Seneca County supervisors will meet Tuesday with a full slate of committee discussions on infrastructure, public safety, and county operations on the agenda. Here are seven key issues to watch as the Board of Supervisors meets for the last time in October.
1. The end of the Hillside Water Tower
Supervisors are expected to take up a proposal to formally decommission the Hillside Water Tower, built in 1955, after a leak earlier this year raised concerns about its long-term stability. The plan calls for installing a new pressure-reducing valve to maintain service without the aging tower.
2. Public works projects and vehicle purchases
The Highway Department is seeking approval to buy two new pickup trucks — a 2025 Ford F-150 and a 2026 Ford F-250 — for about $97,000. The Public Works Committee will also vote on a renewed snow and ice agreement with the Town of Fayette, $13,600 in extra design costs for recent building renovations, and authorization to auction off surplus vehicles and equipment.
3. Major state grant for next-generation 911
The Sheriff’s Office is set to accept more than $1.2 million through New York’s Next Generation 911 (NG911) program to modernize emergency communications. The department will also seek permission to apply for a state law enforcement technology grant to upgrade equipment and systems.
4. Push for state policy changes on public safety
Two resolutions urge Governor Kathy Hochul and state lawmakers to make technical changes to the Raise the Age law — addressing firearm and violent crime provisions — and to increase funding for medication-assisted treatment programs in county jails.
5. Public health partnerships and opioid response
The Health and Human Services Committee will consider several items: reappointing Dr. Dale Frier to the county Board of Health; renewing membership in the Pivital Public Health Partnership, which supports multi-county initiatives; accepting $85,397 in funding from the University of Rochester to expand opioid recovery programs; and approving a new regional workforce plan through 2028.
6. Decision on short-term rental registry
Supervisors will review New York’s new short-term rental registry law and discuss whether Seneca County should opt in or out. The policy could affect how local rentals are tracked, taxed, and regulated.
7. Staffing and administrative updates
Several internal matters are also on the agenda. Supervisors will consider creating a full-time paralegal position in the District Attorney’s Office, accepting two state election grants totaling about $14,000, updating the county’s Freedom of Information Law policy to include employee notifications, and authorizing the purchase of a new Ford Explorer for the Code Enforcement Office.
The meetings will take place Tuesday evening at the Seneca County Office Building in Waterloo.
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