LINEAR AREA PICTURE A HOTEL HALLWAY AND YOU HAVE CELLS, SO THE SIGHT LINES ARE NOT GOING TO BE AS IS GOOD WHEN YOU HAVE ONE CELL THAT'S UP, 2 THAT ARE DOWN, ONE THAT'S UP, ONE'S DOWN. AND, YOU KNOW, SO YOU NEED MORE STAFF ON SITE. 
          BUT YOU SO YES, WE HAVE TO ADD MORE POSTS TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE EYES ON PEOPLE, RIGHT? YOU KNOW, I'M DRIVING THESE QUESTIONS BASED UPON THERE'S MORE LABOR REQUIRED BECAUSE OF THE CONDITIONS. AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE MAYOR RYAN HAS PUBLICLY STATED CRIME IS DOWN IN THE CITY. I SEE DIFFERENT. 
          ALL MY CONSTITUENTS COMPLAIN THAT THERE'S ISSUES. YOU COME IN HERE TODAY, YOU HAVE FACTUAL DATA AND NUMBERS STATING IT'S OPPOSITE OF WHAT THE MAYOR HAS STATED. 
          AND NOW YOU'RE, YOU YOU'RE SUPPORTING SOME OF THESE CITY FUNCTIONS SUCH AS THE ITALIAN FESTIVAL I'M TAKING THIS IS GOING TO BE AN ADDITIONAL COST TO TAXPAYERS. 
          WELL, WE, WE CAN'T SAY NO TO BUFFALO. I MEAN, RIGHT NOW THERE'S ISSUES GOING ON. 
          YEAH. 
          AND I THINK EVERYBODY SAW SOME OF THE VIDEOS ONLINE OF WHAT HAPPENED ON CHIPPEWA, WHAT HAPPENED ON THE 4TH OF JULY. THE UNDERSHERIFF TOOK A CALL FROM BUFFALO POLICE AND WE SAID YES. THAT'S WHAT WE SAY IF THERE'S ISSUES GOING ON THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY, WE SAY YES. 
          WE'RE THE FORCE MULTIPLIER THAT COMES OUT. I'M PERSONALLY THANKFUL FOR THAT. YOU ARE SAYING YES, AS MY CONSTITUENTS ARE VERY THANKFUL, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THEY REQUIRE THEY WANT TO KNOW THAT THEY'RE SAFE IF THEY'RE GOING TO GO OUTSIDE OF LANCASTER TO GO TO THE CITY TO ENJOY THE ITALIAN FESTIVAL. 
          YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S NICE TO KNOW THAT THERE IS BACKUP, NOT JUST A LAWFUL POLICE, BUT THE SHERIFF IS THERE AS WELL TO JUST HELP WITH THAT. 
          YEAH, YOU, YOU HAVE DATA, AND THE DATA IS WHAT YOU WANT TO MAKE OF IT. YOU KNOW, SHOOTINGS ARE DOWN, HOMICIDES ARE DOWN, BUT PROPERTY CRIMES IT'S NOT AN UPTICK, IT'S A SURGE. 
          EVERYBODY YOU TALK TO IN ERIE COUNTY HAS A FIRST-HAND STORY OF WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS, YOU KNOW. AND, AND, AND PEOPLE LISTEN, WE'RE NOT GOING TO BLAME THE VICTIMS, OKAY? PEOPLE LEAVE THEIR FOBS IN THEIR CARS. THEY LEAVE THEIR DOORS OPEN AT HOME. 
          BUT THAT'S HOW ERIE COUNTY IS. 
          WE'RE THE CITY OF GOOD NEIGHBORS. WE'RE THE COUNTY OF GOOD NEIGHBORS. 
          IT DOESN'T MEAN BECAUSE YOU LEFT YOUR FOB IN YOUR CAR THAT SOMEBODY HAS THE RIGHT TO GO IN THERE AND STEAL YOUR CAR. 
          IF YOU LEAVE YOUR LAPTOP IN THE BACKSEAT OR YOUR DAUGHTER DOES BY MISTAKE, THEY BREAK A WINDOW, IT'S, IT'S HER FAULT. I MEAN, WE'RE, WE'RE BLAMING THE VICTIMS. WE COULD ONLY TRY TO TELL PEOPLE WHAT THE TRENDS ARE AND LET THEM KNOW, HEY, LISTEN, LOCK YOUR DOORS, LOCK YOUR CARS, TAKE THE FOBS OUT. IF YOU HAVE A GARAGE DOOR OPENER AND THE GARAGE IS ATTACHED TO YOUR HOUSE, DON'T LEAVE IT IN THERE. YOU KNOW, LET'S NOT, LET'S NOT MAKE IT EASIER FOR THE CRIMINALS. 
          BUT YES, AND THEN YOU WONDER, WELL, I LEFT IT ONE TIME IN MY CAR AND IT GOT STOLEN. 
          WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? WERE THEY OUT EVERY SINGLE NIGHT IN YOUR 
          [01:10:07]
NEIGHBORHOOD? I DON'T KNOW. 
          BUT AGAIN, GROWING UP, YOU WERE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR YOUR ACTIONS. 
          ABSOLUTELY. RIGHT? THERE WERE REPERCUSSIONS. THAT'S RIGHT. 
          THERE'S NOT. I MEAN, I THINK BAIL REFORM IS NEEDED. 
          WE DON'T NEED PEOPLE IN IN JAIL FOR HAVING A CRACK PIPE AND BEING THERE FOR A YEAR. 
          AND SO WHATEVER. BUT IF YOU CONTINUOUSLY COMMIT CRIMES, THERE HAS TO BE SOME REPERCUSSIONS. AND AS SHERIFF, I DON'T WANT ANY MORE PEOPLE IN JAIL. 
          BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF THE ISSUES WE HAVE. DO YOU HAVE ANY DIRECT DIALOGUE WITH THE GOVERNOR AT ALL? HER OFFICE? ANY ALL THE SHERIFFS WITHIN THE STATE OF NEW YORK TO JUST SIT IN A ROOM AND DISCUSS THESE PROBLEMS AND LOOK FOR OUR SHERIFFS ASSOCIATION IS A STRONG SHERIFFS ASSOCIATION. IT DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU'RE REPUBLICAN OR DEMOCRAT, YOU'RE A LAW ENFORCEMENT PROFESSIONAL. 
          I TALKED TO MY COLLEAGUES AND THEY HAVE GONE TO ALBANY TO LOBBY. WE HAVE WRITTEN LETTERS TO THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE, TO OUR LEGISLATORS. 
          BUT AS YOU SEE, NOTHING'S REALLY CHANGING. 
          IT HAS TO CHANGE. AT THE ALBANY LEVEL. BUT IN THE MEANTIME, LEGISLATOR, I'M NOT GOING TO SIT HERE AND COMPLAIN. 
          WE ARE GOING TO DO THE BEST JOB POSSIBLE WITH WHAT WE HAVE. YEAH, WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT, SO THANK YOU FOR EXPLAINING EVERYTHING TODAY. THANK YOU, APPRECIATE IT. 
          LEGISLATOR VIDAL. I JUST HAD A COUPLE QUESTIONS. WITH THE 2, WITH THE NEW CLASSES THAT YOU HAD ON THE, WITH THE NEW CLASSES THAT YOU HAD FOR THE I DON'T KNOW WHY THAT'S LIKE DOING THAT. 
          SOMEONE ELSE PASS THEIRS ON. 
          OKAY. WITH THE NEW CLASSES THAT YOU HAVE FOR THE WITH THE NEW CLASSES THAT YOU HAVE, NEW DEPUTIES, DO YOU THINK THAT WILL DECREASE OVER TIME OVERALL SO THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT I MEAN, I THINK THE GOAL PROBABLY WOULD BE IF EVERYTHING WAS PERFECT, THAT THERE'D BE NO OVERTIME, THAT PEOPLE JUST WORK THEIR HOURS AND GO HOME TO THEIR FAMILIES? IT'S MADE A HUGE DIFFERENCE, LEGISLATOR, IN THE BODIES THAT YOU, THIS HONORABLE BODY, AND THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE HAS GIVEN US. 
          AND WE'RE FINALLY ABLE TO FILL THE POSITIONS. PEOPLE ARE APPLYING FOR IT. 
          BUT YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER, THEY TAKE A CIVIL SERVICE EXAM, THEY GO THROUGH THE PROCESS, THEN THEY GO THROUGH A 4-WEEK, A 4-MONTH ACADEMY. 
          AND THEN ANOTHER MONTH OF ON-THE-JOB TRAINING. SO, BY THE TIME THEY'RE BOOTS ON THE GROUND, WHICH WAS JUST LAST WEEK, NOW GOING INTO THE SUMMER, THAT'S WHAT WE WANTED IS TO HAVE THEM THERE. BUT ONE OF THE BIGGEST ISSUES THAT WE'RE EXPERIENCING IS FMLA. 
          I WAS GOING TO ASK ABOUT THAT. IT'S I WANTED TO ASK, LIKE, IS THERE A CERTAIN NUMBER OF PEOPLE HISTORICALLY WITH YOUR EXPERIENCE THAT THEY START OUT AND THEN 4 WHATEVER REASON THEY DON'T CONTINUE? I MEAN, HOW IS THAT GOING TO AFFECT OH, THE, THE RESIGNATIONS? NO, I MEAN JUST LIKE, SAY LIKE SOMEBODY APPLIES AND EVEN THOUGH THEY GO THROUGH ALL THAT WHOLE PROCESS, ONCE THEY GET INTO IT THEY THINK MAYBE I DON'T WANT TO DO THIS AND THEY RESIGN OR WHATEVER. SO, OUR RESIGNATIONS HAVE GONE OUT GONE DOWN DRAMATICALLY, AND THAT'S BECAUSE WE'RE BACKFILLING THE JOBS THAT PEOPLE ARE RETIRING. 
          AND THE MANDATES ARE NOT AS MUCH AS THEY WERE WHEN I FIRST CAME INTO OFFICE. AND ALSO, WHAT HAS HELPED IS THE FACT THAT WE WENT FROM A 30-YEAR PENSION SYSTEM WHERE YOU HAD TO BE 63, AND NOW WE'RE WITH EVERYBODY ELSE AT 25. 
          LISTEN, IT'S A GREAT JOB, AND YOU KNOW HOW DIFFICULT IT IS GOING IN. 
          SO, IF YOU'RE GOING TO TAKE THE JOB, YOU'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH THAT, YOU GOT TO GO THROUGH IT. YOU KNOW, BUT WE'RE EXPERIENCING A LARGE SEGMENT THAT ARE ON FMLA. AND I WANTED TO ASK YOU THIS, IS THAT DO YOU THINK THAT YOU COULD MAKE IT A REQUIREMENT OF THE JOB ITSELF THAT THE PERSON MUST BE AVAILABLE AND CAN'T TAKE, YOU KNOW, THAT THEY CAN'T DO THE JOB IF THEY HAVE MORE THAN 3 ABSENCES A MONTH? WELL, WE HAVE TO ABIDE BY THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT. 
          THERE IS A, OBVIOUSLY, A DISCIPLINARY PROCESS THAT WE GO THROUGH, AND IF THE PERSON GOES THROUGH THEIR TIME, DOESN'T COME INTO WORK, THEN THEY'RE TERMINATED. 
          WELL, I'M NOT AND NOW AT LEAST WE HAVE A BACKFILL. I'M NOT SAYING THAT, LIKE, IT'S, YOU KNOW, IF THE PERSON I THINK THERE'S A CLASS OF PEOPLE MAYBE THAT ARE TAKING IT, MAYBE THERE'S SOME THAT ARE LIKE, YOU KNOW, GOING, DOING SOMETHING ELSE THAT YOU FEEL ISN'T REALLY FMLA RELATED. 
          SO I'M SAYING THAT'S ONE CLASS OF PEOPLE THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, THE DISCIPLINARY. 
          BUT I'M SAYING WHAT ABOUT IF YOU MADE IT AS A JOB REQUIREMENT THAT THE PERSON 
          [01:15:01]
MUST BE AVAILABLE ON ALL BUT NO MORE THAN 3 ABSENCES? MEANING THAT LIKE, YOU KNOW, LIKE IF YOU HAVE A JOB REQUIREMENT OF PHYSICAL, LIKE YOU MUST LIFT 50 POUNDS OR YOU CAN'T DO THE JOB, OR WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE. WHAT ABOUT THAT? WELL, THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT WE FIGHT WITH EVERY SINGLE DAY, AND, AND WE WORK TOGETHER WITH THE UNION TO FIX THAT PROBLEM. 
          BUT I CAN TELL YOU RIGHT NOW, OUR VACANCIES ARE, ARE DOWN LOW. WE'RE, WE'RE BASICALLY FULLY STAFFED AT BOTH FACILITIES. WE'RE AT THE BEST PLACE THAT WE'VE EVER BEEN. 
          BUT I CAN'T CONTROL SICKNESS AND FAMILY ISSUES AND TAKING CARE OF KIDS THAT MIGHT BE GOING THROUGH A VERY TOUGH TIME WITH A DISEASE OR TAKING CARE OF A PARENT WITH DEMENTIA. AND THAT'S A FEDERAL ACT, THE FAMILY MEDICAL LEAVE ACT. SO, WE HAVE TO ABIDE BY THAT LEGISLATOR. 
          AND WE, YOU KNOW, WE DO HOUSE CHECKS. IF YOU CALL IN SICK, WE GO TO YOUR HOUSE AND SEE IF YOU'RE THERE. 
          YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE AT HOME IF YOU CALL OFF SICK IN THIS PROFESSION. 
          AND PEOPLE HAVE GOTTEN WHAT WE DO NOW IS WE HAVE SOMETHING NEW WHERE INSTEAD OF SUSPENDING PEOPLE, WE TAKE TIME AWAY. AND IT'S GOT A LITTLE BIT MORE TEETH TO IT, AND IT'S WORKING A LITTLE BETTER. BUT LISTEN, IT'S A VERY TOUGH JOB, AND THERE'S PROBABLY A LOT OF MEN AND WOMEN THAT TAKE THE JOB, AND THEN THEY SEE FIRSTHAND HOW DIFFICULT IT IS. 
          BUT LISTEN, IT'S A GOOD-PAYING JOB, GOOD BENEFITS, A PENSION. IT'S A LIFE CHANGER. 
          IT CHANGED MY LIFE WHEN I WENT INTO THE BUFFALO POLICE DEPARTMENT. 
          I WORKED THERE FOR 25 YEARS. 
          IT'S A VERY DIFFICULT JOB. YOU KNOW, YOU SEE THINGS THAT YOU SHOULDN'T BE SEEING, BUT YOU GET THROUGH IT. 
          YOU GET THROUGH IT. YOU KNOW WHAT ELSE IS VERY DIFFICULT? ROOFING, ASPHALT AT THIS TIME OF YEAR, CONCRETE. YOU GOT TO DO THE JOB. 
          YOU TAKE THE JOB, YOU GOT TO DO IT. YEAH, AND DANGEROUS TOO. ALL RIGHT, WITH REGARD TO THE HELICOPTER IS THERE IS IT THAT THERE'S ONLY ONE OF THE 3 THAT RIGHT IS FULLY FUNCTIONAL AS A POLICE HELICOPTER, OR ALL 3 FUNCTIONAL? NO, WE HAVE ONE IN SERVICE RIGHT NOW, LIMITED AS IT HAS BEEN FOR THE LAST COUPLE YEARS. 
          WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF ELIZABETH, COULD YOU GIVE US AN UPDATE ON YEAH, THE MONEY'S BEEN APPROPRIATED FROM NICK LANGWORTHY'S OFFICE. 
          WE'RE JUST WAITING FOR THE FUNDING. 
          IN THE MEANTIME, YOU KNOW, WE'RE HAPPY TO SAY WE SAVED THE TAXPAYERS $5.2 MILLION. PARDON? WE SAVED THE TAXPAYERS $5.2 MILLION. 
          IN WHAT? IN GETTING GRANTS? IN GETTING THE GRANT. YEAH. AS FAR AS WITH REGARD TO I SAW THAT IN THE WHOLE STATE THERE'S ONLY 15 HELICOPTERS THAT ARE AUTHORIZED RIGHT NOW, AND 12 OF THEM ARE NEW YORK STATE POLICE AND 2 ARE WESTCHESTER, WHICH IS LIKE THE COUNTY JUST BIGGER THAN OURS. 
          AND THEY'RE NEAR NEW YORK METRO. I MEAN, I'M TALKING OUTSIDE OF THE 5 BOROUGHS. SO, WE HAVING 3, I WAS WONDERING, ORIGINALLY YOUR PLAN WAS TO HAVE ONLY 1 AND TO SELL THE BUY 1 AND THEN SELL THE OTHER ONE. 
          IS IT STILL YOUR IS THERE STILL A WAY TO SELL 2 OF THE AND ALSO JUST TO POINT IT OUT, LIKE I'D SEE ROCHESTER, I THINK THEY USE DRONES, AND WHEN THEY NEED A HELICOPTER, THEY A LOT OF THE COUNTIES USE THE STATE POLICE. 
          HELICOPTERS. I WAS WONDERING, INSTEAD OF US HAVING 3, WHAT ABOUT SELLING THE OTHER 2 AS THE ORIGINAL PLAN WAS TO SAVE THE TAXPAYERS' MONEY? SO, OUR PLAN IS TO SELL THE OLD HELICOPTER, AND WITH THE MONIES THAT WE GET FROM THAT AND THE MONIES THAT WE HAVE TO OUTFIT BOTH HELICOPTERS, THE OTHER 2 REMAINING HELICOPTERS, BECAUSE HAVING JUST THE ONE HELICOPTER. 
          I MEAN, WE'VE BEEN THROUGH THE ONE OR TWO. WE HAVE THE TWO. THEY'RE BOTH PAID FOR. 
          ALTERNATING THEM ON MAINTENANCE SCHEDULES, WE'LL ALWAYS HAVE ONE HOPEFULLY UP IN THE AIR. IF YOU ONLY HAVE ONE, YOU'RE ONLY GOING TO HAVE IT PART-TIME. SO THAT'S THE PLAN MOVING FORWARD, IS TO HAVE THE TWO NEW HELICOPTERS IN PLACE SERVING THE COUNTY HOPEFULLY FOR THE NEXT 35 YEARS. 
          OKAY, SO THE PLAN IS, IS DEFINITELY THOUGH STILL TO SELL THE ONE THEN? WE'RE SELLING THE OLDER HELICOPTER. 
          WE ARE AWAITING FOR THE MONIES, AS ELIZABETH SAID, FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ON THE $4.2 MILLION. 
          AND BUT THAT MONEY'S BEEN ALLOCATED, OR SO THE CHECK'S IN THE MAIL, AS THEY SAY. AND SO, WHEN WE GET THAT, LEGISLATOR, WE'LL BE ABLE 
          [01:20:01]
TO MOVE FORWARD, SELL THE HELICOPTER WE HAVE NOW. BUT THAT'S THE ONLY ONE THAT'S I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WAS STILL THE PLAN. 
