*COMMITTEE ON BUDGET AND APPROPRIATIONS

MINUTES

NOVEMBER 21, 2001

 

 

ATTENDANCE:

 

B & A MEMBERS:         Wishnie, Abinanti, Carsky, Kaplowitz, LaMotte,

Stewart-Cousins, Young

 

OTHERS:                       Budget:  Kate Carrano, Leslie Bennett, Arthur Vietro, Vernon HuffCountyClerk:  Leonard Spano, Eugene Rogers, John Delaney;  CBAC/LWVW:  Barbara Strauss; Guests:  Ed Tooher, Carmen Castellanos;  BOL: David Simpson, Peter Neglia, Tara Bernard, Rafael Vega, Chris Chang, Robert Boland, Tina Seckerson

 

Chairman Wishnie called the meeting to order at 9:16 a.m.

 

 

2002 Operating Budget:

 

CountyClerk’s Office:

 

A12.  Operating Budget Amendment:  Proposed Act amending the 2001 County Clerk Operating Budget.  (11/13/01)

 

·       Business is up and still growing

·       Checks cannot be cashed until the documents are filed and put on record.  Systemically there is no way to track the checks with the documents.  There is a multitude of types of checks.  Don’t want to get back to where they were in 1999-March of 2000 where they were stalled because of Y2K compliance.  Have people working evenings and weekends.  Approval from CE to hire some additional temporary people.

·       Long term solution?  OT burns people out.  Would be better to have more people.  OT is perfect for a short period of time .  Permanent increase in volume, need to put additional resources in (more people).

·       Document time:  from beginning to end?  10-12 days from beginning to end.  Handling of document at first step Exam I, Exam II, (processing and scanning) 2-3 days


COMMITTEE ON BUDGET & APPROPRIATIONS

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·       Question re: what it takes form beginning to end as far as people power.  Multiply number of documents times the people power to get a better idea of how much time is necessary to process.  Not getting ahead of the curve.

·       Work closely with IT.  Need to make some enhancements to the system, being done currently.

·       Need to change the way we do things in the county Clerk’s office.  Need legislative changes from Albany. (re:  electronic signatures, standardization of documents)

·       (9050):  discussion re: revenue.  If you build up the revenue too much and it falls short, you have a problem on the revenue side of the budget that can’t be addressed.

·       Anticipated revenue:  projected $400,000 additional revenue over budget.

·       Committee questioned whether we should hire more people rather than make the technological investment now.  6 more people would allow them to keep their heads above water.

·       Committee requested a list of updates of pistol permits.

 

On motion of Legislator Young, seconded by Legislator Carsky, the motion to approve this item was carried by a vote of 6-0 with Legislator Abinanti out for the vote.

 

 

Budget Department:

 

Ms. Carrano reported that they are now printing Budget document in-house now with help of IT.  Printing on an as needed basis.

 

 

Miscellaneous Budget:

 

·       (2020) Certiorari Proceedings:  Down to $5 million.  The request for $8 million was submitted before the Con Ed lawsuit was thrown out of court.

·       There was a discussion with regard to how much longer we will be renting space for Family and Surrogate courts.  The response was until the courthouse renovation is complete.  Currently extended until 2005.

·       Disaster Assistance (2041):  security related:  All costs now reside in individual departmental budgets.  Committee requested a breakdown of the $2.3 million.


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·       Committee requested a list of non-recurring

·       (2067) Human Rights Commission:  Line item detail will be provided.  Why is this in the Miscellaneous budget?  Because it is a commission, not a department.  Committee also requested a written report of the status of the Human Rights Commission.

·       (2120) Special Studies:  Committee requested a schedule

·       NY Philharmonic is listed under Special Studies.  Committee requested a new account be set up such as Special Events in Cultural Arts

·       Committee requested a schedule of tourism account

·       (2115) Residents Tuition – Other Community Colleges:  prior to 2000 state would match FIT reimbursement dollar for dollar.  Governor cut it out of his budget.  Committee requested a list of detail of items no longer being reimbursed by the state.

·       Committee requested a copy of the Pest Management Budget

 

 

ADJOURNMENT:

 

There being no further items for discussion, on motion of Legislator Kaplowitz, seconded by Legislator Young, the meeting was adjourned at 11:45 a.m.