Tuesday’s meeting of the Seneca County Board of Supervisors will cover a lot of ground, and include a public hearing on the 2026 budget.
Supervisors will meet at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday at the Seneca County Office Building in Waterloo. The night begins with the budget hearing and a presentation from United Way on youth development survey results in local schools.
Budget vote could lower 2026 tax rate
The board is expected to amend and adopt the final 2026 county budget during a special Ways and Means Committee meeting at 4:00 p.m., also in the Board of Supervisors room.
Proposed changes include more than $2.5 million in cuts to the county tax levy, made possible through higher-than-expected sales tax revenue and internal savings. That would translate to a reduced property tax rate for residents.
Tourism funding gets its own discussion
Tourism funding will be front and center at a special Economic Development, Tourism & Housing Committee meeting at 5:15 p.m. in the same room. Lawmakers will discuss the annual appropriation from the county’s Hotel-Motel Occupancy Tax, which helps fund the official tourism promotion agency. The meeting will be open for feedback on how that money is used.
Water and sewer contract also up for vote
The county is also expected to vote on a new contract to operate and maintain the Route 318/414 municipal sewer system. The bid from Koester Associates totals just over $154,000 and includes pump station service and emergency labor coverage.
Dozens of resolutions on the agenda
The board will also vote on more than 30 resolutions, including:
- Approving contracts for 2026 mental health, human services, and veterans support programs
- Accepting nearly $300,000 in weatherization funding to help prepare homes for winter
- Raising fees on public health permits and inspections for the first time since 2021
- Buying a new vehicle for the public health department and a body scanner for the county jail
- Supporting federal legislation to protect access to natural gas amid New York’s energy transition
- Reclassifying a deputy sheriff position to sergeant to reduce overtime costs
- Revising workplace violence policies and creating new rules for public access to county buildings
One more meeting still to come this month
Board members are also expected to schedule a final special meeting for December 23 at 6:00 p.m., likely to finalize end-of-year business and hold a public hearing on removing the residency requirement for the county manager position.
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