          I THOUGHT I MEAN, I KNEW AT LEAST ONE WAS GOING TO BE SOLD. YEAH, IF NOT THE TWO. AND THEN WHEN YOU CAME IN, YOU CAME IN THE ONE-TIME ABOUT THE SENECA NATION OF INDIANS TO SAY THAT I'M SORRY, I'M HAVING YOU CAME IN I'M SORRY, YOU CAME IN ABOUT THE SENECA YOU CAME IN ABOUT THE SENECA NATION OF INDIANS YES. 
          AND ABOUT DOING WORK IN THERE. AND I WAS WONDERING, I'VE GOTTEN A COUPLE OF COMMENTS FROM PEOPLE. I THOUGHT THAT WAS AGREED THAT YOU WERE JUST DOING LIKE FOR MAJOR THINGS, NOT JUST ROAD PATROL. 
          AND I'VE GOTTEN COMMENTS FROM PEOPLE THAT WERE UPSET THAT THERE WAS BEING ROAD PATROL DONE THERE. IN SERVING THE SENECA NATION? YEAH, THEY'RE PART OF ERIE COUNTY. WE, WE SERVE THE SENECA NATION OF INDIANS WITH ANY 911 CALLS THAT COME IN THERE AND ALSO IN WORKING WITH, WITH THEM WITH THE ISSUES THAT THEY'RE HAVING, WHICH ARE THE SAME ISSUES THAT EVERYBODY IN ERIE COUNTY IS HAVING, AND THAT'S THE, THE FENTANYL PROBLEM. 
          NO, THEY DON'T. THEY HAVE POLICE? NO, THEY DON'T. THEY DON'T HAVE AN ACCREDITED POLICE DEPARTMENT. 
          THEY HAVE PEOPLE THEY CALL MARSHALS, WHICH ARE NOT POLICE OFFICERS. 
          THEY ARREST AND PROSECUTE PEOPLE? WE, THE STATE POLICE AND THE FBI, WORK TOGETHER ON ANY AND ALL CASES WITHIN THE SENECA NATION, AS WE DO THROUGHOUT ERIE COUNTY. 
          THEY'RE ERIE COUNTY RESIDENTS. 
          BUT LIKE EVERY DISTRICT, THAT THEY CAN DECIDE WHETHER THEY WANT POLICING FROM THE SHERIFF. SO, I WAS WONDERING IF I KNOW I WAY BACK I READ THE TREATY ABOUT, YOU KNOW, BETWEEN GEORGE WASHINGTON AND THE SENECA NATION. SO, I KNOW THAT LIKE THEY HAVE A RIGHT TO DO THEIR OWN CRIMINAL ENFORCEMENT ON THEIR OWN PROPERTY, YOU KNOW, OF NATIVE CITIZENS. 
          AND SO, I WAS JUST WONDERING, LIKE, WHEN YOU CAME IN AND ASKED FOR LIKE, TALKED ABOUT THAT EXPANSION THIS YEAR, WAS IT DID YOU HAVE AN AGREEMENT WITH THEM JUST TO EXPAND ON THE FENTANYL ISSUE, OR WAS IT ON JUST POLICING IN GENERAL? LIKE, I'M JUST WONDERING, LIKE, IF IS IT INCREASING THE OVER I MEAN, THAT I'M HAVING THE HARDEST TIME HERE. I'M SORRY, I DON'T WANT IT'S ECHOING, AND THAT'S WHY I DIDN'T WANT TO. SO, WHEN YOU REMEMBER WHEN YOU CAME IN HERE ABOUT THE COMING IN ABOUT TALKING ABOUT YOU WANTED TO INCREASE THE PRESENCE ON SENECA BECAUSE THEY HAD ASKED YOU? AND I THOUGHT IT WAS WITH REGARD TO MAJOR THINGS AND FENTANYL. 
          SO, WHAT WE GET ON A WEEKLY BASIS IS CALLS FROM OTHER AGENCIES, LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES, AND HELPING THEM OUT WITH WHATEVER ISSUES THEY HAVE. 
          THE SENECA NATION DOES NOT HAVE A LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY. 
          THEY'RE TRYING TO CREATE ONE. 
          I THINK THERE'S ONE IN THE ENTIRE STATE OF NEW YORK THAT'S A NATIVE AMERICAN LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY THAT'S ACCREDITED BY DCJS, AND THAT'S IN ONONDAGA. THEY HAVE SO THEY DON'T HAVE POLICE POWERS. AND SO, IF THEY CALL AND THEY NEED HELP BECAUSE THEY'RE HAVING SEVERAL OVERDOSES AND THERE'S BAD DOPE ON THERE, WE HELP OUT. 
          AS I SAID EARLIER, YOU KNOW, WE WERE IN CONTACT OH, THEY, THEY GOT IN CONTACT WITH US REGARDING HELPING OUT ON, ON CHIPPEWA THIS WEEKEND AND AT THE 2 FESTIVALS, THE ITALIAN FESTIVAL NEXT WEEK AND THE GREASE POLE FESTIVAL THIS WEEK. AND, YOU KNOW, AND WE DID THAT WITH JUNETEENTH, TASTE OF BUFFALO, WE HELP OUT. WE HAVE A TASK FORCE WITH EVERYBODY RECOVERING STOLEN VEHICLES. 
          THIS IS ALWAYS ONGOING. BUT WITH REGARD TO THE SENECAS, DID THEY WHEN YOU WENT OUT, WHEN YOU'RE GOING OUT WITH LIKE 911 CALLS, YOU WOULDN'T ANSWER THEM? YOU'RE ANSWERING THEM IN GENERAL IN THE SENECA NATION? YES. OKAY. 
          AND WE HAVE A POLICY THAT IF WE GO TO THE SENECA NATION TO ANSWER 911 CALL, 2 CARS ANSWER THE CALL DUE TO THE SAFETY OF MY STAFF. 
          OKAY, AND THEN WITH REGARD TO THE MAN WHO WAS KILLED IN THE HOLDING CENTER, THIS IS JUST MORE OF A YES OR NO KIND OF THING. 
          AS FAR AS, IS IT YOUR UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE WERE NO EMPLOYEES OF THE COUNTY WHO WERE INVOLVED IN ANY WAY IN I CAN'T HEAR. 
          IT'S WITH REGARD TO THE MAN THAT WAS KILLED IN THE HOLDING CENTER. THIS IS A YES OR NO. THAT WAS A HOMICIDE IN THE HOLDING CENTER. 
          WAS THERE IS IT YOUR UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE WERE THERE ANY EMPLOYEES WHO WERE POTENTIALLY INVOLVED IN ANY WAY, 
          [01:25:01]
INCLUDING DELAYED RESPONSE? OR DO YOU HAVE YOU CONCLUDED YOUR INVESTIGATION THAT THERE'S NO EMPLOYEES THAT WERE INVOLVED? SO AS MUCH AS I WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT IT MORE, I'VE BEEN ADVISED TO SAY THAT IT'S AN ONGOING INVESTIGATION, BUT WE WILL VERY SOON FIND OUT IF SOMETHING COMES DOWN FROM THE DA'S OFFICE REGARDING ANYTHING LIKE THAT. OKAY. 
          YEP.AND WITH REGARD TO THIS IS JUST WITH REGARD TO THE BUDGET BECAUSE IT'S SUCH A BIG PART OF THE BUDGET AND SOME OF THE THINGS YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT. 
          I WAS WONDERING, SINCE YOU HAVE THE PEOPLE IN THE HOLDING CENTER AND THEY'RE WITH THE INCARCERATED PEOPLE 24/7, THEY'RE SEEING THEM, THEY'RE EVALUATING THEM, ETC., WOULD YOU THINK IT'D BE POSSIBLE FOR YOU TO WORK WITH THE DA TO SEE IF THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT YOU'RE YOUR PEOPLE SINCERELY BELIEVE, YOU KNOW WHAT, THEY COULD GO OUT EARLY, THEY COULD GO ON HOME ARREST, I'VE BEEN WATCHING THEM FOR SO MANY MONTHS OR WHATEVER, OR YOU DON'T FEEL THAT THAT'S… WE CAN'T DO THAT. 
          YOU CAN'T DO THAT? OKAY. 
          THE STATE COMMISSION OF CORRECTIONS, MY HANDS ARE TIED AS FAR AS HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE OUT. 
          NO, I MEAN TO GO TO THE DA AND SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT, MAYBE YOU WANT TO GO TO THE JUDGE AND LET HIM OUT EARLIER BECAUSE YOUR PEOPLE, BASED ON YOUR PEOPLE'S STATEMENTS OF THEIR OBSERVATIONS AND SO FORTH. 
          AS I SAID TO LEGISLATORS, TO DARRYL, YOU KNOW, AS A SHERIFF, YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANT MORE PEOPLE IN JAIL, OBVIOUSLY. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, YOU KNOW, THE PEOPLE THAT ARE IN JAIL ARE PUT THERE BY A JUDGE. SO, I, YOU'RE AN ATTORNEY. 
          I MEAN, WHAT CAN I DO? YOU KNOW, WHAT WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST IS IF SOMEBODY HAS A SERIOUS AILMENT AND THEY'RE TRANSFERRED TO ONE OF THE LOCAL HOSPITALS, AND IT HAPPENS OFTEN, WHAT WE DO IS WE CALL THE DA'S OFFICE AND SAY, COULD THIS PERSON, YOU KNOW, BE GIVEN... 
          YEAH, EXACTLY. A COMPASSIONATE RELEASE BECAUSE THEY'RE IN THE HOSPITAL, WHICH IS A BETTER CONDITION, BUT AT LEAST WE DON'T HAVE A GUARD THERE, SECURITY THERE. 
          AND I, AND THE TAXPAYERS ARE NOT PAYING FOR WHATEVER MEDICATION AND SERVICES BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE PAYING FOR EVERY, YOU KNOW, EVERY TIME PEOPLE GO TO THE HOSPITAL, WE'RE, WE'RE PAYING. YEAH, NOT ONLY THE MEDICAL BILLS STILL WOULD BE THERE, BUT THE, LISTEN, IF SOMEBODY HAS ANY, ANY KIND OF AILMENT THEY GO TO THE HOSPITAL. AND THE HOSPITALS AT FIRST WEREN'T VERY HAPPY WITH THE NEW SHERIFF IN TOWN, BUT THEY GO TO THE HOSPITAL. 
          I WOULD, YOU KNOW, I WOULD DO WHATEVER I WOULD DO FOR FAMILY MEMBERS. SO, THEY GO TO THE HOSPITAL AND THEY'RE TREATED THERE. AND IT'S COSTLY, LEGISLATOR, BUT IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO. 
          YEAH, I APPRECIATE THAT. AND THEN JUST MY FINAL QUESTION IS, WHEN YOU HAD COME IN ABOUT THE COMMUNITY POLICING, I WAS WONDERING, IS IT NOW THAT YOU'RE WHAT YOU SORT OF HAD SAID, THAT IS IT, IS IT NOW THAT YOU'RE JUST GOING INTO OTHER DISTRICTS IF IT'S ON A TASK FORCE THAT'S CREATED, OR IF YOU'RE SPECIFICALLY REQUESTED, LIKE WITH THE ITALIAN FESTIVAL OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT? SO THE, THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TEAM THAT'S BEEN JUST AN INCREDIBLY SUCCESSFUL TEAM, AS MANY PEOPLE HERE HAVE WRITTEN LETTERS REGARDING THEM, COMMUNITY POLICE OFFICERS. 
          EVERY AGENCY ACROSS THE UNITED STATES HAS HAD THEM FOR DECADES. 
          I THINK BILL, PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON STARTED THE PROGRAM. 
          WE, YOU KNOW, THIS HONORABLE BODY GAVE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO. THEY TAKE A LOT OF ISSUES THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT HAS TO THEN DEAL WITH LATER DOWN THE LINE BECAUSE THEY ESCALATE, AND THEY DE-ESCALATE THEM AND DEFUSE THEM. 
          AND THEY WORK WITH SCHOOLS AND EVERYBODY ELSE. 
          BUT I AM GONNA HAVE THEM, BETWEEN NOW AND SEPTEMBER, IS GO OUT TO THE COMMUNITY AND GET PEOPLE TO SIGN UP FOR THIS TEST IN COMMUNITIES THAT WE SEE DO NOT TAKE IT SERIOUSLY. TAKE CIVIL SERVICE EXAMS FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT. 
          OKAY, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. 
          THANKS. 
          THANK YOU. HELLO, SHERIFF GARCIA, HOW ARE YOU? I'M DOING WELL, HOW ARE YOU? GOOD. SO, I JUST HAVE A COUPLE BUDGETARY QUESTIONS. 
          SO, IF WE CAN TALK ABOUT THE FOOD VENDOR CONTRACT, THAT HAS BEEN A BIG HIGH TOPIC ABOUT, NOT HAVING HALAL. CAN YOU HEAR ME? WHICH CONTRACT? THE FOOD VENDOR CONTRACT. 
          YES, YES. 
          OH YEAH, I KNOW THAT WAS THE TOPIC. I KNOW THAT WHEN I GOT HERE YOU GUYS SWITCHED OVER. 
          YES. 
          FIRST OF ALL, HOW MANY YEARS DO 
          [01:30:01]
YOU GUYS HAVE LEFT WITH THAT CONTRACT? DO WE KNOW? IT'S A YEAR TO YEAR. OKAY. I KNOW THERE HAS BEEN COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE FOOD QUALITY AND IN ADDITION, NOT HAVING HALAL OPTIONS. 
          THAT WAS A BIG DEAL. SO, DO YOU GUYS, ARE YOU GUYS GOING TO BE TALKING TO THE VENDOR TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE GETTING HIGHER QUALITY ITEMS AND ALSO, WE'RE RESPECTING PEOPLE'S DIETARY NEEDS OTHER THAN JUST REMOVING THINGS OFF THEIR PLATE? IT'S, IT'S, IT'S AN ONGOING ISSUE. THE REASON WE WENT TO A VENDOR WAS FOR 2 REASONS. 
          ONE IS WE COULDN'T HIRE KITCHEN STAFF. 2, THIS IS A NATIONALLY ACCREDITED VENDOR. THEY WERE THE ONLY ONES THAT PUT IN, A, A BID ON THE CONTRACT, AND, THEY HAVE A GREAT REPUTATION. 
          THERE WERE SOME BUMPS IN THE ROAD. YOU KNOW, YOU'RE FEEDING 800 PEOPLE. 
          YEAH. 
          OKAY, A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE NOT GOING TO BE HAPPY WITH THE, THE FOOD CHOICES AND, AND SO FORTH, INCLUDING THE STAFF. 
          OKAY. IF YOU COULD MAKE EVERYBODY HAPPY, LET ME KNOW. 
          AND, WELL, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE AT LEAST OPTIONS FOR RELIGIOUS REASONS. IT'S NOT ABOUT MAKING PEOPLE HAPPY. 
          IT'S ABOUT RESPECTING THAT. 
          BUT I WAS JUST TOLD WE DO HAVE THAT. WE DO. WE WORK WITH TRINITY EVERY DAY ON ALL THOSE THINGS FOR ALL MEDICAL AND RELIGIOUS DIETARY RESTRICTIONS. 
          AND LEGISLATOR, IF I COULD ADD, THE WAY THAT WORKS IS YOU, IF YOU'RE AN INCARCERATED INDIVIDUAL LOOKING FOR A DIETARY, DIET RELATED TO YOUR RELIGION, YOU SPEAK WITH YOUR CHAPLAIN, AND THE CHAPLAIN THEN PASSES THAT MESSAGE ALONG TO US, AND WE MAKE THOSE ARRANGEMENTS. 
          OKAY, PERFECT. IN ADDITION, YOU MENTIONED VACANCIES. 
          I KNOW WE HAD THE CORRECTIONAL ADVISORY BOARD HERE. THEY SAID THEY'VE BEEN WORKING REALLY CLOSELY WITH YOU GUYS, SO I APPRECIATE THAT. HOW MANY VACANCIES DO WE HAVE TO DATE? OH YEAH, SO WE'RE ACTUALLY, WE'RE PROJECTING BY SEPTEMBER 1ST TO HAVE ABOUT 26 VACANCIES IN THE JAIL MANAGEMENT DIVISION, AND WE TYPICALLY WILL HAVE AROUND 4 ON THE POLICE SERVICES SIDE. 
          SO, YOU KNOW, AT THAT POINT IN TIME, WE'LL BE ABLE TO IMPANEL ANOTHER ACADEMY CLASS, AND, YOU KNOW, THERE'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE A LITTLE BIT OF A LAG IN AN ORGANIZATION AS LARGE AS OURS. OKAY. 
          BUT THIS IS THE IMPORTANT PART, IS EVEN THOUGH WE'RE GOING TO BE 20 SHORT, WE'RE ALREADY CANVASSING NOW BECAUSE WE HAVE AN ACTIVE LIST, WHICH WE NEVER HAD BEFORE. AND UNLIKE EVERYBODY ELSE THAT HIRES HERE, THE, THE DIFFERENCE IS THEY HAVE TO GO THROUGH A PROCESS. THEY HAVE TO GO THROUGH A 4-MONTH ACADEMY. 
          THEY HAVE TO GO THROUGH A MONTH OF ON-THE-JOB TRAINING. SO, BEFORE THAT A CORRECTIONS OFFICER OR JAIL DEPUTY IS ACTUALLY ABLE TO WORK, UNLIKE IN OTHER DEPARTMENTS, OTHER PROFESSIONS. YOU ALREADY COME WITH AN EDUCATION IN, BE IT ACCOUNTING OR WHATEVER THE CASE MIGHT BE. 
          IT TAKES A LITTLE BIT, BUT LISTEN, IT'S WORKING OUT. 
          YEAH, AND THAT WAS SAID IN THE PRESENTATION. I JUST WANTED TO GET THE NUMBERS. 
          THE BIGGEST ISSUE, FMLA. 
          YEAH, ALL DAY LONG WE HAVE TO GET CONTROL OF THAT. AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE IN A GOOD SPOT NOW. 
          AND IF PEOPLE ARE USING TIME THAT THEY DON'T HAVE, THEY'RE GOING TO BE TERMINATED. OKAY. 
          BUT NOW AT LEAST WE HAVE SOMEBODY TO BACKFILL, WHERE BEFORE, LEGISLATOR, WE DIDN'T HAVE THAT. 
          RIGHT. AND I THINK THAT'S A, THAT'S A GOOD THING. IF YOU'RE AWOL IN ANY, ANY JOB, RIGHT, YOU KNOW ABSOLUTELY. 
          YEAH. SO I WANT TO JUST CONTINUE BECAUSE I KNOW WE'RE ON A TIGHT TIMELINE. SO, PENSION, I KNOW THE STATE HAS CHANGED SOME THINGS FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE TIER 05, TIER 6. 
          THEY'RE GOING TO TIER 4. HOW IS THAT GOING TO AFFECT YOU GUYS? YOU KNOW, THERE'S, THERE'S PEOPLE THAT, ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO USE A, A LARGER PORTION OF THEIR OVERTIME TO GET CALCULATED INTO THEIR FINAL AVERAGE FAS, FINAL AVERAGE SALARY. AND, BUT IT, IT'S, IT'S, THE COSTS ARE GOING TO BE WHAT THEY ARE, YOU KNOW. 
