Ye Olde Tri-Valley Townsman

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Tri-Valley Central School District

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Good evening and welcome to my fourth State of the County Address. I would like to first recognize my fellow legislators, including newly appointed District Five Legislator Frank Armstrong, our County Manager David Fanslau, as well as our honored guests and citizens of Sullivan County. Thank you so much for coming.

I would also like to take a moment to recognize my family: my mother Yvonne, my sister Colleen and my brother Patrick and their families, my son Daniel, and particularly, my wife Renee. Choosing a life of public service has meant tremendous sacrifices on her part, as well as for the rest of my family, and I would like to take the opportunity to publicly say “Thank you.”

As I sat down to think about this year’s address, I thought a lot about my first State of the County Address three years ago. I stood before many of the people in this room and told you that Sullivan County was at a crossroads. I told you the next four years would be filled with challenges, but that this Legislature was committed to meeting these challenges head-on in order to build a better future for Sullivan County. I stand here before you tonight to tell you that we have faced these challenges and we are building that future. Sullivan County is moving forward!

We have implemented and supported several programs that directly benefit Sullivan County residents. We have instituted programs like the Prescription Drug Discount Card Plan, which last year alone put over $135,000 back in the pockets of our Senior and uninsured citizens.

We have continued to expand services to our Veterans with the addition of a Veteran’s Outreach Counselor who can visit with and assist veterans who are unable or unwilling to come in to the offices. We owe our Veterans a great debt of gratitude, and I am pleased we have been able to offer them this enhanced service that allows them to receive counseling and assistance without having to leave the privacy and comfort of their homes. I know many veterans are here tonight, and I want to make a special point of thanking them for their dedicated service to our country.

We have continued our commitment to the youth of Sullivan County by partnering with local school officials and community members to lay the groundwork for future Boys’ and Girls’ Club pilot chapters. This is a program with a proven success rate for lowering gang activity and helping children to succeed academically, and I know that we are all looking forward to their placement in our schools.

Three years ago I discussed the need for strong administrative leadership in Sullivan County. The hiring of David Fanslau to the position of County Manager in September of 2006 is a perfect example of this Legislature’s commitment to having the most qualified, educated, professional manager leading our County’s day-to-day activities. The selection process may have taken longer than we had previously anticipated, but I think we can all agree the end result was well worth the wait.

In my first State of the County Address, I called for greater fiscal responsibility and transparency in County finances. This year, upon the County Manager’s recommendation, the Legislature authorized a restructuring of the Financial Management and General Services Departments, to be called the Division of Management and Budget. This restructuring requires County departments and divisions, as well as County-funded outside agencies, to justify their expenditure levels and budgets in an effort to increase the County’s fiscal integrity. Moreover, the County will move to performance-based budgeting, a system that tracks performance against projections and appropriations. This new budget system will require County departments and divisions to set specific goals and performance targets to be reviewed on an annual basis.

We continue to encourage the County Manager’s efforts to review procurement contracts, in an effort to buy locally whenever possible, and to explore the use of “green” products. The Kristt Company contract for copying supplies and telephone equipment is a successful example of what we can do to partner with local businesses for goods and services.

During the County’s annual review from our independent auditing firm, the County was praised for its detailed, financial record-keeping structure, something that had been previously lacking. In a report issued by Moody’s Investor’s Service earlier this month, Sullivan County received an A2 rating, on the basis of what Moody’s considers the County’s “adequate… financial position,” “manageable debt position” and “growing economic base.” While we are not yet in the best financial position possible, it is encouraging to see that outside professionals recognize the important changes being undertaken here in Sullivan County.

In light of upcoming Capital Building Projects, such as the proposed Phase Two expansion of the County Landfill and the mandated new County Jail, the Legislature believed it was financially prudent to act on the recommendation of County Manager Fanslau to form a Capital Planning and Budgeting Committee, with members of the Legislature and County staff, to develop a multi-year, county-wide capital plan. This initiative will allow the County to deal with its current financial challenges, and to adequately plan for future building projects.

I’d like to take a moment and talk a little bit about our workforce. There are nearly 1200 people who report to work at County offices each day. I believe we have the most hard-working and dedicated staff of any organization I know and we are proud of their efforts on behalf of the people of Sullivan County.

Therefore, my fellow Legislators and I were pleased when an agreement between the County and the Sullivan County PBA could be made outside of binding arbitration last December. This agreement represents the Legislature’s commitment to ensuring the safety and well-being of our citizens, and a desire to train and retain the most qualified and desirable personnel for the Sherriff’s Department.

