County DMV Office will be closed to the General Public on Wednesdays

 Supervisors September 3 2020

County DMV Office will be closed to the General Public on Wednesdays

By PETE KLEIN

LAKE PLEASNT—When the Hamilton County Board of Supervisors met on September 3, it passed many resolutions with the following resolution being the one to be of greatest interest to the public.

AUTHORIZING COUNTY MOTOR VEHICLE OFFICE TO CLOSE

WHEREAS, the Hamilton County DMV has been extremely busy since the inception of the COVID-19 pandemic, and

WHEREAS, due to the Governor's regulations and other County DMV policies in who and how they are to service their customers, and

WHEREAS, Hamilton County is a tourist area and the DMV office historically has always serviced our summer residents from all other counties and we have now seen a serious influx of people in our area for the past many months who normally do not reside here, and

WHEREAS, due to this situation, we are unable to keep up and are severely behind with the back-end work and reporting requirements as required by NYS DMV, and

WHEREAS many conversations have been held with board members by the Hamilton County Clerk putting forth the situation in the Motor Vehicle office in efforts to help resolve this present situation, and

WHEREAS, a meeting was held with the Central Government Committee on August 24, 2020 and after much discussion, it was felt that closing the DMV to the public one day a week would help alleviate the present situation by being able to concentrate on in-house paperwork, and

WHEREAS the County Clerk suggested that the best day to close for the above purposes would be on Wednesdays to help with this situation until further notice, and

WHEREAS, New York State DMV has been notified through the County Clerk liaison who understands the situation that all offices are currently facing and was supportive of our proposal and asked to be kept informed as weeks progressed, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that the Hamilton County DMV Office will be closed to the General Public on Wednesdays beginning September 9, 2020 until further notice.

SETTING EQUALIZATION RATES DATED

RESOLVED, that the assessment rolls with proposed rates as set up by the Equalization Committee be adopted for the year 2020 as follows: Arietta – 100%, Benson – 85, Hope - 85, Indian Lake – 100, Inlet – 100, Lake Pleasant – 100, Long Lake – 100, Morehouse – 100, Wells - 85.

POLICY FOR AUTHORIZING CONTRACTS/AGREEMENTS

BE IT RESOLVED, that contracts/agreements that are between $0 - $1,999 for purchases/services may be signed by the Department Head or County official providing it has been approved by the County Attorney and an appropriation has been made in the current year’s budget for said goods or services, and be it further

RESOLVED, that contracts/agreements that are between $2,000 - $ 9,999 for purchases/services may be signed by the Chairman of the Board of Supervisors providing the Procurement Policy has been followed, it has been approved by the County Attorney and an appropriation has been made in the current year’s budget for said goods or services.

PAYMENT TO WARRENSBURG COLLISON CENTER, INC.

WHEREAS Sheriff’s vehicle #619 was involved in an accident and the repairs for the damage was completed by Warrensburg Collison Center, Inc., and

WHEREAS an invoice for the repairs has been received and the Fleet Coordinator recommends the payment of the said repairs of vehicle #619, be it

RESOLVED, the County Treasurer is hereby authorized to increase Account No. A1910.0402 Repairs to Vehicles-Insurance by $4,177.42 to be totally offset by increasing Revenue Account No. A2680.0000 Insurance Recoveries by $4,177.42, and be it further

RESOLVED, that the County Treasurer is hereby authorized to make a check payable to Warrensburg Collision Center, Inc. in the amount of $5,177.42 for Invoice #3023 and the funds be taken out of Account No. A1910.0402 Repairs to Vehicles-Insurance and the Fleet Coordinator and Clerk of the Board be so notified.

PAYMENT OF COMPENSATORY TIME - DEPUTY COUNTY CLERK

WHEREAS, the Hamilton County Clerk's Office has experienced an increased workload due to the COVID-19 Crisis with increased customer traffic in the DMV office resulting in a work backlog, and

WHEREAS this situation has necessitated all the staff and specifically that the Deputy County Clerk work longer hours which has been accumulated as compensatory time, and

WHEREAS, the Deputy County Clerk has accrued the maximum allowed compensatory time of 80 hours, and

WHEREAS, a Central Government Committee meeting was held on August 24, 2020 to discuss this issue and it was agreed by the committee and approved by the Deputy Chairman of the Board of Supervisors, Brian Wells, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that the Deputy County Clerk shall be compensated for her accumulated compensatory time of 80 hours at the rate of $32.838 for a total of $2,627.04 to be paid in 2 separate checks with payrolls ending September 19, 2020 and October 3, 2020 and the Treasurer's Office be so authorized.

