November Committee & December 3rd Session Update
The Legislature’s Public Safety Committee had two resolutions to discuss in November. The first one authorizes an agreement with the Town of Cicero to allow them to use the county’s emergency radio tower in Pompey to put a repeater for their Highway Department fleet. The Town will pay annual rent of $3,600, which a 911/Emergency Communications administrator said at the meeting is a fair amount.
The second resolution would create a new Accountant I position within the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office. The creation of this position will enhance fiscal oversight, accountability and fiscal transparency. The position is proposed in response to a recent Onondaga County Comptroller’s Office audit which recommended the establishment of this position.
Both resolutions were advanced. The most in-depth discussion at the meeting centered on a proposed local law which would install stop-arm cameras on school buses in participating districts and allow for fines for those whose pass the buses when the red lights are flashing and the stop-arm is extended. It comes as a new state law allows local municipalities to set up an administrative system to issue fines for those who don’t stop. Onondaga County would contract with Verra Mobility, which has had success with the program in other communities. As of this committee meeting, five school districts have expressed interest in participating. Look for the full list later in this email.
Committee Chair Mark Olson (10th District) asked Christopher Reidy, Director of Security for Onondaga County, if the goal is to be operational by the start of the 2025-2026 school year. Mr. Reidy answered, “That's what we're shooting for right now. The idea would be that we have a pilot run with these districts so we can get a better idea of volume and potential violations.”
The installed cameras would capture events necessary to administer fines to the registered owner of vehicle, but these would not be considered a moving violation and no points would be added to an offender’s license. Under the agreement with Verra Mobility, Onondaga County would receive a share of the fines and use that to pay for any costs related to the program.
The Committee’s Vice Chair, Legislator Rich McCarron (11th District), shared his hope for that incoming money. “Since the money is coming from traffic safety, or lack of if you will, it only seems appropriate to reinvest it in that” he said.
Legislator Ken Bush Jr. (13th District), who serves on the committee, shared concerns that the footprint of many school districts cross town, village, and even county lines. “I don't think anyone is questioning the intent, which is safety” he said at the meeting. “But it's a question of how the county, the villages, the towns, all get drawn into implementing this when it really should be a state policy.”
Regardless, Mr. Reidy added the program is “proven to reduce violations of people passing buses which results in a safer community and a safer transport for our kids.”
November’s County Facilities Committee meeting was held at the Hazard Branch Library on the edge of Tipperary Hill. It provided officials with Onondaga County Public Libraries (OCPL) an opportunity to update Legislators on things happening at branches all over the county. Much of OCPL’s operating budget comes from Onondaga County and is approved by the Legislature.
Guests of the committee included Dawn Marmor, Executive Director, Library Operations Administrator Rebecca Gilbert, and Administrator for Public Service, Rene Battelle. They spoke about recent projects at various library branches, including security upgrades, parking lot improvements, and the addition of water filling stations in place of water fountains. Projects slated for 2025 were also discussed, including work at Central Library and exterior building work at White, Betts, Soule and Petit branches.
In 2023, OCPL welcomed 1,567,123 visitors with 2,736,750 items shared among all county public libraries. A fun fact is that patrons who checked out a book at OCPL in 2023 saved more than $22 million dollars simply by using the free service of library loan.
Committee Chair Debra Cody (5th District) said afterwards, "Thank you to the Hazard Branch Library for hosting our Facilities meeting. We enjoyed a very informative presentation and discussion about the many services our libraries offer, as well as their impact in the community. Glad to get an update on library projects also!"
Pictured below are Chairman Burtis and Legislators Kelly and Knapp.
The Health & Human Services Committee learned more about an alliance of counties in the Central New York area which would be available to each other in the event of a public health emergency.
It’s called the Central New York Epidemiological Alliance and includes Onondaga, Cayuga, Cortland, Jefferson, Lewis, Madison, Oswego and Tompkins counties. Our county has been part of the alliance for the past decade and currently, a five-year renewal agreement is on the table.
