COMMITTEE ON BUDGET & APPROPRIATIONS
MINUTES
NOVEMBER 4, 2002
ATTENDANCE:
B & A MEMBERS: Wishnie, Abinanti, Bronz, Kaplowitz, LaMotte,
Oros, Swanson
OTHERS: Emergency: Pat Kelly; Transportation: Lawrence
Salley, Robert Bracchitti, Harry Stanton;
Correction: Bridget Gladwin; Planning: Jerry
Mulligan, Fran McLaughlin; Labs & Research:
Millard Hyland, Lawrence Fasnacht; Risk: Tony
Arena; Law: Lori Alesio; CBAC/LWVW: Barbara
Strauss; DPW: Ralph Butler; C.E.’s Office: Sal
Carrera, Susan Tapper, Bill Randolph, Andrew
Neuman; Airport: Joel Russell; Budget: Kate
Carrano, Arthur Vietro, Christopher Burkart,
James Arnett; IT: Allen Elliott, Kay Foster, Norm
Jacknis; DSS: Don Wiede, Nancy Travers; CBAC:
Fran MacEachron: Journal News: Keith Eddings: BOL: Chris Chang, Sunday Vanderberg, Tara Bernard, Barbara Dodds
The meeting of the Budget & Appropriation Committee was called to order at 9:16 a.m. by Chair Richard Wishnie and the Committee on Public Safety was called to order by Chair Bill Ryan.
A20 WCHCC Health Care for Department of Correction Inmates: The County will pay WCHCC an amount not to exceed $10,200,000 for one year starting January 1, 2003 and ending December 31, 2003. Last year the County paid $10,700,000 and due to some cost cutting by Corrections, they were able to reduce the fee. On the motion of Legislator Kaplowitz for the Budget & Appropriations Committee and Public Safety, seconded by Legislator Wishnie for both Committees, the motion was carried by a vote of 6-0 for the Budget & Appropriation Committee with Legislators LaMotte and Oros voting without prejudice and Legislator Abinanti out for the vote and a vote of 5-0 for the Public Safety Committee
Legislator Kaplowitz convened the Committee on Environment and Health.
On the motion of Legislator Wishnie, seconded by Legislator Swanson, the Committee on Public Safety was adjourned.
A8 –Clinical Education – WCHCC – Westchester Community College would assign students pursuing a degree or certificate program of study in the health care field to the Medical Center for supervised clinical instruction. This agreement would begin January 1, 2003 and extend through December 31, 2007 with no cost to the County. On the motion of Legislator Swanton, seconded b Legislator LaMotte for both the Budget & Appropriation Committee and the Committee on Environment/Health the motion was carried by a vote of 6-0 for each committee.
A15 – WCHCC-DOH Services for Children with Disabilities: The Medical Center will provide training to the County’s Department of Health staff, an Assistive Tecnology Device Loan Closet, technical support and assistance with the purchase of the assistive technology devices; evaluations of infant, toddlers and pre-school children with suspected disabilities and therapeutic and educational services for children birth to five years who have been identified as having handicapped conditions for a total not to exceed $2,100,000 for the term July 1, 2002 to June 30, 2003. SED children are growing in number, from 750,000 in 1976 to 98 million this year and an expected 115 million next year. The County has to treat anyone who requests help and the County is reimbursed at the State rate.
On the motion of Legislator Pinto, seconded by Legislator Kaplowitz for the Committee on Environment and Health, the motion was carried by a vote of 6-0 and on the motion of Legislator Oros, seconded by Legislator Kaplowitz for the Committee on Budget & Appropriations, the motion was carried by a vote of 6-0 with Legislator Abinanti out for the vote.
A17 – WCHCC Transportation of Foster Care: The agreement with the Medical Center acting by and through the Westchester Institute for Human Development (WIHD) will provide transportation services to children in foster care placement that are receiving evaluation and/or continuing treatment at WIHD. The term is from December 1, 2002 through December 31, 2004 for a total not to exceed $104,200. Most of this cost is reimbursed by Medicaid. One of the Legislators requested a break-down of the number cases per year.
