It was a busy night for the Seneca County Board of supervisors, who advanced proposals tied to airport expansion, public safety upgrades, opioid data collection, courthouse repairs and protections for the county’s white deer population.
One of the biggest personnel moves came through the Human Resources Committee, where supervisors approved the creation of a full-time airport manager position at Finger Lakes Regional Airport as county officials prepare for major projects and leadership transitions over the next two years. The new position comes as the airport plans new hangars and a maintenance facility, while both the current part-time airport manager and planning director are expected to retire in 2027.
County officials also spent considerable time discussing rising utility costs during the Public Works and Infrastructure Committee meeting. Representatives from Power Management and NextEra Advisors told supervisors that volatile energy markets and winter spikes drove significant increases earlier this year, including a January electric cost surge that exceeded budget expectations by roughly $28,000. Consultants recommended locking the county into long-term fixed electric and natural gas pricing through 2030 to create greater budget certainty amid expectations that energy costs will continue climbing due to infrastructure demand and growing power consumption.
Public Works Director Bob Hayssen also secured approval for a two-year service agreement with Stark Tech to consolidate county boiler, HVAC and generator maintenance under a single contractor. Officials said the agreement streamlines maintenance operations while limiting cost increases.
Supervisors additionally approved moving forward with a feasibility study tied to long-discussed courthouse upgrades after the New York State court system requested repairs and safety improvements to the Seneca County Courthouse. County officials said the study will provide updated cost estimates before larger renovation decisions are made during the 2027 budget process.
The Contracts, Procurement and Negotiations Committee approved several public health and municipal agreements, including a nearly $99,000 contract with the National Opinion Research Center to improve how Seneca County tracks opioid overdoses and suicide deaths. County mental health officials said inaccurate and inconsistent reporting has made it difficult to fully understand the scale of behavioral health challenges locally and could affect future funding allocations.
Supervisors also approved a $30,000 agreement with Heidi Health to provide AI-powered medical transcription services for the county Mental Health Department. Officials said the technology is expected to improve clinical documentation efficiency and patient care workflows, with the entire cost covered through grant funding.
Additional committee action included approval of a contract allowing the Seneca County Sheriff’s Office to provide court security services in the Town of Romulus, along with agreements to provide floodplain management services for municipalities lacking certified local administrators.
The Agriculture and Environmental Affairs Committee drew one of the evening’s lengthier discussions as supervisors debated a resolution supporting state legislation protecting leucistic and melanistic deer — including Seneca County’s well-known white deer herd — on public lands. Several supervisors questioned why the legislation would not extend to private property, arguing broader protections may be necessary to preserve the rare deer population surrounding the former Seneca Army Depot. Despite concerns, the committee ultimately approved support for the legislation as written while planning to ask state lawmakers to consider expanding protections.
Elsewhere, supervisors approved transferring a tax-foreclosed property at 19 Locust St. in Waterloo to the Finger Lakes Regional Land Bank for redevelopment after the property failed to sell at auction. The county will receive the appraised value of $65,000 for the property.
The Ways and Means Committee also authorized distribution of more than $318,000 in mortgage tax revenue to towns and villages throughout Seneca County.
Other actions Tuesday included approval of weatherization funding and contracts for specialized HVAC and electrical work, appointments to workforce and health insurance boards, and planning board appointments. Officials also acknowledged ongoing staffing shortages on the county Planning Board, with planning staff exploring structural changes that could streamline project reviews and reduce delays for municipalities and developers.
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