The Seneca County Board of Supervisors will have a full agenda this week when it meets, as it considers long-term funding for the county’s newly created water and sewer authority, a downtown revitalization contract for Ovid, and the creation of a full-time airport manager position.
The Board of Supervisors is scheduled to meet June 9 following a special Economic Development, Tourism and Housing Committee meeting that will focus on selecting a consultant for Ovid’s downtown revitalization effort and discussing New York’s new short-term rental registry law.
One of the largest financial commitments on the agenda is a proposed agreement with the Seneca County Water and Sewer Authority. The plan would provide nearly $2.1 million in county grant funding over five years, beginning with $215,875 in 2026 and increasing annually through 2030. The county would also provide a $2 million interest-free loan to support the authority’s startup operations and capital needs, with repayment beginning after the authority achieves three consecutive years of positive operating cash flow.
Supervisors will also consider authorizing a $100,000 contract with In.Site: Architecture of Perry to develop a downtown revitalization plan for the Village of Ovid. The effort stems from a January 2025 fire that destroyed an entire block of Main Street, including 10 apartments, five businesses, and the community’s only grocery store. County officials reviewed 10 proposals before recommending the firm.
Another notable proposal would create a full-time airport manager position at the Finger Lakes Regional Airport with a salary range of $67,485 to $89,499. County officials cited growing airport activity, upcoming construction projects, and planned retirements of key personnel in 2027 as reasons for establishing the position. The move follows a management study that recommended a full-time manager as part of a long-term succession plan.
The board will also consider supporting state legislation to protect rare leucistic and melanistic deer, including the region’s well-known white deer population associated with the former Seneca Army Depot. If approved, the resolution would endorse bills that would prohibit hunting the rare deer on public lands while maintaining exemptions for private property owners.
Other agenda items include authorizing a $98,996 opioid-abatement-funded research project to improve overdose and suicide data collection, approving a $30,000 AI-powered medical transcription service for the county’s mental health department, transferring a tax-foreclosed Waterloo property to the Finger Lakes Regional Land Bank, and distributing nearly $319,000 in mortgage tax revenues to towns and villages throughout the county. Supervisors will also consider several public works, weatherization, emergency services, and planning board appointments.
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