There are several labor contracts up for re-negotiation this year. We all know that contract negotiations are never easy, but I pledge, as I did three years ago to negotiate honestly and in good faith. I ask only that in return, you recognize the budgetary constraints under which we operate, and that you work with us to come to fair and equitable agreements that will benefit yourselves, and the County as a whole.

This Legislature remains committed to saving and protecting taxpayer dollars whenever possible. Similar to what Governor Eliot Spitzer has proposed in Albany to combat Medicaid fraud, this Legislature authorized the hiring of a specialized law firm to handle Medicaid fraud issues. The Department of Family Services already has an effective cost-avoidance function, front-end detection and eligibility verification review and aid recoveries. The use of this Front End Fraud detection saved $11.6 million in 2005 and $13.8 million through August 2006. Without this protection, the associated county share would have been $2.9 million in 2005 and $3.45 million through August 2006, representing a total of $6.35 million of county dollars that would have otherwise been lost to fraud.

This Legislature is also actively seeking to partner with other area municipalities on cooperative purchasing agreements as a means of reducing costs to the taxpayer. This year we sent letters to local fire departments, many of whom pay retail prices for fuel used in their emergency vehicles, offering the departments the opportunity to purchase that fuel at the County bulk-rates, which are often considerably less expensive. Like existing agreements between towns and villages and the County DPW for sand and salt, this is a great new way the County can work with other municipalities to lower their costs. We are evaluating the results of this program, and hope to extend this opportunity to other emergency and first-responder organizations in 2007.

The Legislature also furthered its commitment to Catskill Regional Medical Center when it authorized a Memorandum of Understanding recognizing the hospital for its provision of significant services to the indigent population of the county. Receiving this recommendation from the County will enable the hospital to buy its pharmaceuticals at the government rate, at a savings of $600,000 to $800,000 a year.

In an effort to further promote these types of cost-saving agreements and other collaborative efforts, I believe the Legislature would be well-served by a new initiative to improve communications between the County and other levels of government. I propose the formation of “The Sullivan County Council of Governments,” modeled after a similar organization in Tompkins County. The SCCG will be an association consisting of representatives from every level of government in Sullivan County, who will meet regularly to share ideas, discuss the issues challenging local government, and make recommendations. I believe that by increasing communication among our municipalities we can decrease duplication of services, and spend taxpayer dollars more efficiently.

As Sullivan County moves forward, so must our plans for Economic Development. At 4.8% the County’s unemployment rate remains well-below the 5.3% in 2004 and 5.8% in 2005. The Legislature is actively pursuing the creation of new job opportunities in Sullivan County that will pay not just minimum wage, but a living wage that will allow workers to support their families, and will encourage our youth to return to live and work and raise their families here.

When discussing Economic Development in Sullivan County, one of the first and largest industries we focus our attention on is Agriculture. Sullivan County gained five new farms last year, for a total of 385 working farms whose products generate more than $67.5 million dollars annually, an increase of more than $12.5 million dollars over 2004.

In 2006 Sullivan County received its first Farmland Protection Grant from the State of New York. The Meyers Farm just outside of Jeffersonville will receive the $836,000 grant to sell the development rights of the farm to a state-held company, thus allowing it to remain an active farm for the foreseeable future. This grant being awarded to a farm in Sullivan County demonstrates the growing momentum behind preserving our open space and farmlands, and we hope to continue that momentum by assisting up to five additional farms in applying for similar grants this year. The County will also continue to offer low-interest revolving loans to farms and other agricultural businesses. Susan Jaffe, our newly-appointed Director of Agriculture, Marketing and Economic Development is working hard on this and a host of other initiatives.

Ms. Jaffe and Planning Commissioner Dr. William Pammer and staff have also begun the review of Ag District Four, which encompasses the Towns of Bethel, Fallsburg, Mamakating, Neversink, Thompson and parts of the Towns of Liberty and Rockland. Being included in this district encourages agribusinesses to grow and allows for certain protections from nuisance complaints and eminent domain issues. The review, which also relies on the efforts of the Department of Real Property and Farmland Protection Board, is a time consuming effort, but will allow the County to accurately assess new growth and include more farms in the designation.

