Yates County could join a number of other municipalities with an animal-abuser registry after next week’s meeting of its legislature.
They will consider that resolution, as well as another to set aside $898,000 to cover a state mental-health funding repayment when they meet Tuesday. The agenda also includes 2027 service contracts, public-safety funding, road-safety work and support for the Yates Community Center expansion.
The meeting begins at 1 p.m. in the Legislative Chambers at 417 Liberty St. in Penn Yan. The county’s public hearing notice schedules a hearing on the proposed registry during the session, while the October agenda lists 27 resolutions for consideration.
County would reserve $898,000 for state repayment
One of the largest financial actions would move $898,000 from the county’s unassigned general fund balance into an assigned balance to address money owed to the New York State Office of Mental Health.
According to the proposed resolution, a state reconciliation determined that $2.9 million in previously provided mental-health funding had not been fully used for its intended purposes and had to be returned. The state is already recovering money by withholding current program funding, the resolution says.
The county budget officer recommends setting aside the remaining repayment amount to fulfill the obligation and protect current Community Services programs. Tuesday’s resolution would authorize the finance director to assign the $898,000 for that purpose.
A separate proposal would add $243,993.01 in Office of Mental Health revenue and corresponding spending to the 2026 Community Services budget. The allocations include $189,895 for Catholic Charities, $25,992.75 for Aspire Hope, $23,345.01 for Mozaic, $4,660.25 for Safe Harbors of the Finger Lakes and $100 for client expenses.
Animal-abuser registry would bring restrictions and penalties
Legislators will hold a public hearing and consider adopting Local Law No. 2 of 2026, which would establish an online registry maintained by the Yates County Sheriff’s Office. The proposed law accompanies the hearing notice.
The registry would cover county residents age 18 or older convicted of specified animal-abuse crimes on or after the law takes effect. Youthful offenders whose convictions or adjudications include sealed records would be excluded.
Covered offenses include animal fighting, cruelty and aggravated cruelty, abandonment, failure to provide food or water to impounded animals, poisoning, animal theft, sexual misconduct involving an animal, and offenses involving harm to police or service animals. The proposal also includes convictions on reduced charges when the original charge was among the listed offenses.
Registration would generally last seven years. A subsequent animal-abuse conviction would require lifetime registration. If a conviction were successfully appealed, the Sheriff’s Office would have to remove the person’s registry information within five days of notification.
People required to register would have five days after release from incarceration, or judgment if they were not incarcerated, to do so. They would submit their name and aliases, town of residence, date of birth and a clear facial photograph that has not been altered with software, filters or artificial intelligence.
The proposal also requires an annual appearance at the Sheriff’s Office within 20 days of the registration anniversary to verify information and provide a new photograph. Address and official name changes would have to be reported within five days.
A one-time $125 fee would help cover administration and maintenance. Someone unable to pay could request a waiver, with the sheriff deciding whether to grant it.
The restrictions would extend beyond buying or adopting a pet. People registered or required to register would be prohibited from owning, possessing, living with, having custody of or intentionally making physical contact with a companion animal or pet.
Animal shelters, pet dealers, individuals and other entities in Yates County would have to check the registry before transferring ownership of a companion animal. They could call the Sheriff’s Office if they could not access the registry online. Transfers to listed Yates County residents would be prohibited.
The proposal identifies exceptions for farm animals for farmers and service animals for people with disabilities in its transfer restrictions and possession-penalty provisions.
Failure to register would be a misdemeanor punishable by up to 364 days in jail, a fine of up to $2,000, or both. Violating the pet-possession prohibition would carry the same maximum jail term and a fine of up to $5,000.
Someone who knowingly violated the transfer restrictions could face a fine of up to $5,000. The proposal allows a first violation to go without a fine and provides protection when a transferor can prove the registry was checked and the recipient’s name did not appear.
If adopted, the law would take effect upon filing with the secretary of state.
Mental-health, addiction and family services contracts up for renewal
The Legislature will consider a broad package of Community Services agreements running from Jan. 1 through Dec. 31, 2027.
The proposed amounts depend on the funding ultimately provided by the applicable state agencies. Contracts would be adjusted if state funding changes, and payments would be contingent on the county receiving that money.
The proposed renewals include:
- Catholic Charities’ kinship, family and youth services: $868,275, including $498,893 for home-based crisis intervention, $256,500 for skill building, $46,294 for recreation and $66,588 for mentoring.
- Council on Alcoholism and Addictions of the Finger Lakes: $299,468 for community-based and school-based prevention and education.
