By Nicole Coleman<br><a href="mailto:colemann@gnnewspaper.com">E-mail Nicole</a>
County officials have established a set of guidelines county departments should use as they prepare their 2009 budget requests.
A complete itemized list was adopted by the Orleans County Legislature on Wednesday without discussion, under the lead of Legislators David Callard and Lynne Johnson.
They will be used by department heads to help prioritize pressing needs. The year 2008 was a difficult budget year for taxpayers, with a tax rate of $9.16 per $1,000 of assessed property value, a 57-cent increase over 2007, said Chief Administrative Officer Chuck Nesbitt.
The resolution stipulates that no new positions may be requested unless they have received prior approval or they are fully funded at no county cost. Similarly, no upgrades may be budgeted unless they have been approved in accordance with the salary review policy or by legislative action, the guidelines state.
Equipment budgets should include only the essentials and items that are economically justifiable or included in the county’s capital plan.
Department heads are required to justify budget increases in writing. Any foreseen decreases should be noted, as well as contractual expenses, grant-funded services and new or expanded programs.
The Legislature also asks departments to provide a list of expected out-of-county travel for meetings, conferences or seminars. All expected revenue streams need to be itemized, as well.
The guidelines were adopted in July because the 2009 budget process is under way, Nesbitt said. A three-year capital budget report presentation at Wednesday’s meeting outlined proposed projects over $5,000. Projected county cost for the projects totals $762,861.
In other news, the Orleans County Legislature:
• Approved an agreement between the Orleans County Probation Department and Government Payment Services Inc. that will allow the department to collect offender fines with a credit card. There is no county cost.
• Authorized receipt of the New York State Division of Probation and Correctional Alternatives for the Intensive Supervision initiative. The $20,000 grant will provide intensive supervision for felons who would otherwise be sentenced to incarceration in the Orleans County Jail, Johnson said. The probation department will also receive a $9,700 grant through the same initiative for the supervision of sex offenders.
• Accepted a $5,449 increase in reimbursement from the New York State Unified Court System for security personnel in the Court House.
• Received $18,967 in funding from the New York State Department of Health for rabies control, $7,358 from the Workforce Investment Act for the Job Development Agency to provide Case Management Services and $24,102 for an Out of School year-round program.
• Filled two vacant part-time correction officers positions. Legislator Gary Kent said it will help address the overtime issue.
n Passed a resolution authorizing the Albion Business Association to use the Court House grounds and parking lot for its annual Cruise Nite on Aug. 2. The organization also will post a banner promoting the event.
• Amended a resolution authorizing a 2008 agreement between the Sheriff’s Department and the state Division of Probation and Correctional Alternatives ,due to a 2 percent decrease in state funding, leaving a county cost of $34,887.
• Approved agreement between the Orleans County sheriff and Niagara County for crime lab services at an annual cost of $12,000 through Dec. 31, 2010.
• Approved a $43,470 grant from the state Department of State Shared Municipal Service Incentive Program. The money will purchase a brush cutting attachment for use by all 10 county towns to reduce countywide flooding and drainage concerns.
Contact reporter Nicole Coleman at 798-1400, ext. 8227.