Rebecca Shultz, the Director of Community Health for Onondaga County, explained to the committee that “the types of aid that could be requested or provided usually are related to disease outbreak. In the past, other local counties may have requested some support from our Medical Director to advise them on communicable disease outbreaks and things like that. It would be enacted when there was a public health emergency that was specific to a particular county because it would be difficult to render mutual aid if all of us were being impacted in the same way.”
Committee Chair Cody Kelly (14th District) asked if there has been a substantial utilization of the alliance since it began in 2015, with Ms. Shultz saying no but that it’s a really helpful option to have. She explained COVID-19 affected everyone which is why it wasn’t activated at that time. This resolution was advanced.
November’s Environmental Protection Committee focused almost entirely on the Onondaga County Department of Water Environment Protection, or WEP for short.
The main resolution discussed was a $10,000 payment to the Department of Environmental Conservation – a fine connected to discharging more than 36 million gallons of raw sewage that ended up in Onondaga Lake in July. It occurred due to the failure of the Ley Creek Force Main near Destiny USA and in order to repair it, WEP had to perform a complete bypass of the system and pump into Ley Creek.
“I want to stress that for the majority of our emergency repairs we do not bypass to the environment” Commissioner Shannon Harty told the committee. “This one was unavoidable.”
The committee’s Vice Chair, Legislator Kelly, commented, “This is a case where we had a vulnerable piece of infrastructure that we were aware of based on flow volumes and pressures that we were already talking about fixing. Unfortunately, something went wrong and I think it’s worth emphasizing that really our hands were tied. There was no way to avoid this bypass.”
Commissioner Harty said that was correct, and following a question about the repair timeline from Committee Chair Julie Abbott (6th District), explained in detail that WEP is working to replace 3 miles of the Liverpool Force Main along Onondaga Lake Parkway and about 1 ½ miles of the Ley Creek Force Main. It’s a very complex and expensive project requiring environmental permits and coordination with CSX and property owners, but they are making progress. This resolution was advanced.
Commissioner Harty also provided the committee with an update on WEP and what’s happening in her department. They’ve hired 31 people since January, predominantly “boots on the ground” employees, and are working to enhance their safety and training programs. They are implementing a new online plumbing program to streamline how WEP interacts with the public and will ‘go live’ with it in just a few weeks.
She also spoke about their ongoing construction projects:
Davis Road Pump Station - doing a complete gut and rehab of facility, with new pumps, pipes and meter pits
Brewerton Wastewater Treatment Plant - replacing the chemical storage tanks and feed pumps
Metro Wastewater Treatment Plant – bringing a new digester online by the end of this year, but having atmospheric air quality issues with the new sludge dryer and working with the designer and construction company on a redesign
Baldwinsville/Seneca Knolls – completing odor control and sludge digestion improvements
Upcoming projects include rehabilitation of the Camillus Force Main and the creation of a White Pine Pump Station and Force Main to help prepare the future site of Micron in the Town of Clay.
Commissioner Harty also thanked the committee for attending WEP Fest in September, saying it meant a lot to her team to have Legislators come and see exactly what and how they do what they do for the residents of the county. Pictured below are Chairman Burtis and Legislators Kelly and Olson with Commissioner Harty.
The Planning & Economic Development Committee had just one resolution on its agenda, but it was one that will benefit people throughout Onondaga County. The Department of Planning is asking that $2,410,000 be moved from a contingency account to their accounts. The money would allow them to begin implementing PlanOnondaga, the county's comprehensive plan updated within the last year. More specifically, the plan's 'Greenways and Blueways' theme which looks to provide unique opportunities for recreation, wildlife habitat, and ecological protection.
PlanOnondaga describes a Greenway as "a linear open space along a stream valley or ridgeline, a trail corridor like the Erie Canalway Trail, a uniquely forested area or rock escarpment like the Onondaga Escarpment, or Green Lakes State Park or a combination of natural and cultural features that are connected to each other, and to where we live and work."
