County wants more network access details

County wants more network access details

YATES COUNTY--The Yates County Legislature delayed action on two agenda items regarding the Yates County Open Access Fiber Network project agreements during their regular meeting Monday, April 13. One of the resolutions was to authorize the chairman to sign a grant disbursement agreement amendment with New York State Urban Development Corporation. The other resolution was to allow the chairman to authorize entering into a dark fiber indefeasible right of use (IRU) agreement with the Southern Tier Network (STN). The agreement states "STN would construct, own, operate, manage and market the network using rights-of-way, facilities, aerial attachments, underground conduit, poles and towers of various utilities, railroads and governmental entities," while the county would receive an "IRU to use 12 strands of the network's dark fiber for the county's exclusive internal use."
Yates County Administrator Sarah Purdy said the resolutions were pulled because "there is a little bit more information we need to gather." She said the county plans to hold an information gathering session before the agreements can be approved. Legislator Gary Montgomery said the negotiations with STN have been ongoing for months now, adding the county is working out the final details before the resolutions are approved.
In other business:
• The legislature recognized Zoe Trombley as the Yates County Distinguished Youth for the first quarter of 2015. The award recognizes her for outstanding service to the community. Trombley is a senior at Penn Yan Academy and was recognized for her 10 years of volunteer work, her work with the Yates County Humane Society Shelter of Hope and her service as president of the Penn Yan Future Farmers of America (FFA).
• Investigator Arlyn Cunningham Jr. was recognized by the legislature as the Yates County Sheriff's Officer of the Year during the meeting.
• The Yates County Legislature approved requesting the state legislature allow the county to continue the increase of the county portion of the sales tax rate by 1 percent. This sales tax increase was first adopted in 2003 and generates approximately $2 million per year in additional county revenue, "without imposing an additional burden to property owners through the property tax," according to the resolution.
In order to renew this 1 percent sales tax increase, the Yates County Legislature had to request the New York State Assembly and Senate pass legislation to "amend the tax law in relation to the imposition by the county of the additional 1 percent on the county portion of the sales tax rate through Nov. 30, 2017."
• The legislature approved a local law, following a public hearing, allowing for common, safe items, including sparklers, snappers and party poppers, to be excluded from the dangerous fireworks definitions as permitted by New York State penal law.