The Yates County Legislature is scheduled to take up a wide-ranging agenda when it meets today at 1 p.m. The meeting will be held in the Legislative Chambers and conducted via Zoom, according to the published agenda.
The meeting will open with a moment of silence in honor of former legislator Pat Flynn, followed by an employee recognition ceremony and employee of the quarter awards. Legislators will also hear public comment, approve minutes from four recent meetings, and receive committee reports.
Among the key items before the Legislature is a resolution to ratify a tentative collective bargaining agreement with the CO 82 Corrections-Other unit. The proposed successor agreement would cover the period from Jan. 1, 2026, through Dec. 31, 2030 and authorize execution of the contract and related expenditures.
Legislators are also scheduled to vote on adopting a Yates County Artificial Intelligence Use Policy. The policy establishes guidelines for ethical and responsible use of artificial intelligence by county employees and elected officials, including restrictions on the use of protected or confidential data, transparency requirements for AI-generated content, and training and oversight provisions.
Public safety and emergency services matters also feature prominently on the agenda. The Legislature is expected to consider appointments to the Yates County EMS Advisory Board, authorization for the sheriff to create and fill a new full-time deputy sheriff position, and approval of a memorandum of understanding with the Village of Dundee to house a county ambulance and staff at no cost to the county.
Several resolutions relate to contracts and services funded through state aid and opioid settlement proceeds. These include proposed agreements with Finger Lakes Addictions Counseling and Referral Agency for drop-in mental health services and housing services, contracts with Our Town Rocks for harm reduction and educational materials, and an agreement with the Yates County Public Health Department to support the Credible Mind wellness website. Legislators are also scheduled to consider a contract with Catholic Charities Steuben/Livingston to provide youth mentoring services.
The agenda includes multiple appointments and reappointments, including to the Soil and Water Conservation District Board of Directors, the Region 8 Fish and Wildlife Management Board, and the Finger Lakes Workforce Investment Board. Legislators will also consider designating official newspapers for 2026 and changing the date of the October 2026 legislative meeting due to a holiday.
Infrastructure and capital items are also slated for action. Legislators are expected to vote on authorizing engineering and technical support contracts related to broadband grant applications, tax mapping services, and airport improvements at the Penn Yan–Yates County Airport. Additional resolutions address declaring surplus highway equipment, extending the county’s fuel supply contract, and accepting consultant agreements for runway lighting replacement.
The Legislature is also scheduled to authorize holding a public hearing next month on the draft Yates County Local Solid Waste Management Plan, which outlines a 10-year strategy to manage and reduce solid waste in the county. The resolution would direct the Planning Department to publish notice of the hearing and open a public comment period in early February.
The agenda concludes with multiple budget actions, including 2025 budget transfers, appropriations of records management aid, assignment of fund balance for the Yates Community Center field house project, and appropriation of adult-use cannabis tax revenue received by the county.
Executive session may be held if needed, according to the agenda.
FingerLakes1.com is the region’s leading all-digital news publication. The company was founded in 1998 and has been keeping residents informed for more than two decades. Have a lead? Send it to [email protected].