The plan describes Blueways as similar. "But they connect existing parks, trails and cultural features along a water trail that may cover vast areas. For example the Great Loop passes through Onondaga County along the Seneca River/NYS Barge Canal along its route to the St. Lawrence River, Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, Mississippi River and back through the Great Lakes."
Troy Waffner, the Director of Onondaga County's Department of Planning, shared with the committee how the funds will be appropriated:
Greenways/Blueways Plan – Development, Scoping, Engagement ($375,000)
Greenways/Blueways Development Fund ($1,100,000)
Greenways/Blueways Projects (Submitted) ($435,000)
Onondaga Lake Amphitheater Bypass Trail – Scoping, Design ($200,000)
Loop the Lake/Bear Trap Creek Trail Connection – Concept, Scoping, Design ($150,000)
Empire State Trail Connections and Enhancements ($150,000)
Legislator Olson, a committee member, asked Mr. Waffner about the Development Fund and whether it could be used for projects around the Erie Canal, which is prominent in his district. The answer was yes, and that municipalities would present the Planning Department with a plan and they would then be considered for some funding.
This resolution was advanced.
The November Ways & Means Committee meeting brought with it approval of all the resolutions previously mentioned, along with a number of resolutions, including the twice-yearly Mortgage Tax Apportionment. $5.3 million dollars is being returned to towns and villages, and is up 9% compared to same 6 month period of last year.
Also advanced to Session:
The approval of corrections to tax bills resulting in refunds or credits not exceeding $2,500
$150,000 for Facilities Management to cover increased postage and trash/cleaning services
Apportionment of drainage district tax for the Bloody Brook, Bear Trap – Ley Creek, Harbor Brook and Meadowbrook and the Onondaga County Sanitary District
2025 City Drainage District and City Water abstracts
The main discussion at the meeting was the proposed local law relating to fines for drivers who fail to stop for school buses with red flashing lights and/or stop-arms extended. Committee Chair Colleen Gunnip (4th District) shared her concerns that some school districts cross county lines and that the jurisdiction would only be within Onondaga County lines. “I still feel it should be the state that does this” she said. “That seems to make more sense. It’s a good program but I still feel the state should do it.”
As of the Ways & Means meeting, six districts have expressed interest: Baldwinsville, Liverpool, North Syracuse, Jamesville-DeWitt, Fabius-Pompey and East Syracuse Minoa. It could launch as early as September 2025.
First Chief Deputy County Attorney Benjamin Yaus detailed a proposed local law allowing for the continued lease of property in the Town of Elbridge for use by 911/Emergency Communications for a radio tower. The county has been leasing the land for some time and has reached an agreement to lease an expanded 75’x75’ site for just $15,000 through 2048.
Legislator David Knapp (12th District), a committee member, asked, “Just to get it straight in my head, we’re spending $15,000 once through 2048?”
Mr. Yaus replied, “Yes, no more monthly rental payments. It saves us about $30,000 over the course plus we get an extra 15 years for free.”
Legislator Knapp joked, “Well, I’ll be looking forward to voting on it again in 2048!”
As local laws being considered, they move directly to Session without a vote.
All of the above resolutions came before the full Legislature at the December 3rd Session and were approved.
The only other item was a local law to officially amend the Onondaga County legislative district maps. Both parties created one following a New York State Supreme Court decision in September which required the redrawing of district lines to absorb individuals incarcerated outside the county. In our county that population totals 1,635 individuals, with nearly 80% of that population residing in the city of Syracuse.
Legislature Chairman Timothy Burtis (3rd District), spoke just before the vote. “Members of this Legislature worked separately to form new maps and then met in a collaborative effort to try to resolve this matter in a way our community expects of its elected representatives and in a manner that best serves the residents of Onondaga County.”
In the end, the Republican version was approved. Of the county’s 450 election districts, it moves only 66 election districts into or out of 14 of the 17 legislative districts covering Onondaga County to account for the increased population.
While most members on the other side of the aisle expressed concerns about the Republican maps, it’s important to note that their leader did agree a “healthy amount of collaboration” did take place.
Chairman Burtis added, “A lot of work has been done and I believe that we have done what we were asked to do.”