Halpin, others heading to hurricane zones

The emergency management director will deploy to stormbattered areas of Texas and Florida.

WAMPSVILLE, N.Y. » After a silent public hearing, the Madison County Board of Supervisors adopted a local law that will give it the authority to override the state-imposed property tax levy cap.

The board voted nearly unanimously, with only Brookfield Supervisor John Salka voting against the proposal.

The property tax levy cap, imposed by the state since 2011, restricts how much municipalities and tax-collecting entities can increase its property tax levy. Each year the percentage is different, based on a formula; the county would be restricted to keeping an increase of its tax levy below about 3 percent for next year’s budget, Treasurer Cindy Edick said.

The board’s vote Tuesday doesn’t automatically mean the county will surpass that cap in the 2018 budget, it simply gives the county the option. Since the state enacted the cap in 2011, the county has not surpassed the cap every year, Edick said. Between 2012-2017, the increase in the county’s property tax cap has fluctuated between 1.95 percent (its lowest increase in 2016) and 8.49

percent (its highest in 2015).

The county’s Emergency Management Director Ted Halpin will be deployed to assist with damages from hurricanes Harvey and Irma, the board decided Tuesday. FEMA has requested Halpin’s assistance since the Aug. 25 major disaster declaration in Texas and the Sept. 10 declaration in Florida. Halpin has been approved for a twoweek deployment to help as needed.

“Madison County has always been appreciative of assistance offered by others from multiple agencies during local disasters and emergency events and would like to provide support in any way possible to those in desperate need,” the resolution said.

Salka also urged Madison County residents and fellow supervisors to support relief efforts in any way possible. A sheriff’s deputy was also activated for service with the National Guard in Florida.

Also at Tuesday’s meeting, the board agreed to reallocate $19,000 toward the support of a prescription opioid abuse awareness campaign. The money was originally assigned to address tobacco use prevention and cessation in the county. Since then, the health department has identified prescription opioid abuse as a significant health issue to residents of Madison County. The funds will support a county-wide public awareness campaign.

The board also approved of the creation of a caseworker position at the child advocacy center. The sheriff’s office received a $184,000 grant from the New York State Office of Victim Service to provide forensically-valid interviews and case management of child victims in abuse cases. The position would be created in the department of social services and trained and supervised by that department. The position will be solely funded by the grant; if the grant is not renewed again, the position would be abolished.

The county accepted a grant from the Foodservice Packaging Institute for the solid waste department’ Styrofoam densifier unit. Last year, the county purchased a densifier unit to recycle Styrofoam packaging. The grant will reimburse the county $42,925 for the cost of the unit.