Seneca County supervisors will take up a broad mix of history, infrastructure and government business Tuesday, including recognition of the Town of Lodi’s 200th anniversary and a $1.37 million increase in highway construction funding.
The Board of Supervisors is scheduled to meet at 6 p.m. July 14 at the Seneca County Office Building in Waterloo. A special Government Operations and Administration Committee meeting will begin at 5:45 p.m. to consider the Lodi bicentennial proclamation.
Lodi’s 200-year history to be recognized
The proposed proclamation recognizes Lodi’s founding by an act of the New York State Legislature on Jan. 27, 1826. The town held its first official meeting March 7, 1826, at the home of John Ingersoll, its first town clerk.
Located along the eastern shore of Seneca Lake, Lodi developed into an early commercial and community center with churches, merchants, a hotel, post office and trades serving residents and travelers.
The Lehigh Valley Railway later moved passengers and agricultural goods through Lodi Station, helping establish the town as an important commercial hub in southern Seneca County during the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Vescelius Hall also became a center of community life, hosting concerts, celebrations, public gatherings and civic events.
The proclamation highlights several notable pieces of local history, including the 1891 discovery of a rare mastodon skeleton and Queen’s Castle, the last surviving structure from Fossenvue, the Seneca Lake summer retreat associated with suffragist Elizabeth Smith Miller. The structure is now preserved within the Finger Lakes National Forest.
Lodi also endured major economic and community setbacks. A 1913 fire destroyed much of the town’s business district, while rail service declined after the Lehigh Valley Railroad station was demolished in 1956. The final train passed through Lodi on March 31, 1976.
The town and surrounding area were also affected by the later closures of Willard State Hospital and the Seneca Army Depot.
If approved, the proclamation would congratulate Lodi residents, town officials, businesses and community organizations for their contributions to the town’s history. It would also encourage residents across Seneca County to commemorate the bicentennial and recognize Lodi’s role in the county and state.
Highway funding and public works projects
Supervisors will consider amending the county’s 2026 budget after receiving updated state highway aid figures.
The state Department of Transportation notified the county that it will receive more than $2 million through the Consolidated Local Street and Highway Improvement Program, commonly known as CHIPS.
The county is also expected to receive $349,501.74 through PAVE NY, $225,998.19 through the Extreme Winter Recovery program and $233,001.16 through the Pave Our Potholes program.
The combined allocation totals $2,868,703.25.
Because the adopted county budget included $1,495,592.70 in CHIPS funding, the board will consider increasing highway revenue and construction spending by $1,373,110.55.
Another resolution would allow the county highway superintendent to trade a large roller purchased in 2023 for two smaller rollers through Milton CAT. The exchange would come at no additional cost to the county.
County officials said the existing roller does not meet the Highway Department’s operational needs.
The board will also consider authorizing an application for funding through the state Water Infrastructure Improvement Act and Clean Water State Revolving Fund for improvements at the Willard Wastewater Treatment Plant in Sewer District No. 1.
Solid waste plan and public health funding
Supervisors are expected to vote on adopting the county’s Local Solid Waste Management Plan, completing a planning process that began in 2021.
The county awarded a consulting agreement to the Genesee Finger Lakes Regional Planning Council in 2022 and held a public hearing on the draft plan in November 2024.
The state Department of Environmental Conservation issued an “approvable” determination for the plan April 8, 2026, clearing the way for formal adoption.
The board will also consider accepting a $52,099 Public Health Emergency Preparedness Grant from the state Department of Health.
The grant runs from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027, and would support public health salaries, employee benefits and program expenses already included in the county budget.
Another grant resolution would accept $15,000 from New York’s 250th Commemoration Commission for programs tied to the nation’s founding, the Revolutionary War and the continuing theme of the “Unfinished Revolution.”
Planned funding recipients include the Waterloo Library and Historical Society, Seneca Falls Historical Society, Lodi Historical Society Bicentennial Commemoration Committee, Fayette Historical Society and a Traver Cemetery restoration project.
Supervisors will also consider a $2,500 Tourism Promotion and Development Grant for a fireworks display organized by Seneca Lake Resorts.
Staffing, contracts and county services
Several personnel and administrative measures are included on the agenda.
One resolution would authorize the county to hire a human resources assistant above the normal starting rate at Grade 2, Step 25, with an annual salary of $75,706.
Another would reclassify two Code Enforcement Officer 1 positions as senior code enforcement officers effective July 27.
County officials said the positions are essential for conducting state code inspections, responding to complaints, coordinating with government agencies and handling new floodplain management responsibilities for municipalities.
A related resolution would authorize the county Code Enforcement Department to serve as the Town of Varick’s local administrator for floodplain management services. The agreement would run from July 14 through Dec. 31, 2030.
The board will also consider awarding a shredding services contract to VRC Companies LLC for up to $11,520 annually, with a three-year maximum cost of $34,560.
Another proposed contract would pay CCSI $28,910 for consulting and technical assistance as the county Mental Health Department evaluates proposals for a new electronic health record system.
The meeting will also include presentations recognizing the Seneca County Youth Bureau’s 2026 Brightest Star Award recipients and reviewing the annual tourism promotion report from Discover Seneca and the Seneca County Chamber of Commerce.
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