Last year the Cornell Cooperative Extension paired with the Sullivan County Visitor’s Association to secure a $50,000 AgriTourism Grant from the State of New York. This grant will allow our Visitor’s Association to continue to expand the “Made in the Sullivan County Catskills” marketing campaign, as well as introducing and promoting tourism facilities and destinations that utilize products grown or raised in Sullivan County. These two organizations have done a great job increasing public awareness about our local farm markets and have aided in opening two new markets during the winter months.

Tourism is the other major industry in Sullivan County, both in terms of employment opportunities and revenues generated, and it, too, has shown growth this year. Our Visitor’s Association boasts a 30% increase in inquiries over 2005.

The Visitor’s Association continues to expand and diversify its marketing campaigns to attract new visitors to the County. In 2006 it launched its “Virtual Visitor” kiosk system, where users can view County events, book reservations and access other tourism information. There are currently five kiosk systems in place, from Binghamton to Sloatsburg, with two more terminals planned for 2007. The Visitor’s Association also launched a revamped, visitor-friendly website that includes an itinerary where visitors can see events going on across the County, and also have access travel directions.

Of particular note is the tremendous success of The Bethel Woods Center for the Arts. Opening Weekend in July 2006 was one of the most exciting developments in the history of Sullivan County, and has given County residents a renewed sense of pride and a sense of hope for what still lies in store as this facility grows and develops. I would like to again take the opportunity to thank Alan and Sandra Gerry and their family for their vision, and for their dedication to the people of Sullivan County.

Our Empire Zone continues to attract new businesses to Sullivan County. The Empire Zone received approval on its Redesignation Application in December of 2006 which allowed for the expansion of its boundaries to include parts of Liberty, a portion of the expanded Main Street Corridor in Monticello, the Rte 42 Corridor in South Fallsburg, as well as 17B and West Broadway in Monticello. There are currently 153 businesses certified in the Empire Zone. These businesses support more than 2000 jobs, nearly 300 more than in 2004, and have made more than $41 million in capital investments within our County.

The Sullivan-Wawarsing REAP Zone recorded another successful year in 2006. REAP continued its efforts to develop the Agriculture and Light Industrial Park in Liberty, and aided in the procurement of a $698,000 grant from the U.S. Economic Development Agency and a $5,000 Build Now NY Grant.

The Sullivan County Industrial Development Agency closed on or approved eighteen different projects in 2006, ranging from the expansion of health-related businesses such as Catskill Dermatology and the Sullivan Diagnostic Treatment Center, to assisting two well-known tourist destinations, the Villa Roma Resort and the Antrim Lodge, in rebuilding after devastating fires. The IDA dispersed nearly $3,000,000 to the taxing jurisdictions through its PILOT program in 2006, and the 2007 payments are expected to top $3.2 million.

It is important to note that this year the IDA will also begin exploring energy efficient and “green technology” requirements for new businesses.

Last year the Legislature also began the task of reforming the current requirements of the IDA Board. We have had several important discussions with IDA members and County staff, as well as with representatives from all fifteen towns, and have already voted to increase the size of the Board from seven to nine members, and have begun to negotiate term limits and other reform measures.

The Sullivan County Chamber of Commerce continued to focus its efforts on existing businesses, particularly following the June 2006 floods. The Chamber also represented the County at Small Business Day in Albany and worked to develop new events and tools to network area businesses and community leaders.

The Sullivan County Partnership for Economic Development has identified more than half a dozen sites and is in the process of getting approval status for these sites to make them truly “shovel-ready.”

The Partnership is also an integral partner with the Legislature and County Division of Planning and the Sullivan County Community College in the development and creation of a state-of-the-art Green Technology Park to be located on the college’s campus.

More than a physical, shovel-ready site for green technology industries to build, the Green Tech Park will be a fully-integrated “knowledge community” that will include a new Center for Advanced Sciences and Technology, and services to support the success of companies in high performance building technologies.

The field of green technology and alternative energy is predicted by economists and investors to be the largest economic opportunity of the 21^st century, and we are committed to bringing this new, emerging technology-based industry to Sullivan County, and to creating curricula at the College that will allow students to learn and train in this field. We have a wonderful opportunity to educate our young people on cutting edge technology close to home, and provide them with the necessary skills to allow them to earn a living wage without having to leave the County. The entire project is not only timely, but a great fit for Sullivan County.

I once said that 2004 would be remembered as “the year of the floods.” Unfortunately, that statement is no longer accurate. The floods of June 2006 cost the County an estimated $27 million dollars in damage, caused untold amounts of damage to private property, and caused the tragic death of a child. Many businesses and residents have yet to fully recover. As we continue to heal our communities, I believe it is necessary that we also protect our quality-of-life. That is we developed the proposed Endangered Property Protection Plan, or “E Triple-P.”

