Chenango County

Back to Progress 2008 Listing

by: Melissa deCordova

If Chenango County were the recipient of a portion of Governor Spitzer’s proposed $1 billion to stimulate the economies of upstate New York, what would be on our wish list?

For starters, according to Board of Supervisors Chairman Richard B. Decker, it would be the expansion of water and sewer lines to economic development centers up and down state Route 12, as well as into Afton, Bainbridge and New Berlin.

“The lack of it (services) is the biggest stop for businesses to invest here,” the county’s 11th term leader said. “It would be so much easier for all of us to have these in place.”

Many years ago, as supervisor of North Norwich, Chairman Decker said he directed his town board to determine the cost of providing water and sewer lines from the City of Norwich to Lt. Warren E. Eaton Airport and the former Procter & Gambles Pharmaceuticals plant, both on state Route 12 North. At approximately $3 million, however, Decker said there was “no way” the town could have proceeded.

Affording infrastructure improvements - whether it be for basic utilities, emergency communications management systems, educational and cultural offerings, or the New York Susquehanna & Western Railroad - are a huge cost to taxpayers. Especially when the lion’s share of the $23 million in annual collections already goes toward paying for mandated labor rates; social services, mental and public health programs; corrections; and education.

In 2007, more than 60 percent of the county’s approximately $75 million spending plan went toward state-mandated, but unfunded programs. And instead of imposing a cap on annual property tax hikes, Decker said it’s “obvious” that the Governor should be proposing a cap on spending instead.

“If they want to help lower taxes, the state should assume more responsibility for their own programs. ... I continue to be bothered with the overall way the state requires us to pay for programs that they implement without any consultation with local officials as to whether we need them,” he said.

The Governor’s plan to cap property taxes to a 2 to 3 percent increase isn’t unreasonable, Decker said, however most towns in Chenango County rarely go above that anyway. The county’s budget for this year increased by only .75 percent. “I’m a firm believer that local taxing entities are the most efficient use of taxpayer money that there is today,” the Republican said.

The year 2007 will also be remembered for the Spitzer initiative that would consolidate local governments, including the specific call for a merger between the City of Norwich and the Town of Norwich. Decker said he has always been one of the first supervisors to talk about sharing services between municipalities. He said highway, fire and other departments have been working with each other along.

“This isn’t a new concept,” he said. “What people miss it that organizations in the state are coming down to the local level to try and tell us what’s the best for us. The state doesn’t realize that we are willing to take care of our own issues. ... They should spend more time controlling state and federal issues over which Chenango County has zero control.”

As some have otherwise suggested, Chairman Decker doesn’t believe that consolidating the county’s 21 municipalities into three or four entities would mean less government. “I have two reasons why that won’t work: Washington and Albany,” he said. “We would have three or four big governments in the county instead of 21 small ones.”

Perhaps the two biggest headaches for the county in 2007 were not offering potential businesses an operational railroad to distribute goods and the costly Help America Vote Act. The latter, according to Decker, threatens to “further eat away at our local tax base.”

County lawmakers and economic development entities, such as Commerce Chenango and the Industrial Development Agency, held numerous meetings in 2007 with NYS&W executives. The Cooperstown-based railroad began abandonment procedures of its right-of-way between Chenango Forks and Sherburne, and shut down that portion after the tracks were damaged by the record-breaking flood of 2006.

Discretionary funds under the direction of Chenango County’s Planning & Economic Development Committee were granted in late 2007 for a consultant’s study of the railroad. Three options could develop this year: The county would take ownership of the tracks via the IDA, develop a rails-to-trails system, or create a scenic railroad linking Chenango County to northern destination sites such as Old Forge.

It’s “just a sad, sad state,” Decker said, referring to New York state’s refusal to select a handicapped accessible voting machine as required by the HAVA act of 2005. “We haven’t even come close to even identifying or settling on a machine yet,” he said. Nonetheless, according to HAVA, the county has been forced to take-over expensive elections operations from individual towns. Decker worries that a federal lawsuit forcing New York to comply could result in the forfeiture of funds set aside for the county to purchase the new machines once they are licensed.

This year’s top agenda item was the same as last year’s: To reform the county’s Office of Real Property Taxes. The topic didn’t get to be addressed last year, though a presentation from officials of the New York State Board of Real Property Services was helpful, Decker said. Decker’s first charge to the Finance Committee this year was to look into the status and use of the county’s office and make it a more viable source for town assessors.

“One thing you always shoot for is some basis of an equal equalization rate across the county. I believe it can be done through the office by working with local assessors ... There is a real communication problem between the county office and town assessors. We want to be able to provide them with more direction,” he said.

Another project on the docket is the demolition of the jail cells in the former century old county jail for what will eventually become the county’s West Park Place office complex. Decker said he wants the demolition to occur no later than the spring despite an existing communications wire that connects 911 Emergency dispatch services from the former Sheriff’s Office to the new Public Safety Facility south of the city. The architects and members of the Agriculture, Buildings and Grounds committee have postponed the first part of the building project until the county’s new communications towers and antennas are erected.

“Life goes on,” Decker said. “We must move ahead. I’d like to take the chance and cut that wire today. If there’s a problem, we’ll fix it.”

After the cells’ demolition, the remaining two buildings’ exteriors are scheduled to be refurbished this year, with the interiors to follow in the fourth quarter and into 2009.

Department of Social Services Commissioner Bette Osborne is the county’s point person on the musical offices project, as many of DSS’ divisions will take up new residence at West Park. “We have not just one move. There are many smaller moves to get set up in the agency downstairs before we move some divisions over,” Osborne said. “There are may processes that we do up and down that will all have to transition downstairs.”

Other department moves will follow like dominoes, with the entire court system - and possibly the law library - moving to the third floor of the County Office Building. Mental Health will move to Chairman Decker’s suite of offices on the second floor, and Decker and the county board room will relocate to DSS’ second floor and new office complex, respectfully.

Decker remains optimistic for the new year. He said he become upset with the negative characterization in the media and from Albany about the failing upstate New York economy. “We need to keep being optimistic and do all we can through economic development to promote, follow up leads and showcase our offerings. I’m very optimistic that things are going to work out.”

Osborne echoed the sentiments of other department heads when she said she likes her relationship with Decker and the county’s committee structure. Even though she said it can be “frustrating at times,” she said she understood “the value of it.”

“Overall, Mr. Decker is very hands off. He hires someone who is competent and is going to let them run their program. I appreciate that he doesn’t micro-manage. I can call him or my committee chairperson when I need advice.”

“But then he’s been the chairman for the five and half years I’ve been commissioner. So, I don’t know any different,” she said.

This year, Osborne has set a goal to attract new staff who will remain on the job longer. DSS plans to offer more training to help employees become more efficient.

For clients, the intake process should appear seamless in 2008. Unnecessary steps and the number of people to consult with will be diminished. “It’s oftentimes hard to transition to another worker. We are looking at a more seamless operation for the client, even though for us it may not be.

Back to Progress 2008 Listing