Tag: countyexec

(BINGHAMTON, NY) Broome County Executive Jason Garnar announced today the county has submitted the 2020 Broome County-Wide Shared Services Initiative plan with a projected savings of more than $2 million in its first year.

In 2017, the County Executive submitted plans for a County-Wide Shared Services Initiative plan to identify millions of dollars in taxpayer savings across the county, working with municipalities to do so. This in response to Governor Andrew Cuomo’s challenge to counties to come up with plans to save taxpayers money.

Successful projects in 2018 saved Broome County over $3.1 million and resulted in $3.1 million in matching funds from New York State.

New York State extended the Shared Services Initiative through 2021. Over the last year, the panel of municipal leaders has developed projects that will benefit their constituents by creating efficiencies and saving taxpayer dollars.  

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“Our panel of municipal leaders worked hard to think of new ways to collaborate and save money throughout the many services we provide Broome County residents,” said County Executive Jason Garnar. “This plan sets us up for even greater projects and savings in the next two years.”

Major projects in the 2020 plan focus on improving public safety throughout Broome County, including new public safety radio towers, stop-arm safety cameras, and courtroom security in the Town of Windsor.   

To view the full 2020 Shared Services Plan, visit broomecountyny.gov/countyexec/sharedservices 

(VESTAL, NY) Thanks to a generous donation from an anonymous donor, Broome County Transit will be providing 111 single-use and 50 two-ride bus passes to those in need in the community this holiday season.

B.C. Transit is partnering with local organizations to identify those in the community who would benefit from these donations. Transit Commissioner Greg Kilmer was contacted by a private citizen who wanted to provide free bus rides for transit dependent individuals who might be struggling this holiday season. His intent was to play “Secret Santa,” with the desire to boost the spirits of as many transit riders as possible.

“It’s incredible to see how the people in our community work to help one another, especially during the holiday season,” said Broome County Executive Jason Garnar. “I’m thankful to this anonymous donor for making a difference here in Broome County.”

“This is a genuine act of kindness from a very thoughtful member of our community. I was so impressed by the gesture that I immediately found another ‘Secret Santa’ to match the donation,” said Commissioner Kilmer.

BC Transit has provided the YWCA with over 160 free passes to distribute amongst their network of providers and homeless shelters.

“Local homeless services agencies work to provide essential support to those most in need among us,” said Rebecca Rathmell, YWCA Street Outreach Coordinator & Housing Advocate. “This donation will ensure vulnerable individuals and families throughout Broome who are facing distressing and difficult circumstances are able to find some relief in knowing they’ll have a safe, warm way to get where they need to go.”

The passes will be distributed to transit dependent individuals who need rides to work, healthcare, treatment centers, grocery stores, etc.

(VESTAL, NY) Broome County Executive Jason Garnar and Broome County Legislative Chairman Daniel J. Reynolds announced Friday the Kopernik Science Park will soon be completed thanks to funding from Broome County.

In partnership with the Junior League of Binghamton, the Kopernik Observatory & Science Center and Observatory, located in Vestal, is building a free, outdoor STEM-themed playground and learning facility. The park will feature play-based learning with structures, telescopes, and activities providing STEM-learning experiences to the estimated 40,000 students in K-12 in Broome and Tioga counties.

“This park will be a great space for children in our community and an awesome way for them to learn,” said Broome County Executive Jason Garnar. “Thank you to the Junior League of Binghamton and Kopernik for their hard work on this project and I am glad Broome County was able to play a small part in helping bring this park to life.”

“For over 40 years, the Kopernik Observatory & Science Center has been a source of knowledge, education and entertainment for people of all ages in Broome County and the entire Northeast,” said Chairman Daniel Reynolds. “This STEM themed park will be a one of a kind attraction that will promote local tourism and create the educational opportunities that our children need and deserve.”

The Junior League and Kopernik raised more than $700,000 toward the park construction. This final funding from Broome County will help complete the project.
 
