YATES COUNTY--At the Monday, Aug. 14, Yates County legislature meeting, the group heard several reports on county matters and approved all resolutions appearing on the agenda. A public hearing was also held for Local Law 1-2023 entitled, “A local law increasing the income limits of the tax exemption for persons 65 years of age or over.” The law was presented and passed as resolution 376-23.
Before the meeting agenda items, Sheriff Ron Spike and his wife Sue were recognized for their work on the bicentennial celebration over the weekend. Spike was congratulated for the presentation he gave on Saturday and also his contributions reenacting Governor Joseph Yates, who the county was named after.
The Southern Tier Network (STN) gave an update on fiber broadband installation in the county, and the Yates Transit Service reported increased public ridership with contract riders stabilizing after an overall decrease following the pandemic. Legislators inquired about additional routes in Yates County and the timetables for routes.
John Prendergast, supervisor of the town of Benton, spoke about the gas line to the county building project in Benton. He indicated the approved path of the natural gas line would exclude residents who previously expressed interest in connecting. Prendergast said he was denied entry to an ad hoc meeting in November about the gas line details and he requested to be included in meetings that relate to matters in Benton. He said he will now have to contact residents that are impacted even though he did not participate in the coordination of the gas line to the new county building.
Included in the resolutions approved at Monday’s meeting was proposing the modification of election laws in so far as they adversely affect county taxpayers. Statistics from previous elections reveal low early voting turnout in Yates County. For instance, in the 2022 State Primary, only 1.5 percent of registered voters chose to vote early, and there were only 10 early ballots in the 2023 local primary. Officials cited a cost of $253 per ballot as a potential factor.
State Board of Elections Co-Commissioner Kellner, appointed by the majority party in the Assembly, Senate, and governor’s office stated in a report by the Albany Times Union: “It is a good idea to be analyzing the data and to determine whether the full staffing and hours for early voting for small turnout elections is appropriate; where the cost per voter is very high it’s worth taking a second look to see whether modifications should be made.”
Given this information, Yates County has requested that the early voting laws that impact Yates County be:
• Amended or repealed as they adversely affect the administration and expenses
• Urges the veto of the proposed Early Mail Voter Act
• Requests the state legislature adopt substitute laws or amendments that allow counties to modify early voting procedures, times, and places to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of early voting, absentee ballot canvassing and if signed into law the early mail voting.
A resolution was also introduced that supported a grant application for the Keuka Lake Level Management Improvement Project.
Seneca Watershed Steward, Ian Smith, and Keuka Lake Manager, Colby Petersen, have proposed the development of hydrologic modeling tools in combination with capital improvements to the Keuka Gates to potentially improve Keuka Lake level management while also yielding downstream benefits to the Keuka Outlet and Seneca Lake.
The Seneca-Keuka Watershed Nine Element Plan for Phosphorous identifies such improvements to Keuka Lake level management as recommended actions to achieve reduction goals. Smith and Peterson have identified the New York State Department of State Local Waterfront Revitalization Program (LWRP) as a potential funding source to pursue the development of these improvements, and funding available for such projects will cover 75 percent of the total project cost. While the remaining 25 percent local match will be covered via a combination of local cash funds.
Comments from legislators emphasized the need to have full manual control of the gates in the outlet if the project is funded and moves to an automated system.
Additionally, a letter will be delivered to the University of Rochester Health System asking that they re-open an inpatient mental health service at Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hospital.
Before the meeting agenda items, Sheriff Ron Spike and his wife Sue were recognized for their work on the bicentennial celebration over the weekend. Spike was congratulated for the presentation he gave on Saturday and also his contributions reenacting Governor Joseph Yates, who the county was named after.
The Southern Tier Network (STN) gave an update on fiber broadband installation in the county, and the Yates Transit Service reported increased public ridership with contract riders stabilizing after an overall decrease following the pandemic. Legislators inquired about additional routes in Yates County and the timetables for routes.
John Prendergast, supervisor of the town of Benton, spoke about the gas line to the county building project in Benton. He indicated the approved path of the natural gas line would exclude residents who previously expressed interest in connecting. Prendergast said he was denied entry to an ad hoc meeting in November about the gas line details and he requested to be included in meetings that relate to matters in Benton. He said he will now have to contact residents that are impacted even though he did not participate in the coordination of the gas line to the new county building.
Included in the resolutions approved at Monday’s meeting was proposing the modification of election laws in so far as they adversely affect county taxpayers. Statistics from previous elections reveal low early voting turnout in Yates County. For instance, in the 2022 State Primary, only 1.5 percent of registered voters chose to vote early, and there were only 10 early ballots in the 2023 local primary. Officials cited a cost of $253 per ballot as a potential factor.
State Board of Elections Co-Commissioner Kellner, appointed by the majority party in the Assembly, Senate, and governor’s office stated in a report by the Albany Times Union: “It is a good idea to be analyzing the data and to determine whether the full staffing and hours for early voting for small turnout elections is appropriate; where the cost per voter is very high it’s worth taking a second look to see whether modifications should be made.”
Given this information, Yates County has requested that the early voting laws that impact Yates County be:
• Amended or repealed as they adversely affect the administration and expenses
• Urges the veto of the proposed Early Mail Voter Act
• Requests the state legislature adopt substitute laws or amendments that allow counties to modify early voting procedures, times, and places to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of early voting, absentee ballot canvassing and if signed into law the early mail voting.
A resolution was also introduced that supported a grant application for the Keuka Lake Level Management Improvement Project.
Seneca Watershed Steward, Ian Smith, and Keuka Lake Manager, Colby Petersen, have proposed the development of hydrologic modeling tools in combination with capital improvements to the Keuka Gates to potentially improve Keuka Lake level management while also yielding downstream benefits to the Keuka Outlet and Seneca Lake.
The Seneca-Keuka Watershed Nine Element Plan for Phosphorous identifies such improvements to Keuka Lake level management as recommended actions to achieve reduction goals. Smith and Peterson have identified the New York State Department of State Local Waterfront Revitalization Program (LWRP) as a potential funding source to pursue the development of these improvements, and funding available for such projects will cover 75 percent of the total project cost. While the remaining 25 percent local match will be covered via a combination of local cash funds.
Comments from legislators emphasized the need to have full manual control of the gates in the outlet if the project is funded and moves to an automated system.
Additionally, a letter will be delivered to the University of Rochester Health System asking that they re-open an inpatient mental health service at Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hospital.