          BUT IT WAS APPROVED BY, SO I GUESS LET ME ADD DETAIL. 
          HOW MUCH IS IT GOING TO COST US, LIKE FINANCIALLY? DO WE HAVE THAT BUDGETARY NUMBER? YOU, OKAY, YOU KNOW, BUT THIS BODY DID NOT DO IT. 
          THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE DIDN'T DO IT. 
          ALBANY DID IT. AND HERE WE GO AGAIN. WE GOT TO PAY FOR IT. 
          THAT'S GREAT, YOU KNOW. I MEAN I'M GLAD ALBANY IS TRYING TO KEEP PEOPLE EMPLOYED, BUT MY GOSH, I MEAN, THE TIMES HAVE CHANGED. PEOPLE WERE VERY HAPPY BEFORE. 
          PART OF ME SAYS GOD BLESS THE PEOPLE THAT WORK 
          [01:35:01]
IN CORRECTIONS, THAT EVENTUALLY WHEN THEY RETIRE THAT THEY'LL HAVE SOME HEALTHY YEARS TO HOPEFULLY COLLECT ON THEIR PENSION. THE AVERAGES ARE NOT ON THE SIDE OF CORRECTIONS OR LAW ENFORCEMENT. 
          BUT AGAIN, THIS IS A, A DECISION THAT WAS MADE IN ALBANY TO TRY TO KEEP MORE PEOPLE, OR THEY WERE LOBBIED, I DON'T KNOW, BUT IT CAME FROM ALBANY. 
          YEAH, SO IF WE CAN GET ME THAT NUMBER, HOW MUCH IT WILL COST IN THE FUTURE, THAT'LL BE GREAT. OKAY, SO THE OPIOID SETTLEMENT, I KNOW YOU, LEGISLATOR LARRIGO TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT IT. 
          YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU DID, YOU WERE ABLE TO ACCESS THAT FUNDS. 
          HOW MUCH HAVE YOU BEEN ABLE TO ACCESS, OR HAVE YOU NOT? BECAUSE I HEARD 2 DIFFERENT THINGS. AS FAR AS THE SETTLEMENT FUND, HAVE YOU, YEAH, SO THE, THE, THROUGH OASAS, THEY PAY A LARGE PORTION OF THE SUBOXONE AND METHADONE. 
          WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON WITH THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE IS, WE'RE LOOKING TO GET EXTRA FUNDING FOR ERIE COUNTY, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, AND ERIE COUNTY AS A WHOLE THROUGH OASAS FROM THE SETTLEMENT FUND, BECAUSE THERE'S OTHER PORTIONS THAT GO INTO IT OTHER THAN PAYING FOR THE MEDICATION. 
          AND, AND, AND AS I SAID FROM DAY ONE WHEN WE IMPLEMENTED THIS PROGRAM, WE WANT BOTH OARS TO BE WORKING. ONE IS MEDICATION, THE OTHER ONE IS COUNSELING, BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T HAVE COUNSELING AND PEER PROGRAMS AND, AND, AND FOR YOU TO COME OUT AND US TO PUT YOU IN TOUCH WITH SOMEBODY SO YOU CONTINUE. 
          BUT WHEN YOU LEAVE, WE GIVE YOU A SCRIPT. 
          I'M SORRY, WE GIVE YOU YOUR MEDICATION FOR A WEEK. WE PUT YOU IN TOUCH WITH SOMEBODY. THAT HAS TO KEEP ON GOING BECAUSE A LOT OF THE ISSUES ARE DUAL DIAGNOSIS OF WHY ARE YOU DOING OPIATES AND THERE'S MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES. 
          WHY ARE YOU DOING OPIATES? YOU WERE SEXUALLY MOLESTED. YOU, TRAUMA, WHATEVER. YOU KNOW, SO, THERE'S MORE THAN ONE DIAGNOSIS HERE. 
          SO ARE WE LOOKING AT A CERTAIN NUMBER WE WOULD LIKE TO GET? SHERIFF GARCIA, ARE WE LOOKING FOR A CERTAIN NUMBER FOR IT OUT OF THAT BASED ON THE NEEDS THAT YOU'RE SEEING IN THE JAILS? I, I WOULD LIKE A HIGHER NUMBER. SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S COSTING US OVER A MILLION DOLLARS. YOUR FACE IS TELLING ME A HIGHER NUMBER, AND I'M JUST GONNA ASK YOU OFF THE RECORD WHAT THAT NUMBER IS. 
          OKAY. SO, WE HAVE TO CALCULATE THE SECURITY PORTION. SO, IF YOU COME IN AND YOU'RE A COUNSELOR OR YOU'RE A PEER FROM SAVE, NO, WE DON'T HAVE SAVE THE MICHAELS, THE OTHER ONE. 
          YOU COME IN, YOU NEED TO BE ESCORTED BACK AND FORTH. WE GOT TO TAKE SOMEBODY AS A ROVER. 
          IT'S A CONSTANT MOVEMENT OF PEOPLE BECAUSE FIRST AND FOREMOST, SAFE AND SECURE. 
          AND THEN YOU DO WHAT YOU CAN. 
          LEGISLATOR, RIGHT NOW WE GET $150,000 OR SO FROM THE SETTLEMENT TO COVER, THAT JUST COVERS METHADONE. 
          WE'RE SEEKING, AND I KNOW, I UNDERSTAND YOU'RE LOOKING FOR A NUMBER, I CAN'T GIVE YOU ONE, BUT WE ARE SEEKING ADDITIONAL FUNDING FROM THE SETTLEMENT TO COVER THE COST OF SOME OF THE MAT PHARMACEUTICALS. 
          WE WOULD LIKE IT TO COVER THE ENTIRE MAT PROGRAM. ALBANY IS THE ONE THAT MANDATED THIS PROGRAM. WE IMPLEMENTED IT. 
          IT'S GOING FANTASTIC. 30% OF THE PEOPLE ARE IN IT. 
          THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE REALLY DOING WELL, BUT WE NEED, WE NEED ALBANY TO FUND IT. 
          AND THEY HAVE MILLIONS UPON MILLIONS OF DOLLARS. WHAT ARE THEY DOING WITH THE OASAS FUNDS? I DON'T KNOW. I'M SORRY, THIS, THIS, SETTLEMENT FUNDS. 
          THEY'RE GOING THROUGH OASAS. 
          THEY'RE FUN, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY ARE GETTING NARCAN AND EVERYTHING ELSE. 
          WELL, LET'S TAKE CARE OF THE PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE THAT WANT TO BE IN THE PROGRAM. 
          AND THEY'RE THERE. CAMERAS. 
          SO, THE CAMERAS, WE NEED THEM. 
          WE, I KNOW YOU NEED THEM, BUT YOU MENTIONED IN YOUR OPENING STATEMENT THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE FUNDING THAT. HOW MUCH ARE YOU PUTTING TOWARDS CAMERAS, AND ARE THEY GOING TO ALDEN? BECAUSE I KNOW THAT WAS AN AREA. SO, 2-PART. 
          ALDEN, LAST YEAR, MR. MILLS AND I SPOKE ABOUT THIS, AND WE WERE HOPING THAT WE WOULD BE MOVING FORWARD TO A NEW FACILITY. 
          SO, A $3 MILLION INVESTMENT IN CAMERAS AT AN OLD FACILITY, I JUST SAID RESPECTFULLY, LET'S WAIT AND SEE IF WE GET A NEW FACILITY. 
          RIGHT. THE NEW FACILITY DIDN'T COME TO FRUITION. WE NEED CAMERAS IN ALDEN AT A PRICE TAG, I THINK, OF, IS IT $3 MILLION? WHAT IS IT? OVER $5 MILLION? YEAH, ABOUT $5.2 MILLION. THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE WAS AT THE CAPITAL PROJECTS COMMITTEE, EARLIER THIS WEEK, AND THE REQUEST WAS SPECIFICALLY FOR, OH, WHERE IS IT, $5,175,000 FOR THE CORRECTIONAL FACILITY, WHICH INCLUDED, ADDITIONAL CAMERAS FROM ABOVE AND 
          [01:40:02]
BEYOND A PREVIOUS REQUEST. 
          OKAY. 
          AND THEN FOR THE, CAMERA MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AT THE HOLDING CENTER, ABOUT $1.2 MILLION. PERFECT, THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU, DIRECTOR, AND I, FOR THOSE NUMBERS. AND ALSO WHAT WE ARE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT IS THE, THE CAMERAS THAT WE HAVE NOW AT THE HOLDING CENTER, IMPROVE THOSE. OKAY, YOU, YOU ANSWERED MY FOLLOW-UP BECAUSE I KNOW THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT YOU WERE LOOKING AT BECAUSE IT'S A COUPLE YEARS AGO. 
          SO THAT'S PERFECT. AND I KNOW CHRIS AND WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THAT BEFORE. SOME OF THIS STUFF WAS PUT ON HOLD IN, IN THE HOPES THAT WE WOULDN'T BE THROWING GOOD MONEY DOWN THE DRAIN AND GETTING A NEW FACILITY. 
          AND, YOU KNOW, I, I'M NOT A TECHIE GUY THAT I KNOW THAT THESE CAMERAS COULD THEN BE USED AT A NEW FACILITY OR NOT, BUT MOST OF THE TIME THEY'RE NOT. SO, I, WE NEED THEM. THANK YOU. SO, BUT EVERYBODY HAS BODY CAMS. YES. SO, THE OVERTIME, I KNOW THAT YOU MENTIONED, POLICE SERVICES. 
          WAS IT 62%? 62%, I BELIEVE IT IS. YES. OKAY. 
          DO YOU, I KNOW YOU'RE HAVING CLASSES GO INTO JAIL MANAGEMENT, BUT WHAT, WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS? ARE WE FILLING THOSE, YOU KNOW, JOB VACANCIES WITH PEOPLE? BECAUSE I'M ASSUMING A LOT OF PEOPLE ON THE FORCE, THE PATROLS, DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS ARE RETIRING. LIKE, WHAT DOES THAT BACKFILL LOOK LIKE IN, IN THE POLICE SERVICES SIDE? YES. SO, WE HAVE 180, AND I THINK WE HAVE 4 VACANCIES RIGHT NOW. 
          THE VACANCIES, HAVE BEEN FILLED WITH, PEOPLE FROM THE JAIL MANAGEMENT THAT TOOK THE POLICE SERVICE EXAM. THAT PROGRAM'S GOING VERY WELL. OKAY. 
          BUT, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, PEOPLE RETIRE, THE TIME COMES, AND, AND THEN WE CAN'T FILL THE JOB UNTIL THEIR TIME HAS EXPIRED. 
          SO, AND THEN THERE'S A CLASS THAT'S GOING IN THIS YEAR, RIGHT, IN DECEMBER? DECEMBER. 
          SO, WE'LL BE FILLING THE 4 POSITIONS THEN. 
          OKAY. AND, AND, YOU KNOW, SO, IT'S HARD. I UNDERSTAND. 
          YOU GOT 180 PEOPLE AND 4 PEOPLE RETIRE. WE'RE, WE'RE ALREADY PRETTY LEAN AS IT IS WITH 180, YOU KNOW, AND THROW 600, SO I HAVE 2 MORE QUESTIONS, MR. CHAIR, AND THEN I'LL WRAP UP. 
          OBVIOUSLY WE'RE NOT GOING TO SPEAK IN DETAIL WITH WHAT HAPPENED WITH MR. PIZARRO BECAUSE IT'S AN OPEN CASE, IT'S UNDER INVESTIGATION. BUT THERE WAS SOME COMMUNITY OUTCRY ABOUT DIVERSITY. 
          AND I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT. AND THE REASON I'M BRINGING IT UP IS THAT WHEN YOU SEE THIS AS SOMEONE WHO'S LATINO, AND I'M LATINA, THERE'S NO ONE THAT REALLY, WHEN YOU'RE PASSING THIS OUT, YEAH, IS THIS TRULY WHAT REPRESENTS ERIE COUNTY, EVERY PHOTO? SO I'M NOT SURE WHO PUT THIS OUT, BUT THIS IS, ERIE COUNTY. SO, I, I THINK WE JUST, SO WHOEVER BUT THIS IS YOUR DEPARTMENT. 
          SOMEBODY HAD TO APPROVE IT. 
          NO, IT'S, IT'S A PERSONAL SERVICE. WE HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH IT. 
          SO, I'M JUST GONNA SAY, I'LL TAKE, I'LL TAKE THE BLAME FOR EVERYTHING. I GOT BROAD SHOULDERS. BUT, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE THE DIVERSITY HAS BEEN QUESTIONED OF THE DEPARTMENT. 
          SO WITH THAT SAID, I WANT TO KNOW HOW MANY INDIVIDUALS OF COLOR DO YOU HAVE IN POLICE SERVICES? NOT IN JAIL MANAGEMENT, POLICE SERVICES. ONE. OUT OF HOW MANY? 176. 
          I'M SORRY. WE HAVE 2 BLACK AFRICAN AMERICANS IN POLICE SERVICES. 2 OUT OF 176. 
          OTHER THAN THE CITY OF BUFFALO, IF YOU LOOK AT THE FACES THROUGHOUT ERIE COUNTY, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE, THEY WANT TO WORK WHERE THEY LIVE. AND UNFORTUNATELY, ERIE COUNTY IS STILL SEGREGATED, WHERE BUFFALO HAS THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE MINORITY POPULATION. 
          BUT, YOU KNOW, IF YOU LOOK AT AMHERST, CHEEKTOWAGA, TONAWANDA, YOU KNOW, THIS IS, THIS EXAM HERE IS FOR POLICE OFFICER COUNTYWIDE AND THE SHERIFF'S DEPUTIES. 
          NOW, I CAN TELL YOU THIS, BUT I HAVE TO SAY THIS, SHERIFF GARCIA. IT'S CONCERNING TO HEAR THAT 2 PEOPLE OUT OF 176, ERIE COUNTY, AND I BELIEVE ERIE COUNTY IS DIVERSE. YES, THERE'S STILL SEGREGATION, BUT WHEN THEY'RE TAKING THIS EXAM, ANYONE CAN TAKE IT AS LONG AS THEY'RE ERIE COUNTY RESIDENTS. 
          THAT'S THE QUESTION, IS SO I, I DO THINK YOU HAVE TO ASK CIVIL SERVICE, SHERIFF, ARE PEOPLE TAKING THE 
          [01:45:01]
EXAM? MAY I? I WAS STILL SPEAKING, PLEASE. I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS, THE JOBS THAT YOU GUYS DO ARE HARD. I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE THAT AWAY. 
          I UNDERSTAND THAT. 
          BUT WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT RECRUITING, WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ENSURING THAT OUR FORCE REPRESENTS THE COUNTY, IT SHOULD LOOK LIKE IT. AND WHEN YOU'RE TELLING ME 2 OUT OF 176 AND YOUR POLICE SERVICES, JAIL MANAGEMENT, I SEE THE DEPUTIES WALK AROUND. I KNOW THEY'RE DIVERSE. 
          BUT THAT'S A PROBLEM, AND I AM HOPING IN THE FUTURE THAT YOU GUYS CAN LOOK AT HOW TO FIX IT. 
          AND I THINK THAT'S, AND I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER, AND I'M NOT SAYING YOU KNOW THE ANSWER AT THIS MOMENT. BUT I HOPE THAT YOU CAN UNDERSTAND THIS CONCERN THAT I HAVE. SO, AND OBVIOUSLY I AM WILLING TO SIT DOWN AND BRAINSTORM WITH YOU. 
          I'M NOT GOING TO SAY THIS IS ONLY ON YOU BECAUSE THAT'S NOT FAIR. 
          BUT I WILL SAY IS WE NEED MORE DIVERSITY IF WE'RE GONNA TRY. 
          AND ESPECIALLY, AND THIS IS SOME, IF IT'S NOT ON YOU, I WILL TELL COMMISSIONER BRAY EVEN THE GRAPHICS SHOULD BE MORE ACCEPTING BECAUSE IF YOU'RE PASSING THIS OUT TO THE GREASEBALL, WHICH I KNOW YOU PROBABLY WILL BE, YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT'S FULLY LATINOS. 
          THEY'RE GONNA BE LIKE, DO I EVEN BELONG? AND THAT'S NOT RIGHT. YEAH. SO, LEGISLATOR, ONE OF THE, YOU KNOW, MEASURES WE'VE TAKEN TO ENHANCE DIVERSITY IS, IS REALLY ADOPTING THIS INTERNAL LIST THAT WE DO FROM OUR JAIL MANAGEMENT DIVISION WHERE WE KNOW WE HAVE A MORE DIVERSE POOL OF CANDIDATES. 
          YOU KNOW, AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU KNOW, A 70 ON THAT LIST IS PROBABLY BETTER THAN AN 85 ON A COUNTYWIDE LIST BECAUSE WE GET THROUGH THAT LIST IN ITS ENTIRETY, WHEREAS YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A NEW PRE-SERVICES EXAM AND, YOU KNOW, CHIEF, WILL WE EVEN GET TO THE 85S? WE WON'T. 
          BUT, BUT WE DID GET DOWN INTO THE 70S. BUT THEY HAVE TO PARTICIPATE AND THEY HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, PREVAIL IN THE EXAMINATION PROCESS. 
          THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S OUT OF OUR CONTROL. IT'S A CIVIL SERVICE EXAM. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE NUMBERS OF MINORITY CANDIDATES THAT TAKE THE POLICE SERVICES EXAM COMPARED TO THE JAIL MANAGEMENT. 
          A DIVISION. AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WE COULD EXPLORE, RIGHT? AND, AND, AND IF YOU'RE GONNA, IF YOU'RE GONNA TAKE AN EXAM FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT, I THINK BECAUSE I WORKED THERE AND THE OTHER SHERIFF HAS WORKED THERE IN BUFFALO, WE HAD A VERY DIVERSE, LAW ENFORCEMENT DEPARTMENT THERE. YES, YOU DID. 
          IT WAS BECAUSE PEOPLE WERE TAKING THE EXAM. I, I DON'T KNOW. I GOTTA GET THE NUMBERS, LEGISLATOR, AS TO HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE TAKEN THE EXAM. 
          AND AS FAR AS HISPANIC, THIS IS THE PROBLEM THAT WE SEE. 
          PEOPLE MARK BLACK, WHITE, ASIAN, NATIVE AMERICAN, BUT IT DOESN'T MEAN THEY'RE GOING TO MARK HISPANIC OR NON. 
          BUT YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND, AS THE FIRST LATINA LEGISLATOR HERE, AND I BELIEVE YOU'RE THE FIRST LATINO SHERIFF, AM I CORRECT? HISPANIC SHERIFF. 
          IT'S IMPORTANT, ESPECIALLY THAT WE START BRINGING IN PEOPLE INTO THESE POSITIONS. AM I CORRECT? 100%. OKAY. 
          SO, FOR ME, FOR ME, I THINK IT'S AS IMPORTANT WHEN WE SEE 2 OUT OF 176. YEAH, WE, IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO DO. BUT I WON'T CONTINUE ON THAT TOPIC. 
