Supervisor Bays questions decision to build, finance jail
NORWICH – After unanimously passing next year’s $79.2 million budget on Wednesday, a member of the Chenango County Board of Supervisors addressed the board about what he called “a haze” surrounding the decision to move forward on building the new Public Safety Facility.
Supervisor James B. Bays, D-Smyrna, said he did not have “a global picture” of how the capital project was financed, how operations are currently afforded and where public safety in the county is headed in the future.
“I need help articulating where we are in regard to the global picture. We do have a good story to tell now, and maybe I’m the only one who is out of touch with this, but I think other citizens would appreciate more information about the jail decision,” he said.
Bays was elected to office in 2006, defeating Republican Gerald E. Parry, Sr. who served from 1992-05. He previously represented Smyrna as supervisor from 1988 to 1992.
The Chenango County Public Safety Facility opened in 2005, following a multi-year planning and building project, at a cost of $26 million. A dedicated 1 percent sales tax was instituted within the county in order to afford construction and, later, for operations and a new countywide emergency communications system.
Bays also said he was confused about how the Industrial Development Corporation, Chenango Area Corporation and Commerce Chenango conduct economic development on behalf of the county. He raised this particular sentiment once before, during a meeting of the board in October. Bays said yesterday that he had “objected” to Chairman of the Board Richard B. Decker’s reply at that time that there was “no confusion.”
“This is another part of that haze. I’m sure that I could get myself educated personally, but for others who feel similarly, I think a report would help,” he said.
Chairman Decker responded, saying he would defer to the county’s treasurer and Finance Committee to create such a financial report. “I’m sure I couldn’t create one myself, but I don’t believe that there ever was a haze as to how we financed it. There is no doubt in my mind that we made the right decision at this time and that it will well benefit Chenango County as time proves out.”
Treasurer William E. Evans said he wasn’t “exactly sure” what Bays was looking for. “I’m at a bit of a loss to understand the delivery mechanism you want,” he said.
“The most responsible thing we do is to deliver a budget that says we are responsible to the tax levy. The decisions on specific items, facts and figures on the jail were all step oriented within the framework of the committee process. ... On any given day, there are challenges. This county has a long history of a gentle slope up when things are good (economically) and a gentle slope down when we need to ... The end result is that the county is healthy,” Evans said.
Supervisors Dennis Brown, D-Pharsalia, and Linda E. Natoli, R-City of Norwich, said while they understood “where Jim is coming from,” they agreed with Decker and Evans that “careful planning,” “constant grooming” and “good leadership” through the decision-making process resulted in a jail and public safety facility that the community needed.
“I know what you mean. We were operating a jail at $2 million before that costs us $6 million now,” Brown said, “but we had money set aside, structured the debt to pay it off early and are looking to be debt-free in 2012, depending on what’s on the horizon.”
According to the 2008 budget, the county’s current debt load is slightly more than $6 million. There are reserves of approximately $6.7 million and surplus funds of $13.7 million.
Supervisor Peter C. Flanagan, D-Preston, commented that he is “always the one” to question economic development on behalf of the county.
“I was unaware, as I found out at our last meeting, and I found others who were too, that the merger (of the county’s economic development agencies) was held up in court,” he said. “I would just like to see a return on our investment in economic development. We are stringent on some agencies use of our money, but I don’t see that same standard being applied in this case.”
Natoli, who chairs the Planning & Economic Development Committee, urged the supervisors from Smyrna and Preston to put their questions in writing. “We are not mind readers. Write down what you are unclear about it and we will get you the answers. ... Deception isn’t out there,” she said.
Supervisor James B. Bays, D-Smyrna, said he did not have “a global picture” of how the capital project was financed, how operations are currently afforded and where public safety in the county is headed in the future.
“I need help articulating where we are in regard to the global picture. We do have a good story to tell now, and maybe I’m the only one who is out of touch with this, but I think other citizens would appreciate more information about the jail decision,” he said.
Bays was elected to office in 2006, defeating Republican Gerald E. Parry, Sr. who served from 1992-05. He previously represented Smyrna as supervisor from 1988 to 1992.
The Chenango County Public Safety Facility opened in 2005, following a multi-year planning and building project, at a cost of $26 million. A dedicated 1 percent sales tax was instituted within the county in order to afford construction and, later, for operations and a new countywide emergency communications system.
Bays also said he was confused about how the Industrial Development Corporation, Chenango Area Corporation and Commerce Chenango conduct economic development on behalf of the county. He raised this particular sentiment once before, during a meeting of the board in October. Bays said yesterday that he had “objected” to Chairman of the Board Richard B. Decker’s reply at that time that there was “no confusion.”
“This is another part of that haze. I’m sure that I could get myself educated personally, but for others who feel similarly, I think a report would help,” he said.
Chairman Decker responded, saying he would defer to the county’s treasurer and Finance Committee to create such a financial report. “I’m sure I couldn’t create one myself, but I don’t believe that there ever was a haze as to how we financed it. There is no doubt in my mind that we made the right decision at this time and that it will well benefit Chenango County as time proves out.”
Treasurer William E. Evans said he wasn’t “exactly sure” what Bays was looking for. “I’m at a bit of a loss to understand the delivery mechanism you want,” he said.
“The most responsible thing we do is to deliver a budget that says we are responsible to the tax levy. The decisions on specific items, facts and figures on the jail were all step oriented within the framework of the committee process. ... On any given day, there are challenges. This county has a long history of a gentle slope up when things are good (economically) and a gentle slope down when we need to ... The end result is that the county is healthy,” Evans said.
Supervisors Dennis Brown, D-Pharsalia, and Linda E. Natoli, R-City of Norwich, said while they understood “where Jim is coming from,” they agreed with Decker and Evans that “careful planning,” “constant grooming” and “good leadership” through the decision-making process resulted in a jail and public safety facility that the community needed.
“I know what you mean. We were operating a jail at $2 million before that costs us $6 million now,” Brown said, “but we had money set aside, structured the debt to pay it off early and are looking to be debt-free in 2012, depending on what’s on the horizon.”
According to the 2008 budget, the county’s current debt load is slightly more than $6 million. There are reserves of approximately $6.7 million and surplus funds of $13.7 million.
Supervisor Peter C. Flanagan, D-Preston, commented that he is “always the one” to question economic development on behalf of the county.
“I was unaware, as I found out at our last meeting, and I found others who were too, that the merger (of the county’s economic development agencies) was held up in court,” he said. “I would just like to see a return on our investment in economic development. We are stringent on some agencies use of our money, but I don’t see that same standard being applied in this case.”
Natoli, who chairs the Planning & Economic Development Committee, urged the supervisors from Smyrna and Preston to put their questions in writing. “We are not mind readers. Write down what you are unclear about it and we will get you the answers. ... Deception isn’t out there,” she said.
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