Oswego County Legislature Calls For State, Federal Support

by Contributor | April 10, 2020 2:01 pm

By: Shea O’Malley

OSWEGO COUNTY – Oswego County Chairman Jim Weatherup and the County Legislature held its monthly meeting yesterday, April 9. All meetings are now held remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic and Article 7 of Executive Order 202.1.

Weatherup gave a moment of silence for the recent COVID-19 deaths in the county, followed with the Pledge of Allegiance by Marine Corps Veteran Bradley Trudeau.

Minutes from the March 12 and March 31 meetings were approved with no visitors, public speakers, or comments to follow. The legislation then moved on to the following resolutions.

In Resolution AT2, the county is calling for federal and state support of healthcare workers and first responders, [and] personal protective equipment (PPE) needs during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The resolution is as follows:

“Whereas Oswego County is facing a public health crisis unlike any other in recent memory, and whereas the COVID-19 pandemic is putting stress on public and private health care systems there are already stretched very thin.

And whereas Oswego County is already seeing a spike in COVID-19 cases and is taking unprecedented steps at slowing down the rate of infection.

Whereas our health care workers and first responders are on the front lines of this pandemic and need personal protective equipment (PPE) which are in such short supply.

And whereas health care workers and first responders are putting themselves in personal danger while providing a lifesaving service.

And whereas health care workers and first responders deserve the best of our public dollars.

Now therefore be it resolved that Oswego County hereby registers the strongest possible support to health care workers and first responders who are doing their best every day. 

And be it further resolved that Oswego County hereby calls upon the Federal and New York State Government to take every measure that workers get the PPE that they so sorely need to protect their patients and themselves.

And be it further resolved that certified copies of this resolution be sent by the Clerk of the Legislature to President Donald J. Trump, Sen. Charles Schumer, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, Congressman John Katko, Congressman Anthony Brindisi, Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay, State Senator Patty Ritchie and Assemblyman Brian Manktelow. – Resolution passed.”

Other resolutions passed yesterday include:

• Resolution GC1: Resolution authorizing the execution and delivery of deeds for a property sold by the Oswego County Legislator [for] titles acquired by tax foreclosures for 2020 and prior. This was an emergency request to take back a property located in Central Square – tax map number 275000-02- 21 – in order to get title insurance for a sale approved a while ago. The Title Insurance Company will not let the sale take place without a legislative resolution. – Resolution passed. 

• Resolution number DS1: Resolution authorizing budgetary modification at the Sheriff’s office for the fiscal year 2019 [for] Operations Stoneguard and the OPSG program. This is a $200,000 grant the county will accept this year to help with being a border county. – Resolution passed.

• Resolution DS2: Resolution authorizing the execution of an inter-municipal agreement between the County of Oswego, the City of Oswego, the Oswego Police Department and Motorola Solutions Inc. The resolution will bring every police agency in the county into the same reporting system. Not included in the resolution are the SUNY Oswego Police and the New York State Police. –  Resolution passed.

• Resolution HS1: Resolution accepting grant funds from the Office of Parks and Recreation, Historic Preservation and Authorizing Easements. The grant money is for improvements at Camp Hollis. Timing for resolution is coincidental. The resolution is required by the state for the county to be eligible to accept the grant and does not obligate the county to accept the grant or spend any money. Timing is based on conclusion of COVID-19 pandemic. – Resolution passed.
• Resolution AT1: Resolution authorizes budgetary modifications for the Health Department and Insurance Recovery Funds Transfer to the Health Department for supplies and repair. Funds are for auto damage to a car and the county is accepting the money for the repairs. – Resolution  passed.
• Motion to approve short term lease for a vacant airport restaurant with Mercy Excavating, running 45 days from commencement to rehabilitation[work] at the airport. Rent would be $3500. The restaurant is currently being used as a field engineer’s office. CNS will use the property, but the lease will be with Mercy Construction. Work is slated to begin May 1. – Resolution passed.

The meeting ended with Legislator Marie Schadt voicing concerns that area constituents had with the lack of transparency associated with positive COVID-19 residents in the county. 

“Without violating any confidential information including HIPPA, simple demographic profiles of those testing positive would be helpful,” said Schadt. “Age range, gender, rural [and] urban location would contextualize the virus. Of course, the fronts of underlying medical conditions would enhance those profiles as well.” 

She reiterated the Oswego County Health Department’s excellent job in dealing with the COVID-19 response, but said the public was “extraordinarily concerned.” 

Oswego County Legislative meetings are held the second Thursday of every month. For more information on COVID-19 updates, go to https://health.oswegocounty.com/[1].

 

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