          I AM WILLING TO SIT DOWN WITH YOUR TEAM. I THINK THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT. AND THERE IS, YOU KNOW, LEGISLATOR DUPREE THAT COMES TO OUR GRADUATIONS FOR JAIL MANAGEMENT AND SPEAKS THERE. 
          AND HE LOOKS AT THE CROWD AND THERE'S PEOPLE THAT ARE BLACK, BROWN, WHITE, AND WHATEVER. 
          AND WE TALK ALL THE TIME ABOUT THIS. IT'S A LIFE-CHANGING JOB. 
          ABSOLUTELY. IT'S A GOOD-PAYING JOB WITH BENEFITS AND THE DINOSAUR THAT DOESN'T EXIST ANYMORE, THE PENSION. AND WE TALK ABOUT IT ALL THE TIME. 
          JAIL MANAGEMENT IS ONE THING. 
          LIKE, YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT ALL YOUR DEPARTMENTS IN YOUR DEPARTMENT IS NOT THE SAME. EVERYONE DOES A DIFFERENT JOB. 
          YES, THEY'RE ALL TOUGH JOBS, RIGHT? BUT I THINK THAT WE CAN DO BETTER WITH THIS. A LOT BETTER. SO, THERE'S ONE MORE, BUT I THINK OUT OF RESPECT, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THE CHAIR ASKED US TO FOCUS ON ONLY ON BUDGET, AND I WILL JUST TALK TO CHRIS AFTER THIS ABOUT MY OTHER CONCERN, JUST TO BE RESPECTFUL ON THAT. 
          ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, CHAIR. 
          AND I DO APOLOGIZE, BUT THIS ISN'T REALLY ABOUT THE BUDGET. THIS IS CONCERNING A PROLONGED CONVERSATION THAT WAS HAD EARLIER. I WAS HEARING YOU GUYS WERE TALKING ABOUT THE CITY. 
          WERE YOU REFERRING TO THE CITY OF BUFFALO WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT VIOLENCE AND THOSE NUMBERS? AND THAT, IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO? YEAH. 
          SO, YOU'RE I WAS JUST TRYING TO BE CLEAR BECAUSE I WAS WONDERING, THERE WAS SUCH A PROLONGED CONVERSATION ABOUT THE CITY OF BUFFALO AND THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THE CITY OF BUFFALO. SO, IT'S WEIRD WHEN YOU SAY THOSE THINGS, AND I HEARD COMMENTS ABOUT NUMBERS AREN'T DOWN, CRIME ISN'T DOWN, THINGS COULD BE WHAT THEY WANT. 
          AND I DON'T THINK THAT'S TRUE. 
          AND THAT'S A VERY, THAT'S A BIG PROBLEM FOR ME 
          [01:50:01]
BECAUSE THERE'S ALWAYS THIS NARRATIVE THAT PEOPLE SPEAK ON THE CITY OF BUFFALO LIKE IT'S JUST SOME JUNGLE AND IT'S SO CRAZY WHEN THE NUMBERS ARE DOWN. WE HAVE TO ACCEPT WHEN WE DO WRONG, BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO ACCEPT WHEN THINGS ARE GOING RIGHT. 
          AND IT'S A NUANCED THING, AND I NEED PEOPLE TO SPEAK ABOUT IT WITH THE SAME NUANCE THAT THEY SPEAK ABOUT THEIR ISSUES. BUFFALO CAN'T JUST BE SOME BLANKET THING THAT, WELL, THESE NUMBERS ARE UP. THE NUMBERS ARE DOWN. 
          I LIVE IN A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT'S UNDERSERVED. I LIVE IN A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT CAN BE DANGEROUS. THERE WAS A MURDER IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD MAYBE 3 WEEKS AGO. 
          THINGS HAPPEN. WE KNOW THAT. 
          BUT DOESN'T MEAN I'M IN SOME LAWLESS PLACE. 
          SO AS A PERSON WHO LIVES THERE, AS A PERSON WHO KNOWS MY NEIGHBORS, WHO DOES THESE THINGS, THIS NARRATIVE THAT THIS IS JUST SO VIOLENT IN THE CITY OF BUFFALO ISN'T FAIR. THERE'S CRIME EVERYWHERE. 
          THERE'S NOT JUST CRIME IN BUFFALO, THERE'S CRIME ALL OVER ERIE COUNTY. 
          BUT FOR SOME APPARENT REASON, IT GETS SPOKEN ABOUT THE CITY OF BUFFALO LIKE IT'S DIFFERENT. THINGS HAPPEN SOMETIMES. THE REPORTING'S GETTING SLANTED, MAKES IT DIFFERENT HERE, BUT IT'S CRIME THE SAME EVERYWHERE. 
          IT'S THE SAME EVERYWHERE. AND I JUST NEEDED TO ADDRESS THAT BECAUSE I DON'T LIKE THOSE THINGS. THAT IS UNTRUE. 
          CRIME IS DOWN. IS CRIME NOT DOWN IN ERIE COUNTY AND BUFFALO? WELL, I'LL TELL YOU THIS. I GREW UP IN BLACK ROCK. 
          TALK ABOUT POOR. WE DIDN'T KNOW WE WERE POOR BECAUSE EVERYBODY ELSE AROUND US WAS POOR. OKAY? I LIVED IN THE CITY OF BUFFALO. 
          I WORKED AT THE CITY OF BUFFALO. 11 PEOPLE GOT SHOT ON THE 4TH OF JULY. WAS ON CHIPPEWA THE OTHER DAY. 
          IF I WAS A BUSINESS OWNER, A HOMEOWNER, A TENANT, A LANDLORD, A PERSON GOING TO THAT ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT, THAT WAS EMBARRASSING. SO, I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED, BUT THE ISSUE THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IT RIGHT NOW, LEGISLATOR, IS BECAUSE IT JUST HAPPENED. 
          AND THE SAME WAY THAT YOU HAD AN ISSUE AT THE JAIL AND WE LIKE, WE NEED TO WAIT TO HEAR THE ANSWERS. 
          YEAH. CAN WE NOT GIVE THAT THE SAME RESPECT? WE DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED. WE DON'T KNOW. 
          I KNOW THAT, I KNOW THAT, A YOUNG BOY GOT SHOT IN THE BACK AND IT'S GOING TO BE PROBABLY PARALYZED FOR THE REST OF HIS LIFE, AND IT HAPPENED IN A PARKING LOT THE STREET FROM CHASE. I KNOW 11 PEOPLE GOT, SHOT, YOU KNOW, THROUGHOUT THE CITY, FROM, STEVENS TO, HUMBER TO GLENWOOD AND PLACES I WORKED AND I, I USED TO FREQUENT. AND IT'S TROUBLING. 
          AND YOU'RE RIGHT, AND SOMEBODY WILL BE SHOT THIS WEEK OR NEXT WEEK AND NOBODY WILL TALK ABOUT IT, BUT THE COMMUNITY WILL DEAL WITH IT AND WE'LL TRY TO DO WHAT WE CAN. SO, THINGS HAPPEN. BUT TO MAKE IT AS, TO NOT DEAL WITH NUANCE IS IT'S JUST NOT APPROPRIATE. 
          WE, AS THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, AS I SAID TO THE LEGISLATOR, WE GO WHEREVER PEOPLE CALL US TO HELP OUT. NOW, THE, THE, THE SURGE IN PROPERTY CRIMES THROUGHOUT ERIE COUNTY WERE UP 30%. SO, YOU KNOW, YOU COULD SAY CRIME IS DOWN BECAUSE HOMICIDES ARE DOWN, SHOOTINGS ARE DOWN. 
          THE UNDERSHERIFF AND I WORKED IN HOMICIDE. WE STARTED GETTING THE CRIME GOING DOWN. WHEN I FIRST STARTED, WE ALMOST GOT TO 100 BACK IN THE '90S WITH THE CRACK EXPLOSION AND STUFF. 
          NO, I KNOW. I LIVED IN A NEIGHBORHOOD IN '99 WHERE SOMEBODY GOT SHOT EVERY DAY OVER THE SUMMER. EVERY SINGLE DAY THERE WAS A SHOOTING IN AN 8-BLOCK RADIUS. 
          YEAH. AND WE'RE BETTER. SO, WHEN PEOPLE SAY THESE THINGS AND NOT ACKNOWLEDGING THAT, SOMEBODY NEEDS TO SAY SOMETHING. 
          WE KNOW HOW BAD THE '90S WERE. 
          I KNOW WHAT PEOPLE WERE DOING. 
          BUT TO ACT LIKE 2026 IS THE SAME THING, WE CAN'T LET THAT NARRATIVE CONTINUE. 
          PEOPLE ALL THE TIME AND PEOPLE WANT TO COME DOWNTOWN, RIGHT? THEY WANT TO COME DOWNTOWN. 
          PEOPLE ARE AFRAID TO COME DOWNTOWN BECAUSE IT'S PERCEPTION. IT IS. 
          AND PEOPLE WHO NEVER BE AROUND THE PEOPLE IN THE CITY HAVE THESE IDEAS FROM TV OR WHATEVER, HOWEVER THEY GET THE INFORMATION. AND WE CAN'T DO NOTHING ABOUT THAT, BUT WE CAN, WE CAN, WE CAN DO HOW WE SPEAK ABOUT IT. I CAN'T DO NOTHING ABOUT SOMEBODY WHO DOESN'T, WHO LIVES AN HOUR AWAY FROM ME, WHO HAS AN IDEA ABOUT PEOPLE WHO LOOK LIKE ME, WHO'VE NEVER BEEN AROUND PEOPLE LIKE ME, WHO'VE SEEN PEOPLE LIKE ME ON TV. 
          TV OR MAYBE 2 PEOPLE AT WORK, AND THEN THEY HAVE AN OPINION. 
          THAT'S FAIR, BUT THAT DOESN'T MAKE IT THE TRUTH. THE SAME WAY THERE'S PEOPLE IN MY COMMUNITY WHO ARE NOT AROUND OTHER PEOPLE AND NOT AROUND DIVERSITY, SO HAVE THESE IDEAS THAT THE WORLD IS AGAINST THEM, AND IT'S NOT TRUE. 
          YOU'RE PREACHING TO THE CHOIR. 
          I FEEL YOUR FRUSTRATION. EXCEPT THE CHOIR WASN'T SPEAKING THAT WAY WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE CITY. 
          THERE WAS A LOT OF TALK ABOUT THE CITY. YEAH. WHO'S LIVING IN THE CITY RIGHT NOW TO HAVE THESE KIND OF DISCUSSIONS? I THINK THAT STUFF MATTERS. 
          WELL, I THINK WHAT HAPPENED IS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IT BECAUSE ON THE 4TH OF JULY WE HAD A BIG, HUGE INCIDENT, AND 11 PEOPLE GOT SHOT. AND IF THE BULLETS WOULD HAVE GONE IN A DIFFERENT PART OF THE BODY, WE COULD BE TALKING ABOUT HALF A DOZEN PEOPLE DEAD. 
          SO, THAT IS A BIG ISSUE. 
          IT IS AN ISSUE. SOME OF US HAVE TO DO MORE THAN JUST TALK ABOUT IT AS A HEADLINE. WE NEED TO KEEP TALKING ABOUT IT IN LANCASTER. 
          BUT THEN WHAT DO WE DO AFTER THAT? WE DON'T, I DON'T JUST HAVE TO TALK ABOUT IT AND THEN WE MOVE ON. I STILL SEE THESE PEOPLE. WE STILL GOT TO MAKE THE COMMUNITY BETTER. 
          SO, I UNDERSTAND PEOPLE GET SHOT AND IT HAPPENS, BUT I DON'T JUST GET TO TALK ABOUT IT AND MOVE ON TO THE NEXT THING. I STILL SEE THESE. 
          THESE ARE STILL MY NEIGHBORS. 
          WE STILL DEAL WITH THIS. WE STILL DEALING WITH WHEN THE GENTLEMAN GOT SHOT, WHEN THE, WHEN THE U.S. MARSHALS WENT AROUND THE CORNER FROM ME AND THE GENTLEMAN GOT SHOT. 
          PEOPLE ARE STILL WORRIED ABOUT THAT. THEY KNEW HE WAS A BAD MAN WHO DID SOMETHING, BUT PEOPLE STILL SAW THAT. THE KIDS STILL GOT TO DEAL WITH THAT. 
          THEY STILL GOT TO DEAL WITH THAT SHOOTING, THE SHOOTING ACROSS THE STREET AT THE BASKETBALL COURT. SO, IT'S LIKE SOME OF US DON'T GET TO JUST TALK ABOUT THIS AS NUMBERS AND MOVE ON FROM IT. SO, I JUST NEED PEOPLE TO SPEAK WITH IT ABOUT THE SAME NUANCE THAT THEY SPEAK ABOUT THEIR BUSINESS. 
          YEAH, I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE DONE, AND I DON'T KNOW IF THIS BODY HAS THE, POWERS TO DO SO, IS, I 
          [01:55:01]
THINK WE SHOULD TAKE A HARD LOOK AT THE 4 O'CLOCK BAR CLOSING. YOU'RE RIGHT, BUT I THINK THE FIRST THING, I THINK YOU SHOULD GO TO 2 O'CLOCK LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE, BECAUSE AS GRANDMA SAID, NOTHING GOOD HAPPENS AFTER 2 O'CLOCK. YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT, BUT WE CAN, BEFORE THAT'S, AND YOU'RE RIGHT, WE CAN DO A RESOLUTION, WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT STUFF, BUT A VERY EASY THING IS WATCHING HOW WE SPEAK ABOUT IT. 
          WATCHING THE NARRATIVE OF HOW WE TALK IS A VERY FREE THING THAT WE CAN DO. SO, WHEN WE SPEAK ABOUT THE CITY, WE CAN SPEAK ABOUT IT WITH NUANCE. THE SAME WAY I EXPECT NUANCE TO BE SPOKEN ABOUT EVERYTHING ELSE. 
          I JUST DIDN'T SEE THAT, AND IT NEEDED TO BE ADDRESSED. WAS IT, WAS IT SOMETHING I SAID? IT WAS JUST A CONVERSATION OVER THERE THAT WAS JUST A LOT OF CITIES SPEAKING ABOUT CRIME ISN'T DOWN, NUMBERS CAN BE WHAT IT IS. 
          WHAT I WAS SAYING IS I WAS GIVING REAL NUMBERS AS FAR AS PROPERTY CRIMES THROUGHOUT ERIE COUNTY THAT ARE SURGING AS FAR AS PROPERTY CRIMES, RETAIL THEFT, RETAIL THEFT. 
          NOW YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT BUFFALO? I DON'T HAVE BUFFALO'S NUMBERS. I'M TALKING ABOUT THE ERIE COUNTY SHERIFF'S BUT THERE WAS A LOT OF CITY SPEAKING. NOBODY SAID ERIC, THEY SAID THE CITY. 
          I DID SAY, I DID SAY, BECAUSE IT'S PART OF THE BUDGET AND IT'S GOING TO AFFECT, YOU KNOW, MANPOWER, IS THAT WE WERE ASKED TO ASSIST ON CHIPPEWA THIS WEEKEND. AND OF COURSE WE ARE, BECAUSE WE'RE PART OF THE COUNTY. WE WERE ASKED TO ASSIST WITH THE CREASE POLE FESTIVAL AND ALSO WITH THE ITALIAN FESTIVAL, AND WE ARE. 
          THAT'S ALL. AND I APPRECIATE THAT. MY THING IS THAT I SAID, BUT IT'S GOING TO COST MONEY. 
          THAT'S ALL I WAS THE NARRATIVE AND THINGS THAT WERE SAID ABOUT THAT. THERE WAS A PROLONGED CONVERSATION CONCERNING THE CITY THAT I DIDN'T FEEL I NEED TO ADDRESS. THERE WAS THINGS THAT WERE SAID THAT WERE UNTRUE. 
          YOU'RE RIGHT, PROPERTY CRIME AND SOME OF THE THINGS ARE UP. YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. 
          BUT WHEN THE SHOOTINGS WERE UP, THAT'S WHAT EVERYBODY BROUGHT UP. 
          SO THAT'S WHY I SAID IT'S NUANCED. WELL, 11 PEOPLE GOT SHOT. YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. 
          YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. AND A LITTLE BOY GOT, YOU KNOW, HE'S WHATEVER. HE'S, I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT HE WAS DOING DOWN THERE. 
          AND THAT'S THE PROBLEM TOO, IS THAT WITH THE CHIPPEWA DISTRICT AND I WORKED THERE AND I WORKED THAT DETAIL. AND, YOU HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE UNDERAGE AND THEY JUST WALK AROUND AND THEY DRINK AND, AND, AND NOTHING, THAT'S NOT A BUFFALO PROBLEM. BUT IT'S, THAT'S NOT JUST IN BUFFALO. 
          NO, NO, NO, I KNOW. BUT THE 4 O'CLOCK CLOSING TIME, DO WE, WE NEED PEOPLE OUT AT 4 O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING? AND THAT'S A WHOLE ANOTHER DISCUSSION THAT'S DIFFERENT THAN WHAT I WAS SPEAKING ON. AND YOU'RE RIGHT, THAT IS SOMETHING WE NEED TO KEEP TALKING ABOUT. 
          BUT IT'S THE THINGS, I MEAN, THE NUANCE LIKE THAT YOU SAID, THERE'S PEOPLE WALKING AROUND UNDERAGE DRINKING. I'M PRETTY SURE THEY UNDERAGE DRINK EVERYWHERE. SO, THAT'S JUST WHAT I'M SAYING, THE NUANCE. 
          WE DON'T NEED TO SPEAK ABOUT THE CITY OF BUFFALO LIKE IT'S SOME WHITE TIGER IN THE JUNGLE THAT NEVER HAPPENS. 
          I THINK THE ISSUE WAS THAT TEAR GAS HAD TO BE DEPLOYED, THAT THERE WERE NUMEROUS FIGHTS, THAT SOMEBODY GOT SHOT. THAT, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. 
          AND THAT'S WHY I SAID THAT, YEAH, WITH THE BUDGET, IT'S, IT'S GOING TO IMPACT MY OVERTIME BECAUSE I'M GOING TO HAVE TO DEPLOY PEOPLE TO THE CITY OF BUFFALO. NOW, THIS HAPPENS IN OTHER COMMUNITIES. I DEPLOY PEOPLE TO ELMA, TO GRAND ISLAND. 
          IF THERE'S 6, 8 CAR LARCENIES, THEN WE PUT UNDERCOVERS AROUND TO MAKE THE ARRESTS. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S ONGOING. WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE SENECA NATION OF INDIA AND THEIR ASK OF US HELPING THEM CURTAIL THE FENTANYL PROBLEM, BECAUSE WHEN THE MONTHLY CHECK COMES IN, DRUG DEALERS GO THERE TO PROVIDE, YOU KNOW, FOR THEIR CLIENTS. 
          AND I APPRECIATE FORTUNA KEEPING IT SAFE, BUT MY THING WAS JUST THE NUANCE. AND THANK YOU. JUST THE NUANCE. 
