PUBLIC SAFETY & LEGAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
RELIC, MCCARTY, DURKIN
April 13, 2006
SHERIFF - LAURA CHILD
Mrs. Child said a resolution was sent to the state requesting legislation concerning
Deputy Sheriff Terry Clapper’ retirement. The state has prepared the legislation, but
another resolution is needed committing the amount of $24,600 by February 2, 2007,
under the Municipal Home Rule Law. Representative McCarty moved to approve.
Seconded, Durkin. Total: 3; Ayes: 3; Absent: Feldstein. Motion carried.
ALTERNATIVES TO INCARCERATION - DON MUNDY
Sheriff Mundy handed out the number of participants in the ATI Program for March.
SHERIFF - DON MUNDY, BRUCE CARROLL, RUDY LAGUNA (REPRESENTATIVE),
DANIEL DENOFRIO (DSS), RODNEY KLAFEHN (COUNTY ATTORNEY)
Representative Relic said everyone was here to discuss an article in the Daily Star
about a sex offender who had been housed near a victim. Commissioner Denofrio
explained that when a person is released from jail he is considered a homeless person,
and DSS has to find someplace for them to be housed. Social Services is not allowed to
ask the people if they have been incarcerated, etc., just what their expenses are. These
clients also have to be housed near public transportation, so they can get to work.
Commissioner Denofrio has talked with the Sheriff's Department, and it will alert
DSS when a sex offender has been released. Discussion was held on how aggressive the
county wants to get with housing offenders. Some counties have designated areas where
Level II and III offenders are housed.
Rodney Klafehn said Social Services did everything that they should have with
placing this person. He spoke with District Attorney John Muehl and City Judge Walter
Terry concerning the problem. One way to solve it is to make part of plea bargain that sex
offenders have to report to the Probation Department when they are released from jail.
Committee said they would discuss this with John Muehl when he comes in.
SHERIFF - DON MUNDY, BRUCE CARROLL
Sheriff Mundy requested permission to purchase the following with Homeland
Security funds:
Creative Electronics
10 Portable Radios
$5,200.
Representative Durkin moved to approve. Seconded, McCarty. Total: 3; Ayes: 3;
Absent: Feldstein. Motion carried.
Committee reviewed budget expenditures for the Jail and Sheriff's Department
through March 2006.
Discussion was held on the security at The Meadows Building and the requests from
different departments to have keys to the side doors. Sheriff Mundy said at the present
time Social Services pays for all the security in the building. He said that he will be meeting
with everyone at The Meadows Building to discuss security issues and will keep the
committee informed.
Sheriff Mundy said the State Commission was at the Jail on April 10, 2006.
Presently, we have two (2) matrons in the women's section. The state said they no longer
have matron positions and wants these matron positions changed to corrections officers,
which would mean they would have to go to school and qualify on the shooting range.
Sheriff Mundy will compile figures to see if it cheaper to close the women's section down
and board them or to send the matrons to school to become corrections officers.
Public Safety & Legal Affairs Committee
April 13, 2006
Page 2
DISTRICT ATTORNEY - JOHN MUEHL
John Muehl said they need a transfer in the following PSOT account to cover
unforeseen costs:
From District Attorney 1165.4888 Other Expense - $4,000 to District Attorney 11654700 PSOT - $4,000.
Representative McCarty moved to approve. Seconded, Durkin. Total: 3; Ayes: 3;
Absent: Feldstein.
Mr. Muehl updated the committee on what is going on in the office.
Mr. Muehl said his Legal Secretary said she does the same work as the Legal
Secretary for DSS and would like to be paid the same salary. He will address this at
budget time.
Representative Relic said the committee had discussed with the Sheriff and DSS
Commissioner about sentencing guidelines for sex offenders. One of them would be that
Level III, II and I sex offenders have to report to the Probation Department when released,
so the proper departments can be notified. Mr. Muehl said this could be made part of the
plea bargaining. He will talk with the magistrates association about the justices doing this
also.
CODE ENFORCEMENT - DANIEL WILBER
Dan Wilber said the truck is repaired and the total cost was $1,305.04.
Mr. Wilber said they were supposed to move to The Meadows Building on April 18,
2006, but they will not move until the phones are installed. Laura Child is working with
Ronco to get a time to have the phones installed.
Mr. Wilber said they are looking into complaints about Opportunities for Otsego, Inc.
and Otsego Rural Housing Authority (ORHA) regarding poor workmanship, no permits, etc.
