July Committee Update
On-site meetings and the opportunity for learning and discussion highlight July's committee meetings
July’s committee meetings of the Onondaga County Legislature offered Legislators the chance to learn more about a variety of topics and discuss important community issues such as public safety radios and the proposed aquarium.
A joint meeting of the County Facilities and Health & Human Services committees was held at Onondaga Community College. At it, Legislators were formally introduced to OCC’s new President, Dr. Warren Hilton.
Here are some of Dr. Hilton’s remarks to Legislators:
Following the comments from Dr. Hilton, Legislators learned about OCC's School of Health and the nursing program (which is housed in the building the meeting was being held in.) OCC Senior Vice President and Provost Anastasia Urtz, J.D., and Karen L. Fabrizio, Ed.D., Dean of Health and Community Services, spoke about the 13 degree and certificate programs they currently offer and shared current workforce statistics for healthcare, which like many fields, is facing a critical shortage of workers.
Legislators also toured classroom spaces and saw training equipment including lifelike manikin’s that groan in pain. Instructor Lee Berg demonstrated a realistic childbirth in the program’s simulation lab and explained to Legislators how the nursing students learn important lessons in the lab, which looks very much like a real hospital room. The tour continued with a look at classroom spaces that OCC officials hope can be renovated to better serve students and provide them with more opportunities for hands-on learning before moving to real-life clinical settings in the community.
The Environmental Protection committee was also held on-location, at Long Branch Park. There, the Legislators had an informative discussion on water chestnuts and saw firsthand how the invasive species is removed – by hand - from the water. The Executive Director of the Onondaga County Soil and Water Conservation District Mark Burger says that the county currently manages over 60 acres of water chestnuts on area waterways with more still to be managed. It was a very visual learning opportunity for Legislators, who need to approve money each year to help with remediation.
"Our waterways, our lakes, our rivers, the canal, these are the gems of the Finger Lakes" says Legislator Julie Abbott, who chairs the committee. “They’re drinking water. They’re boating and recreation and therefore, they’re economic drivers which is what we at the county survive off of: sales tax revenues. When these invasives come in, it changes the whole ecosystem and so, we are trying to put money towards a long range comprehensive plan to keep these invasive species, these water chestnuts, out of here.”
In recent years, the Legislature has allocated $100,000 to help fight water chestnuts. Legislator Abbott says she hopes that amount can be increased.
“The Water Chestnut plants are a very serious invasive plant that are an economic and environmental threat to our waterways and communities” says Legislator Ken Bush, Jr., whose district includes highly-used rivers and lakes. “It is a major quality of life issue. Onondaga County in partnership with Onondaga County Soil and Water have embarked on a five year plan to attack the spread of the plant and remove as much as possible from the rivers and Cross Lake. It is important also that homeowners work to remove the plants on their properties. Everyone working together can make a difference.”
Back in the Legislature’s chambers, members of the Planning & Economic Development committee heard from the Director of the Onondaga County Office of Economic Development, Robert Petrovich.
The Director spoke and answered questions on various recent development projects, including the new Amazon Fulfillment Center in Clay. More than 1,500 people already work at the 3.7 million square foot facility. Petrovich says Amazon has paid around $3 million dollars in Industrial Development Agency fees and also donated $1.75 million towards the construction of a new STEAM high school in Syracuse.
Much of the discussion during the meeting focused on the White Pine Commerce Park, a 1,200+ acre site off Route 31 in Clay being developed to create an economic transformation by bringing a high-tech company to Onondaga County. Talks are underway with two interested companies and while specifics haven’t been released, it has been widely reported the site could be home to a campus for the research and production of semiconductors. “The conversations that we are having are good conservations and they’ve been conversations that have been going on for months” Petrovich told Legislators.
Click here to visit the White Pine Commerce Park website.