          BUFFALO ISN'T JUST A QUICK ONE-LINER THAT CRIME IS UP. I JUST NEED A NUANCE. SO, THANK YOU. 
          THAT'S ALL. I'M THE BIGGEST PRO-BUFFALO BOOSTER IN THE WORLD. OKAY, I GREW UP, I WOULD CHALLENGE YOU. 
          I DON'T KNOW. I WOULD CHALLENGE YOU TO THAT. I WENT TO SCHOOL 42. 
          I GREW UP IN BLACK ROCK, BUSING AREA. MY LIFE DIDN'T WORK OUT WELL ENOUGH WHERE I LIVED IN ONE PLACE MY WHOLE LIFE. IT JUST DON'T WORK OUT LIKE THAT FOR EVERYBODY. 
          SOMETIMES IT DON'T. I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO HAVE A STEPFATHER WHO GOT ME HERE, AND IT WORKED. IT DOES. 
          IT DIDN'T WORK OUT FOR SOME OF MY FRIENDS. GOOD. THANKS, GUYS. 
          I THINK THAT'S IT FOR QUESTIONS ON THE SHERIFF'S BUDGET. 
          THANKS VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME TODAY. THANK YOU. 
          I APPRECIATE IT. UP NEXT, 
          [Board of Elections]
WE HAVE THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS. WE'LL SEE YOU IN NOVEMBER. 
          THAT'S WHAT I DO. I EXPECT IT BACK TOO. 2 FROM YOU GUYS. 
          HE'S A GOOD GUY. OH YEAH, GOOD. OH YEAH, INSIDE OR OUTSIDE? INSIDE. 
          NICE. I THINK WE'RE GOOD. 
          THANKS, MAN. 
          HOW YOU DOING? GOOD. 
          [02:00:12]
ALL RIGHT. 
          ALL RIGHT, OUR SCHEDULE IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT, BUT WE DO HAVE THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS HERE, AND THEN AFTER THAT WE'LL BREAK FOR LUNCH. COMMISSIONER MOORE, COMMISSIONER JOHNSON, THANKS FOR JOINING US. YOU'RE WELCOME. 
          I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS WANT TO FOLLOW UP WITH A, OR BEGIN WITH A MID-YEAR BUDGET MESSAGE. 
          AND YEAH, THIS SHOULD BE RELATIVELY QUICK. WE'RE WITHIN OUR BUDGET ALLOCATIONS ON ALL THE LINES. 
          WE CONTINUE TO WORK THE GRANTS THAT WE HAVE AND TO EVEN EXPAND THE ABILITY OF WHAT WE, WHAT THE GRANT ARE SAYING IF IT'S FOR A CERTAIN THING, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO GET THE STATE BOARD AND THE STATE COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE TO AGREE TO USE THE GRANTS FOR OTHER PURPOSES AS WELL. 
          THE ONLY CAVEAT THAT WE WOULD HAVE IS THAT OUR CURRENT MAINTENANCE SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE WHERE WE MAINTAIN ALL THE VOTER LISTS, THE DATABASES, IS CURRENTLY, IT'S STILL SUPPORTED, BUT IT'S ON ITS WAY OUT. 
          AT SOME POINT, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BE MAKING A TRANSITION TO A NEW VOTER DATABASE, AND IT MAY INVOLVE COMING BACK, ALTHOUGH WE HAVE BUDGETED SOME MONEY FOR THAT. 
          SO, THAT WOULD BE THE ONLY THING THAT I'M AWARE OF. DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU WANTED TO ADD, OR NO? WHAT HE SAID. 
          PERFECT. 
          I DO JUST HAVE ONE QUESTION. 
          WITH THIS BEING OUR FIRST, OUR FIRST YEAR THAT WE'RE HAVING THE SWITCH OF THE ELECTION CYCLES, ARE WE SEEING ANY COST SAVINGS? I KNOW THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS CLAIMED ABOUT CONSOLIDATING THE YEARS, BUT WILL WE SEE ANY COST SAVINGS? I DON'T REALLY THINK SO AT THIS POINT. WE HAD A RELATIVELY GOOD PRIMARY ELECTION. 
          THEY WERE RELATIVELY SMALL, NOT TOO MANY FIGHTS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY. OKAY. SO, WE WERE WITHIN OUR BUDGET THERE. 
          I DON'T EXPECT TO HAVE ANY COST SAVINGS UNTIL THE STATE TOTALLY CHANGES EVERYTHING TO EVEN-YEAR ELECTIONS. AND THEN ARE THERE ANY CONCERNS, YOU KNOW, NOW THAT IT'S A GAMUT OF PEOPLE RUNNING IN THE SAME YEAR, ARE THERE ANY CONCERNS ABOUT LIKE WAIT TIMES? OR DO YOU NEED, IS THERE GONNA BE ADDITIONAL STAFF REQUESTS AS WE FLIP THROUGH WHAT COULD BE A BOOK OF CANDIDATES? PROBABLY NOT, EXCEPT IT WILL ENTAIL SOME TECHNICAL THINGS BECAUSE THE BALLOT WILL BE EXTREMELY LONG, AND WE MAY REQUIRE, WE HAVE DONE IN THE PAST WHERE WE'VE HAD 2-SIDED BALLOTS, MAY REQUIRE THAT AS WELL. SOME OF THE DOWNSTATE COUNTIES HAVE MULTIPLE CONNECTED BALLOTS. 
          THEY'RE MORE LIKE A NIGHTMARE. THOSE WOULD BE A NIGHTMARE TO HAVE, BUT WE'VE, I THINK WE CAN PROBABLY FIT IT ON 2 SIDES. WE, OF COURSE, PRODUCE OUR OWN BALLOTS. 
          WE DO OUR OWN PRINTING IN-HOUSE, SO WE HAVE A LITTLE GREATER FLEXIBILITY ON THAT. 
          OKAY, GOOD ENOUGH, THANK YOU. 
          MS. LORIGO. FOLLOWING UP ON THAT, AS FAR AS LIKE THIS YEAR, THERE'S AN ELECTION AND WE HAD THE PRIMARY, BUT IN THE FUTURE IN EVEN YEARS, WOULDN'T THERE BE A SHIFT TO HAVING LESS PEOPLE WORKING AND MORE SEASONAL PEOPLE? BECAUSE THERE WON'T BE ELECTIONS OR VERY FEW ELECTIONS JUST FOR REPLACEMENTS IN THE ODD YEARS. I MEAN, WE STILL HAVE A LOT OF THE SAME WORK THAT'S REQUIRED, AND IT'S NOT JUST THE PRIMARY AND THE GENERAL ELECTIONS. 
          WE CONDUCT ALL THE ELECTIONS IN THE COUNTY, WHICH INCLUDES THE SCHOOL BOARDS, WHICH INCLUDES, YOU KNOW, THE TOWN SPECIAL ELECTIONS, THE VILLAGES. WE DO A LOT OF ASSISTING THERE, BOTH COMMISSIONER HOWARD AND MYSELF, COMMISSIONER JOHNSON AND MYSELF. UTILIZE SUMMER HELP AND PART-TIME HELP MUCH MORE THAN WE DO THE REGULAR 
          [02:05:01]
PART-TIME. 
          SO, I THINK OUR REGULAR, OR OUR PART-TIME STAFF MAY INCREASE OR DECREASE IN THOSE YEARS, BUT I THINK THE FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES WOULD REMAIN PRETTY STATIC. HOW MANY FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES DO YOU HAVE, APPROXIMATELY? ABOUT 25. 25 ON EACH SIDE, SOMEWHERE AROUND THERE. 
          IT'S NOT JUST RUNNING 2 ELECTIONS, WE WORK MORE THAN 2 DAYS A YEAR. SO, WE REALLY HAVE TO GAUGE HOW IT GOES. YOU KNOW, WE DO HAVE SOME PEOPLE RETIRING, I THINK I'M GETTING CLOSE TO THAT AS WELL. 
          SO, YOU KNOW, AND WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO GAUGE THE WORKFORCE, I THINK, FAIRLY WELL ON BOTH SIDES. AND WE HAVE OUR SALARY INCREASES ARE GENERALLY JUST THE INCREMENTS AND THE NORMAL PAY RAISES THAT WE GET, AND WE'VE STAYED WITHIN OUR ALLOCATIONS. WE CONTINUALLY, LIKE ON CERTAIN ELECTIONS THAT WE CONDUCT, IF WE'LL GO TO SPLIT SHIFTS, AND WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO VARIOUS THINGS, AND WE'VE USED COST-SAVING MEASURES ON ALL OF THOSE TYPES OF CASES. 
          OKAY, THANK YOU. THANKS, LEGISLATOR GREENE. THANK YOU. 
          UH, JUST A QUICK FOLLOW-UP. 
          IN THE PAST, YOU GUYS HAVE, REQUESTED COMPENSATION ADJUSTMENTS FOR POLL WORKERS TO TRY TO INCREASE, OUR NUMBERS. YOU GOT AN UPDATE ON HOW THAT'S WORKED? IT'S HELPED. 
          I MEAN, HOW IS OUR STAFF? WE'RE STILL ALWAYS IN THE NEED FOR POLL WORKERS AND TO HAVE A, THE EARLY VOTING IS A CONTINUAL CHALLENGE, BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE 9 DAYS OF EARLY VOTING, AND BY THE TIME IT GETS TO ELECTION DAY, YOU'VE BEEN RUNNING AN ELECTION FOR 10 DAYS. AND A FAIR AMOUNT OF PEOPLE DO CALL OFF. 
          DEFINITELY THE INCREASE IN PAY HAS HELPED BECAUSE IT'S INCREASED THE POOL OF PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE THAT HAVE GONE TO THE TRAINING AND ARE ABLE TO COME TO WORK. 
          ALL RIGHT, AND THEN YOU MENTIONED THE SOFTWARE FOR THE VOTER DATABASE. 
          RIGHT. DO YOU HAVE, HAVE YOU STARTED LOOKING AT EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO GET? DO YOU HAVE LIKE A ROUGH IDEA? IS THIS A $100,000 OR $10 MILLION? $1 MILLION SOFTWARE? WE HAVE LOOKED. 
          I DON'T KNOW, HAVE THEY GIVEN US A PRICE ON THEM? I'M NOT SURE WHETHER, SO YOU DON'T HAVE IT? I CAN'T SEE ANYTHING. YEAH, I DON'T THINK WE'VE SEEN ANYTHING WITH A PRICE. WE'VE ALWAYS MANAGED TO BE ABLE TO GET IT AT A REASONABLE COST, PARTICULARLY WITH THE VENDORS THAT WE HAVE. 
          A LOT OF TIMES WHEN WE GO TO THE CONFERENCES, WE'RE SWAMPED BY PEOPLE 'CAUSE WE END UP HAVING MORE MONEY THAN ANY OF THE OTHER COUNTIES BECAUSE WE DON'T SPEND AS MUCH. 
          SO, BUT THE SYSTEM THAT WE DO HAVE PROBABLY IS, WELL, OVER 2 DECADES OLD. AND THERE, OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, AS TECHNOLOGY'S INCREASED, THEY'VE BEEN GOING MORE AWAY FROM THE STANDALONE STUFF TO WEB-BASED. 
          WE'VE HAD, WE'VE LOOKED AT VARIOUS SYSTEMS AND WE CONTINUE TO DO SO. THANKS. WELL, I THINK WE'RE ALL SET. 
          THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME TODAY. THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU. 
          WE'RE GONNA GO INTO RECESS UNTIL 1 O'CLOCK. 
          [Homeland Security & Emergency Services]
WELCOME BACK TO THE MID-YEAR BUDGET HEARINGS. 
          NOW WE HAVE THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY AND EMERGENCY SERVICES. THANKS FOR COMING DOWN. DO YOU GUYS HAVE A MID-YEAR BUDGET MESSAGE THAT YOU'D LIKE TO START WITH? YES. 
          GOOD AFTERNOON. AND BEFORE YOU HEAD OFF ON SUMMER RECESS, WE ARE HUMMING ALONG. FIRE SAFETY DIVISION IS DOING A RECORD NUMBER OF TRAININGS AND PRESENTATIONS. 
          FIRE SAFETY ACTUALLY FOUND WAYS TO DO THINGS WHEN FIREFIGHTERS TRADITIONALLY DO NOT HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TRAIN BECAUSE OF THE WEATHER DURING THE WINTERTIME. SO, THEIR SEMINAR SERIES HAS BEEN TREMENDOUSLY RECEIVED FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS. SO, THAT INCREASED OUR CAPACITY TO BE ABLE TO DO THESE TRAININGS DURING THE WINTER MONTHS. 
          THEY'RE NOW FULL SWING INTO THEIR SUMMER TRAINING. 
          [02:10:01]
THEIR FIREFIGHTER TRAININGS THAT TAKE PLACE. WE HAVE 2 BOOT CAMPS OUT THERE, SO I WOULD STRONGLY ENCOURAGE THE LEGISLATURE, WE CAN GET YOU THOSE DATES IF YOU WANT TO STOP OUT AND SEE THE BOOT CAMPS WITH REGARDS TO THAT. 
          THE DISASTER PREPAREDNESS GROUP, WE'RE MANAGING A RECORD NUMBER OF GRANTS. WE'VE GOT APPLICATIONS IN. WE'LL BE BACK HERE WHEN YOU COME BACK FROM YOUR RECESS WITH A NUMBER OF THEM. 
          THERE ARE CHALLENGES, THOUGH, WITH OUR GRANT OUR STATE HOMELAND SECURITY GRANT WAS REDUCED THIS YEAR BY ALMOST 40%. WE'RE JUGGLING THAT. WE'RE MANAGING IT. 
          WE'LL GET BY THIS YEAR. OUR HOPE IS THAT NEXT YEAR'S FORMULA WILL ADDRESS SOME OF THE SHORTCOMINGS OF THIS PREVIOUS YEAR. WE'RE TOLD THAT A LOT OF THE FUNDING WENT TOWARDS CITIES THAT WERE HOSTING THE FIFA EVENTS FOR ENHANCED SECURITY AND NEW TECHNOLOGIES. 
          WELL, FIFA WILL BE OVER SHORTLY. WE HOPE THAT. 
          THAT WE'LL GET A REBALANCE AND TAKE A LOOK AT THOSE GRANTS AGAIN, COMING BACK TO THE STAFFING AND THE ACTUAL LEVELS THAT THEY WERE PREVIOUS TO THAT. 
          WORKING ON A NUMBER OF PROJECTS, AS YOU KNOW, THE NEW COMMUNICATION SYSTEM, SO WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING GOING ON THAT. 
          WITH THAT, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE WITH REGARDS TO OUR ALMOST MID-YEAR BUDGET. 
          LEGISLATOR GREENE. 
          THANK YOU. YEAH, I LIKE HOW YOU SEEM TO HAVE A PRETTY, AGGRESSIVE, UPDATING AS FAR AS THE TECHNOLOGY. I THINK THAT'S MUCH NEEDED IN YOUR LINE OF WORK. 
          BUT I DID HAVE A QUESTION CAME UP A COUPLE DAYS AGO, OR MAYBE YESTERDAY, ABOUT THE PPE WAREHOUSE OUT IN AMHERST. OKAY, WHERE DO WE STAND WITH THAT AS FAR AS LIKE THAT'S A PRETTY LARGE FACILITY. AND, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, YOU'RE THE SPECIALIST ON PREPAREDNESS. 
          DO WE NEED THAT LARGE OF A FACILITY? WHAT'S THE FUTURE VIEW ON THAT? SO WITH REGARDS TO THE FACILITY ITSELF, WE HAVE, OUR DEPARTMENT HAS SOME ITEMS OUT THERE. A LOT OF THOSE QUESTIONS WOULD BE BETTER ANSWERED BY THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, BY THE EMS DIVISION, BECAUSE THEY OCCUPY THAT BUILDING. I KNOW THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF SUPPLIES OUT THERE POST-COVID. 
          THOSE SUPPLIES IN MANY CASES ARE, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE AN EXPIRATION DATE ON THEM. SO, I, I DO BELIEVE THAT THERE'S, THEY'RE LOOKING AT THIS POINT TO FIND A DIFFERENT FACILITY TO BE ABLE TO CONSOLIDATE A LOT OF THAT STUFF. BUT AS FAR AS THE EXPIRATION DATE, THERE'S, THERE'S STAFF OUT THERE FROM THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, THERE'S STAFF OUT THERE, I BELIEVE, OCCASIONALLY FROM DPW OR BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS RATHER. 
          THAT DO OVERSEE THAT AND MANAGE THAT INVENTORY. WE HAVE A LIMITED FOOTPRINT, BUT WE DO, WE KEEP SOME OF OUR EQUIPMENT OUT THERE THAT NEEDS TO COME IN OUT OF THE ELEMENTS DURING THE WINTER MONTHS. 
          BUT WE'RE, I CAN TELL YOU FLAT OUT, OUR DEPARTMENT IS STARVED FOR SPACE TOO, BECAUSE WE DO HAVE COMMUNICATIONS TRAILERS THAT AREN'T SUPPOSED TO BE PARKED OUTSIDE. 
          IN MANY CASES, THEY'RE PARKED OUTSIDE. SO, YEAH, WE'RE WE DO WORK WITH BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS TO ADDRESS OUR NEEDS, SPACE NEEDS ESPECIALLY. AND WE HAVE JUST RECENTLY RECEIVED RFPS FROM A COUPLE OF COMPANIES. 
          I THINK IT WAS A TOTAL OF 6 RFPS THAT CAME IN FOR SPACE CONSOLIDATION AT THE FIRE ACADEMY ITSELF. 
          SO, WE'VE GOT THE FUNDING TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE FIRE ACADEMY FOR SPACE CONSOLIDATION, YOU KNOW, WHAT TRULY ARE OUR NEEDS. 
          OUT THERE. 
          SO IT'S, IT'S A, IT'S AN ONGOING PROBLEM. I MEAN, FOR THE LONGEST TIME WE HAD THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE HAVE THEIR EQUIPMENT STORED OUT AT OUR PLACE. SO, IT'S, WE'RE BUSTING AT THE SEAMS. AND IF YOU COME OUT TO THE FIRE ACADEMY AT ANY GIVEN TIME, YOU'LL SEE PROBABLY 10 TO 15 TRAILERS THAT ARE PARKED OUTSIDE THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, WOULD BE BETTER TO BE KEPT INSIDE, OUTSIDE OF THE ELEMENTS. WELL, IT'S A BETTER LOCATION FOR US AND FOR THE RESOURCES. SO, OUR RESOURCES ARE THINGS THAT ON A MOMENT'S NOTICE OUR FOLKS HAVE TO GET AND MOVE TO DIFFERENT, IT COULD BE AMHERST, COULD BE SPRINGVILLE. 
          SO FORTUNATELY OUR STAFF IS DEDICATED TO THE POINT WHERE WHATEVER THE HOURS ARE, THEY'LL REPLY, THEY'LL RESPOND TO GET THOSE. WHAT WE DO IS MORE SEASONAL STORAGE IN THOSE FACILITIES, ESPECIALLY OUT IN AMHERST. 
