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In their second night of deliberations September 18th, Legislators acting as an Expanded Budget Committee heard from six more County departments, as they continue to review County Administrator Joe Mareane’s recommended 2015 County budget.

The Recommended Budget, with total expenditures of $180 million and local dollar spending of $83.3 million, would increase the tax levy by 2.34% (below the County’s projected property tax cap) and would increase the tax bill by $6.34 for the owner of a median-value $165,000 home—an amount of increase that would be returned by the State under the new State property tax freeze law.

Legislators heard presentations from the Assessment Department, Board of Elections, Facilities Division, Information Technology Services, the Department of Social Services, and Weights and Measures.  Again there was little discussion of over-target requests—only two of the departments submitted OTRs, all recommended by the County Administrator and all for one-time or multi-year funding, with no effect on the tax levy.

Among highlights from the presentations, three of the departments— Assessment, Information Technology Services, and the Department of Social Services— identified the issue of succession planning as among the major influences on their departments in the year ahead.  Assessment anticipates two retirements, including its Commercial Appraiser; Information Technology is preparing for five retirements over the next five years; and DSS will lose to retirement the directors of its two largest divisions, Medicaid and Temporary Assistance.

Assessment Director Jay Franklin said a nearly $47,000 multi-year OTR would enable the retiring Commercial Appraiser to continue half-time to train a replacement, and a more than $8,700 OTR, along with increased revenue from the Town of Covert, would extend a half-year project assistant to nearly full-year to alleviate clerical duties and allow a focus on succession planning.  With demands from a changing real estate market and increase in the number of county parcels, along with demands from State tax legislation, he noted his department continues to meet its demands with a staff that is 65% smaller than it was 15 years ago.

ITS Director Greg Potter noted that three of the five expected retirements could come in a single year.  Addition of two positions in his department for 2015 represent transfers from the Mental Health Department to ITS, as part of the continued centralization of the County’s IT employees and services.

Social Services Commissioner Patricia Carey said her department is about three-and-a-half staff positions smaller for 2015—through attrition and reassignment--as the department works to reorganize on an ongoing basis where circumstances permit and balance staff with the work that needs to be done— an approach that will help the department address the impending retirements and how to fill those positions.  She said there is still much uncertainty about specifics concerning future State Department of Health plans to take over Medicaid case processing—including how Federal and State funding for local district staff might be reduced, beyond 2015.  Commissioner Carey said she has expressed displeasure with the State’s stated plan and has indicated the department’s strong desire to continue to provide service if there will be the opportunity to do so.  Concerning the DSS budget, County Administrator Joe Mareane noted that moderation of mandates has produced some financial stability, with a surprisingly flat budget for the department between 2014 and 2015.

The Facilities Division has increased its roster by about one-and-a-half positions, adding a maintenance trainee position and increasing the electrician position from half to full-time—both staff increases supported through funds that had been set aside for lease payments elsewhere in the budget.  Facilities Director Arel LeMaro said the positions will enable the division to meet maintenance demands for a building area that has increased by about 100,000 square feet over the past 15 years.  The Division’s two over-target requests are for equipment replacement—a tractor and flat-bed truck.

The Board of Elections noted that there will be only local elections in 2015, with no countywide primary in 2015, minimizing the budget impact.  But Commissioners Elizabeth Cree and Stephen DeWitt cautioned that the 2016 Presidential election year, which would include as many as three countywide primaries, will require the department’s 2015 target reduction to be restored, along with additional one-time money to cover the extra presidential primary and additional workers.

Legislators acting as an Expanded Budget Committee heard from eight more County departments and agencies Monday, in their third night of review of County Administrator Joe Mareane’s recommended 2015 County budget.

Presenting were the departments of Finance, Probation and Community Justice, Emergency Response, and Planning; the County Historian; Animal Control-SPCA; and Tompkins County Area Development (TCAD).  Again several presenters had no over-target requests, and most such requests were recommended by the Administrator as part of his recommended budget. 

Highlights from the presentations:

Planning Commissioner Ed Marx noted that his budget amounts to essentially maintenance of effort, with a slight restoration of cuts made in 2014, but still quite a bit below its traditional past level.  Three of four OTRs submitted were recommended by the County Administrator—$11, 712 to maintain department staffing levels; $20,000 in one-time energy program matching funds; and $25,000 (recommended as one-time funding) to continue the 20-year-old Stream Corridor Restoration program, which in recent years has been supported through multi-year funding.  A $25,000 over-target request for one-time money to update the 2006 Housing Needs Assessment was not included in the Administrator’s budget.  The initial study identified the need for approximately 4,000 additional housing units, and Commissioner Marx said he sees it as important to update the assessment, incorporate current numbers, and prepare it in a way that it can be easily updated, monitored, and kept current.  Administrator Mareane said that he felt it appropriate that the Legislature address the matter as a policy issue, and to decide whether such funding is warranted..

Director of Emergency Response Lee Shurtleff also described his budget as maintenance-of-effort; his single over-target request was included in the budget—more than $48,000 in one-time funding to continue the interim Assistant Director of the communications center for one year, at half time, to assist in transitional activities and assist in administration of $3 million in grant funds and projects.

Director of Probation and Community Justice Pat Buechel, whose department had two recommended OTRs—$12,000 for local mileage and $6,000 for mandated training (funded through roll-over)—said her department’s goals include collaborating with the Sheriff’s Office on two programs to facilitate inmate re-entry.  She noted that incorporating a weekend Service Work Alternative Program as an alternative to weekend jail sentence was one outcome of the review of Alternatives-to-Incarceration programs accomplished through the Jail Alternatives Task Force.

