COMMITTEE ON BUDGET AND APPROPORIATONS
MINUTES
NOVEMBER 19, 2002
MEMBERS PRESENT: Wishnie, Kaplowitz, LaMotte, Latimer Oros, Stewart-Cousins
OTHERS PRESENT: Budget: K. Carrano, A. Vietro, F. Pishorniski, D. Cabrera; Health: Dr. J. Lipsman, P. Yang-Lewis, A. Portera, I. Cohen; Mental Health: J. Schaffer, R. Kopenhaver; CE’s Office: A. Newman; Open Door FMC: L. Fanell; CBAC: B. Strauss; BOL: B. Boland, R. Indelicato, S. Schecter, T. Bernard, S. Vanderberg
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH:
The Department lost 19 people to early retirement this year. Those, which have not been downgraded or eliminated, are currently in the recruitment stage. Mrs. Carrano said she would provide the Committee with a copy of the job vacancy report.
Neighborhood Health Centers:
The proposed reductions would not affect the overall budget of the health centers but those services funded by the Department of Health that aren’t State mandated, adding health centers would still have other funding sources to draw from. Health centers are asked to submit justifications and are funded accordingly, some have yet to tap these funds. A schedule of these justifications will be provided for committee review.
County operated health clinic locations and services provided:
New Rochelle: STD’s, TB, and Family Planning
Yonkers: STD’s, TB, Family Planning and Dental
White Plains: TB, STD’s, Family planning
Non-clinical services are also offered such as W.I.C.
Many of these are services providers do not historically volunteer take up, but affect diseases the County has a societal interest in controlling. A breakdown of services provided, staffing, and funding by office will be provided for committee review.
POSITIONS, OPERATING:
Several tenured civil service permanent positions have been eliminated and replaced with transient grant-funded positions. The grants are for specific non-County obligated services, and the positions will disappear when the grants dry up.
Neighborhood Health Centers:
Upon review of the year-end closeout it is anticipated the Mount Vernon and Greenburgh Health Centers will not have not drawn down the full amount encumbered in the A&C resolution. A breakdown of this line will be provided for committee review.
TOBACCO CONTROL PROGRAM:
Considered the worst public health problem, the tobacco control program has multiple components including education, advocacy, and legislative measures. With hopes the proposed Legislation banning smoking in public places will not only have a restrictive but an educational impact in helping to change the acceptability of smoking, the department has abolished their $1million dollar a year advertising campaign.
Past programs have included a sting, ensuring merchants were not selling tobacco products to minors and grants to community based organizations to encourage non-smoking. A breakdown of line 4359 will provided for the committee to review.
MOSQUITO SURVEILLANCE, line 4358:
Program is three-fold:
Public education- materials on how to avoid bites and standing water
Monitoring/surveillance- traps throughout County checked through season for infected mosquitoes
Control- monitoring of larvicides at 60,000 catch basins (seasonal, done in house)
CONTRACTUAL SERVICES, line 4380:
The tax-levied reduction shown is approximately 5% of the Department’s total expenditures. As to staffing, Mr. Lipsman said with some re-organization, and planned low/no cost initiatives the Department will not compromise Public Health and continue to provide services they can be proud of. A breakdown of line 1920, Payroll will be provided for committee review.
DEPARTMENTAL REVENUE:
The increase in this line is due to the re-classification of Medicaid revenue from state-aid to departmental revenue. A revised sheet reflecting the 2002 and 2003 lines will be provided for the committee to review on a comparative basis.
SERVICES FOR CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES:
The County does not control this program. A projected increase is of $6 million dollars requested to for the delivery of services. The growth in this area, which is occurring in other Counties throughout the state with similar demographics, could be attributed to strong word-of-mouth network and high expectations on the part of Westchester parents. A breakdown of State Aid increases by income source will be provided for committee review.
Due to the exponential growth potential in this area, Mr. Kaplowitz suggested the Board in concert with the County Executive; draft reform possibilities to present to Westchester’s State delegates.
Lead Abatement Program:
Mr. Lipsman said people still access money from the lead abatement program; the increase in the number of cases is due to the lowering of the threshold.
Mr. Lipsman assured the reduction in Environmental personnel would have no negative impact in the services provided for the northern part of the county. The Department has recently added a district office in Mount Kisco. A schedule for this area will be provided for the Committee to review.
Departmental Income line, 50:
The drop in departmental income is due to the fact that the department will not
receive the disproportionate funding from the State from Medicaid it had received in 2001 in 2002. A schedule of what this amount was comprised of was requested.
Inter-departmental charges
A schedule will be provided for the Committee to review.
Dental Care
Although the County does very little in the way of direct clinical dental services it does have a very involved education and outreach program, therefore the department does not feel it wise to turn the dental program over to Child Health Care Plus at this point.
MENTAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT:
Commissioner Schaffer said State Aid matches the department’s entire tax levy. 68% in state aid is received for every 32% of County Tax levy; likewise for every tax levy dollar cut to the budget, 2 dollars are cut in State Aid. Have attempted to keep as many services as possible intact. The department has eliminated 5 positions.
Positions
12 Early retirements, some of which have been filled, 5 vacancies have been eliminated and 9 remaining vacancies, which are close to being filled. A schedule for this will be provided for Committee review.
Retirement Systems
The department’s retirement system numbers are not reflected in the miscellaneous budget. A breakdown of State Aid for this line will be provided for this line for Committee review.
PINS, line 4439:
The increase seen in this program, which helps to keep children out of the criminal justice system, is due to age expansion and an increase in referrals. The County is not reimbursed for this program. A breakdown schedule was requested for this line.
Payment to Additional Psychiatric Services, line 4500:
County tax levy money used to make small matches when necessary to certain contract agencies. This money is provided in addition to State Aid funds. A breakdown for the net amount of this line was requested.
6N Fund/ Miscellaneous Budget, line 4937
Mrs. Carrano said due to the removal of the amount requested by the actuary from last years budget the County did not make the necessary contribution for 2002. The third quarter review revealed if the appropriate level of funding is put in for 2003 and restored what was removed last year may be able to make fund balance for this year. Mrs. Carrano said the actuary would be made available to review these numbers.
Contractual Services
Numbers reflect programs, which have been eliminated due to under performance.
On the motion of Mr. Kaplowitz, seconded by Mr. Wishnie the meeting was adjourned at 11:14 a.m.