2020 NYS HAVA CARES ACT GRANT

WHEREAS, the Hamilton County Board of Elections has been awarded the NYS HAVA CARES Act Grant BOE01-C004189-1110000 for an amount up t $8,796.41, and

WHEREAS this grant is a reimbursement grant to cover actual costs per the Work Plan submitted by the Hamilton County Board of Elections, and

WHEREAS, both Commissioners have agreed to and signed off on said Work Plan, now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that the Chairman of the Hamilton County Board of Supervisors is hereby authorized to sign NYS HAVA CARES Act Grant BOE01-C004189-1110000.

PURCHASE OF RADIO EQUIPMENT

WHEREAS one of the requirements of all current New York State Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Services (DHSES) grants funding issued through the Office Interoperable Emergency Communications (OIEC) is for 24/7 monitoring of established National Interoperability Channels, and

WHEREAS to be able to monitor said National Channels, specific radio equipment must be used, and

WHEREAS, the Hamilton County Office of Emergency Services has received a quote from Capital Digitronics for said radio equipment under NYS Contract #’s PT68716, PT68728, and PT68714, in the amount of $23,446.46, and

WHEREAS funding for this purchase is available through DHSES grant C198204, Account No. A3645.418, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that the purchase of said radio equipment from Capital Digitronics by the Hamilton County Office of Emergency Services in the amount of $23,446.46 with funding from Account No. A3645.418, DHSES contract C198204 is hereby authorized, and the Treasurer and the Office of Emergency Services be so notified.

DOWN PAYMENT FOR GENERATOR – EMERGENCY SERVICES

WHEREAS Resolution No. 208-20 authorized the Hamilton County Office of Emergency Management to purchase a 48v DC generator from Polar Power in the amount of $17,980 with funding coming from New York State Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Services grant C198204, Account No. A3645.418, and

WHEREAS, Polar Power, with invoice #15999, is requiring a 40% down payment of the quoted amount which constitutes a figure of $7,192, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that the County Treasurer is hereby authorized to cut a check in the amount of $7,192 to Polar Power with funds coming from Account No. A3645.418, grant contract # C198204, and the Office of Emergency Management be so notified.

ANCILLARY EQUIPMENT FOR SHERIFF VEHICLE

WHEREAS, Resolution No. 42-20 authorizes the purchase of a 2020 Dodge Durango SSV for the Sheriff’s Office, and

WHEREAS the said vehicle needs to have ancillary equipment installed such as but not limited to 2-way radio’s, emergency lights, sirens, etc., and

WHEREAS, the County has received a written quote for the installation of the ancillary equipment as from JPJ Electronics, 1 W. Whitesboro St., Yorkville, NY in the amount of $12,982.38, and

WHEREAS this quote is based on pricing discounts on equipment under a contract JPJ currently has with Otsego County, and

WHEREAS, because of the electronics that new vehicles have from the factory such as air bag components and computer-controlled factory equipment the Superintendent recommends waiving the County’s procurement for three written quotes, and recommends that JPJ Electronics complete the installation of the ancillary equipment, be it

RESOLVED, the Fleet Coordinator is authorized to purchase the Ancillary Equipment from JPJ Electronics installed at a cost of $12,982.38 and the Clerk of the Board, County Sheriff and Fleet Coordinator be so notified, be it further

RESOLVED, that the County Treasurer is hereby authorized to issue a check to JPJ Electronics in the amount of $12,982.38 to be charged to Sheriff Account No. A3110.202 Automobile.

FLEXIBLE FUNDING FOR RURAL LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENTS

WHEREAS the New York State Association of County Officials (NYSACHO) has offered Hamilton County Public Health Nursing Service a flexible funding grant to assist Hamilton County School Districts in CO V I D - 19 Emergency Response efforts, and

WHEREAS, the total grant contract is for $6,785, and WHEREAS, this is a new grant requiring a new budget line, be it

RESOLVED, that appropriation Account No. A4050.447 NYSACHO COVID-19 be created in the amount of $6,785 to be totally offset by increasing Revenue Account Number A.2770 by $6,785, and be it further

RESOLVED, that the County Treasurer be so authorized.