- Finger Lakes Area Counseling & Recovery Agency: $226,314 for addiction treatment, plus $217,992 for transitional employment and $30,191 for the Connections drop-in program.
- Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hospital: $233,784, including $192,700 for clinic treatment and $41,084 for crisis intervention.
- Lakeview Health Services: $137,299, including $59,983 for crisis outreach and $77,316 for residential services.
- AspireHopeNY: $106,675 for family support.
- Mozaic: $95,648 for an integrated supported employment program.
- Dundee Central School District: $54,834 for student advocacy.
- Safe Harbors of the Finger Lakes: $19,030 for advocacy services for at-risk youth.
- Yates County Veterans’ Office: $109,732 for the Dwyer program.
- Yates County Workforce Development: $11,897 for vocational and work-readiness activities, divided between $3,381 for adults and $8,516 for youth.
- Yates County Sheriff’s Office: $3,439 for jail chemical-dependency services and $10,818 for naltrexone and buprenorphine treatment.
- Yates County Probation: Up to $25,000 for a part-time caseworker shared with Social Services and Community Services.
The package also includes fiscal consulting by Greg Keefe at $100 an hour and psychological consultation by Richard Hoyt and Mark Reynolds at $150 an hour. Reintegrated Mental Health Counseling would provide group treatment and assessments at $200 per group or assessment, with payments capped at $5,000.
A separate agreement would allow Wayne County to provide psychiatric evaluations at $200 an hour plus reasonable expenses, capped at $20,000 per year and fully funded by the Office of Mental Health. The proposed contract would run from signing through Dec. 31, 2026, and cover evaluations under criminal-procedure and mental-health law provisions.
Domestic violence services and vaccine grant authorization
Three proposals involve Safe Harbors of the Finger Lakes in different roles.
In addition to the youth-advocacy renewal, legislators will consider a $38,403 contract for nonresidential domestic violence services from Oct. 1, 2026, through Sept. 30, 2027. Funding would come from the state Office of Children and Family Services.
Another agreement would provide a Safe Harbors victim services specialist at the Public Safety Building throughout 2027 at no cost. The specialist would advocate for victims of domestic violence and other crimes in cases that did not reach the district attorney’s victim-advocacy services.
Public Health is also seeking advance authorization to sign an agreement if it receives a grant of up to $40,000 from the National Association of County and City Health Officials.
The application concerns evidence-based strategies to strengthen vaccine uptake and confidence in high-risk communities. If awarded, the grant period would run from Nov. 9, 2026, through July 31, 2027. The resolution seeks advance approval because the anticipated time between an award notice and the project’s start is short; it does not establish that funding has been awarded.
Public-safety grants, STOP-DWI and jail services
Two resolutions would accept emergency-preparedness grants already awarded to the county.
The Office of Emergency Services would receive a $12,744 matching Emergency Management Performance Grant to strengthen preparedness and resilience. A separate $3,980 State Homeland Security Program grant would support regional preparedness without a matching requirement.
Legislators will also consider the 2027 STOP-DWI budget and plan, which lists $68,230 in appropriations, $40,000 in anticipated revenue and no reserve fund. The proposed resolution cites a Sept. 30, 2026, state submission deadline, which precedes Tuesday’s meeting.
For jail medical transportation, a proposed 2027 agreement with the Penn Yan Area Volunteer Ambulance Corps lists charges of $300 for basic life support or $400 for advanced life support, plus a $12 fuel charge for transportation from the jail to Soldiers and Sailors Hospital.
Another resolution would extend the jail’s pharmaceutical agreement with Water Street Pharmacy, also identified as Village Drug, through 2027. It would cover prescription medications, related drugs and over-the-counter health products at the pricing and service terms specified in the vendor’s bid.
Community center seeks support for another expansion phase
The Legislature will consider authorizing Chairwoman Leslie Church to sign a letter supporting the Yates Community Center’s NY BRICKS funding request.
The requested funding would support an atrium connecting the existing building and new facility, completion of a mezzanine with flexible community rooms, additional office space, outdoor paving and lighting, and acoustic paneling.
The proposed resolution says five staff members currently share one small office. It also describes the proposed community rooms as space for meetings, education, workshops, youth programs and senior activities.
Outdoor improvements are intended to improve access and safety, including for evening events. Acoustic paneling would address noise that can make large recreational spaces difficult for older adults, people with hearing challenges and people with sensory sensitivities.
