St. Lawrence CountyOperations Committee

Board of LegislatorsMonday, July 13, 2015

Board RoomImmediately following Services Committee Meeting

Members Attending:Mr. LaPierre,Mr. Acres, Mr. Arquiett, Ms. Bell, Mr. Burke, Mr. Colbert,

Mr. Dann, Mr. Denesha, Mr. Forsythe, Mr. Hooper, Mr. Lightfoot, Mr. Paquin, Mr. Perkins,

Mr. Putman and Mr. Timmerman

Others Attending: Ruth Doyle, Kelly Pearson, Steve Button, Kevin Felt, Tim LePage, Kevin Wells, Jason Pfotenhauer, Matilda Larson, Keith Zimmerman, Chris Rediehs, and media representative: Sue Mende, Watertown Daily Times

1. CALL TO ORDER AND APPROVAL OF AGENDA–Chair LaPierre called the meeting to order at 5:46 p.m. Mr. Putman moved to approve the agenda, seconded by Mr. Timmerman, and carried by a voice vote with fourteen (14) yes votes and one (1) absent (Hooper).

2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES –Mr. Perkins moved to approve the June 8th meeting minutes, seconded by Mr. Denesha and Ms. Bell and carried by a voice vote with fourteen (14) yes votes and one (1) absent (Hooper).

3. PROPERTY ASSESSED CLEAN ENERGY (PACE) – Doug Welch, Elyssa Rothe, Carol

Pynchon, and Jennifer Perry

4. DISTRICT ATTORNEY – MARY RAIN

A. Authorization to Abolish, Create and Fill a Position within the Office of the District Attorney (Res) (Info)–Mr. Dann moved to forward this resolution to full Board, seconded by Mr. Arquiett.

Mr. Putman moved to amend the resolution by changing the Grade 23 to Grade 20, seconded by Mr. Lightfoot and carried by a voice vote with fourteen (14) yes votes and one (1) absent (Hooper).

Motion carried by a voice vote with fourteen (14) yes votes and one (1) absent (Hooper).

B. Authorization to Fill an Assistant District Attorney Vacancy in the Office of the District Attorney (Res) (Info)–Mr. Dann moved to forward this resolution to full Board, seconded by Mr. Arquiett.

Mr. Perkins moved to table this resolution to allow time for Ms. Rain meets with Ms. Doyle to discuss suggestions of budget cutsfor the District Attorney’s Office, seconded by Mr. Burke, and failed by a voice vote with eight (8) no votes, six (6) yes votes (Paquin, Bell, Perkins, Denesha, Putman, and Burke), and one (1) absent (Hooper).

Motion failed by a voice vote with ten (10) no votes, four (4) yes votes (Paquin, Arquette Putman, and Dann), and one (1) absent (Hooper).

5. COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR’S REPORT – RUTH DOYLE

Ms. Doyle said Jim Rich started work today as the new Public Health Director.

The Probation Department is doing their Community Services project for the year at the Ogdensburg Boys and Girls Club.

There will be a Special Board Meeting next Monday at 5 p.m.

St. Lawrence County competed for and was awarded $750,000 of the Community Development Block Grant.

The Planning Office has been relocated to the second floor of the Public Safety Building.

6. OLD/NEW BUSINESS

Mr. Forsythe asked that a resolution be drafted to implementa 60-day waiting period for positions to be filled.

Mr. Timmerman said he would like to see vacant positions eliminated, and every position to be filled to come through as a new position.

Mr. Denesha said while he was at the Senior Picnic in Morristown he had some seniors come to him saying there were going to be cuts to the senior programs and meals.

Mr. Burke said $250 million dollars is brought into the County every year by Department of Social Services. It is important to keep this in mind during budget cuts.

Mr. Acres said he has also heard from constituents about the cuts to the seniors programs, but he simply said a lot of cuts were being discussed and this was not yet discussed with the Board. There is a lot of discussion that goes on prior to bringing it to the Board.

Ms. Bell said she was also getting call from Senior Citizens, and she felt blindsided by not knowing.

Mr. Arquiett moved to go into Executive Session at 6:49 p.m. to discuss appointments, personnel and negotiations, seconded by Mr. Timmerman and Mr. Lightfoot, and carried by a voice vote with fourteen (14) yes votes and one (1) absent (Hooper).

7. EXECUTIVE SESSION

Mr. Timmerman moved to go to Open Session at 7:08 p.m., seconded by Mr. Paquin, and carried by a voice vote with fourteen (14) yes votes and one (1) absent (Hooper).

8. ADJOURNMENT–Chair LaPierre adjourned the July Operations meeting at 7:08 p.m., as therewas no further business.

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