Chairman Joseph M. Isabel has called a meeting of the Public Safety Committee for 6:15 p.m. on Tuesday, March 21, 2017 in the Legislative Chambers, County Office Building, 64 Broadway, Fonda, New York. Items on the agenda, at this time, are as follows:

1. DISCUSSION

    A. Privilege of Committee Chair, Committee Members & Legislators to discuss items of interest, etc., regarding departments governed by this Committee

2.  RESOLUTION ADVOCATING FOR STATE FUNDING TO MONTGOMERY COUNTY AGENCIES FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSAL ON RAISING THE AGE OF CRIMINAL RESPONSIBILITY TO 18 YEARS OF AGE (PROBATION)

3. RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING COUNTY EXECUTIVE TO SIGN RENEWAL AGREEMENT - TRANSPORTATION OF FULTON COUNTY VETERANS - YOUTH, ATI & VETERANS' SERVICES

4. RESOLUTON AMENDING THE 2017 OPERATING BUDGET - EQUIPMENT REPLACEMENT E911 COMMUNICATIONS (SHERIFF)

5. OTHER

RESOLUTION NO. 69 of 2017 DATED: March 28, 2017 RECOMMENDATION:

WHEREAS, Governor Cuomo signed Executive Order 131 on April 9, 2014 to establish the Commisssion on Youth, Public Safety and Justice instructing the Commission to develop a concrete plan to raise the age of criminal responsibility in New York State and make specific recommendations on how the Juvenile and Criminal Justice systems can better serve youth, improve outcomes and protect communities; and

WHEREAS, the Commission completed its report on December 31, 2014 recommending raising the age of criminal responsibility from 16 to 18 over a two year period to be completed in a phased in approach; and

WHEREAS, the New York State Division of Criminal Justice statistics revealed that the number of arrests among 16 and 17 year olds statewide in calendar year 2015 was 27,281 and that under the proposed change these youth will now be shifted from the Criminal Courts to local Probation Departments for Intake and Diversion services; and

WHEREAS, the Governor's proposal recommends that the violation level offenses of Harassment 2nd degree and Disorderly Conduct shall also be diverted to Probation Departments for Intake and Adjustment services, thus adding substantially to the workload of Probation staff; and

WHEREAS, the Govenor's proposal recommends Probation Departments provide a continuum of Diversion services that range from minimal intervention for low risk youth and evidence based service for high risk youth, and

WHEREAS, Probation Departments will not be able to absorb the influx of youth requiring Intake and Diversion services at current staffing levels and will require addtional staff to perform these duties, and

WHEREAS, this added burden to County Probation Departments comes as the State share of probation costs has decreased from 46.5% in 1990 to 9% in 2016; and

WHEREAS, additional County Departments and agencies may be similarly affected by the increase in the age of criminal responsibility in areas that range from Juvenile Detention to community support services and do not have alternative sources of income to support the cost of addtional responsibilities and services; and

WHEREAS, Counties cannot absorb the financial cost associated with raising the age without 100% funding of the addtional staff and services required by the Governor's proposal, and

WHEREAS, the funding proposal stipulates that only counties who do not exceed the 2% tax cap and can demonstrate to the Division of Budget that funding related services is a fiscal hardship may apply for a waiver of the local share requirement of an expense otherwise incurred.

RESOLVED, that the Montgomery County Board of Legislators insists that the State Legislature enact legislation that fully, permanently and unambiguously obligates the State to pay for 100% of all new costs incurred by Probation Departments and other County Departments and agencies affected by raising the age of criminal responsibility; and

FURTHER RESOLVED, that language be included to set aside designated funds from which Counties can draw, eliminateing the need for Counties to exceed their 2% tax cap; and

FURTHER RESOLVED, that copies of this resolution be forwarded to Governor Andrew Cuomo, the Senate Majority and Minority Leaders, the Assembly Majority and Minority Leaders, Senator Amedore and Assemblyman Santabarbara, County Legislative Chairs, and NYSAC.

RESOLUTION VOTE, passed with Aye(8). Legislator Duchessi was absent. (3/28/2017)

I. Nature of Request:

II. Justification:

III. Legislative Impact:

IV. Financial Impact:

RESOLUTION NO. 70 of 2017 DATED: March 28, 2017 RECOMMENDATION:

WHEREAS, the Executive Director of Youth, ATI & Veterans' Services has recommended that Montgomery County continue to transport Fulton County veterans to and from the VA Medical Center in Albany, N.Y.; and

WHEREAS, municipal corporations have the power to enter into agreements for the performance among themselves or one for the other of their respective functions, powers and duties on a cooperative or contract basis; and

WHEREAS, the proposed agreement would benefit both Montgomery County and Fulton County.

RESOLVED, that the County Executive, following review and approval by the County Attorney, hereby is authorized and directed to sign a renewal agreement for the transportation of Fulton County veterans to and from the VA Medical Center in Albany, N.Y. ; and

FURTHER RESOLVED, that said Agreement shall be for a one-year period beginning on January 1, 2017 and ending on December 31, 2017, and

FURTHER RESOLVED, that said Agreement shall provide for transportation of Fulton County veterans, depending upon availability of space, at a charge of $30.00 each way.

RESOLUTION VOTE, passed with Aye(8). Legislator Duchessi was absent. (3/28/2017)

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II. Justification:

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RESOLUTION NO. 71 of 2017 DATED: March 28, 2017 RECOMMENDATION:

WHEREAS, the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office owns, maintains and operates the only 24/7 Emergency 911 Dispatch Center in Montgomery County; and

WHEREAS, the Dispatchers operate at four consoles within the aforementioned space for the purpose of taking calls and dispatching response units on a 24/7 basis; and

WHEREAS, the chairs utilized by the aforementioned Dispatchers have become delapidated, worn and defective from continual usage; and

WHEREAS, the Undersheriff sees a need for replacement of four 24/7 chairs to continue the effective operaton of E911 Dispatch Center.

RESOLVED, the County Treasurer is hereby authorized and directed to amend the 2017 Operating Budget as follows:

RESOLUTION VOTE, passed with Aye(8). Legislator Duchessi was absent. (3/28/2017)

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II. Justification:

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RESOLUTION NO. 72 of 2017 DATED: March 28, 2017 RECOMMENDATION:

WHEREAS, Montgomery County received a 2016-2017 grant in the amount of $144,886 from the New York State Local Government Records Management Improvement Fund for a Shared Services project scanning records for the City of Amsterdam, Town of Amsterdam, Town of Florida, and Montgomery County for import into an electronic content management system, and 

WHEREAS, Resolutions 177 and 262 of 2016 authorized the County Executive to sign the agreements with New York State Industries for the Disabled, Inc. (NYSID) to digitize the aforementioned records and with General Code for the purchase of the Laserfiche software. 

RESOLVED, that the County Treasurer is hereby directed to amend the 2017 Operating Budget:

RESOLUTION VOTE, passed with Aye(8). Legislator Duchessi was absent. (3/28/2017)

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II. Justification:

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IV. Financial Impact: