Broome County Header

Tag: countyexec

  • County Executive to Deliver 2019 State of the County at Ansco Lofts in Binghamton

    (BINGHAMTON, NY) Broome County Executive, Jason Garnar, will deliver the 2019 State of the County address at 5:30PM on Tuesday, February 26, at the Ansco Lofts in Binghamton. The Ansco Lofts, located at 16 Emma Street, is the former site of the Ansco Camera Factory in the First Ward neighborhood of the City of Binghamton. 

     

    The revitalization of the historic Ansco Camera Factory will create a mixed-use development with 100 market-rate lofts and 35,000 square feet of commercial space. The property was formerly owned by Broome County and was sold to Freewheelin Ansco, LLC in June 2018. 

     

    The developer of the project is Matthew Paulus of Paulus Development. Paulus said, “We are honored to welcome County Executive Garnar, the Broome County Legislature, Department Heads, and members of the community to the Ansco Lofts. We believe that the project will build upon the exciting revitalization efforts currently underway and recently announced in the region.”  

     

    County Executive Garnar said, “I am excited to be delivering my State of the County at the Ansco Lofts. This project is the prime example of how the power of partnerships is revitalizing Broome County. Matthew Paulus has created something special here in our community. He saw an opportunity to make a major investment, bring this historic building new life and provide much-needed housing and commercial space. This project has made tremendous progress since the groundbreaking six months ago and I cannot wait for everyone to see what’s been accomplished.” 

     

    The Broome County Legislature and Department Heads have been invited to the address. 

     

    The event is open to the public. 

     

    County Executive Garnar held the 2018 State of the County address at Animal Adventure Park in the Town of Colesville. 

  • County Executive Garnar Appoints Roger Luther as Broome County Historian

    (BINGHAMTON, NY) Broome County Executive Jason Garnar announced today the appointment of Roger Luther as Broome County Historian. 

    County Executive Garnar said, “I’m excited to announce my selection of Roger Luther as Broome County Historian. Roger brings years of experience and knowledge to this position. We’re excited for him to take on this role and for how he will continue to help preserve the history of our area.” 

    Luther fills this position after the retirement of former Broome County Historian Gerald Smith. 

    Luther recently published two books about Broome County history, “Expressions of Faith – Exploring the Religious Structures of Broome County,” and “Treasures of the Tier – Exploring Historic Properties in the Southern Tier.” Additionally, he has been an active member in the Broome County Historical Society and the Preservation Association of the Southern Tier.   

    The Broome County Historian appointment must be approved by the Broome County Legislature. The resolution has been submitted to be considered by legislators in March. 

    Luther said, “I look forward to continuing to serve Broome County, and educating the community on the rich history of our area. I’m honored to take on this new role and share my love of history with everyone in the county.” 

    “Roger Luther is the perfect choice for County Historian. I’ve worked with him for years on a number of projects, including our recent celebration of the 100th anniversary of women’s suffrage,” said Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo. “His years of experience researching, writing, and sharing the stories of our community having prepared him well for this role. I’d like to thank outgoing Historian Gerry Smith for his years of dedicated service to preserving our local history. Roger will no doubt build on Gerry’s legacy.” 

    Luther has experience in all areas of expertise when it comes to this position including, research and writing, teaching and public presentations, historic preservation, and organization, and advocacy and tourism promotion. He has conducted years of research on topics in Broome County, including buildings and residences in the county, Binghamton’s “Castle on the Hill,” and women’s suffrage. 

  • BC Transit Announces 8 New Buses Secured through State, Federal Grants

    Broome County Executive Jason Garnar, Congressman Anthony Brindisi and Broome County Department of Public Transportation Commissioner Greg Kilmer, among other local leaders, joined forces Friday to announce details of eight new buses hitting the streets of Broome County.

     

    The new clean diesel Gillig buses will replace buses in the county that are more than 14 years old. These buses will offer cleaner emissions, lower fuel consumption and lower cost per mile to operate. The buses will also offer riders a more comfortable and pleasant experience.

    “We’re excited to place these eight beautiful new buses into service,” Commissioner Kilmer said. “Support from State, Federal and Local officials is vital in continuing the effort to rebuild public transportation infrastructure in Broome County.

    Public Transportation supports the local economy, employment, education, healthcare, retail, and leisure.

    “It’s important for Broome County residents to be able to access public transportation in our county, and this is just another step in continuing to help residents get to where they need to go safely and efficiently,” said County Executive Garnar.

    The total cost of the project is $3,574,976 with the price per bus at $446,872. Most of that funding is coming from State Capital Funding, while Federal Formula Funding and Local County funding make up the rest.

