| LEGISLATURE APPROVES GRANT APPLICATION FOR FOREST LANDS PROTECTION Tompkins County, in collaboration with the towns of Danby, Caroline, and Dryden, plans to apply for a grant from the state's 2005 Quality Communities Program for management and protection of 40,000 acres of forest lands that are located in parts of all three towns. By unanimous vote of the Legislature (14 members present), Tompkins County will be the lead applicant, with the towns as co-applicants. The cooperative project is consistent with principles set forth in the County Comprehensive Plan, which also identifies the forest areas. Contact: Kathy Luz Herrera, Chair, Planning, Development, and Environmental Quality Committee, 273-8169. RESOLUTION ON ENVIRONMENTAL STUDY WITHDRAWN Leslyn McBean-Clairborne, Chair of the Public Safety Committee, withdrew a resolution that would have authorized the County to spend up to $300,000 for legal and environmental impact statement services relating to the Public Safety Communications System. The resolution will be returned to committee for further review. Contact: Leslyn McBean-Clairborne, Chair, Public Safety Committee, 277-5104. COUNTY URGES FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO RESTORE BLOCK GRANTS By unanimous consent, the Legislature passed a resolution that urges the Bush administration to restore a proposed one-third cut in funding for the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program. The County's concern is that 2006 funds for housing rehabilitation, first-time homebuyers programs, and community economic development will be curtailed. Tompkins County has received over $10 million in CDBG housing and economic development funds since 1991. The resolution asks for the 2006 block grant funding to be restored to 2004 levels. Contact: Kathy Luz Herrera, Chair, Planning, Development, and Environmental Quality Committee, 273-8169. RESOLUTIONS UNDERLINE COUNTY DIVERSITY EFFORTS Legislators Kathy Luz Herrera and Leslyn McBean-Clairborne each brought forward similar member-filed resolutions outlining specific steps to enable diverse and inclusive hiring practices in all County departments. Neither resolution was acted on by the Legislature, but a lengthy discussion revealed desires to both move ahead quickly in improving hiring practices and to take sufficient time to develop a policy. The resolution presented by McBean-Clairborne was referred to the Budget and Capital Committee for further development. Contact: Leslyn McBean-Clairborne, Chair, Workforce Inclusion and Diversity Committee, 277-5104; Kathy Luz Herrera, 273-8169. ARTS ORGANIZATIONS TO RECEIVE TOURISM FUNDS Five local arts organizations will receive a total of $140,000 in "Arts and Cultural Stabilization" grants funded by the County's tax on occupancy of hotel and motel rooms. The Legislature unanimously approved the following 2005 grants: Hangar Theatre, $30,000; Cayuga Chamber Orchestra, $25,000; Kitchen Theatre, $25,000; The History Center, $30,000; Historic Ithaca's State Theatre, $30,000. Contact: Kathy Luz Herrera, Chair, Planning, Development, and Environmental Quality Committee, 273-8169. CONTRACT APPROVED FOR NEGOTIATIONS TRAINING County officials will receive intensive training in negotiations skills, in preparation for finalization of a multi-million dollar contract with Motorola, Inc., the anticipated vendor for the Public Safety Communications System. The Legislature approved a contract costing up to $20,000 with the Industrial and Labor Relations School at Cornell University for the training. It was noted that Cornell waived an administrative overhead fee, for a significant savings to the County. The vote was 8 to 6. Contact: Leslyn McBean-Clairborne, Chair, Public Safety Committee, 277-5104. |