On the motion of Legislator Pinto, seconded by Legislator LaMotte for the Committee on Environment/Health, the motion was carried by a vote of 6-0. On the motion of Legislator Oros, seconded by Legislator Swanson for the Committee on Budget & Appropriation, the motion was carried by a vote of 6-0 with Legislator Abinanti out for the vote.
On the Motion of Legislator Ryan, seconded by Legislator LaMotte, the Committee on Environment/Health was adjourned.
On the motion of Legislator Kaplowitz, seconded by Legislator Wishnie, the minutes of October 28 were approved.
On the Motion of Legislator Kaplowitz, seconded by Legislator LaMotte, the motion to receive and file the following items was carried by a vote of 6-0 with Legislator Abinanti out for the vote.:
A7 – Acceptance of a gift from Fuji Photo
A18 – Court ordered Refunds
A21 – County Budget Mandatory Parts
A1 – Compromise of Claim for Reimbursement of Health Care Expenditures: The employee worked for Labs & Research and oil from a vending machine had spilled on the floor causing the employee to slip and fall. She had extensive injuries and was out of work from July 1999 until February 2002. The County paid for wages and medical treatment that amounted to $93,906. The employee sued the outside vendor and settled for $235,000. The employee, after paying legal fees had a net recovery of $155,500. The County would like to compromise the claim for $60.000. On the motion of Legislator Kaplowitz, seconded by Legislator Oros, the motion was passed by a vote of 6-0. Legislator Abinanti was out for the vote.
A4 – Compromise of Claim for Reimbursement of Health Care Expenditures: The employee worked for DSS. The employee fell, injured her knee, and as a result, the County paid for wages and healthcare in the amount of $4469. The employee sued the owners and contractor working on the sidewalk where the employee fell and settled for $5,000. Based on this settlement and based on the amount that the employee paid to her attorney, the County is agreeing to compromise their claim by accepting $1666. On the motion of Legislator LaMotte, seconded by Legislator Oros, the motion was carried by a vote of 6-0 with Legislator Abinanti out for the vote.
A5 – Compromise of Claim against TIG Insurance Company and A9 – Authorization to institute legal proceedings against Moran Towing: The County has expended $544,000 more then TIG is willing pay. This includes the deductible and an additional amount for work that TIG felt should not have been done. TIG is willing to institute legal proceedings against Moran with the County. Members of the Committee feel that TIG is our insurance company and they should pay us the $544,000. The accident was not the fault of the County and it is not our responsibility to try and collect this money. It was suggested that the Law Department inform TIG that we will sue them in order to recover this money and Risk Management was asked if the NYS Insurance Department had been contacted. The answer was no and it was suggested that they should be.
A3 – Sale of County Property - Stokes – Green: The County wishes to sell 10 acres to New York City for watershed protection in the amount of $524,391. The remaining 8 acres which includes the main house and garage and barn will be placed on the market for approximately $1,000,000 plus. The County has received a permanent easement from New York City to gain access to the property that it still owns. On the motion of Legislator Wishnie, seconded by Legislator Oros, the motion was carried by a vote of 6-0 with Legislator Abinanti out for the vote.
The Committee then reviewed the Capital projects of Transportation, Airport, Labs & Research and I.T. There were comments and several questions that were answered satisfactorily. During the Airport presentation, a memo was distributed from the County Executive stating that the deicing facility request for funding is being withdrawn. After the IT, presentation it was stated that a meeting needs to be arranged between IT and the Budget & Appropriation Committee so that the Committee be made aware of the projects that are being undertaken by IT.
The Budget Director presented the third quarter projections. There were 264 employees that took early retirement and 221 positions have been eliminated. There is expected to be a 1% growth in the sales tax between now and the end of the year. There has been an increase in auto sales but the auto tax is below what was budgeted and hotel tax is down. The number of cars that have been registered is down. Austin Avenue in on target. Interest rates are down – last year we received 6% on our investments and this year it is at 1-3/4%. Questions were asked by the Legislators.
The A & C agenda was distributed.
The meeting was adjourned at 12:05 p.m. on the motion of Legislator Kaplowitz and seconded by Legislator LaMotte.