MINUTES
OTHERS: C.E.’S Office: Bill Randolph, Symra Brandon, Budget: Kate Carrano, Leslie Bennett, Fran Piskorowski, Anthony Finateri; Senior Programs & Services: Mae Carpenter, Dept. of Correction: Rocco Pozzi, Eric Langeloh, Tony Czarnecki, Brian Fitzpatrick, Chris Merritt, Bridget Gladwin, Joseph Miranda; Probation: Rocco Pozzi, Dennis Capalbo, Jacolyn Levin, Patricia Pagliaro, COBA: Joseph Spano, Alffredo Holder, Robert David Goodstein; Law Dept: Charlene Indelicato, Lori Alesio; Bargaining Association: Mike Wittenberg; My Sisters’ Place: Julie Domonkos; West/Put Legal Services: Barbara Finkelstein; Probation/Union: Keoni May; BOL: Legislator Ryan, Legislator Bronz, Barbara Dodds, Rafael Vega, Sally Schecter, Chris Chang, Robert Boland, Tina Seckerson
Chairman Wishnie
called the meeting to order at
2002 Capital Budget:
Human Resources:
· Commissioner Redd-Zeman stated that the human Resources Department is doing more with less. Position count for the department is 54, 50 for the personnel Division and 4 for Affirmative Action. There is one less position in the department than last year when Affirmative Action had 5. The position count for the Personnel Division has remained unchanged since 2000 and reduced 6 positions from 1997.
· Line 9050 - Departmental Income: includes drug testing in which the revenue dollars are commensurate with the number of tests performed.
· There is aggressive recruitment for bilingual positions.
· New Police positions: comfortable that they will be able to handle with current personnel. There was a discussion as to the two lists, one being bilingual, and the ability for placement if a bilingual candidate scores high and the open position isn’t necessarily a bilingual one.
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· One of the department’s missions is to keep older people in the community as long as possible while looking out for the interests of the caregivers. There is a new caregivers resource program.
· The average person who is in a nursing home goes on Medicaid after five months as this is the average time for their personal resources to run out.
· Committee requested a breakdown of Line 4957 – Comprehensive Program for the Aging. Commissioner Carpenter stated that this line accounts for matching funds for several grants.
· Services by Data Processing (5260): The increase in this account is due to a requirement to automate recording and record keeping which IT is setting up for them
· Committee requested budgets for programs
Department of Correction:
· Commissioner Pozzi reported that morale in the department is much better than it has been since the contract negotiations have been settled.
· Currently there are 62 correction officers out on 207C (long term out for more than 30 days). A lot Of those are not new cases. The number of new filings are down. Approximately 38 have applied for ¾ disability.
· Down 41,000 hours of OT compared to last year. Rates in OT are higher due to contract agreement.
· 5020 – Job Injury (207C): numbers have been fluctuating between 60 and 70.
· OT: (1400): Anticipate a decrease because of the reductions in 207C cases, but the Commissioner stated they may not see the decrease right away
· Contractual Services (4380): Medical services & food service contracts
· Services by Data Processing(5260): Decrease because the maintenance on equipment & software is done internally
· Inmate population : 80% drug related
· There was a discussion with regard to the types of Educational training included in Line (4360):
· With regard to the new Pen, 60% of the design is done. They anticipate an18 month cycle for the actual construction
· They are in Water District 3 and the water rates for NYC went up
COMMITTEE ON BUDGET & APPROPRIATIONS
MINUTES – NOVEMBER 30, 2001
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Department of Probation:
· Crime Victims Assistance is in the Miscellaneous Budget and should be in Probation
· Day Reporting Center is up and running. All operating expenses for this were previously contained in line 4133 in the 2001 operating budget. This line item was abolished in the 2002 operating budget and Day Reporting expenses folded into existing lines in the operating budget. This created increases in several lines, the most glaring being contractual services. Committee requested a schedule for contractual services-line 4380.
· New PINS program will have a direct impact on Probation. PINS intake service demand will increase by 100% due to the new legislation..
· Committee requested a breakdown of expense account positions
· Committee requested a breakdown of Debt service for IT (by department)
· Vacancy rate: 2 being held because there are two grant lines that are ending
· Educational Training: There is a much needed increase in this line. They were allowed some, but not all of what the requested. They scaled back on some of what they wanted to do to save money and will give a breakdown showing what they had planned to do
Miscellaneous Budget:
Committee requested a Special Studies Breakout
Lawsuit Settlement:
D15: Act 223-2001: Authorizing the County Attorney to settle the lawsuit entitled Bernice Tucker v. Westchester County Department of Correction and Rocco Pozzi, sued in his individual capacity. (10/29/01)
· The County Attorney reviewed the lawsuit, which was previously discussed, in detail.
· Ms. Indelicato stressed that there is no union involvement in this case.
· The court injunction imposed involves keeping an extra female correction officer to do strip searches-24 hours a day, which would cost the County $1300 per day in OT to keep the post going. The settlement lifts the injunction.
· There is a policy question with regard to the necessity of mandating two female officers be present during a strip search.
COMMITTEE ON BUDGET & APPROPRIATIONS
MINUTES – NOVEMBER 30, 2001
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· Mr. Goodstein informed the Committee that there is currently pending a Title VII lawsuit that Ms. Tucker is a part of along with the union with regard to the same issue. The matter is still in federal court. It is based on sexual discrimination. If the case currently being discussed in Committee is settled before the Title VII case Ms. Tucker would probably sign a release.
Executive Session:
On motion of Legislator Stewart-Cousins, seconded by Legislator Kaplowitz the motion to go into Executive Session at 11:30 a.m. to discuss pending litigation was carried by a vote of 6-0.
On motion of Legislator Kaplowitz, seconded by Legislator Abinanti, the motion to go out of Executive Session at 12:24 p.m. was carried by a vote of 6-0.
· Committee requested a report on how the department plans to handle the safety issue.
· The language in the Act and the Committee Report will be amended to reflect the Department’s intentions with regard to the safety issue.
· Committee will hold this item for the amendment and will sign it out next week.
ADJOURNMENT:
There being no further items for discussion, on motion of Legislator Kaplowitz, seconded by Legislator Stewart-Cousins, the meeting was adjourned at 12:30 p.m.