“Kopernik is deeply indebted to the Junior League, Broome County Executive Jason Garnar, the Broome County Legislature, local and national foundations, corporations and private individuals who saw the importance of the Kopernik Science Park and helped to make it a reality,” said Drew Deskur, the Director of Kopernik Observatory & Science Center. “It will be wonderful resource for the community and hopefully inspire those who play there to see how science and engineering are part of everyday life and to consider a career in science and engineering.”

This is just one of many projects in the community that Broome County has secured funding for thanks to the over $3.1 million in first year matching funds from New York State as part of the County Wide Shared Services Initiative.

(BINGHAMTON, NY) Broome County Executive Jason Garnar and a panel of County judges heard from local high school students today about how they would better their communities. Teams from schools throughout Broome County participated in the friendly competition to receive funding for their projects.  

The County Executive issued the challenge to all Broome County high schools.

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“It has always been a priority of my administration to hear from young people about what is impacting them and encourage them to be involved in their community,” said Garnar. “Their perspectives are important to making Broome County better and I wanted to give them a boost in putting their ideas into action.”

Based on the scores from the panel of judges, Deposit Central School District and Johnson City Central School District are the first winners of the County Executive’s Challenge for Change. They were each awarded $1,500 to implement their projects.

After talking to their neighbors, Deposit students developed a detailed plan to partner with the Village of Deposit to provide a peaceful memorial square to honor fallen heroes from Deposit.

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Johnson City students focused on the concerning number of students who start the school year without the required immunizations. Their project would partner with UHS to provide immunizations at school during the first few weeks of the new school year.

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The runners-up were each awarded $500 to implement their projects.

“I’m excited to see these projects impact our local community with help from Broome County,” said Garnar. “We will definitely be keeping up with these bright students next year!”

(JOHNSON CITY, NY) Broome County Executive Jason Garnar announced today he has appointed a new director for the Office of Employment and Training. Robert Murphy has been appointed the new director, following the resignation of previous director Sara Liu, who left to pursue full-time management of her private restaurant and catering business.

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“Sara Liu did great job spearheading a variety of fantastic programs in the Office of Employment and Training,” said County Executive Jason Garnar. “We are now excited to bring in a new leader, Robert Murphy, who brings years of experience to the position.”

“I look forward to working with Broome County Executive Jason Garnar’s team, the Broome-Tioga Workforce Development team, regional employers large and small, municipal, county, and state economic development organizations and NGOs and Veterans groups to fill the thousands of job vacancies in Broome County with hard working residents – current and new,” said Robert Murphy, the new director of the Office of Employment and Training. “I hope also to help bridge Broome County’s employment and training efforts to those in the urban core, suburban and rural areas.”

The OET director oversees, coordinates, and directs the planning, development, and implementation of employment and training programs for the county. The work involves responsibility for directing and administering the planning, coordination and administration of a wide variety of local employment and training operations of considerable size and complexity. The director will also oversee the Opportunity Impact Program.

“Bob is an extremely qualified candidate for this position, especially as we prepare to open a brand-new state of the art workforce development center in Broome County in the next few months,” said Garnar. “Filling the 5,000 open jobs in Broome County is a top priority for my administration and we need someone who is up the challenge of helping shape and train our workforce. Bob will be able to do just that, just as he helped revitalize downtown Binghamton.”

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Murphy previously served as Director of Economic Development for the City of Binghamton and New York Executive Director of the Binghamton Local Development Corp (“BLDC”). Murphy helped reinvigorate the City of Binghamton’s Economic Development office, connecting it to City and County agencies

In addition to that, Murphy is a lawyer and has represented individual, corporate and municipal clients in real estate, banking, mortgage foreclosure and workouts, general business, real property taxes, municipal zoning and planning and environmental and brownfields law areas.

Garnar’s appointment must be approved by the Broome County Legislature. The resolution is scheduled to be voted on in the December session. 

(BINGHAMTON, NY) Broome County Executive Jason Garnar announced today that the Broome County Legislature has unanimously approved the 2020 Broome County budget. The 2020 county budget includes a tax cut, reducing the county property tax levy by 1%.