     

    Funding Breakdown:

    Total                                                              $3,574,976

    Federal Formula Funding                             $   897,064          25.09%

    State Capital Funding                                   $2,565,780          71.77%

    Local Broome County Share                        $   112,132             3.14%

     

    Of the more than $3.5 million project, only $112,000 will be paid for by local tax payers.  

     

    “Getting new, more efficient buses on the road is great news for Broome County,” said Congressman Brindisi. “Investing in our public transportation helps keep our communities safe, healthy, and economically secure. From rebuilding our roads and bridges to updating our public transportation systems, I will continue working with local and state officials to make sure the needs of the community are met. I commend County Executive Garnar and Commissioner Kilmer for their commitment to improving transportation options for our community.”

     

    By the beginning of 2020 B.C. Transit will have replaced 30 buses, a full two thirds of the fleet dedicated to the Fixed Route transit system. 

  • Meals on Wheels – Community Champions Week

    (BINGHAMTON, NY) Broome County is participating in the National March for Meals campaign throughout the month of March. As part of this campaign the Broome County Office for Aging has asked the community to support local Meals on Wheels programs by volunteering to deliver meals or by making a monetary contribution. “Meals on Wheels Community Champions Week” is from March 18th through the 22nd.

    Lisa Schuhle, Director of the Office for Aging states: “The Meals on Wheels programs in Broome County served over 228,000 meals in 2018.  This was a 12% increase from the previous year. With the increase in demand we are looking for community support. The program not only serves meals to those needing it over an extended period, but also to many people short term after returning home from a hospital or a rehabilitation stay. Please consider volunteering or making a donation to support the older population in our community.”

    Broome County Executive Jason Garnar is showing his support throughout the month, including during Community Champions Week. On March 22nd from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. he will be helping deliver meals to program participants.

    “It’s important to take care of all the residents here in Broome County, especially our seniors,” said County Executive Garnar. “This is a great program. I’m happy to help out in any way I can, and I encourage all our Broome County leaders to participate.”

    Meals on Wheels is a vital service to the community as it helps seniors remain independent while living in their own homes. Participants and their families enjoy the comfort of knowing that Meals on Wheels volunteers will be dropping by not only to deliver hot, healthy meals, but also to provide a quick check on their well-being

    The Office for Aging is partnering with Meals on Wheels of Western Broome in collecting donations for this campaign. Local businesses will also be collecting donations through the “Fill Our Plate for Meals on Wheels” program.

    “We provide a service that is not only a comfort but a necessity for seniors in Broome County and the need is quickly increasing.  Working together with the Office for Aging Meals on Wheels is what will help both our programs thrive and keep our seniors safe, healthy, and in their own homes for as long as possible,” said Jackie Pangilinan, Executive Director of Meals on Wheels of Western Broome.

    If you would like to make a donation head to the Broome County Office for Aging website at broomecountyny.gov/senior or the Meals on Wheels of Western Broome website at https://mealsonwheelsofwesternbroome.com/. Checks can be mailed to Broome County Office for Aging, 60 Hawley Street, PO Box 1766, Binghamton, NY 13902, simply note it as a “March for Meals” donation.

    For more information on making donations or volunteering for Meals on Wheels, please call the Office for Aging at (607) 778-2411.

  • Damage County-Wide after Overnight Storm, April 15

    Situation Report from Broome County Office of Emergency Services

    Issued April 15, 2019, 10AM

    (TOWN OF DICKINSON, NY) The Broome County Office of Emergency Services is monitoring the power outages and damage county-wide following heavy storms overnight.

    Damage reports are being collected. The municipalities with the most reported damage include: Town of Binghamton, Town of Conklin and Harpursville area.

    Numerous trees and power lines are down throughout Broome County. Please use caution when driving and/or walking. Do not touch downed lines or anyone in contact with the line. You should always assume that a downed line is live.

    Power outages should be reported to NYSEG at 1-800-572-1131. Estimated power restoration times can be found on the NYSEG website at NYSEG.com.

    For emergencies, please call 911.

    As a reminder, in severe weather situations, residents should follow all emergency alerts. Broome County encourages residents to monitor the weather forecast and road conditions frequently. Stay informed by registering for NY-Alert at NYAlert.gov.

  • Broome County Lifts State of Emergency and Creates Drug Overdose Response Team

    (BINGHAMTON, NY) – Broome County Executive Jason Garnar today lifted the State of Emergency declared March 27, 2019, due to a significant spike in fentanyl-related overdose deaths.
     