          SO, IF THERE'S SNOWMOBILES, SNOWMOBILES ARE KEPT OUT THERE IN THE SUMMER, AND THEN OUR SUMMER EQUIPMENT IS KEPT IN. 
          SO WE DO, WE DO KIND OF DO OUR OWN VENDOR-MANAGED INVENTORY WITH REGARDS TO THE ELEMENTS ON IT. BUT YES, A CENTRAL LOCATION TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT. OUR PROBLEM AT THE FIRE TRAINING ACADEMY IS WE'RE KIND OF LANDLOCKED, AND WE'RE NOT SURE IF THERE'S PROPERTY TO EITHER SIDE OF THAT, WHETHER OR NOT THAT WOULD EVEN, YOU KNOW, PASS THE MUSTER WITH, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S IN THE GROUND. 
          SO THIS RFP THAT'S OUT THERE WILL FOCUS A LITTLE BIT MORE ON, WE HAVE A PRETTY SOLID IDEA OF WHAT IT IS WE NEED, BUT UNFORTUNATELY THE WAY GOVERNMENT WORKS, SOMEONE ELSE HAS TO COME AND TELL US AND VALIDATE THAT 
          [02:15:01]
FOR US. SO, THAT'S WHERE WE'RE, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE, THE PROCESS THAT WE'RE GOING THROUGH. 
          THANK YOU. 
          LEGISLATOR LORIGO. I HAD A QUESTION. 
          SO YOU MENTIONED SOME STATE GRANTS. REDUCED BECAUSE OF FIFA. WHAT WERE THOSE GRANTS FOR? SO SPECIFICALLY, THIS, THE STATE HOMELAND SECURITY GRANT, WHICH IS A PASS-THROUGH. 
          SO THE STATE ACTUALLY MAKES THE CASE AND THE ARGUMENT FOR ALL OF NEW YORK STATE, INCLUDING NEW YORK CITY. AND THEN AS A RESULT, THAT WAS REDUCED. I KNOW THAT THE NEW YORK CITY AREA DID RECEIVE SOME OF THE THEY WEREN'T AS IMPACTED AS WE WERE. 
          EVEN THOUGH NONE OF THE GAMES WERE ACTUALLY PLAYED IN NEW YORK CITY. BUT THAT'S OUR UNDERSTANDING IS THAT IT WAS REDUCED. WE'RE HOPING THAT THAT'S THE CASE AND IT'S NOT, YOU KNOW, SOME OTHER AGENDAS. 
          BUT WE ARE MANAGING WITH WHAT WE HAVE. AND WE'VE TAKEN THE STEPS OVER PROBABLY THE LAST 4 YEARS TO, I DON'T WANNA SAY BULLETPROOF OURSELF WITH REGARDS TO SOME HITS, BUT THINGS LIKE PERSONNEL AND WHATNOT THAT WOULD, WOULD HAVE BEEN DIRECTLY IMPACTED BY THAT ARE NOW INSULATED. WILL THAT AFFECT PLANNING FOR NEXT YEAR? SHOULD WE PLAN FOR, WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT YOUR BUDGET, ARE YOU ASSUMING THAT'S GOING TO BE REINSTATED, OR OPERATING IS WHAT YOU HAD THIS YEAR? WELL, I THINK WHAT WE'LL DO IS WE'LL, WE'LL, WE'LL PLAN OUR BUDGET BASED ON, ON THE FUNDING THAT CAME, SO THE REDUCTION IN FUNDING FOR THAT. 
          WE'LL TAKE A LOOK. SO, YOU KNOW, THE OTHER THING THAT WE'VE DONE IN OUR DEPARTMENT, AND I'VE KIND OF INSISTED THAT WE, WITH THESE GRANTS AND THE POTENTIAL FOR THE GRANTS BEING REDUCED, WE DON'T LOOK TO BRING ON NEW RESPONSIBILITIES, NEW, YOU KNOW, MAINTENANCE CONTRACTS, ET CETERA. WE'RE JUST TRYING TO, WHICH WE CAN DO WITH THIS GRANT, MAINTAIN WHAT WE HAVE AND THEN MAYBE TAKE A LOOK AT A COUPLE OF OTHER THINGS TOO. 
          BUT MY STAFF WILL TELL YOU TELL YOU THAT, YOU KNOW, NO NEW PROJECTS TAKEN ON WITH GRANT-FUNDED POSITIONS OR, OR EQUIPMENT. THAT'S BECAUSE IT'S JUST, IT'S JUST TOO TENUOUS RIGHT NOW. WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S COMING OUT OF WASHINGTON OR TRICKLES DOWN FROM NEW YORK. 
          OKAY. AND THEN ONE OTHER QUESTION. I KNOW LAST BUDGET ROUND, I CAN'T REMEMBER IF IT WAS 2 YEARS AGO OR LAST YEAR, YOU GUYS HAD REQUESTED A FIRE SAFETY COORDINATOR POSITION. 
          DID WE, I CAN'T REMEMBER IF WE APPROVED THAT OR NOT. WE DID, DIDN'T WE? OKAY. IS THAT, CAN WE, WOULD YOU ATTRIBUTE A LOT OF THE INCREASE IN TRAINING TO HAVING THAT NEW POSITION? OH, ABSOLUTELY, ABSOLUTELY. 
          THE, THE FIRE SAFETY DIVISION AT THIS POINT HAS A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF TALENT OUT THERE, WELL-TRAINED INDIVIDUALS, PEOPLE THAT, THAT CAN WRITE CURRICULUM THAT THE STATE ACCEPTS. SO, YES, I I WOULD ATTRIBUTE THAT TO US BEING ABLE TO HIRE THAT INDIVIDUAL, ACTUALLY HAVE THAT POSITION, AND SPREAD THINGS OUT. YOU KNOW, WE DON'T HAVE THE LUXURY OF HAVING 24/7. 
          WE DON'T HAVE 3 SHIFTS. WE DON'T HAVE 2 12-HOUR SHIFTS. 
          AND THE STAFF DOES A PHENOMENAL JOB. 
          NOT ONLY THAT, BUT ALL OF OUR STAFF ARE CROSS-TRAINED ON A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS. 
          THEY'RE PEACE OFFICERS. 
          THEY'RE EMTS. 
          THEY'RE FIREFIGHTERS. SO, WE TRY AND COVER ALL THE BASES. 
          SO, WHATEVER HAPPENS, IF WE NEED TO PULL SOMEBODY UP IN THE ROTATION AT 2 O'CLOCK OR 3 O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING, THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, THEY CAN GO AND BE SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS, HAZMAT, ON WHATEVER THE INCIDENT IS OR WHATEVER THE CALLOUT IS. 
          SO YEAH, SO THAT ADDED POSITION AND ANY OF THE ADDED POSITIONS THAT WE'VE HAD OVER THE LAST 3 YEARS, EVERYBODY IS, WE'RE ALL ROWING IN THE SAME DIRECTION. ALL RIGHT, AWESOME. THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU. LEGISLATOR VINAL? I ASKED YOU THIS BEFORE, BUT I WANTED TO CHECK TO SEE IF YOU HAD FOUND OUT THAT, REMEMBER WHEN WE HAD THAT BIG STORM THAT THOSE 80 PEOPLE DIED? AND THEN THEY CAME TO THE, WASN'T IT 80-SOME PEOPLE? IT DOESN'T MATTER. KEEP GOING. 
          SO THAT THEY SAID THAT WHEN THEY FOUND OUT THE REASON WHY THE POWER WAS OFF FOR SO LONG IN 14216, THEY SAID THAT ONE GENERATOR AREA HAD, THEY HAD PUT FENCES SO PEOPLE WOULDN'T GET THERE. 
          AND THEN IN THE OTHER AREAS THE SNOW JUST BLOWS THROUGH AND THERE IT DIDN'T JUST, THE WIND, THEY PROMISED. THE WIND BLEW IN THE SNOW AND THE SNOW HAD NO PLACE TO GO AND THEN THEY COULDN'T GET IT OUT. 
          THAT'S HOW IT HAPPENED. IT WAS THE WIND, YEAH. NO, THEY SAID IT WAS THE SNOW ALL PACKED UP IN THERE. 
          AND SO, I WAS JUST WONDERING, DID THEY REMOVE THOSE FENCES? LAST TIME I ASKED YOU SAID YOU WERE GONNA CHECK. I CAN TELL YOU THAT WE RECEIVE REGULAR BRIEFINGS FROM NOT ONLY NYSIG, NATIONAL FUEL, BUT ALSO GRID. THEY HAVE PUT A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF MONEY AND EFFORT INTO CORRECTING THAT, WHICH A LOT OF PEOPLE FELT WAS A ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME, IF NOT ONCE-IN-A-200, 300, 400-YEAR STORM. 
          BUT THEY DID DETECT THAT BASED ON THE STORM, THE MAGNITUDE OF THE STORM, THE DURATION OF THE STORM, THE TEMPERATURES, THAT THEY NEEDED TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS. AND IT'S OUR UNDERSTANDING THAT THEY'VE DONE JUST THAT, THAT IT WAS A, IT WAS, IT WAS A SYSTEM THAT WAS DESIGNED TO WORK. 
          UNTIL THIS, THIS HORRIFIC EVENT CAME ALONG. 
          [02:20:01]
AND, AND WE'VE ALL LEARNED FROM THAT. SO, YES, THEY, THEY'VE BEEN MAKING TREMENDOUS GAINS. THEY'VE BEEN DOING A LOT, TOO, WITH REGARDS TO POWER RESTORATION, EVEN ON DAYS LIKE TODAY WHERE THEY CAN REROUTE. 
          SO THEY'VE BEEN PUTTING A LOT OF MONEY IN IT. AND I'M SURE A LOT OF THE TIMES THEY'RE DOING IT BECAUSE THEY'RE BEING FORCED TO DO IT. BUT, BUT THEY ARE DEFINITELY DOING THAT. 
          OKAY, THANK YOU. 
          THANKS. THANK YOU. 
          SURE, YOU'RE GOOD. OKAY. ALL 
          [Central Police Services]
RIGHT. 
          THANK YOU. THANKS FOR YOUR TIME TODAY. UP NEXT, CENTRAL POLICE SERVICES COMMISSIONER ROSS IS HERE. 
          HOW ARE YOU TODAY? GOOD. HOW ARE YOU? GOOD. GOOD AFTERNOON TO ALL THE MEMBERS OF THIS HONORABLE LEGISLATIVE BODY. 
          I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO APPEAR BEFORE YOU TODAY TO PROVIDE OUR MID-YEAR UPDATE ON THE OPERATIONS AND FINANCIAL STATUS OF CENTRAL POLICE SERVICES. I AM PLEASED TO REPORT THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF CENTRAL POLICE SERVICES IS OPERATING WITHIN ITS ADOPTED 2026 BUDGET AND CONTINUES TO EXERCISE SOUND FINANCIAL STEWARDSHIP WHILE DELIVERING THE CRITICAL PUBLIC SAFETY SERVICES THAT OUR RESIDENTS AND PARTNERS AGENCIES DEPEND UPON EVERY DAY. WE STILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE UNINTERRUPTED 24/7 EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS, FORENSIC LABORATORY SERVICES, LAW ENFORCEMENT TRAINING, AND PUBLIC SAFETY TECHNOLOGY SERVICES TO OVER 40 POLICE, FIRE, AND EMS PUBLIC SAFETY AGENCIES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY. 
          AND DESPITE THE INCREASING DEMANDS FOR SERVICE AND THE GROWING COMPLEXITIES OF OUR TECHNOLOGY COMMUNICATION INFRASTRUCTURE, OUR STAFF REMAINS COMMITTED TO MAINTAINING THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF SERVICE WHILE CAREFULLY MANAGING DEPARTMENTAL RESOURCES. SO, THROUGHOUT THE FIRST HALF OF THIS YEAR, WE HAVE CONTINUED TO FOCUS ON OUR OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY MORE THAN ANYTHING, YOU KNOW, DOING KIND OF TRYING TO DO MORE WITH LESS AND OBVIOUSLY BEING RESPONSIBLE WITH THE, WITH OUR FINANCES. 
          AND MORE STRATEGIC WHEN IT COMES TO HOW WE INVEST ON ENHANCING PUBLIC SAFETY MOVING FORWARD. 
          AND AS WE'RE, YOU KNOW, CONTINUING TO MODERNIZE WHAT WE'RE DOING AT CENTRAL POLICE SERVICES, AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE DOING, AND YOU GUYS, YOU ALL SUPPORTED IT, WAS OUR IMPLEMENTATION OF OUR NEW COMPUTER-AIDED DISPATCH AND RECORDS MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, FORMERLY CALLED HEXAGON, NOW IT'S CALLED OCTAVE. WE ARE MOVING ALONG IN THAT PROCESS, AND WE ANTICIPATE GOING LIVE WITH THAT THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE COUNTY IN MARCH OF 2027. SO, THAT'S GOING AS WELL AS IT COULD BE, AND THAT'S GOING TO DEFINITELY ENHANCE OUR OPERATIONS THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE COUNTY AND STREAMLINE OUR SERVICES. 
          WE'LL BE AT A, YOU KNOW, A SINGLE POINT OF CONTACT WILL BE MORE OF A LIKELIHOOD THAN THE 2 OR 3 THAT WE CURRENTLY GET NOW FOR PEOPLE THAT CALL 911. 
          OBVIOUSLY, WE PARTNERED AS WELL WITH HOMELAND SECURITY EMERGENCY SERVICES IN SUPPORT OF THE TRUNK RADIO SYSTEM THAT THEY'RE BUILDING, WHICH WILL ENHANCE COMMUNICATION ON-SITE FOR ALL OF OUR FIRST RESPONDERS. SO, I JUST WANT TO SAY I APPRECIATE ALL YOUR SUPPORT OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS OF OUR MISSION IN INVESTMENT IN OUR ESSENTIAL SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE, ESSENTIAL POLICE SERVICES. 
          AND I'D BE GLAD TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE REGARDING OPERATIONS, BUDGET, OR ONGOING INITIATIVES. 
          THANKS. LEGISLATOR LORIGO. 
          YOU SAID THAT THERE'S AN INCREASE IN DEMAND FOR SERVICES. CAN YOU JUST, IS THERE ANYTHING IN PARTICULAR THAT YOU'RE SEEING A LARGER NEED FOR OR ANYWHERE THAT YOU ANTICIPATE WILL NEED TO GROW? TRAINING. 
          TRAINING. TRAINING SPECIFICALLY. WE HAVE, WHERE THERE'S A VOID IN TRAINING. 
          WE REALLY HAVE TO, OFFICERS FROM THE POLICE SIDE SPECIFICALLY, EVERY POLICE DEPARTMENT IN THIS COUNTY IS REALLY YOUNG. I THINK THE AVERAGE, AN AVERAGE OFFICER HAS ABOUT 5 YEARS ON THE JOB AT THIS POINT, WHICH IS A VACUUM AS FAR AS INFORMATION GOES. ALL THESE SENIOR OFFICERS HAVE LEFT. 
          WE HAVE A BUNCH OF YOUNG OFFICERS OUT THERE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THE JOB, AND WE'RE REALIZING WE HAVE TO REALLY SPEND A LOT MORE TIME IN INVESTING IN THE TRAINING OF THESE OFFICERS TO GIVE THEM THE TOOLS THEY NEED TO NAVIGATE, YOU KNOW, THE MOST TRYING TIME IN POLICING. SO, THAT'S DEFINITELY ONE. OBVIOUSLY, OUR 911 COMMUNICATION SYSTEM, YOU KNOW, WE'VE, WE'RE TRYING TO STREAMLINE THAT, MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE, YOU KNOW, OFFERING THE BEST SERVICE AS POSSIBLE. 
          WE HAVE INVESTED IN TRAINING OF OUR STAFF. YOU KNOW, I ACQUIRED THE MERS UNIT IN CPS, SO WE'RE TRYING TO CROSS-TRAIN OUR CPS CALL TAKERS AND DISPATCHERS WITH THE MERS DISPATCHERS TO KIND OF BE, TO BE CROSS-TRAINED ON ALL SIDES SO THAT COULD HAVE A GREATER ECONOMY OF SCALE SO THEY COULD TAKE ON THE WORK AND BE A LITTLE MORE AGILE WHEN IT COMES TO PROVIDING 9/11 COMMUNICATION SERVICES TO EVERYBODY. SO, THOSE ARE MY 2 MAIN ONES I THINK I CAN THROW OUT THERE. 
          YOU WERE THOROUGH AND HAD AN ANSWER READY TO GO. WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT TRAINING, I THINK IT'S INTERESTING. SO, I'VE, YOU KNOW, I MEET WITH MY WEST SENECA AND EAST AURORA POLICE KIND OF REGULARLY, AND I'VE NOTICED I WALK IN THERE AND I'M LIKE, THESE ARE KIDS, AND THAT'S COMING FROM ME. 
          SO, I, I'VE NOTICED THAT IT'S VERY VERY YOUNG, IS THERE A CERTAIN TYPE OF TRAINING THAT LIKE IS BEING MORE NECESSARY THAN MAYBE IN THE PAST? I KNOW THERE'S JUST A LOT OF RETIREMENTS AND THEY'RE REALLY, WE'RE REALLY DOUBLING DOWN ON THE MENTAL HEALTH TRAINING. 
          OKAY. THAT'S OUR KEY. 
          YOU KNOW, WE REALLY FOCUSED IN THE LAST FEW YEARS ON TRYING TO FIND FUNDING TO PROVIDE OUR OFFICERS WITH TRAINING TO BE RESILIENT THEMSELVES BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE JUST, WE'RE TRYING TO TEACH A NEW GENERATION HOW TO BE MORE MENTALLY HEALTH RESILIENT AND GIVE THEM THE TOOLS TO HANDLE THEIR OWN STUFF. AND THEN HELP EACH OTHER, AND THEN THAT COMBINATION OF THE TWO WILL HELP THEM PROVIDE BETTER SERVICE TO PEOPLE THAT THEY'RE RESPONDING TO. YEAH. 
          SO BASICALLY GIVING THEM THAT THING. AND, AND THAT HAS BEEN THE BIGGEST VOID IN LAW ENFORCEMENT BECAUSE IT WAS A MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEM BEFORE, BUT NOW IT'S CLEARLY A LAW ENFORCEMENT PROBLEM BECAUSE A LOT OF OUR CRITICAL INCIDENTS ARE INVOLVING PEOPLE 
          [02:25:01]
IN MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS. SO, WE'RE REALLY, REALLY THROWING A LOT OF TRAINING, TRYING TO INCREASE OUR TRAINING. 
          AND OUR ACADEMY ALREADY OFFERS 32 HOURS OF TRAINING, WHICH IS 12 HOURS MORE THAN THE STATE REQUIRES. WE'RE LOOKING TO DOUBLE DOWN ON THAT AND GET CLOSER TO 40, 45, AND KIND OF GET THESE OFFICERS, THESE YOUNG OFFICERS, THE TOOLS TO BE ABLE TO NAVIGATE THESE BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE OUT THERE STRUGGLING. THEY'RE NOT GOING AWAY. 
          SO, WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO MATCH THAT SO WE DON'T HAVE AS MANY BAD OUTCOMES AS WE HAD IN THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS. IS THERE A WAITLIST FOR TRAINING? ARE YOU ABLE TO MEET EVERYONE? WE'RE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE AS LONG AS WE CAN FUND IT AND WE CAN FIND THE PEOPLE TO DO IT, YOU KNOW, AND WE CAN ALWAYS FOR THAT KIND OF TRAINING, YOU HAVE TO KIND OF KEEP IT TIGHT. YOU CAN'T TRAIN 100 PEOPLE ON THIS STUFF. 
          IT REQUIRES SOME BREAKOUTS AND DEEPER DIVES. SO, WE TRY TO KEEP THAT TRAINING AT AROUND 35 PEOPLE PER. AND WE'VE ACTUALLY OFFERED IT TO EMS AND FIRE AS WELL BECAUSE THE SAME ISSUE EXISTS IN ALL PUBLIC SAFETY. 
          THEY'RE SEEING THE SAME THINGS. 
          SO, WE'VE BEEN, YOU KNOW, HOMELAND SECURITY, KARA NOWAK'S BEEN LEADING THE CHARGE. WE'VE DEVELOPED A COMMITTEE, A GROUP THAT HAS GOTTEN OUR FIRE SAFETY, OUR POLICE, OUR CORRECTIONS ALL TOGETHER TO TRY TO FIND WAYS TO INCREASE THE RESILIENCY OF OUR PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICIALS. 
          AND AGAIN, BY GIVING THEM WHAT THEY NEED TO SURVIVE, THEY'LL BE BETTER AT ENCOUNTERING THE OUTSIDE PUBLIC. THANK YOU. 
          LEGISLATOR VINAL. 
          ARE THERE, 6 POSITIONS STILL AVAILABLE IN YOUR DEPARTMENT FOR 911 AND, INFORMATION AND SO THERE'S THE ONE JUNIOR PROGRAM WHERE WE'RE GOING TO BE ELIMINATING THAT POSITION. 
          IT'S NOT GOING TO BE REQUIRED FOR THE WORK WE'RE DOING WITH HEXAGON. IT'S GOING TO ALLOW FOR US NOT TO NEED A PROGRAMMER BECAUSE THE COMPANY DOES IT. 
          SO, THAT, THAT WILL BE ELIMINATED IN 2027 BUDGET. 
          THE OTHER 5 WE'RE GOING TO BE TRYING TO FILL SOON. 
          BASICALLY, A NEW TEST CAME OUT. 
          WE HAVE A NEW LIST TO WORK OFF OF, AND WE'LL BE, WE'LL BE FILLING THE 911 CALL TAKERS WITH, SO THE TEST ALREADY OCCURRED? I'M SORRY, THE TEST ALREADY OCCURRED IN THE PAST? OKAY, WE SHOULD BE GETTING A CIVIL SERVICE LIST SOON. 
          WE CAN START CANVASSING AND GETTING PEOPLE HIRED TO FILL THOSE POSITIONS. ALL RIGHT, THANKS. THANK YOU. 
          [Buffalo & Erie County Public Library]
THANKS. THANKS A LOT FOR YOUR TIME TODAY. THANK YOU. 
          THANKS, GUYS. UP NEXT WE HAVE THE BUFFALO AND ERIE COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY. 
          ALL RIGHT. THANKS FOR JOINING US. DO YOU HAVE A MID-YEAR BUDGET MESSAGE YOU'D LIKE TO BE? BEGIN WITH. 
          GOOD AFTERNOON, MY NAME IS KAREEMA AL-DAHERI. I'M THE CHAIR OF THE BUFFALO ERIE COUNTY BOARD OF TRUSTEES. 
          THANK YOU FOR HAVING US. 
          WE'RE PLEASED TO PROVIDE YOU WITH MID-YEAR UPDATES. SORRY, I JUST RAN IN HERE, SO JUST GIVE ME A SECOND. 
          YOU'RE RUNNING AHEAD OF SCHEDULE. 
          THIS IS WONDERFUL. THANK YOU. I CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S BEEN A YEAR ALREADY. 
          FROM THE LAST TIME I WAS HERE. 
          IT WAS JUST DAYS AFTER THE UNTIMELY DEATH OF LIBRARY DIRECTOR JOHN SPEARS. 
          AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR KIND WORDS. 
          IT'S BEEN QUITE A YEAR. TIME HAS ALLOWED OUR DEDICATED STAFF, TRUSTEES, AND VOLUNTEERS TO GRIEVE AND CELEBRATE JOHN'S UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO PUBLIC LIBRARIES. WE HAVE BEEN COMFORTED BY THE OUTPOURING OF CONDOLENCES FROM THIS BODY AND OUR ELECTED LEADERS, THE LOCAL COMMUNITY, AND JOHN'S LIBRARY PEERS AROUND THE WORLD. 
          I WOULD LIKE TO UPDATE YOU ON THE BOARD'S PROGRESS ON THE DIRECTOR SEARCH. 
          FOLLOWING A 6-MONTH NATIONAL SEARCH, THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES HAS HIRED CHRISTINE SCHOENHART AS OUR NEW DIRECTOR. SHE WILL START IN AUGUST, ACTUALLY THAT FIRST WEEK OF AUGUST SHE WILL BE HERE. 
          A WESTERN NEW YORK NATIVE AND A GRADUATE OF FREDONIA UB, CHRISTINE IS A STRONG SUPPORTER OF HER PROFOUNDLY PUBLIC BRAND HERE TO SERVE ERIE COUNTY WITHOUT BARRIERS, FEES, ALGORITHMS, OR PRIVATE INTERESTS AS THE PEOPLE'S CULTURAL INSTITUTION. 
          CHRISTINE IS EXCITED TO MOVE BACK TO BUFFALO FROM BROOKLYN, FROM BROOKLYN PUBLIC LIBRARY, WHERE SHE HAS BEEN SERVING AS A DEPUTY CHIEF LIBRARIAN. SHE ACTUALLY OVERSEES 60 BRANCHES THERE, SO SHE IS WELL QUALIFIED TO LEAD OURS AS OUR NEXT CHAPTER UNFOLDS. 
          THE BUFFALO AND ERIE COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY IS RAPIDLY APPROACHING OUR 200TH BIRTHDAY. 
          THIS YEAR WE'RE 190 YEARS 
          [02:30:01]
YOUNG, AND STAYING COMMITTED TO OUR CORE VALUES, RESPECTING EVERYONE'S FREEDOM TO READ, ENSURING YOUR 37 LIBRARY LOCATIONS, BOOKMOBILES, AND PATRON PORTALS ARE WELCOMING AND ACCESSIBLE, AND THAT THEY DELIVER THE READING COLLECTIONS AND SERVICES OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS, DESIRES, AND DESERVES. WE HAVE NOT, WE WOULD, I APOLOGIZE. 
          WE COULD NOT HAVE GOTTEN THIS FAR WITHOUT YOUR LEADERSHIP SUPPORT, OUR LIBRARY FRIENDS, YOU, OUR NEIGHBORS, TRUSTEES, BUSINESSES, AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS IN ERIE COUNTY. THANK YOU. AND AT THIS TIME, I'M VERY PLEASED TO INTRODUCE DEPUTY DIRECTOR, ALSO OUR CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER, ANGELA MARINUCCI TO REVIEW THE BUDGET. 
          THANK YOU, CHAIR. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR HAVING US ALL HERE TODAY FOR THIS YEAR'S MID-YEAR BUDGET HEARING. AS OUR CHAIR SAID, I AM THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR AND CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER OF THE BUFFALO AND ERIE COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY SYSTEM. 
          I'M ALSO JOINED BY JAMES MITARITONNA, THE NEW ASSISTANT DEPUTY DIRECTOR AND CONTROLLER, WHO JOINED US ON JUNE 1ST. SO, THROWING HIM RIGHT ON IN HERE, WITH NEARLY A DECADE OF EXPERIENCE IN PUBLIC FINANCE AND PROGRAMMING IN THE WASHINGTON, D.C. AREA, RETURNING TO CLARENCE WHERE HIS SPOUSE IS FROM, AS WELL AS LIBRARY ADMINISTRATIVE MANAGER BEHIND ME, TRACY PALICKI, WHO YOU'VE SEEN IN THIS BODY BEFORE AND OVERSEES OUR BUDGET DAY TO DAY. 
          THE LIBRARY IS ON TRACK THIS YEAR FOR YEAR-END. WE ANTICIPATE ALL OF US, ALL OF OUR LINES TO BE WITHIN BUDGET. THERE ARE 2 SPECIFIC AREAS THAT WE ARE TRACKING. 
          NUMBER ONE, AS I'M SURE THIS BODY IS AWARE, THE CHANGES TO THE NEW YORK STATE TIER 6 RETIREMENT AND WHAT THAT WILL LOOK LIKE ON THE EMPLOYER SIDE WHEN WE GET IT TOWARDS THE END OF THIS YEAR. WE ANTICIPATE BEING ABLE TO COVER THOSE COSTS WITH THE BUDGET ALLOCATION FROM LAST YEAR, GIVEN SOME VACANCY SAVINGS AND OTHER SAVINGS WE HAVE IN OTHER LINES. WE'RE ALSO KEEPING AND CONTINUING TO KEEP A CLOSE EYE ON OUR UTILITIES AND OTHER FRINGE BENEFITS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY STAY WHERE THEY ARE, BUT WE DO NOT ANTICIPATE THAT THERE WILL BE ANY NEED FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDING. 
          ALL THAT WE NEED THIS YEAR TO GET THROUGH 2026, AND ARE RUNNING ON TRACK. WE'VE ALSO PROVIDED A PACKET TO EVERYONE WHICH DOES INCLUDE A PASSPORT. 
          WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO, CHECK OUT OUR SUMMER READING PASSPORT PROGRAM TO VISIT ALL 37, 36 CURRENTLY OPEN BECAUSE ONE IS UNDERGOING CONSTRUCTION, IN THE TOWN OF TONAWANDA, OUR KENILWORTH LIBRARY. 
          BUT VISIT ALL OF THOSE LIBRARIES TO GET YOUR OWN GOLDEN LIBRARY CARD AS WELL AS, THE ANNUAL RETURN ON INVESTMENT OF YOUR INVESTMENT INTO OUR LIBRARY SYSTEM AND WHAT WE PROVIDE TO THE, FOR EVERY DOLLAR THAT WE RECEIVE IN FUNDING, HOW THAT TRANSLATES BACK TO EACH DOLLAR FOR OUR RESIDENTS HERE IN THE COUNTY. HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE SPECIFICALLY ABOUT OUR BUDGET. I HAVE JUST A RANDOM QUESTION. 
          I KNOW IT'S BEEN A WHILE THAT YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN DOING LIKE NO LATE FEES, HAVE YOU SEEN ANY INCREASE IN LIKE LOST MATERIALS THAT YOU'RE REPLACING OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT? SO WE HAVEN'T SEEN AN INCREASE IN A FINANCIAL COST TO THAT. 
          WHAT WE, SO YOU STILL HAVE TO PAY IF YOU LOSE A BOOK. 
          SO, ANY BOOKS THAT ARE LOST AFTER THE 3 RENEWALS THAT WE ALLOWED IN OUR SYSTEM, SO YOU'LL GET A 3-WEEK INITIAL CHECKOUT FOR MOST MATERIALS, SOME ARE UP TO 7 DAYS, AND YOU GET 2 AUTOMATIC RENEWALS THAT HAPPEN THROUGH THE SYSTEM BECAUSE OF OUR FINE-FREE PROGRAM. 
          AFTER THAT, IF THAT MATERIAL IS NOT RETURNED, WE ASSESS THE FEE PLUS A $5 RESTOCKING, REORDERING TYPE FEE TO THE LIBRARY CARD. EVERYONE IS ABLE TO USE THEIR LIBRARY CARD UNTIL THOSE FEES GO OVER $50. 
          AND WHEN YOU RETURN THAT ITEM, IT WILL BE REMOVED FROM YOUR ACCOUNT, OR YOU CAN PAY THE FEE THAT WAY. 
          SO, WE DO STILL HAVE FEES ASSOCIATED WITH LOST MATERIALS, AND WE HAVEN'T SEEN A NEED TO DIVERT OTHER RESOURCES TOWARDS THAT. BUT IN TERMS OF PERSONAL ACCOUNTABILITY, I KNOW THAT I'M ALWAYS TELLING MY KIDS THAT THOSE DUE DATES ARE STILL DUE DATES, AND WE HAVE TO GET THEM BACK. AND SO WE'RE WORKING ON THOSE THINGS. 
          BUT WITH THE AUTOMATIC RENEWALS, WE ARE ABLE TO HAVE BETTER TRACKING ON OUR MATERIALS FOR WHERE THEY ARE. AND THEY ARE RETURNING TO US AT THE REGULAR RATE. OK, SOUNDS GOOD. 
          THANK YOU. THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU. WELCOME. 
          WELCOME. SO, THIS IS ALWAYS ONE OF THOSE TOUCHY THINGS TO BRING UP WITH LIBRARIES. 
          BUT I GO BACK, BACK IN THE DAY, MAYBE KASHONIAN NEVER HAD TO GO TO LAW LIBRARIES. 
          THAT WAS MY DAD'S REGULAR THING ON A SATURDAY MORNING. NOW HE DOES EVERYTHING FROM HIS OFFICE. AND AS MORE AND MORE MATERIALS ARE AVAILABLE TO PEOPLE AT THEIR HOMES, ONE OF THE THINGS I'VE SEEN THE LIBRARY DO TO KEEP RELEVANCE IS THE LIBRARY OF THINGS. 
          AND JUST KIND OF READING TIDBITS HERE AND THERE ONLINE, IT SEEMS LIKE THAT HAS BEEN A VERY SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM IN CERTAIN LIBRARIES. AND JUST WANT TO SEE IF YOU SEE THAT AS SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO CONTINUE TO EXPAND. SO, I, I THINK YOU'VE REALLY HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD THERE, LEGISLATOR GREENE. 
          I'M A BIG ADVOCATE OF LIBRARIES, AS THIS BODY IS WELL AWARE, BUT IT IS A CHANGING SYSTEM AND WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, WHAT THE, OUR PATRONS ARE LOOKING FOR. 
          AND THE LIBRARY IS REALLY 
          [02:35:02]
MARKETING ITSELF AS THAT THIRD SPACE, BRICK-AND-MORTAR FREE SPACE TO INVITE COMMUNITY TO HAVE THEIR OWN MEETINGS, TO TAKE OUT NON-TRADITIONAL ITEMS THAT THEY MAY NOT WISH TO TO PURCHASE. SO, OUR LIBRARIES OF THINGS ARE HOUSED IN THESE SPECIFIC LOCATIONS WHERE THEY ARE WITH THEIR BOARD OF TRUSTEES IN THE INDIVIDUAL CONTRACTING LIBRARIES. 
          THEY HAVE THEM AND THEY OFFER INCREDIBLE RESOURCES FROM THE RALPH WILSON GRANTS I MENTIONED LAST TIME WITH KAYAKS AND BIKES THAT ARE AT SOME LOCATIONS TO AED MATERIALS THAT WE ARE LOANING OUT FOR WEEKEND SPORTING EVENTS, FAMILY REUNIONS. IF YOU WANT TO HAVE THAT WITH YOU, YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN VERY WARM. IF YOU HAVE A BUNCH OF OLDER PEOPLE GETTING TOGETHER OUTSIDE, HAVING THOSE THINGS AVAILABLE. 
          AND WE'VE SEEN A GREAT RESPONSE FROM THE COMMUNITY IN WANTING TO TRY NEW THINGS. HERE AT CENTRAL LIBRARY, OUR MOST, OUR CLOSEST BRANCH TO THIS LOCATION, WE HAVE RECORDING STUDIOS. WE HAVE INSTRUMENTS THAT YOU CAN'T TAKE OUT, BUT YOU CAN PLAY AND BORROW WITHIN TO RECORD SOUNDS, TO RECORD PODCASTS, TO DO THOSE KIND OF THINGS WITHIN OUR LIBRARY. 
          AND THAT IS HOW WE ARE MEETING OUR PATRONS WITH THEIR NEEDS AND WHAT THEY'RE DOING. AND WE'VE GOTTEN INCREDIBLE RESPONSES, AND WE INTEND TO CONTINUE TO EXPAND THOSE OFFERINGS AS WE'RE ABLE TO DO SO. ONE OF THE DEMANDS THAT, AND I SAT ON THE LIAISON FOR THE CLARENCE LIBRARY FOR ABOUT 5 YEARS, AND ONE OF THE DEMANDS WE SAW, AND I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT MAYBE FOR SOME OF THE LIBRARIES DIRECTLY UNDER YOUR MANAGEMENT, BUT WAS A LOT OF GARDENING EQUIPMENT, YOU KNOW, THINGS LIKE THAT WHERE, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY GOES OUT AND HAS TO BUY I, YOU KNOW, ARE THOSE THINGS THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT AS WELL? THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO HERE, RIGHT? THOSE, WE HAVE SEWING MACHINES, THOSE TYPE THINGS THAT YOU MAY NOT WANT TO PURCHASE BEFORE YOU KNOW FOR SURE THAT YOU'RE GOING TO USE THEM ENOUGH. 
          CLARENCE, FOR EXAMPLE, DIRECTOR MOONEY HAS DONE A GREAT JOB, BUT THEY HAVE AN INCREDIBLE SEED LIBRARY WHERE YOU CAN GO AND TAKE OUT, WHICH YOU GET TO KEEP, SEEDS TO PLANT FOR YOUR GARDENS. AND WE DO HAVE THOSE AT MANY OF OUR LOCATIONS. IT'S NOT AT CHECKOUT. 
          THERE IS A LIMIT. I THINK IT'S 5 SEEDS. MY FRIEND DID JUST RECENTLY REACHED OUT AND SAID THAT SHE IS WELL KNOWN FOR GOING TO GET HER 5 ON A REGULAR BASIS. 
          BUT IT'S REALLY EXCITING THAT THAT'S THE WAY THAT PEOPLE ARE FINDING, IN CLARENCE SPECIFICALLY, THAT THEY WANT TO BE USING THEIR LIBRARY AND FINDING THOSE RESOURCES. I KNOW THAT BOSTON ALSO HAS A SEED LIBRARY, WHERE THERE ARE TOOL LIBRARIES, ALL SORTS OF DIFFERENT WAYS. AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE CONTINUING TO DO BECAUSE WE WANT PEOPLE TO BE EXCITED. 
          WE WANT PEOPLE TO TRY THINGS, RIGHT? THE, THE GOAL OF THE LIBRARY IS TO BE PROFOUNDLY PUBLIC IN HELPING PEOPLE DEVELOP ALL SORTS OF SKILLS, WHATEVER THAT LOOKS LIKE. LONG TIME THAT WAS JUST BOOKS, RIGHT, READING MATERIALS THAT YOU WOULD HAVE. 