The request follows a September presentation by Suzamie Farnsworth and Brian Cunningham, recorded in the draft minutes scheduled for approval Tuesday. Their presentation listed a planned opening in early 2027 and described a $75,000 Lisk Morris Foundation matching grant, with another $75,000 to be raised by January 2027 to unlock the full $150,000. It reported $685,000 still needed to complete Phase One at the time of the presentation.
Tuesday’s proposed action would authorize a support letter. The resolution does not specify a grant-request amount or commit additional county funding.
Cybersecurity and workers’ compensation spending
A proposed 30-month agreement with KnowBe4 would cost $41,538.45.
The package includes employee security-awareness training, advanced training, artificial intelligence-powered phishing detection, installation and configuration, and compliance training. The county Information Technology Department determined that the proposed subscription meets county needs, according to the resolution. Execution would require county attorney approval.
Legislators will also consider a 2027 workers’ compensation self-insurance budget of approximately $563,473. That includes $400,000 for benefits and awards and $163,473 in administrative expenses, including $132,500 for excess workers’ compensation insurance.
Yates County’s proposed share is $247,517.63. Other shares include $94,959.17 for Penn Yan, $75,019.38 for Jerusalem, $34,657.32 for Milo and $28,636.13 for Starkey, with additional amounts apportioned among participating towns and villages.
Staffing changes and employee agreements
Three resolutions would authorize filling vacancies in Social Services and the county clerk’s office.
A Social Services program examiner position became vacant Sept. 28. The proposed cost, including benefits, ranges from $54,233 to $84,707 depending on health insurance. With approximately 80% eligible for reimbursement, the estimated county cost is $10,847 to $16,941.
A senior account clerk typist position in Social Services is expected to become vacant Oct. 16. Its estimated cost ranges from $52,814 to $83,290, with approximately 80% eligible for reimbursement and an estimated county cost of $10,563 to $16,658.
A motor vehicle cashier position became vacant Sept. 28. The proposed cost to fill it, including benefits, ranges from $52,814 to $83,291.
The hiring resolutions allow qualified new employees to start at a rate up to Step 2 based on experience. The Social Services proposals also authorize filling subsequent vacancies created by internal transfers or promotions.
Another resolution would reclassify K-Leigh Clancey’s probation officer position to senior probation officer at an additional cost of no more than $8,178, including benefits.
The proposal cites her work managing juvenile and domestic violence cases, coordinating community services and using her licensed master social worker credentials for specialized assessments.
Legislators will also consider a one-time agreement allowing a CSEA-represented employee to carry over more than the usual seven vacation days because of an upcoming approved leave of absence. The resolution says the exception would apply only to the identified employee and circumstances.
A separate proposal establishes seven- or eight-hour standard workdays for county job titles for state retirement reporting. For titles with more than one listed workday, Human Resources and Finance would determine which applies based on duties and schedules.
Road safety, budget transfers and planning appointments
The Highway Department is seeking authorization for engineering work on Anthony Road at David Downey Road in Torrey, where the county recently replaced a 60-inch culvert.
The resolution says roadside slopes warrant a guiderail barrier. Barton & Loguidice would assess conditions and prepare a stamped guiderail layout plan if required, at a cost not exceeding $2,800.
Proposed 2026 budget transfers include $20,000 from the Bellona culvert account to accounts for services and salt mix involving other governments. Another $60,000 would move from bituminous-material and traffic-line accounts to equipment-leasing expenses involving other governments.
Smaller transfers would cover sick-bank costs and move vehicle-purchase funds into parts and repairs, gasoline, and E-ZPass and AAA expenses.
A separate resolution would add $5,302.43 in revenue and matching repair appropriations for third-quarter costs associated with the Sheriff’s Department vehicle fleet.
Legislators will also consider renewing the county Planning Board appointments of Jamie Landcastle and Steven Fulkerson through October 2028.
Public comment follows September jail debate
Tuesday’s agenda provides public-comment opportunities near the beginning and end of the meeting.
The draft September minutes record residents questioning the proposed jail project’s size, cost, alternatives and public-input process. Residents also presented petitions seeking a halt to further spending until an independent needs assessment was completed.
Those comments provide background for the coming session, but the October agenda lists no resolution approving jail construction or new jail-project spending. Its jail-related proposals concern medical transportation, pharmaceuticals and treatment services.
The session also includes employee-of-the-quarter recognition, approval of September minutes, an audit and committee reports. An executive session is listed if needed.
Residents can attend at 417 Liberty St. or join the Zoom webinar. The webinar ID is 882 9946 2778 and the passcode is 968040. Telephone access is available at 646-558-8656 or 646-931-3860.
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