The E Triple-P was created by blending the Countywide Flood Management Plan included in the 2006 budget with the Open Space Preservation initiative I announced last year. The major goal of this project is “to initiate a local program that mitigates damage to property and Main Streets from natural disasters and preserves farmland and open space.” The plan calls for the acquisition of certain non-farm or flood-prone lands, and for the purchase of development rights or easements of targeted farmlands.

I would like to briefly touch on the subject of casino gaming. Everyone here is aware of my personal beliefs, but I continue to represent the consensus of the Legislature, which has pledged its support for these projects. Just last week Governor Eliot Spitzer signed a letter of concurrence for the proposed casino at Monticello Gaming and Raceway, and we remain optimistic that the project will move swiftly through the next phase and will be approved by the Secretary of the Interior. Both the St. Regis Mohawk and Stockbridge-Munsee Tribes continue to work with County officials, paying particular attention to the impacts these casinos will have on Sullivan County residents. We are closer than we have ever been to having a casino in Sullivan County. We will continue to negotiate and strategize with local, state and federal officials to mitigate any negative impacts from the casino projects, and that the citizens of Sullivan County receive the maximum benefits from such developments.

In the late Spring of 2006 we became aware of a proposed high-voltage power line that was slated to come directly through Sullivan County from upstate New York. This power line has no benefit to our taxpayers in terms of lower energy rates, and is slated to cover 41 miles in Sullivan County, and will require the clear-cutting of more than 3700 acres of land. It will also disrupt the view shed and natural environments of both the Delaware River Corridor and the Mongaup Wildlife Management Area.

Sullivan County was one of the first to publicly denounce the project and committed $50,000 to its defeat. We joined together with the seven other impacted-counties and a number of citizens’ groups to form Communities Against Regional Interconnects, of which I serve as the Chairman. We remain committed and are confident that we can defeat this project.

Three years ago I talked about the need for reform within the Department of Public Works. We have accomplished some of our goals in this area, and have made strides towards achieving others. We stopped the importation of garbage into our County landfill, and substantially mitigated the odor issues plaguing this facility. This year the Legislature continued its reform efforts through the formation of the Sullivan County Recycling Taskforce. The nine-member Taskforce represents a diverse cross-section of perspectives and opinions, and under the leadership of Public Works Chair Kathy LaBuda and Recycling Coordinator Bill Cutler, they have begun researching recycling practices, both at home and in other counties, and we look forward to their recommendations.

Earlier this year the County also launched a reform of the Transportation Department. Now under the Division of Planning, the department has been renamed Mobility Management, and we have implemented new customer-service policies and other initiatives designed to make the department more accessible to our veterans, senior citizens and the general public.

In response to the growing concern over the general cleanliness of County roadways and parks, this year the Legislature supported the creation of the Sullivan Beautification Program. This will expand our present program from one to three weeks, and will include tonnage allotments free-of-charge for municipalities and civic organizations who take part in the program’s Litterpluck, Adopt-a-Road and other cleanup efforts.

In addition, during the Spring Cleanup Week, the Legislature has authorized a “Tire Amnesty Program,” where residents can dispose of up to four tires at County facilities, free-of-charge. This will allow residents to save money on the disposal of the tires, and ensure that they are being disposed of in an environmentally-friendly manner.

Sullivan Beautification will also fund a Clean Team and Parks Beautification Team, as well as six summer interns through the Department of Public Works. This is a great way to improve the aesthetics of Sullivan County, while getting local teens and youth involved in cleanup efforts.

I believe this program will greatly complement the host of projects being sponsored county-wide by Sullivan Renaissance. Each year Renaissance not only completes but maintains dozens of projects that improve the County’s aesthetic beauty and inspire an overall sense of pride in our communities. Projects ranging from signage to flower beds to new parks are taking place all over, making Sullivan County a more attractive place to live and visit. This Legislature salutes Sullivan Renaissance for all of its efforts on behalf of Sullivan County.

No discussion about quality-of-life is complete without mentioning our local volunteer fire departments and emergency responders. We were all very proud when the Emergency Services Training Center officially opened in 2006. This Legislature promised to complete this project, and we have delivered it for our family members, friends and neighbors who go out at any time of day or night, in any weather, to help ensure the safety of our citizens. Public Safety is one of this board’s chief concerns, and we owe it to our volunteers to have this critical training facility.