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“I want to thank Chairman Reynolds, Majority Leader O’Brien, Minority Leader Kaminsky and members of the Legislature, Republicans and Democrats for coming together, regardless of party, and unanimously approving the 2020 budget,” said County Executive Garnar, “This is the power of partnerships, rolling up our sleeves and working together to build a better Broome County. I am glad to be providing Broome County residents with continued services and another tax cut in 2020.”

In September, the County Executive submitted a $401 million proposed budget. He delivered the budget address at GiGi’s Playhouse Southern Tier Chapter in Vestal. The Executive’s plan included a tax cut, reducing the county property tax levy by 0.51. This is the second year in a row County Executive Garnar has proposed a tax cut. 

“I’m proud to be cutting taxes for the second straight year,” said Garnar. “We’re making sure to continue to provide important services to our Broome County residents as well as introducing exciting new projects to help better the lives of our taxpayers here in Broome.”

The 2020 budget maintains critical county services and programs, with the introduction of several infrastructure projects and increased investment to public safety. The County Executive said due to the work of his team in improving the financial condition of the county, the 2020 budget reduces short-term borrowing by 30%.

Within the capital improvement plan, Broome County plans to invest in the complete renovation of two of the oldest buildings at SUNY Broome Community College and make a big investment in the expansion of the nursing program to address a critical nursing shortage in the community.

The approved budget also includes investment in public safety with the additions of three new deputies for the Sheriff’s office and two new security positions for Broome Security dedicated to providing security at the Greater Binghamton Transportation Center (Intermodal) in the city of Binghamton. The budget also includes a new county-wide communications network serving the fire, police, and emergency service agencies which will help save many lives.

The County Executive’s approved budget also again includes no change to the sales tax formula for 2020 for the municipalities. In 2020, he is again including $150,000 for his Small Communities Grant Fund to provide grant money to municipalities for economic development projects. 

 (BINGHAMTON, NY) Broome County Executive Jason Garnar has issued a challenge to Tioga County to help get people out to the polls for early voting.

“We want to get as many people out to vote as possible,” said County Executive Garnar. “Exercising your right to vote is extremely important and this challenge is a great way to promote early voting and how every resident can have their voice heard.”

County Executive Garnar and Tioga County District 2 Legislator and Legislative Chair Martha Sauerbrey have made a friendly wager to see which county can get the largest percentage of early voters. If Tioga County wins, Broome County will present them with a dozen doughnuts from the Cider Mill in Endicott. If Broome County wins, Tioga County will treat them to breakfast at the Owego Kitchen.

“We are excited to take on this challenge, said Legislative Chair Sauerbrey. “I encourage all the voters in Tioga County to head to the polls for early voting this weekend and next week on election day.”

The leaders will come together for a press conference to announce the early voting outcomes on Monday, November 4^th. Polls will still be open on election day across the U.S. on Tuesday, November 5^th.

For more information on voting in Broome County visit https://www.broomevotes.com/.

(BINGHAMTON, NY) Broome County’s Safe Housing Task Force, launched by County Executive Jason Garnar in 2018, released their final recommendations at a public forum Tuesday evening. The County Executive, as well as members of the Task Force, were in attendance to hear from the public regarding the recommendations.

Co-chairs Rebecca Rathmell of the Southern Tier Homeless Coalition and Mark Schuster of the Broome County Health Department’s Healthy Neighborhoods Program led a Core Group of local partners through the development of the recommendations. The Task Force solicited stories and suggestions from the public in February; members of the Task Force also reached out for additional community input throughout the process.

“I am proud of the work the Safe Housing Task Force has done over the last year,” said County Executive Garnar. “Representatives from Broome County, City of Binghamton, Village of Johnson City, and Town of Union worked together to identify these next steps to address serious housing problems facing our residents. Broome County has already started working on the recommendations. I look forward to seeing other elected officials do the same.”

Recommendations center around four strategic areas: protections, development, housing quality, and tenant and landlord supports. The Safe Housing Task Force reiterates in their report this is only the beginning of the process to improve housing in our community.

“Mark and I are immensely grateful to the members of the Task Force’s Core Group & Executive Committee for their commitment to this effort” said Co-Chair Rebecca Rathmell. “We believe strongly that every resident of Broome County, regardless of income, should have a safe and stable place to call home. It’s our hope that these recommendations become the foundation upon which progress toward that end will continue.”