ATTESTATION FORM FOR NYS OMH

WHEREAS the New York State Office of Mental Health (NYS OMH) enacted budget for 2019-20 included a 0.02% increase for salary and salary-related fringe benefits effective April 1, 2020, and

WHEREAS the statute authorizing that the increase requires that each provider sign an attestation that the funding be used to support salary and salary-related fringe benefit increases, be it

RESOLVED, that the Attestation Form be completed to indicate that Hamilton County Community Services will use the increase in funding to support salary and salary-related fringe benefit increases, and be it further

RESOLVED, that the Hamilton County Board of Supervisors hereby authorizes the Chairman to sign the Attestation form as requested by NYS OMH and the County Treasurer be so advised.

SUMMER YOUTH EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM BUDGET

WHEREAS the Hamilton County Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP), administered by the Hamilton County Department of Social Services, has been awarded the amount of $11,517 for the administration of the 2020 SYEP, and

WHEREAS, the amount to be awarded for SYEP was not known at the time the 2020 budget was adopted, no amount was put in the 2020 Hamilton County budget for Account No. A6290.103, Job Training Participating Summer Youth, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that Account No. A6290.103, Job Training Participating Summer Youth, be increased by $11,517 to be totally offset by increasing Revenue Account No. A4089.100, Federal Aid, WIA, by same amount and the County Treasurer be so authorized.

RENTAL OF OFF-ROAD DUMP TRUCK DATED

WHEREAS the DPW needs to rent a single axle off road dump truck for the cleanup of Elbow Creek from the Halloween Storm of 2019, and

WHEREAS the DPW solicits for bids for equipment rental and currently has a list of duly awarded bidders, and

WHEREAS three vendors (Finke Equipment, A. Montano & Anderson Equipment) on the awarded bid placed bids for a four wheel drive off road dump truck, and

WHEREAS these vendors either do not have off road trucks available for rent soon or have trucks that are too large for the need, and

WHEREAS the bids from Finke Equipment, A. Montano and Anderson Equipment are $6,775, $8,800, and $6,500 per month respectively plus delivery charge, and

WHEREAS, Abele Tractor has a single axle off road truck available for rent and the Superintendent has received a price quote of $5,500 per month plus $400.00 delivery charge, and

WHEREAS the Superintendent requests authorization to rent the off-road truck from Abele Tractor at the above quoted price for up to two months to complete the cleanup of Elbow Creek, be it

RESOLVED, that hereby the DPW Superintendent is authorized to rent the said single axle off road truck from Abele Tractor for no longer than two months with costs not to exceed $11,800 and the County Highway Superintendent, County Treasurer and Clerk of the Board be so notified.

AGREEMENT WITH INDEPENDENT AUDIT FIRM

WHEREAS the County Treasurer requested a quote from our present County auditors for the year ending 2020, 2021 and 2022, as our contract has expired with the 2019 year-end audit, and

WHEREAS, the County Treasurer has recommended continuing with our present audit firm of Drescher and Malecki, and

WHEREAS, the Finance Committee agreed with staying with our present auditors, and WHEREAS, the accounting firm of Drescher and Malecki, LLP, proposed $25,150 per year for County audit services and the NYS DOT audit for years 2020, 2021 and 2022, which is a 0% increase over the last three years, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that the Chairman is hereby authorized to sign a contract with Drescher and Malecki, LLP, Certified Public Accounts, for the audit years 2020, 2021 and 2022 at the stipulated cost of $25,150 per year, based on the approval of the contract by the County Attorney, and be it further

RESOLVED, that the Treasurer and Clerk of the Board be so notified.

TRANSPORTATION FOR A PRESCHOOL CHILD FROM LONG LAKE

WHEREAS Hamilton County is obligated to provide roundtrip transportation for Hamilton County children receiving Early Intervention or Preschool Special Education services that cannot be provided in the home setting, and

WHEREAS the HCPHNS staff encourage parents to provide transportation, which however is not an option for this family beginning September 21, 2020, be it

RESOLVED, that bids for roundtrip transportation from Long Lake to Children’s Corner in Tupper Lake, NY be solicited from vendors for the 2020 fall and spring school sessions, and be it further

RESOLVED, that said bids will be due on September 21, 2020 at 10:30 am.