          BUT NOW AS WE'RE, YOU KNOW, CONTINUING TO MOVE INTO NEW GENERATIONS, NEW WAYS TO DO THINGS, WE ARE FINDING THAT OFFERING THOSE HIGHER-COST EQUIPMENT PIECES THAT YOU MAY ONLY USE ONCE OR TWICE, OR YOU MAY END UP PURCHASING ON YOUR OWN, BEING ABLE TO TEST THEM OUT BY THE LIBRARY OFFERING THEM IS GREAT. 
          WE'RE ALSO PURCHASING A LOT OF THOSE. AGAIN, I KNOW I MENTIONED, BUT THROUGH THE DIVERSIFICATION OF OUR REVENUE SOURCES AND STREAMS, APPLYING FOR GRANTS. 
          LIBRARY OF THINGS NATIONALLY HAS GOTTEN A LOT OF ATTENTION, AND SO SOME GRANT ORGANIZATIONS ARE GIVING SPECIFIC GRANTS FOR THE KAYAKS, FOR THE BICYCLES, AND THOSE TYPE THINGS THAT WE WERE, WE ARE ABLE TO PURCHASE WITHOUT USING OUR COUNTY ALLOTTED FEES, WHICH AGAIN INCREASES THE RETURN ON INVESTMENT OF THE COUNTY DOLLARS AS WE CONTINUE TO APPLY FOR THOSE THINGS AND MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN PROVIDE. 
          AND THE OTHER ONE THAT HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION IN THE PAST WAS A LOT OF THE DIGITAL BOOKS. AND THERE WERE SOME KIND OF SOME HANDCUFFS WITH SOME OF THE AGREEMENTS YOU HAD THAT MADE IT VERY CHALLENGING. AND IS THERE ANY UPDATE ON, BECAUSE THAT'S OBVIOUSLY SOMETHING THAT WOULD IMPACT YOUR BUDGET. 
          IT CONTINUES TO REALLY IMPACT OUR BUDGET. 
          AS YOU MAY RECALL, WE TERMINATED OUR HOOPLA SERVICE OF JANUARY 1ST, WHICH WAS THE VIDEO THAT YOU COULD ON-DEMAND WATCH KIND OF ANY VIDEO, AND WE WERE GETTING CHARGED A FEE FOR EACH ITEM BASED ON THE POPULARITY OF THAT ITEM. SO, BUDGETING FOR IT, AND YOU SAW NATIONALLY MANY LIBRARY SYSTEMS TOOK THAT SYSTEM AWAY BECAUSE IT WAS HAVING HUGE IMPACTS. 
          WE WERE SPENDING OVER $1,000 A DAY ON ITEMS THAT WERE BEING REMOVED OR TAKEN OUT THROUGH HOOPLA. IN NEW YORK STATE, THERE HAVE BEEN 2 VERSIONS OF BILLS TO WORK WITH THE PUBLISHERS TO HELP US GET SOME SORT OF E-CONTACT E-CONTENT LICENSING. 
          THE MOST RECENT BILL, WHICH WAS THIS YEAR, I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS SIGNED BY THE GOVERNOR. 
          I BELIEVE IT DID PASS THE ASSEMBLY. I CAN'T REMEMBER IF IT PASSED THE SENATE AS WELL. 
          WAS WITH THE PUBLISHERS, WORKING WITH THEM TO KIND OF FIND A WAY THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO PURCHASE THESE LICENSES TO MAKE THAT E-CONTENT AVAILABLE, BECAUSE MANY OF OUR PATRONS ARE ONLY USING LIBRARIES THROUGH LIBBY. 
          I LOVE AN AUDIOBOOK. THEY'RE VERY EXPENSIVE, SO THAT'S HOW I'M TAKING MY THINGS OUT. BUT AS WE SEE OFTEN IN GOVERNMENT, THE TECHNOLOGY HAS INCREASED FASTER THAN THE LAWS CAN KEEP UP WITH IT. 
          AND SO, IT IS INCREDIBLY EXPENSIVE. 
          THE WAY THE LICENSURE WORKS CURRENTLY IS WE ONLY GET A CERTAIN TIME OR NUMBER OF CHECKOUTS, AND THEN WE LOSE THAT LICENSE AND HAVE TO REPURCHASE IT. SO, WHEN YOU SEE A BOOK RIGHT NOW, YESTERYEAR IS ALL THE RAGE, AND WE'RE PURCHASING LICENSES HAND OVER FIST TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE CAN HAVE THEM AVAILABLE. 
          BUT THEY WILL GO AWAY, DIFFERENT THAN IF WE HAD PHYSICAL COPIES OF BOOKS. SO, WE CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE AT THE STATE THE STATE LEVEL AS WELL AS AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL TO KIND OF FIGURE OUT HOW 
          [02:40:01]
TO MAKE THIS AVAILABLE AT THE LIBRARY. RIGHT NOW, OUR COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT IS CONTINUING TO BALANCE AS WE CAN WITHIN IT. 
          ELIMINATING THE HOOPLA SERVICES ALLOWED US TO INVEST MORE INTO THOSE TAKEOUTS THROUGH OVERDRIVE, WHICH IS LIBBY FOR OUR PATRONS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. SO, IT IS AN AREA THAT WE HAVE CONCERNS, AND WE'RE CONTINUING TO ADJUST OUR BUDGETS ACCORDINGLY, BUT HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET A LITTLE BIT UNDER CONTROL. THANK YOU. 
          AND I'M SO GLAD TO SEE BOTH OF YOU AND THE NEW PEOPLE TOO. 
          THERE WAS, BECK, WHEN I ASKED YOU THIS LAST TIME, BUT AS FAR AS LIKE THE BUSINESS LIBRARIAN FOR BUSINESS SERVICES TO HELP BUSINESSES, HOW HAS THAT CHANGED WITH, YOU KNOW, INTERNET AND THINGS? LIKE, ARE YOU STILL DOING THAT? COULD YOU ADVERTISE IT MORE SO PEOPLE KNOW THAT IT EXISTS? ABSOLUTELY. SO, WE ARE FINDING THAT AS THE SOCIAL SAFETY NET HAS CHANGED AND WHAT'S AVAILABLE, THAT OUR PATRONS ARE NEEDIER IN CERTAIN THINGS, RIGHT? THERE USED TO BE LIKE, YOU KNOW, SMALL BUSINESS ASSOCIATION CONSULTANTS OR PEOPLE WOULD HELP YOU FILL OUT YOUR FORMS AND YOUR SERVICES THAT PEOPLE ARE TURNING TO LIBRARIANS TO ASK FOR, WHICH LIBRARIANS ARE TYPICALLY REFERENCING AND POINTING YOU TO THE RIGHT DIRECTION. 
          IN DOING THAT, WE HAVE PARTNERED WITH UNIVERSITY OF BUFFALO MASTER'S SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK TO HAVE SOME OF THEIR STUDENTS DO CLINICAL TIME IN THE LIBRARIES TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL SERVICES. 
          FOR OUR SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION, WE CONTINUE TO INVITE OUTSIDE GROUPS TO HOLD, LIKE, TEACHING COURSES WITHIN OUR LIBRARIES AVAILABLE THROUGHOUT THE CONTRACTING LIBRARY SYSTEM. 
          WE ALSO OFFER A LOT OF TAX PREP AND TAX HELP. 
          YOU KNOW, GAGE ON OUR BLOCK WILL COME IN, OTHER GROUPS WILL COME IN AND USE OUR ROOMS AND SPACES THAT WE PUSH HEAVILY TO MAKE SURE OUR PATRONS HAVE THAT ACCESSIBILITY. SO, WE ARE PROVIDING ALL SORTS OF RESOURCES IN THE WAY, AGAIN, OF BEING THAT THIRD SPACE AND MAKING OUR OWN SOCIAL SAFETY NET THROUGH THE LIBRARIES. 
          YEAH, SARAH JUST TAUGHT ME THAT TERM THIRD SPACE LIKE LAST WEEK, SO I, YOU KNOW HOW I FEEL ABOUT THAT. 
          SO, WHAT, WHAT ABOUT LIKE, THEY USED TO BE THE LIBRARIAN THAT WOULD SHOW YOU THE SERVICES, LIKE THE LIST OF EVERY MANUFACTURER OF XYZ OR EVERY SUPPLIER, THINGS LIKE THAT, LIKE THE, SO A LOT OF THAT HAS GONE ONLINE. WE USE NOVEL NEW YORK. NEW YORK STATE 3 YEARS AGO STARTED, THEY APPLY FOR AND PAY FOR ACCESS TO DATABASES AND GRANTS FOR ALL THE LIBRARIES IN THE STATE, AND THAT FREED UP A LOT OF OUR BUDGETS AS INDIVIDUAL SYSTEMS TO NOT HAVE TO BUY ACCESS TO THOSE AND THEN BUY OTHER. 
          SORT OF DATABASES THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE. SO, A LOT OF THAT IS ONLINE. WE DON'T KEEP, OUR LIBRARIANS SERVE AS GENERAL REFERENCE. 
          WE DO HAVE SOME SPECIALIZED LIBRARIANS IN SOME UNITS. 
          FOR EXAMPLE, OUR SPECIAL COLLECTIONS, WE HAVE A GENEALOGICAL LIBRARIAN WHO'S HELPING US LOOK UP RECORDS, HELP KEEP THOSE DATA. WE ARE LOOKING AT A MUSICAL LIBRARIAN. 
          BUT FOR GENERAL, WE HAVE JUST OUR LIBRARIANS AS REFERENCE, AND THEN WE CROSS-TRAIN THEM IN AS MANY AREAS AS POSSIBLE. 
          ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. 
          [Information & Support Services]
THANKS. 
          ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME TODAY. THANK YOU, APPRECIATE IT. ALL RIGHT, WELCOME BACK TO THE MID-YEAR BUDGET HEARINGS. 
          WE'VE GOT INFORMATION AND SUPPORT SERVICES. HOW ARE YOU TODAY? DO, DOING WELL, DOING WELL. THANKS FOR COMING OVER A LITTLE EARLIER THAN WE ANTICIPATED. 
          YES, MOVING A LITTLE FAST TODAY. I, I DO APOLOGIZE THAT I, I'M IMPRESSED. I, I DIDN'T, ABOUT 2 MINUTES AND THEN HE PULLS THE GONG. 
          WELL, I WAS, I WAS TRYING TO GET MY HAIR DONE BEFORE MY 02:45 APPOINTMENT AND I RUSHED THROUGH IT, SO I HOPE YOU ALL KNOW IT WORKS. IT LOOKS GOOD. 
          WE'LL MEET UP AT THE BARBER AFTER THIS. 
          ANYHOW, GO AHEAD. WE CAN DISCUSS TURTLE WAX AFTER. 
          YEAH. 
          YES. SO, DISS IS ON TARGET TO FINISH 2026 ON BUDGET. 
          WE'RE HAVING TO BE CAREFUL BECAUSE OF THE PRICE INCREASES THAT, AS YOU'VE PROBABLY SEEN THE NEWS WITH ALL THESE NEW AI DATA CENTERS GOING IN AND STUFF, IT'S DRIVING UP THE COST OF IT IN GENERAL, PCS, THIN CLIENTS, YOU NAME IT, THE PRICES ARE ALMOST DOUBLING, IN SOME CASES QUADRUPLING, AND FROM HARDWARE PERSPECTIVE. 
          SO WE'RE KEEPING AN EYE ON THAT. ALSO LONG LEAD TIMES FOR EQUIPMENT AND SO FORTH. 
          NOW IT'S, YOU KNOW, WHEREAS WE COULD GET IT IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS, NOW IT'S TAKEN MONTHS TO GET SOME OF THE PRODUCT OUT THERE. 
          SO, BUT RIGHT NOW WE'RE, WE'RE DOING WELL. BACK OPEN. 
          ANY QUESTIONS? YOU'RE SAYING WITH THE INCREASE IN THE DATA CENTERS, IT'S PUTTING A STRAIN ON IT PROFESSIONALS WHERE IT'S MORE DIFFICULT TO GET THE SERVICES? WELL, THE, THE COST OF, THE TARIFFS, THE COST OF, YOU KNOW, THE INFLUX OF EVERYBODY TRYING TO BUILD AN AI DATA CENTER AROUND THE, THE WORLD TODAY, 
          [02:45:01]
YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE A HIGHER PRIORITY AND THEY'RE REQUIRING A LOT OF COMPUTE, SO MEMORY CHIPS, GPU PROCESSORS, AND ALL THAT STUFF. 
          SO THEY'RE REQUIRING ALL THAT AND DRIVING THE COST UP FOR, YOU KNOW, NORMAL USERS AND CONSUMERS. I MEAN, IF YOU LOOKED OUT THE DIFFERENCE FROM A YEAR AGO TO TODAY, A PRICE OF A PC HAS DOUBLED IN COST. AND HEAVEN FORBID IF YOU NEED AN ENHANCED VIDEO CARD SOMETHING, AND IT'S, IT'S, THERE'S TRIPLED AND QUADRUPLED. 
          IT'S, IT'S JUST DRIVING UNBELIEVABLE. AND IT'S, I DON'T SEE IT GETTING ANY BETTER UNTIL THE AI DATA CENTER CRUNCH, BECAUSE ALL THAT DATA CENTER, THEY'RE PUTTING SERVERS AND EQUIPMENT IN THERE, IT'S JUST EATING UP, EATING UP RESOURCES. WOW. 
          SO, THANKS. LEGISLATOR VINAL. I JUST HAD 2 QUESTIONS. 
          ONE ON THE, AND YOUR INFORMATION SECURITY ANALYST, IS THAT JOB STILL VACANT NOW? NO, WE WERE ABLE TO FILL THOSE POSITIONS. WE ONLY HAVE ONE OPEN POSITION IN THE BUDGET RIGHT NOW AND WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF INTERVIEWING THAT. 
          BUT YES, WE WERE ABLE TO FILL THE 2 INTERNET SECURITY THAT'S ON THE VACANCY REPORTS. 
          OH GOOD, WHAT IS THE ONE THAT'S INTERVIEWING NOW? IT'S ACTUALLY, WE'VE GROWN ONE OF OUR INFORMATION SECURITY PERSONS AND WE'RE BACKFILLING THAT PERSON'S POSITION. AND THEN ALSO ON THE MAINTENANCE CONTRACTS OF THE $587,000, ARE THOSE WITH THE MANUFACTURERS OR IS THAT A PRIVATE COMPANY OR INDIVIDUALS OR WHAT, WHO'S, THEY'RE, I WOULD SAY PROBABLY 98% OF THE CONTRACTS ARE WITH THE MANUFACTURERS. 
          OKAY. 
          YEAH, VERY RARELY DO WE USE THIRD-PARTY VARS TO DO MAINTENANCE. SO, ALL THOSE LISTING OF THE DIFFERENT TYPES, EACH ONE HAS ITS OWN MAINTENANCE CONTRACT? CORRECT, YES. 
          OKAY. 
          ALL RIGHT, THANKS. OH, WHAT DOES THAT AGREE? IF YOU COULD JUST KIND OF TOUCH BRIEFLY, LIKE YOU MENTIONED AI HAVING AN IMPACT, DO WE HAVE POLICIES THAT, YES, WE DO. WE HAVE AN AI POLICY. 
          WE TRY TO RESTRICT AS MUCH BECAUSE ANYBODY CAN GO OUT TODAY AND GET A PERSONAL ACCOUNT FOR AI AND THEN START TO UTILIZE IT. AND FROM A COUNTY PERSPECTIVE, THAT'S NOT A GOOD THING BECAUSE ONCE YOU SHARE INFORMATION OUT THERE, IT'S OUT THERE IF IT'S AN END USER ACCOUNT. IF IT'S A CORPORATE ACCOUNT OR A COUNTY ACCOUNT, THEN THAT'S DIFFERENT. 
          SO RIGHT NOW WE'VE RESTRICTED AI ONLY TO THE MICROSOFT PRODUCT THAT'S EMBEDDED ON THE PC. SO, IT'S NOT A DEVELOPER'S LICENSE. AND MOST OF OUR PRODUCTS TODAY DON'T HAVE AI EMBEDDED IN THEM YET. 
          SO, THANK YOU. LEGISLATOR (INAUDIBLE). I WANT TO ELABORATE ON THE AI QUESTION. 
          SO, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION... 
          NO, BECAUSE BASICALLY THE, THE ONLY THING THAT WE PERMIT TODAY IS WITH MICROSOFT OFFICE VERSION, WHICH WILL ALLOW YOU TO CRACK THE EMAILS AND DO SIMPLE STUFF, RIGHT? BUT IF YOU'RE YOU WANT TO GENERATE ANYTHING, NO, WE DON'T HAVE THOSE LICENSES AVAILABLE TODAY. WE HAVE A COUPLE FOR TEST PURPOSES THAT WE'RE UTILIZING FOR OUR DEPARTMENT. 
          BUT OH YES, THERE'S PART OF THE AI POLICY YOU HAVE. 
          THEY HAVE TO REQUEST, PUT A BUSINESS CASE TOGETHER, REQUEST IF THEY'RE THERE'S A USAGE FOR AI, AND THEN WE WILL EVALUATE THE PROPER TOOL TO DO THAT IF IT'S DEEMED NECESSARY TO DO IT. 5% OF THE CASES ARE PEOPLE WANT TO USE IT TO WRITE A BETTER EMAIL OR HELP WITH REPORTING OR GRAMMAR OR SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES. 
          GREAT, THANK YOU. 
          THANKS. LEGISLATOR VINAL, BACK TO YOU. SORRY, I JUST HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION. 
          WHEN THE COUNTY ATTORNEY CAME, HE WAS TALKING ABOUT ENSURING INSURANCES OR SELF-INSURED ON DIFFERENT CATEGORIES. AND HE SAID THERE WAS A BIG POLICY FOR CYBERSECURITY INSURANCE POLICY, WHEREAS LIKE ON THE SHERIFF'S THINGS HE WANTS TO GO SELF-INSURED. DO YOU HAVE AN OPINION AS TO WHETHER IT'S NEEDED OR WHETHER WE COULD GO SELF-INSURED WITH SECURITY, CYBERSECURITY? I, I KNOW WE NEED IT. 
          I CAN, I CAN STATE THAT MUCH. 
          AS FOR WHETHER INTERNAL OR EXTERNAL POLICY, THAT'S REALLY NOT MY BAILIWICK. 
          SO, BUT YES, AS A COUNTY, AS AN ENTITY, 
          [02:50:01]
I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT. 
          BECAUSE IT'S NOT IF, IT'S WHEN WE GET HIT. SO. HAS THERE BEEN, HAVE THERE BEEN ANY CLAIMS OR INCIDENTS THAT MIGHT DEVELOP INTO CLAIMS? NO, WE HAVE NOT HAD ANY. 
          YEAH, THAT'S IT. EVERYONE ELSE? ALL RIGHT, WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING OVER. OH, NO PROBLEM. 
          THANK YOU FOR HAVING US. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. 
          ALL RIGHT, WE ARE GOING TO GO INTO RECESS AGAIN. WE'RE DONE FOR TODAY, AND THEN WE COME BACK JULY 23RD AT 10:30. THANK YOU.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.