He will keep the committee informed.
Committee reviewed the revenue and monthly expenditures for March 2006.
EMERGENCY SERVICES - LYLE JONES, KEVIN RITTON
Committee reviewed the vehicles log sheets, Emergency Services and LEPC
monthly expenditures for March 2006.
Butch Jones requested a resolution declaring May 14-20, 2006 as Emergency
Medical Services Week. Representative Durkin moved to approve. Seconded, McCarty.
Total: 3; Ayes: 3; Absent: Feldstein. Motion carried.
Mr. Jones asked what the next move was concerning RMSCO. Committee said
RMSCO was to come up with figures and get back in touch.
Mr. Jones said he has talked with the Sheriff's Department, who does not want to
move its firing range. Mr. Jones contacted Medical Coaches with this information, and they
have no further interest in the land. He said he will now move ahead with burn building
lining. The approximate $25,000 cost for the lining will be paid for out of money that was
left to the association.
Mr. Jones said he had asked for additional space before past Public Works
Committees. He updated this committee on his request for space in the C Wing of The
Meadows Building. Mr. Jones went to the Public Works Committee this month with the
same story. There is ample room in the kitchen area for offices and training rooms. After
discussion, the committee asked Mr. Jones to go to the next Public Works Committee
meeting.
Mr. Jones said Cindy Moore has been working on a County Animal Response Team
(CART). This involves veterinarians, Cornell Cooperative Extension, etc. They have been
training and developing response plans on how to deal with animals, if there is a disaster.
Public Safety & Legal Affairs Committee
April 13, 2006
Page 3
Discussion was held on how to put responders under the county policy. The committee
asked Mr. Jones to talk with the County Attorney to see what he thinks.
Mr. Jones said they were meeting today with Tom Labelle, NYS Association of Fire
Chiefs, and Adam Benson, Legislative Assistant for Senator Jim Seward, concerning the
volunteer firemen's benefits. He said the State Insurance Commission wants to get all the
self insured counties in New York State and their representatives together to try and
resolve the problem of claims not being paid.
Kevin Ritton said the Office for the Aging, Sheriff's Department and Emergency
Services through the Alzheimer's Association have been training, so they can find people
with dementia who have wandered off. This is through a program called Project Lifesaver,
which can be used by people who have other problems also. There is a small transmitter
on the person, such as a bracelet or necklace. The initial cost is $280, with a monthly fee
of $10. The money is held through the Alzheimer's Association in Albany, and half of the
$280 is returned when the person is no longer in the program. Sue King is the liaison
between the offices. Mr. Ritton said the people who wander off can be found easily and
quickly.
Mr. Jones said anyone getting Homeland Security funding can get training through
National Incident Management System (NIMS) and Incident Command System (ICS). This
can be done on line. Mr. Jones said he is working on finding a location to host a Public
Official Conference (POC) for Board members, Town Supervisors, Mayors, etc.
Mr. Jones said they received 1,500 blankets from Dreams Parks, which they will
have to store in the Red Cross trailer. He will also give some to the fire departments.
E-911/COMMUNICATIONS - ROY ALTHISER
Roy Althiser reported they were taking up the floor at the Communications Center
and discovered that the workstations were not grounded properly. Since the floor is torn
up, this is a good time to have the grounding done. Mid-State has quoted a price of
$6,466.50. Mr. Althiser can take money from another section of his budget at this time, but
it will have to be replaced. After discussion Representative Durkin moved to have
everything grounded, while the floor is torn up. Seconded, McCarty. Total: 3; Ayes: 3;
Absent: Feldstein. Motion carried. Discussion was held on where the money would come
from, and the committee said it could come out of Bed Tax f\Funds.
PUBLIC DEFENDER - RICHARD ROTHERMEL
Richard Rothermel said the state has given the Public Defender's Office another
$150,000 to improve the office. He went over some ideas he has for using the funds. The
money cannot be used to supplement the office.
Mr. Rothermel is still working on starting a Conflicts Office and went over what the
office does for the new Board members.
COUNTY CLERK - KATHY GARDNER
Mrs. Gardner requested permission to fill a vacant funded Clerk's position, Grade 5.
After discussion Representative McCarty moved to fill. Seconded, Durkin. Total: 3; Ayes:
3; Absent: Feldstein. Motion carried.
There being no further business to discuss, the committee adjourned until
Wednesday, May 17, 2006 at 9:30 am.