For The History Center, the Administrator did not include in the budget a little more than $10,000 to increase the Director of Archives and Research Services to full-time, though about $4,300 is recommended to cover increased occupancy costs not already supported by the County.

TCAD President Michael Stamm praised the County for its leadership role bolstering financial support for the County’s economic development arm—a system of support through County funds and Room Tax dollars that will enter its second year in 2015.  Stamm said the County’s leadership was “a powerful statement” that formed the foundation for a very successful investment campaign, and he thanked the County for its commitment.

The Expanded Budget Committee has recessed until Thursday, September 25.  All Expanded Budget sessions begin at 5:30 p.m., and are held at Legislature Chambers in the Governor Daniel D. Tompkins Building, 121 E. Court Street (Second Floor).

The Recommended Budget, with total expenditures of $180 million and local dollar spending of $83.3 million, would increase the tax levy by 2.34% (below the County’s projected property tax cap) and would increase the tax bill by $6.34 for the owner of a median-value $165,000 home—an amount of increase that would be returned by the State under the new State property tax freeze law.

As they continue review of County Administrator Joe Mareane’s recommended 2015 County budget, Legislators acting as an Expanded Budget Committee heard budget presentations from seven more County departments and agencies.

Presenting last night were the District Attorney; Sheriff’s Office; and Health Department; as well as the Human Services Coalition (including community agencies); Opportunities, Alternatives, and Resources (OAR); and Cornell Cooperative Extension.

Thursday’s presentation highlights:

Of two over-target requests not recommended by the Administrator, District Attorney Gwen Wilkinson said her request for more than $127,000 to support an additional Assistant District Attorney (not recommended as part of the budget) is based on need—in part from a significant increase in prosecutorial resources from an expansion to two full-time judges in City Court, the desirability of D.A. personnel to cover all initial arraignments, as now required for defense counsel, and anticipated changes from pending legislation that would increase the prosecution discovery obligation in every criminal case.  The D.A. cautioned that, in view of increasing demands and years of doing more with less, the time will come in the near future when her office, without additional funding, will be unable to maintain the level of service to which the County is accustomed.

As part of the Sheriff’s budget, for the jail, the County Administrator has reduced the allocation for jail board-outs by $58,000 (a projected decrease from 8 to 6 board-outs per day)—reflecting decreases in jail population related to factors such as the new counsel-at-first-appearance requirement, and the expected effects from the addition of 7 jail beds after the jail reconfiguration is completed at mid-year.  Funding from that adjustment supports an over-target request of $50,623 advanced by OAR to hire an additional Client Service Worker to assist with the low-bail program and provide additional case management services, as recommended by the Jail Alternatives Task Force.  OAR Director Deborah Dietrich noted that there is a need for an additional caseworker, even with some decline in jail numbers, since there is the need for more complex case management to prevent people from returning to the jail over and over again.

For Human Services Coalition community agencies, the budget recommends four agency requests (The Advocacy Center, Southside Community Center, Lifelong, and Tompkins Learning Partners), and a reduced level of increase to ease staff transition at the Multicultural Resources Center.  Not recommended were $7,500 to add a part-time position for Catholic Charities’ Samaritan Center; $4,813 to begin phase-in toward meeting the living wage for staff at the Downtown Ithaca Children’s Center; and a $5,000 increase for the Food Distribution Network (supporting food pantries and meal sites).  Director Kathy Schlather noted that, in part, agencies are coping with shrinking resources, as demand for services rises, with the lack of safe, affordable housing options a continuing challenge.

For the Human Services Coalition itself, the budget recommends $5,000 in over-target funding toward a staff position to coordinate homeless services and partially funds, at $10,000, a request to maintain current staffing levels.  Director Schlather noted, in part, that funding does not cover the true cost of doing business, State reporting requirements are becoming more involved and taking more staff time, and that the Affordable Care Act has increased the Coalition’s workload.

Public Health Director Frank Kruppa reported that his department was able to maintain a flat budget request for 2015, while much internal analysis and adjustment is in process.  He said the department has benefited from a change in the way it pays for Early Intervention services, with private insurance and Medicaid now billed first, then the Department paying its and the State’s portion, then being reimbursed.  The department is evaluating its electronic health records system, including approaches  that may enable a coordinated system with the Mental Health Department.

For Cooperative Extension, two over-target requests for one-time funding were recommended in the budget--$40,000 to help fund a staff position for a career readiness program targeted at all county youth and $20,000 to support continued development of an association staff productivity website, which was supported in last year’s budget process.  Director Ken Schlather said that system has already improved new staff orientation and training and has saved half a position for human resources compliance and bookkeeping.

The Expanded Budget Committee will next meet Tuesday, September 30.  All Expanded Budget sessions begin at 5:30 p.m., and are held at Legislature Chambers in the Governor Daniel D. Tompkins Building, 121 E. Court Street (Second Floor).

The Recommended Budget, with total expenditures of $180 million and local dollar spending of $83.3 million, would increase the tax levy by 2.34% (below the County’s projected property tax cap) and would increase the tax bill by $6.34 for the owner of a median-value $165,000 home—an amount of increase that would be returned by the State under the new State property tax freeze law.

The 2015 Recommended Budget, along with other budget-related information, is posted on the budget page of the County web site.

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