    During the months of January and February, Broome County reported three fatal overdoes each month. During the month of March, Broome County reported 12 deaths, including six in a 10day period, prompting officials to declare the State of Emergency.  Since then, the number of deaths has dropped back in line with pre-emergency levels. 
     
    As part of the State of Emergency, County Executive Jason Garnar, District Attorney Steve Cornwell, Office of Emergency Services Director Michael Ponticiello, and Public Health Director Rebecca Kaufman created a Drug Overdose Response Team to monitor and respond to the “spike” in overdoses (fatal and non-fatal).
     
    As part of this effort, specific scenarios and criteria have been developed to identify an irregular spike in drug overdoses including historical data, trends, frequency, potency, etc.  
     
    In the event of a spike in overdoses, the team will convene an emergency meeting to evaluate the situation and implement a plan to reduce the harm to the public. The team members will meet and coordinate with colleagues in government, law enforcement, the medical community, and public/private organizations to help assess the situation and develop the appropriate response. 
     
    The team will consider and implement all possible response strategies to combat a spike in overdoses including, but not limited to: Education and Training; Harm Reduction; Intervention; Law Enforcement; and Public Information/Messaging. 
     
    The team will evaluate every situation in which a spike has occurred and determine whether a Public Health Alert, or any advisory, will be issued.   
     
    Strategies Implemented to Reduce Deadly Drug Overdoses
     
     
    Education/ Public Information Messaging
     
    The Broome County Health Department will work with the New York State Department of Health of on any trainings, education, or information that is available for the public. BCHD will work with media partners including print, television and radio on PSA and messaging in the community. Social media and listservs will be used to disseminate information about trainings, treatment providers and where to go for help. The Health Department will use the 211 service and make sure they have updated information about services available in the community. They will also work with treatment providers, grass roots organizations and members of BOAC as needed to share and disseminate pertinent information. 
     
    The Broome County Office of Emergency Services Coordinated the county’s multi-departmental response to the crisis, including meetings, monitoring, logistics/resources, inter-governmental collaboration, notifications and other critical communications. OES also facilitated necessary reporting to New York State government, including initial SOE declaration and orders, situation reports, updates, and renewals of emergency orders. Finally, they provided crisis-specific briefings and updates to Emergency Medical Services agencies, particularly regarding enhanced communication requirements with other agencies. Going forward, OES will serve as the primary alerting/notification agency for members of the team in the event that its spike criteria are met.
     
    Harm Reduction
     
    Strategies that target harm reduction messaging and education will be utilized by working with grassroots organizations and community organizations who focus on harm reduction such as; Truth Pharm & Southern Tier AIDS and through New York State department of Health. The Health Department will do this by obtaining Narcan kits as needed, hosting emergency Narcan trainings and educating the public on harm reduction strategies. The Broome County Office of Emergency Services also provided and is providing training in overdose recognition and response to additional county employees, as well as providing additional naloxone kits.   Intervention
     
    Peer Counselors have reached out to active users to offer treatment options which includes people who have recently overdosed or are facing a drug related charge.   The Drug Court Team, Treatment Alternative to Prosecution program, and ACBC have met with participants to warn them of the current risks and to counsel them about seeking help, especially those who may have friends that recently died from a fentanyl overdose. 
     
    Law Enforcement  
     
    In fatal and non-fatal overdose cases, drugs found at the scene are being sent to a specialized lab for expedited testing so that the specific type of drugs involved can be identified scientifically, which will help track the deadly drugs and help identify the source of the supply. In addition, in all fatal overdose cases, toxicology is also being sent to the lab on an expedited basis for testing with result available within two weeks — which previously took up to a year.
     
    Police are treating overdose scenes as crime scenes and the DA’s office is assisting in investigations by gathering additional evidence to help identify the source of the supply. 
     
    Uniform and detailed reporting procedures have been adopted, and a countywide reporting form is being used by all agencies. The new procedures will assist police and prosecution in efforts to prosecute dangerous drug dealers for selling drugs mixed with fentanyl. 
     
    There is an increased priority for prosecuting (and investigating) fentanyl drug dealers. 
     
    Additional police resources have been provided the New York State Police and local law enforcement agencies for random Drugged Driver Checkpoints, intended to locate drugged drivers and those transporting narcotics throughout Broome County.
     
    Funding has been offered through STOP-DWI and the DA’s office for Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement (ARIDE) training for local police to increase their ability to identify drugged drivers. 
     
    Funding has also been secured by the DA’s office for training Drug Recognition Experts who are needed to arrest and prosecute drugged drivers.  
     
    Additional confidential strategies are being developed and implemented to prevent the flow of illegal drugs into Broome County. 

