COMMITTEE ON BUDGET AND APPROPRIATIONS

MINUTES

APRIL 19, 1999

ATTENDANCE:

Chairman Wishnie called the meeting to order at 10:15 a.m.

DISCUSSION: (There is a cassette tape on file for more detailed information)

BOND ACT: Mount Vernon District Office:

III, 3: Proposed Act to amend the 1999 Capital Budget and two Bond Acts to

• Mr. Carerra distributed a map (on file) of available parking around the Mt. Vernon building. There are spaces available at the Mt. Vernon train station where both the County and the MTA own spaces. He reminded the Committee that once Yonkers General Hospital moves out of the Mt. Vernon building, the parking spaces they currently occupy will be vacated. He is very comfortable that there is parking available for County employees working in the Mt. Vernon building.
• Mr. Carerra informed the Committee that the County is continuing discussions with regard to parking with the City of Mt. Vernon.
• By moving DOT from 112 East Post Road and DSS offices from 150 Grand Street to the Mt. Vernon D.O., the initial yearly savings is $474,000 in rent. Since the original lease expires on 6/30/01 and in with County space planning standards, the remaining space that will be rented in 150 Grand Street will be reduced from 44,000 sq. ft. to 28,000 sq. ft. This will result in an additional savings of $300,000 annually, until the County completely vacates 150 Grand and moves into 112 East Post Road, at which point an additional $526,000 in rental savings occurs.

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• Mrs. Stewart-Cousins asked if the Mt. Vernon will be completely occupied by County offices. If this is not the case, she would like to see Yonkers General Hospital continue to rent space in the building.
• Mrs. Carsky repeated her request with regard to a breakdown of parking spaces by County facility, how they are being subsidized and how much employees are paying for parking. She stressed her concern for equity for all County employees with regard to parking facilities.

On motion of Legislator Young, seconded by Legislator Stewart-Cousins, the motion to approve this item was carried by a vote of 8-0 with Legislators Kaplowitz, Stewart-Cousins, Mosiello, Carsky, LaMotte and Swanson signing "Without Prejudice".

On motion of Legislator Kaplowitz, seconded by Legislator Young, the Minutes of April 12, 1999, as amended, was carried by a vote of 8-0.

• Amendments to minutes: Mrs. Stewart-Cousins pointed out that her request for a breakdown of savings with regard to the moves had been omitted from the minutes. It was added in. A couple of ministerial changes were made as to proper location for statements.

• Several members of the Committee expressed concern that responses to questions asked and information requested by the Committee (as noted in the minutes) are often not received or not received on a timely basis.

II, 8. Proposed Resolution transferring funds within various County

Departments in the amount of $1,459,334. (4/12/99)

• Ms. Tooher informed the Committee that the audit is not yet completed.
• Ms. Tooher informed the Committee that this is the final clean-up as they go through the final audit with Bennett Kielson.

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• The Committee had several questions with regard to 207C savings. Ms. Tooher explained that Correction Officers are budgeted in their lines up above. When they become 207C’s the department moves them as quickly down to the expense account called "207C" as possible. There were about 90 days that didn’t fall down into the expense account and was left as expense up in Annual Regular which explains the savings in the line called 207C, although there are no savings in the program.

• Ms. Tooher explained that the auditors agree that they should accrue back into the expense account for each department the contract settlement through fiscal year 1998. Only payroll taxes will fall into the current fiscal year because they are accruable and payable only when the check is cut.
• Ms. Tooher informed the Committee that she is only aware of one large issue that is hanging out there that will require a committee transfer once it gets through the County Attorney’s Office. That is a settlement of a lawsuit that goes back to 1995 called the "Holcomb Case" (class action suit re: privatization that occurred mid-year in the County from 1995 forward). The number could be as high as $2 million.
• Currently in the range of $17-$19 million surplus fund balance, but it could change once the final audit is complete.

• DPW Operations & Maintenance: Savings due to the fact that we have had incredibly mild winters for the past two years, they always budget for the average winter.

• Certiorari Account: Ms. Tooher stated that we are seeing a leveling, it does not seem to be growing at the rate that it was. It seems to be hovering around $10 to $10.5 million. The biggest issue they are aware of right now is the Con Edison case in Cortlandt which is supposed to be close to settlement.
• Health Insurance: Ms. Tooher stated that it is the smallest transfer into this account in 12 years. When the budget was adopted for 1998, the Board cut the appropriation by $1.7 million. It looks like they only needed about $100,000 of the $1.7 million that was cut.
• Jail –$1 million transfer - accruing for all future contract settlements that will go back to 1996. They are putting all of the money into the Annual Regular account.
• Advance to Grants: Tried to clean up and close out things that don’t really belong in the Trust Accounts.
• Ms. Stewart-Cousins stated that the Law Library at the Women’s Unit is outdated while the Men’s Unit is online. Looking at the numbers (transfers) coming out of the Women’s Unit as compared to the Men’s Unit looks disproportionate. Ms. Tooher stated that she will look into it.

