OSWEGO COUNTY – At Thursday’s legislative meeting, the Oswego County Legislature approved all 34 resolutions proposed.
Prior to hearing the resolutions, the body shared two proclamations, declaring November to be Runaway Prevention Month. The national program intends to support youth and understand why they may run away. The second proclamation was to honor John Lyons and Nan Mosher, who were named Seniors of the Year. The two were nominated by the Office for the Aging in part due to their contributions to the community, volunteer work and “for enriching the lives” of other generations, as the proclamation explained.
Of the resolutions, only four did not receive every vote of the 22 present legislators. Legislators Frank Bombardo, Marie Schadt and Laurie Mangano-Cornelius were marked excused.
FP-2 was opposed by two legislators including District 25’s Legislator Frank Castiglia. The resolution established a public hearing relative to a local law that would amend the salaries of “certain elected county officers” in Oswego. The public hearing is slated for December 14 at 2 p.m., five hours before a public hearing for the tentative county budget for 2024, resolution FP-1. Both will be held in the Legislative Chambers at 46 East Bridge Street in Oswego. Castiglia’s gripe was with the time of the public hearing as it may make it hard for some citizens to show up.
“When you’re discussing raising the wages of elected officials, I believe that it’s a good thing to have the public here,” Castiglia said. “A way to stop the public from being here is having it at a time that the public can’t be here. I would like to make an amendment to move the time to 7 p.m. so we may have more [of] the public here so that they can speak their mind.”
Castiglia did not receive a “second” to the amendment and therefore it was not voted on. The public hearing in FP-2 will remain on the schedule for December 14 at 2 p.m.
Castiglia also opposed IT-6, raising the fees for solid waste. He asked if the City of Fulton could be excluded from the “tipping fee increase for at least the next three years,” citing the new administration starting out next year.
“Please, please give us a chance. Give us a break,” Castiglia said.
Chairman James Weatherup added that that would need to be a discussion for the committee. According to Legislator Paul House who presented the resolution, the county did not raise fees over the last six or seven years. Castiglia was the only member of the legislature to oppose IT-6.
HS-2 received 19 votes in favor and three against. The resolution offers a one-year renewable contract for Oswego County Opportunities to help fund long-term and current housing options for people with mental illness according to Legislator Roy Reehil, who proposed it.
IT-1, the resolution awarding professional services contact RFP 23-DSS-002 for an additional DSS parking lot, was passed with 21 in favor and one vote opposing it.
All other resolutions passed and the agenda for the meeting can be viewed here.
All county legislative meetings are held the second Thursday of every month. The next meeting will be held on Thursday, December 14 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.
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