COMMITTEE ON BUDGET AND APPROPRIATIONS

MINUTES

SEPTEMBER 27, 1999

 

 

ATTENDANCE:

 

B & A MEMBERS:         Wishnie, Abinanti, Carsky, Kaplowitz, LaMotte, Mosiello, Stewart-Cousins, Swanson, Young

 

OTHERS:                       Budget Dept.: Kate Tooher, Diane Vanadia;  CBAC: George Hosey, Barbara Strauss;  C.E.’s Office:  Bill Randolph;  BOL:  Barbara Dodds, Sally Schecter, Chris Chang, Robert J. Boland, Tina Seckerson

 

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

 

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

 

 

EMERGENCY REPAIRS:  HURRICANE FLOYD DAMAGES:

 

·       This legislation includes an Amendment to the 1999 Capital Budget and a related Bond Act in the amount of $3,500,000 to establish a storm damage reconstruction project.

·       This will enable the County to fund costs to be covered subsequently by insurance and/or federal and state disaster assistance to repair Westchester County property damaged by Hurricane Floyd.  The bonding is necessary to get the work started immediately.

·       Various County structures, facilities and roads, including, but not limited to:  Seven Bridges Road in New Castle and Yorktown, River Lane in Croton Gorge Park, the County Trailway System, a bridge at Mountain Lakes Park and the Lake Street Garage in White Plains, require reconstruction to protect them from further destruction and return them to operating condition.

·       Mr. Mosiello asked if the County has a fund to be used for emergency repairs.  Mrs. Carrano stated that the County does not and has no intention to bond this work unless FEMA and insurance recovery monies do not come through.

·       Mrs. Vanadia explained that during the storm of December 1992 the Administration came to the BOL for bonding authorization to fund repair work.  Although they received the authorization, they did not have to use it as monies were recovered from FEMA and the insurance carrier.  Then they submitted a year end cash amount to fund the remainder of items without using any bonding.  Committee questioned whether this bonding authorization has been retired.  Budget Department will check.

COMMITTEE ON BUDGET & APPROPRIATIONS

MINUTES – SEPTEMBER 27, 1999

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·       Mrs. Stewart-Cousins inquired if monies put aside for snow removal could be used for these repairs.  Mrs. Carrano stated that due to the enormous cost of this project it could not be handled through the County’s operating budget.,

·       Mr. Kaplowitz inquired as to which contracts have been awarded thus far.  Mrs. Carrano stated that none have been awarded yet, but it is the Administration’s intention to award some of the contracts at this week’s A&C meeting.

·       Mr. Kaplowitz asked about the expectation of reimbursement.  Mrs. Vanadia stated that FEMA has different levels of disaster declaration.  We can expect 75% FEMA reimbursement as well as 12.5% state reimbursement of what they determine to be the eligible amount.  Mrs. Carrano will provide a breakdown for the Committee.

·       Mrs. Carsky questioned the $5 million figure in the Planning Board report.  Mrs. Vanadia stated that the report reflects the amount that was originally presented to them but the figure they are working with is $3.5 million.

·       Mrs. Carsky asked about the non-recurring fund that the County had in the 1980’s.  Mrs. Carrano stated that there was at one time a non-recurring fund with an appropriation of about $7 million but it was depleted.

·       Mrs. LaMotte stated that as they are designing and doing work a mitigation plan should be put into effect to design the best possible infrastructure system.  Mr. Young agreed and commented that he would like to be sure that the bidding process is not overlooked when awarding contracts for these projects.

·       Mrs. Swanson requested a list of roadways in need of repair and the repairs to be made.

·       Mr. Boland stated that there is fund balance money available but the County’s policy has been to apply it two years out.  Mrs. Carrano stated that in order to use the surplus money the Administration would have to send down legislation amending the County and Capital Budgets and transfer money from cash to capital.

 

On motion of Legislator Kaplowitz, seconded by Legislator Abinanti, the motion to approve this item was carried by a vote of 9-0 with Legislators Mosiello, Carsky, LaMotte signing “Without Prejudice”.

 

COMMITTEE ON BUDGET & APPROPRIATIONS

MINUTES – SEPTEMBER 27, 1999

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A&C CALENDAR:

 

The Committee reviewed the A&C Calendar for September 30th and requested back-up on several matters.

 

 

VACANCY REPORT:

 

Mr. Mosiello questioned the vacancy number in the Department of Public Safety.  He stressed his concern that the vacancy number (6) reflects the positions put into the Public Safety Budget by the BOL last year.  Mr. Boland informed the Committee that the 6 positions are in a Trust Account (Parkway Police) as well as 5 in the operating budget (1 in Administration, 3 Police Officers, and 1 word processor in the Taxi and Limo Commission.)  The Budget Department will check and confirm the correct numbers.

 

ARBITRAGE:

 

Mrs. Carsky inquired as to when the meeting on arbitrage will be set.  A date will be worked on with the Budget Department.

 

ADJOURNMENT:

 

There being no further items for discussion, on motion of Legislator Abinanti, seconded by Legislator Mosiello, the meeting was adjourned at 11:15 a.m.