  • DSS Building Closed on Tuesday, May 21

    Broome County DSS Building Closed Tuesday, May 21

     
    Due to the discovery of a suspicious item, around 1:40 p.m., the Broome County Department of Social Services, located at 36-42 Main Street, Binghamton, is closed for the rest of the day, Tuesday, May 21st, 2019. This is for the safety of employees and the public.    As a precaution the building was evacuated, and emergency crews responded. This is an active investigation. There is no immediate danger to the public 
     
    The building is expected to open as normal on Wednesday, May 22nd, 2019.

  • ‘Paws for Possibilities’ Campaign Launched

    Broome County Dog Shelter Selling Paw Prints to be Displayed at Shelter

    (BINGHAMTON, NY) The Broome County Dog Shelter is selling weather proof aluminum paw prints to help raise money for the shelter. The plaques will be placed on fencing at the Dog Shelter where your custom paw print will be featured for years to come!

    Each paw print costs $125, with proceeds going directly to the dog shelter. The goal is to sell 250 paws by the end of this summer.

    CLICK HERE TO BUY A PAW PRINT TO SUPPORT THE SHELTER

    Paws come in a variety of different colors and can feature different inscriptions including dogs’ names, memorial plaques, or family names of dog shelter supporters, and will be permanently displayed along fencing at the dog shelter. The paw prints are each 8 in by 8 in, and people will have the option to put up to three lines of text on the plaque. If you are interested in purchasing a paw print, please email  PawsForPossibilities@broomecountyny.gov

    The mission of the BCDS is to provide support and care to stray and unwanted dogs within our community and match adoptable dogs with loving, caring families all while promoting the importance of responsible dog ownership through social media, shelter tours and off-site education programs. Paws for Possibilities is an exciting initiative that has been created to provide long term sustainability for the dogs in need.

    The BCDS is located at 110 Cutler Pond Rd., Binghamton, NY 13905. The shelter is open to the public Tuesdays through Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

  • Broome County Announces 2019 Sunset Runway 5K

    County Executive Jason Garnar and officials at the Greater Binghamton Airport are announcing details for the 2019 Sunset Runway 5K.

    The 5K will be held on Thursday, July 18 at the Greater Binghamton Airport.

    Registration begins in the Hangar II Chamberlin Room at 6pm with the race beginning between 7:30pm and 8pm depending on the sunset.

    The run will take place in the evening, so participants can view the spectacular sunset over Broome County. Participants will have the unique opportunity to walk or run on a certified 5k course that encompasses Runway 16/34 and Runway 10/28 at BGM.

    The event includes race timing for the officially certified 5k course (USA Track and Field certified), fun music, and a food and beer tent.

    The 2018 Sunset Runway 5k saw nearly 170 participants that walked, ran, or were pushed in a stroller (kids).

    Register online at https://runsignup.com/Race/NY/JohnsonCity/SunsetRunway5k or visit www.flybgm.com for more details.

    Registration is $20 and closes at midnight on July 11. Early registration participants will receive a Sunset Runway 5k T-Shirt, Sunset Runway 5k running bib, 1 free beverage and official timing.

    Registration will also be held on the day of the race for $25 a person. Participants will receive a Sunset Runway 5k running bib, official timing, 1 free beverage and a Sunset Runway 5k t-shirt, while supplies last.

    A portion of the proceeds will go to the Twin Tiers Honor Flight.

  • Closure Notice for Juneberry Road Bridge, June 18, 2019 – October 25, 2019

    CONTACT: Brenda Gowe, Broome County Project Manager

    (607) 778-2470 brenda.gowe@broomecountyny.gov

    (VESTAL NY) Broome County is performing a bridge replacement on Juneberry Road in the Town of Vestal. The Juneberry Road Bridge closure is scheduled to begin at 7:00 a.m. on June 18, 2019 and re-open to traffic on or about 4:00 p.m. on or before October 25, 2019.

    All local traffic will need to seek alternate routes while the bridge is closed. There will be a signed detour route.

    The goal of this project is to address the structural deficiencies and to increase the hydraulic capacity of the structure. Originally constructed in 1962, Juneberry Road Bridge crosses Big Choconut Creek. A County-owned bridge on a locally-owned road, the existing bridge is a multi-girder single span structure on gravity abutments which is regularly submerged during flood events.  The bridge is being raised approximately four feet.

    If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the Broome County Project Manager Brenda Gowe or the Broome County Department of Public Works Engineering Division at (607) 778-2470. There is also a Facebook page for the project, “PIN 9754.46 Replacement of Juneberry Road Bridge Project”.