County Legislature To Act On Budget Deficit Resolutions

When the Rockland County Legislature meets Tuesday evening, the Committee of the Whole is expected to act upon reducing county personnel expenses by cutting jobs and eliminating vacant positions. Its agenda also includes a resolution to amend the 2012 budget by reducing payments to dozens of contract agencies by $300,000 as part of their cutting measures.

The departments listed for job eliminations include the Board of Elections, County Executive, Health, Social Services, Environmental, Human Rights, County Attorney, Office for the Aging, Personnel, Planning, Sheriff, Highway, Mental Health, General Services and Hospital. Many of the departments list at least some positions with six figure salaries that will be eliminated. However, health and Social Services include numerous positions that receive state and federal funding reimbursement. 

The departments that currently have vacant positions will see those permanently abolished. They include: the Board of Elections, Health, Social Services, Legislature, Sheriff, Veterans, Consumer Affairs, Highway, Road Machinery, Mental Health, Hospital and General Services.

The $300,000 slated to be cut from contract agencies’ funding goes from a high of $34,400 for the Rockland Economic Development Corporation, $14,200 for the Cornell Cooperative Extension and $10,400 for Head Start to $100 originally designated for American Legion Posts and other Veterans organizations along programs such as EPIC and Rivertown Film.

The legislature will vote on scheduling a public hearing on the 2012-2103 budget for Rockland Community College for July 10 at 7:05 p.m. The proposed budget for September 1, 2012 through August 31, 2013 must be filed with the legislature by June 23.  The budget will also include money for the Retired Senior Volunteer program.

A second public hearing on July 10 at 7:10 p.m. may be scheduled for transit project funding.  The county will be applying for funds from the Federal Transit Administration. The county has proposed a “Program of Projects” costing $9,665,000 with the federal share accounting for $7,732,000. 

The difference would be covered by New York State funds and dedicated county revenue. The project list includes bus shelters, bus stop improvements, purchase of 10 replacement vehicles and 10 replacement cutaway buses for TRIPS.  Additionally, three alternate fuel vehicles, capital improvement to the fuel station and Department of Public Transportation building expansion are listed.

The legislature is set to vote on a $500,000 agreement between the county and the towns of Clarkstown, Orangetown, Ramapo, Haverstraw and Stony Point and the Village of Spring Valley for reimbursement of police officers assigned to the Intelligence Center. According to the agreement, the county will pay $62,500 per officer for the time period between January 1 and June 30, 2012. Clarkstown and Ramapo each assigned two officers to the unit.  The other municipalities assigned one officer each.

Another law enforcement-related resolution involves an expected vote on purchasing a Remotec Andros HD2 Robot using funds from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.  No county dollars are involved in the acquisition. Technicians on the bomb squad of the Sheriff’s Department would use the $147,360 robot to locate improvised explosive devices (IEDs).

The new robot, manufactured by Remotec of Clinton, TN, can be used for bomb searches in confined spaces such as buses, aircraft, other vehicles and buildings. It will join an older version that was also purchased with Homeland Security monies.  Accessories such as a radio transmitter, cable and tools, for the two robots are interchangeable.

The legislative meeting begins at 7 p.m. on Tuesday night.