Yates County lawmakers scheduled an Oct. 13 public hearing on a proposed animal-abuser registry while residents again challenged the cost and scope of a possible new jail at the Legislature's Sept. 14 meeting.
The registry remains a proposal, and the meeting minutes record no decision to build a new jail. Legislators unanimously set the hearing for 1 p.m. in the legislative chambers at 417 Liberty St. in Penn Yan, giving residents a chance to address a measure that would restrict people convicted of specified animal crimes from owning or living with pets.
What the proposed registry would require
Under the proposed local law, the sheriff would maintain an online registry of Yates County residents age 18 or older convicted of covered animal-abuse crimes after the law takes effect. The crimes listed include animal fighting, aggravated cruelty, abandonment, poisoning and other offenses involving companion, service or police animals. Sealed youthful-offender cases would be excluded.
People covered by the law would have to register within five days of release from incarceration or, if not incarcerated, conviction. They would submit identifying information and a photograph, report address or legal-name changes within five days, appear annually to update their information and pay a one-time $125 fee, subject to a possible waiver for inability to pay.
The proposed public listing would generally last seven years after release or conviction, with lifetime registration after a second covered conviction. The sheriff would have to remove a person's information within five days of being notified of a successful appeal. The proposal would bar registrants from owning, possessing, living with or intentionally having physical contact with companion animals or pets.
Shelters, pet dealers and others transferring pets in the county would have to check the registry first; the proposal includes exceptions involving farm animals for farmers and service animals for people with disabilities. Failure to register could bring up to 364 days in jail or a fine of up to $2,000; prohibited possession could bring the same jail maximum and a fine of up to $5,000. A knowing unlawful transfer could bring a fine of up to $5,000, though the first violation may not be fined and a documented registry check would provide a defense. If adopted, the law would take effect upon filing with the state.
Residents dispute jail assumptions
Several residents questioned the county's jail plans during public comment. Dick Barney said the facility's roughly $3.9 million annual operating cost worked out to about $335 a day per incarcerated person using his assumed average population of 32. He and other residents argued that the county should reassess the number of local and federal prisoners, the cost of housing federal detainees and whether renovating the existing jail or using regional capacity would cost less than constructing a larger facility. Those savings and capacity figures were residents' estimates, not findings adopted by the Legislature.
Jack Ossent said residents had not seen a public needs assessment or sufficient discussion of a renovation alternative. Barbara Craig said her research was intended to test whether the full cost of housing federal prisoners had been considered, rather than to accuse legislators of wrongdoing. After the resolutions, residents read names from petitions calling for no further project spending until an independent needs assessment is completed. Another speaker challenged comparisons with jail construction costs in other states; legislator Pat Killen responded that different wage and construction conditions can make those comparisons unreliable.
The Legislature did not vote at this meeting to approve or reject a new jail. It did vote on revised bylaws for the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council, whose proposed duties included evaluating jail needs, pretrial services, diversion, mental-health and substance-use programs, court access and criminal-justice technology. The minutes record the bylaw motion as failed, while listing a 9-4 roll call with nine members voting yes. They do not explain that apparent discrepancy; the revised bylaws should not be reported as adopted on the available record.
Community center outlines fundraising gap
Suzamie Farnsworth and Brian Cunningham presented a construction and fundraising update for the Yates Community Center. Their presentation described planned multipurpose courts, an indoor walking track, training and community areas, and space for youth, family and wellness programs. Construction photographs showed work progressing through the summer, but the presentation framed an early 2027 opening as a plan rather than a completed commitment.
The Lisk Morris Foundation awarded a $75,000 matching grant in August, the presenters said. The center must raise another $75,000 by January 2027 to unlock the full $150,000, and its presentation listed $685,000 still needed to complete the first phase. A community survey cited by the center found 79% of respondents were not current members and 88% said they would participate themselves; the presentation did not give a sample size or survey method, so those responses cannot be treated as a countywide measure. The center also described growing youth and adult programming, including pickleball and cornhole leagues.
Contracts, programs and other votes
Legislators authorized a $121,542.44 annual service agreement for sheriff's radio tower and microwave repairs, subject to county attorney approval. They also approved a $78,479.35 school resource officer agreement with the Dundee Central School District for 2026-27 and authorized filling a full-time deputy youth officer assignment there. A separate $30,000 Blue Voice software agreement through 2028 would give deputies access to legal, policy and community resources; the resolution describes it as an artificial-intelligence platform but does not establish how the county will evaluate its performance.
The county authorized election grant contracts covering $7,987.92 in reimbursable expenses and $5,553.75 in vote-by-mail expenses, each available through March 31, 2027. Lawmakers also consented to the Oct. 10 CanLake Ultras race crossing Yates and Ontario counties, conditioned on legal review, insurance and a liability waiver.
The Legislature approved youth-program contracts for Oct. 1, 2026, through Sept. 30, 2027, funded through state youth-development and sports programs. Awards listed in the resolution include $7,000 for Our Town Rocks programming, $6,581 for Penn Yan youth baseball and softball, $5,081 for Penn Yan youth lacrosse, $5,000 for Yates Community Center recreation and grants for libraries, summer recreation, theater, paddling and other youth activities. It also authorized the chair to sign an annual update to the county's child and family services plan.
On infrastructure, lawmakers approved up to $10,500 more for construction inspection of the Pre-Emption Road bridge over Kashong Creek in Benton after earlier inspection costs exceeded the approved amount. They increased the City Hill Excavating contract for the Bellona drainage project by $10,610.08 to $1,298,610.08 for additional work at a road depression; Terry Button abstained. They also extended Torrey Landfill leachate hauling through August 2027 at $154.28 per thousand gallons, a 3.4% rate increase.
The Legislature authorized a letter supporting a proposed conservation easement on Bruce and Jason Henderson's farm in Milo and Torrey, but did not itself establish the easement. It appropriated $34,539.90 in opioid settlement revenue for Community Services, $3,000 from a University of Rochester grant for office supplies and $4,957 in public-health COVID response funds.
Other personnel actions included authorization to fill an assistant district attorney vacancy at an estimated annual cost of no more than $146,055 including benefits, a temporary part-time finance clerk position through Dec. 31 capped at $3,200, and a full-time cleaner vacancy after the incumbent leaves. The listed hourly rate for the temporary clerk rose from $22.70 to $32.32. Legislators revised the county's unpaid-leave policy, allowing department heads to approve up to five consecutive working days when conditions are met and requiring human resources consultation for a third nonconsecutive request in a rolling year; longer nonprotected requests go through a committee and full Legislature. The meeting also recognized Brian Winslow's public-safety career as he approached retirement and adopted proclamations for Sheriffs' Week, Suicide Prevention Month, Recovery Month and military commemorations. The suicide-prevention resolution directed residents in crisis to the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
The animal-registry hearing is the next formal step on that proposal. The minutes record no final jail decision, while residents continued seeking a fuller public accounting and review of alternatives.
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