In a further effort to improve services for our volunteers and first responders County Manager Fanslau and I joined Public Safety Commissioner Dick Martinkovic in dialogue with state representatives over the importance of having functional radio communication county-wide, and I feel confident as we move forward that the state will assist us and every other county in New York, through the acquisition of new towers and placement of repeaters on towers, ensuring this type of coverage is available whenever and wherever it is needed.

I could not discuss the State of Sullivan County without touching on a subject near and dear to all of our hearts: taxes.

This Legislature realizes that property tax rates are at their saturation point, and that our taxpayers are not able to shoulder the burden of large tax increases any longer. I don’t think I need to remind anyone that much of our tax burden comes from mandates issued by State and Federal governments that Sullivan County has no choice but to fund. Nearly 55 % of the 2007 County budget, or $48.6 million dollars, is designated for these mandated programs. The cap on Medicaid increases enacted last year was a step in the right direction. We are working with the State Association of Counties in their efforts to obtain a similar cap on the cost of Early Intervention Services, which have also skyrocketed in recent years. We are committed to continuing the fight against unfunded mandates.

Make no mistake, raising taxes is not something this Legislature wants to do. We are committed to increasing the efficiency of our spending, county-wide. Yet we must balance this with the needs of our constituents for public safety, quality-of-life and other programming, and that is why we unanimously voted to support a half percent increase in sales tax.

Rather than simply relying on property tax increases, it was felt that persons from outside of the County should share a larger part of the cost of County services. This half-percent increase is estimated to generate more than $6 million a year, the equivalent of which would be a nearly 17% property tax increase.

This additional revenue will not be used for general spending, but will be dedicated to specific areas for the benefit of all Sullivan County residents. Half of the revenue generated will go to improve the County’s overall credit-worthiness as we prepare to go to the bond market for capital building projects like the state-mandated new County Jail. By putting this money aside in a reserve fund and improving the fiscal integrity of the County, we can save millions of dollars in interest and other fees associated with a lower credit rating.

The remaining one-half of the new sales tax revenues will be dedicated to three specific areas: Public Safety, Public Works and the Endangered Property Protection Plan.

This Legislature is committed to maintaining and improving our roadways. Everyone drives or rides on the roads, and these repairs will ensure that our residents and visitors are traveling safely.

We are also committed to enhancing the services offered by our Public Safety Department in an effort to better protect our communities. An increase in motor vehicle fatalities and an increased presence of gang activity clearly indicate the need for new programs and more personnel for our local Sheriff’s Department.

The third portion of the new revenue would be earmarked for the “Endangered Property Protection Program.” Last June’s floods caused 157 households across the County to be evacuated, and several dozen businesses were adversely impacted. Our residents cannot afford another round of such damaging floods, and that is why we need to fund initiatives that will prevent or mitigate this type of flooding, while also funding efforts to maintain open space county-wide.

We were gratified when the Supervisors’ Association unanimously approved a resolution last month supporting the sales tax increase because they believe it is in the best interest of their constituents to have the County provide these services.

Behind me is a committed group of people. I have worked with these men and women, argued with them, agreed and disagreed with them. They are one of the most hardworking and dedicated groups of people to ever lead this County. Yet we often hear the same question, “Why would anyone want to be a Legislator?”

I am reminded of a story about Robert Kennedy during one of his campaigns. He was giving a speech before a group of students when one of them demanded to know why he was running for office. He stated, very simply but eloquently, “To serve. I wish to serve.”

It is that simple. These men and women behind me simply wish to serve. They are not getting rich, or feeding their egos. They are serving their families, their friends, and their communities with one goal: to improve the quality of life for all of us because they love Sullivan County.

Each has accepted the challenge of public service, and has embraced the responsibility to make tough decisions on behalf of all of us. This is not always easy. Doing what is right is not always popular, but it is the essence of public service.

In three years, we have only had a handful of votes that divided along party lines. More often than not, all nine Legislators were able to come together in order to get things accomplished.

This Legislature has a record that speaks for itself. We have governed more effectively and openly than at any other time since I have been here. We have given the people unprecedented access to this government, and the government did not come crashing down. We have created a government that acts with courage and determination for the citizens of this County.

I urge you to continue to work side-by-side with us, as we are committed to working with you. I am certain that together we can build on our existing foundations and meet any challenges head-on.