PENN YAN—During their year-end meeting Dec. 2, Yates County legislators tackled another segment of New York State legislation that, if not extended, could negatively impact businesses in the county.

Legislator Taylor Fitch outlined his concerns about New York State legislation that would force all Industrial Development Agency (IDA) assisted projects of private investors to pay prevailing wages for IDA assisted projects. That function is filled by the Finger Lakes Economic Development Center, formerly the Yates County Industrial Development Agency.

Community-based, not-for-profit organizations are an integral part of the economic framework of local communities. Legislation that has authorized countywide IDAs to utilize their tax exempt bonding authority to finance construction of civic facilities including not-for-profit hospitals, continuing care residential facilities for the elderly, college dormitories and other projects for non-profits has all provided these facilities with significant savings on costs for construction due to the fact that financing through local IDAs is considerably less expensive than that available through other sources. 

Fitch said when the legislation was enacted, “It was very important in helping Yates County. It will be very detrimental if this is not enacted back into law.” The law, first enacted in 1997 and extended every two years but has not been renewed. This will impact the authority of countywide Industrial development agencies to finance not-for-profit and civic facilities projects without action by the state legislature. Both Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hospital and Keuka College stand to be impacted if the law is not renewed.

In other business:

• Decreased the 2008 election budget by $36,800. Action was taken because New York State received grant funds for purchase of voting machines.

• Appropriated additional state aid of just over $30,000 for two items in the county Department of Social Services budget. Additional aid will be received in the amount $15,250 for the Point of Entry Planning Program. Following the meeting county administrator Sarah Purdy said the program will streamline things by improving coordination of services for the elderly. The balance of the funds will be used to increase the DSS Medical Assistance accounts.

• Legislature chairman Robert Multer was authorized to sign a contract with ExtraDev ExtraNet Solutions, Inc. of Rochester for computer technical assistance for four months at a cost not to exceed $49,000.

The next meeting of the Yates County Legislature will be at 1 p.m. Jan. 12 in legislative chambers in the county office complex on Liberty Street in Penn Yan.