The full report with the final recommendations can be read at broomecountyny.gov/countyexec/housingtaskforce

(WEST WINDSOR, NY) Broome County Executive Jason Garnar announced today plans to outfit school bus in Broome County with stop-arm cameras to catch drivers illegally passing school buses. Garnar made the announcement during National School Bus Safety Week (Oct. 21-25).

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The first step in moving this process forward in Broome County was getting a local law passed by the Broome County Legislature. The law was passed in the October session. The local law allows for the creation of a demonstration program for stop-arm cameras on school buses in Broome County.

“Keeping our kids safe is the most important thing we can do in Broome County,” said Broome County Executive Jason Garnar. “I’m excited to be working with all our school districts to take this next step and hold the people who are endangering our children accountable.”

“Keeping our kids safe as they travel to and from school is extremely important. This new program will take an important step forward in improving their safety,” said Chairman Dan J. Reynolds. “This local law will help law enforcement hold reckless drivers accountable and make our local school districts’ transportation systems safer for students.”

State transportation officials estimate that motorists illegally pass stopped school buses tens of thousands of times every day in New York. In August Governor Andrew Cuomo signed a bill into law that will allow cameras to be attached to stop-arms that extend from school buses. Violators face fines of $250 per violation, with higher fines for repeat offenders. Motorists caught on camera breaking the law would not get points on their driver’s license or be penalized by their insurance company. The law authorizes school districts to enter into agreements with municipalities for the installation and use of school bus violation monitoring systems.

The cameras will be mounted on the stop sign that extends outward and whenever a bus is stopped, they will automatically record any vehicle that passes by illegally.

“This program is a great example of how partnerships between districts and our area leaders can help enhance the safety of our children. I’m grateful for the work of the county to make this opportunity a reality,” said Dr. Jason Andrews, Superintendent of the Windsor Central School District.

“This is a no brainer,” said Garnar. “Not only will it serve as an educational tool for motorists, but the equipment will pay for itself with the money collected in fines. Thank you to the Broome County legislature for passing this law unanimously and helping us take the first step.”

Broome Security will be overseeing Broome County’s program and the department is in the preliminary stages of researching potential vendors which the county could contract with to obtain the cameras and necessary hardware for the districts.

“Establishing the owner responsibility program in Broome County is yet another tool for local law enforcement to utilize in holding those accountable who recklessly and illegally pass a stopped school bus displaying a red visual stop arm signal,” said Director of Broome County Security James Dadamio. “Enhancing the safety of students getting on and off of a school bus throughout the Broome County School Districts requires this type of partnership and I look forward in working together with our community leaders on this important program.”

Broome County officials have contacted every school district within the county as well as Broome-Tioga BOCES and has generated interest from most districts in partnering with the county for its demonstration program for the stop-arm cameras.

(BINGHAMTON, NY) Broome County is once again bringing its budget presentation to municipalities. As with his 2019 Budget Address County Executive Garnar’s administration is continuing the tradition of taking public addresses into the community, to the residents of Broome County.

Over the course of the next weeks, members of County Executive Garnar’s administration will be visiting each municipality. This week they will be making stops at the Town of Chenango, Village of Port Dickinson, Town of Conklin, Village of Endicott, Town of Sanford, Town of Vestal and Town of Triangle. The events are open to the public. For the full list of scheduled visits click here or visit broomecountyny.gov/countyexec/exec.

In September County Executive Jason Garnar delivered his 2020 Budget Address at GiGi’s Playhouse Southern Tier in Vestal.

The County Executive detailed a $401 million recommended county budget. His plan includes a tax cut, reducing the county property tax levy by 0.51. This is the second year in a row the Executive has recommended a tax cut in his budget plan. The County Executive also addressed his commitment to continuing to work with municipalities in Broome County. He is once again proposing no change to the sales tax formula for 2020.

The 2020 proposed budget maintains critical county services and programs that residents depend on and deserve. Within his 2020 plan, County Executive Garnar is making major investments in infrastructure and public safety.