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• Ms. Tooher briefly explained "roll-forwards".

• Mr. Mosiello inquired as to the $45,000 being taken from the Public Safety Department. Ms. Tooher stated that the authorized allowed equipment was all purchased and came in under the original estimate.

• The Committee took no action on this item pending further information.

II, 9. Proposed Act amending the 1998 Water District No. 1 Operating Budget

(4/12/99).

• This act provides for an increase in appropriation in Water District No. 1 in the amount of $482,211.
• The amendment is to the water account and is fully funded by revenue from water sales within the district.
• The transfer is required to complete the 1998 year for the district on a sound financial basis.

On motion of Legislator Carsky, seconded by Legislator Young, the motion to approve this item was carried by a vote of 8-0.

II, 14. Proposed Act amending the 1998 Operating Budget. (4/12/99)

• Need additional appropriation ($109,860) in the Public Safety Department for overtime for working on Parks Programs.
• An increase of $1,515,000 in the Miscellaneous Budget – Cash to Capital Account. Mr. Boland stated that this is already in the budget. Ms. Tooher explained that this was put in the budget by the Deputy Commissioner of Finance anticipating approval by the Board. If the Board does not approve this legislation that amount will be removed from the budget.

On motion of Legislator Carsky, seconded by Legislator Young, the motion to approve this item was carried by a vote of 7-0 (Legislator Swanson out for vote).

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II, 15. Proposed Resolution transferring funds within various Sewer and Water

Districts in the amount of $115,877. (4/12/99)

• Only Committee approval is required for this transfer.

On motion of Legislator LaMotte, seconded by Legislator Young, the motion to approve this item was carried by a vote of 7-0 (Legislator Swanson out for vote).

II, 16. Proposed Act to modify the Ossining Sanitary Sewer District by the

removal of 354 parcels of property located in the Town of Croton on

Hudson. (4/12/99) (Also referred to PW)

• According to DEF the proposal to remove these parcels is feasible because the subject: (1) changes require no engineering modifications to the district facilities and there is no impact on the County facilities because these parcels were never connected to the sewerage system; (2) changes from ad valorem taxation properties that have not benefited and foreseeably will not benefit from connection to District facilities based on information received from the Town of Croton-on-Hudson; (3) changes free reserve capacity at the District treatment plant for future enlargement of the District from surrounding areas without the capital costs of expanding treatment facilities; and (4) parcels once removed from the District will be required to petition the County to re-enter the District and the County is not obligated to reserve any capacity for these parcels once they have been removed.

• The removal of these parcels was reviewed by the Health Department.
• This legislation was referred to and signed out by the Public Works Committee.

On motion of Legislator Kaplowitz, seconded by Legislator LaMotte, the motion to approve this item was carried by a vote of 7-0. (Legislator Swanson out for vote)

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II, 7. Proposed Act authorizing the County to grant an easement to the Metro-

North Commuter Railroad Company over certain County-owned real

property in the Village of Croton-on-Hudson. (4/12/99)

• Adoption of this act would authorize the County to grant an easement to Metro-North over County-owned property adjacent to Croton Point Park in the Village of Croton-on-Hudson in order for Metro-North to lay a wastewater pipe from Metro-North’s Harmon Rail Yard in the Village of Croton to connect to the Ossining Wastewater Treatment Plant.
• As consideration for the County’s grant of this easement, Metro-North has agreed to utilize County methane gas which is presently burned off in a flare at the Croton Landfill, to heat Metro-North’s track and structures building in the Harmon Rail Yard.

• The proposed easement would provide permanent access to Metro-North for maintenance and repair of the wastewater pipe.
• Metro-North will pay fees to the County for its use both of the Ossining Wastewater Treatment Plant and for the methane it uses, and will make an initial, one-time payment of $175,000 to the county.

On motion of Legislator Kaplowitz, seconded by Legislator Stewart-Cousins, the motion to approve this item was carried by a vote of 7-0 (Legislator Swanson out for vote).

The Committee reviewed the April 22, 1999 A&C Calendar.

There being no further items for discussion, on motion of Legislator Stewart-Cousins, seconded by Legislator Mosiello, the meeting was adjourned at 12:00 p.m.