On the White Pine Commerce Park website, it says “High-tech advanced manufacturing can transform Onondaga County economy through new high paying jobs, significant investment and increased economic activity.” Committee Chair Timothy Burtis calls the project “awesome” but says he’s still a bit apprehensive about it.
Legislator Burtis adds it’s important that the county – and all participating parties and nearby residents– rise up through the challenges this project presents and finds ways to deal with them.
Petrovich says the passage of a bill before Congress to provide subsidies to bolster U.S. computer chip manufacturing may help Onondaga County land one of the two companies. “Both would be huge wins for our community” he adds.
At the Public Safety committee meeting, Legislators heard from the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy of Correction, William Bleyle. He offered an update on the purchase of a new public safety radio system, which the Legislature approved funding for at the February Session. Bleyle is well-versed on these systems after previously serving 30+ years with the Manlius Police Department and 9 years as Commissioner of the Onondaga County Department of Emergency Communications.
Bleyle says a 3 month comprehensive evaluation of manufacturers was completed. It looked at many factors including overall cost-effectiveness and the expected life-cycle. The result: that Motorola offers the best, most cost-effective option. In total, 700 portable radios and 200 mobile (in-vehicle) radios will be purchased, as will control stations.
Legislator David Knapp asked if the radios are being purchased through a local company. Bleyle responded that they are being purchased directly through Motorola as he was able to secure significant savings by working directly with the company. However, he adds that installation and most service work will be completed by local companies.
Committee Chair Mark Olson says for the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office, these radios are an “important tool in their toolbox” and that they’ll save money and more importantly, lives.
Legislator David Knapp listens to William Bleyle, Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy of Correction.
WAYS & MEANS COMMITTEE UPDATE
There was a lot on the agenda of July’s Ways and Means committee. More on the most-talked about item (the aquarium) shortly, but first, a look at some of the other items up for discussion.
Legislators moved forward a resolution amending the Rules of the Onondaga County Legislature. The changes include using gender-neutral and inclusive language, clarifying intent, and better aligning the Rules with the Onondaga County Charter.
"Process is everything" says Committee Chair Brian May. "The proposed rule changes modernize our approach, improve Open Meetings Law compliance and improve order and results with increased adherence to Roberts' Rules. In the end, these simple changes will provide a better governance process for the Legislature."
Legislators also pushed forward a resolution allowing all public bodies in Onondaga County (including the Legislature) the ability to use videoconferencing to conduct their meetings, pursuant to the requirements of the New York State Open Meetings Law. Members are required to be physically present at any such meeting unless a member is unable to attend in person due to extraordinary circumstances. Those include disability, illness, caregiving responsibilities, or other significant or unexpected factors. Travel for business or otherwise is not considered an extraordinary circumstance, unless the travel is due to disability, illness, caregiving responsibilities or similar significant or unexpected factors.
The Ways and Means committee also heard from several guest speakers regarding the use of $10 million dollars for several initiatives:
A housing initiative to incentivize private sector investment in quality housing throughout Onondaga County due to a shortage, intended to close funding gaps and stimulate investment in new construction so there are more units in the community.
Lead initiatives to further Lead based work in the county, including to address high cost units in need of lead hazard reduction and to support the work of the Onondaga County Health Department.
A Shape-Up for Veterans initiative which will provide funding to cover the costs for home repairs to honorably discharged veterans who meet income guidelines. A variety of home repairs are covered, such as plumbing, heating, roof, storm windows, insulation and more, with grants of up to $15,000 per property being provided.
No votes were taken on these initiatives as this meeting was the first time they were presented to the Legislators.
And finally, the aquarium. Officials from Onondaga County gave Legislators a presentation with the latest information on the proposed aquarium and answered some of their questions. Some Republican Legislators pressed the officials on specifics of the project in hopes of getting answers for the taxpayers.
Here’s some of what was presented:
No vote was taken to amend the 2022 County Budget to make funds available for the construction of an aquarium, but it has been added to the agenda for the August Session when the whole Legislature is expected to vote on it.
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