JOINT MEETING
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE
AND
BUDGET AND CAPITAL COMMITTEE
OCTOBER 19, 2004        5:00 P.M.        COURTHOUSE CONFERENCE ROOM
Health and Human Services Committee
Present:  M. Robertson, Chair; B. Blanchard; N. Schuler; T. Todd; M. Koplinka-Loehr

Budget and Capital Committee
Present:  M. Koplinka-Loehr, Chair; P. Penniman; T. Todd; D. Booth; L. McBean-Clairborne

Staff:  B. Crosby, Public Health Administrator; S. Allinger, Health Department; C. Covert, Clerk of the Legislature; D. Squires, Finance Director

Called to Order

    The meeting was called to order at 5:00 p.m.

Health Department

Position Request
    It was MOVED by Ms. Schuler, seconded by Ms. McBean-Clairborne, and unanimously adopted by voice vote, to approve the request to the fill the position of Keyboard Specialist as submitted.

    Resolutions
    It was MOVED by Mr. Penniman, seconded by Ms. McBean-Clairborne, and unanimously adopted by voice vote, to approve and submit the following resolution to the full Legislature for approval:

RESOLUTION NO.     - APPROPRIATION FROM CONTINGENT FUND - TERMINAL PAY - HEALTH DEPARTMENT

    WHEREAS, the Health Department had a Community Health Nurse resign effective June 30, 2004, and
    WHEREAS, the Fiscal Policy of Tompkins County allows for terminal pay from the Contingent Fund, now therefore be it
    RESOLVED, on recommendation of the Health and Human Services and Budget and Capital Committees, That the Director of Finance is hereby authorized and directed to make the following budget appropriation:
    FROM:        A1990.54440         Contingent Fund                  $1,069
    TO:              A4016.51000580   Community Health Nurse    $   769
                        A4016.58800          Fringes                                   $   300
SEQR ACTION:  TYPE II-20
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    It was MOVED by Ms. McBean-Clairborne, seconded by Ms. Robertson, and unanimously adopted by voice vote, to approve and submit the following resolution to the full Legislature for approval.  The nature of the contract with Birnie Bus and the history of the state cap on reimbursements were discussed.  Mr. Booth said he would like to see a breakdown of the transportation costs for Tompkins County; Ms. Allinger agreed to provide said information.  Ms. Schuler said she would like to see the language in the title stronger, but did not suggest specific wording.

RESOLUTION NO.         - URGING RESCISSION OF REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION CEILINGS UNDER SECTION 4410 OF THE STATE EDUACTION LAW - HEALTH DEPARTMENT

    WHEREAS, New York counties are mandated to provide services including transportation to eligible children with special needs enrolled in the preschool special education program (Section 4410 of the State Education Law), and
    WHEREAS, Chapter 474 of the Laws of 1996 established, with the approval of the Director of the State Division of Budget, regional ceilings for each region of the State as defined by the Commissioner, for the maximum allowable State reimbursement for transportation, and
    WHEREAS, Chapter 474 further directed that, in developing such ceilings the Commissioner would consider the size of the geographic areas to be served, the projected number of children requiring transportation services and such other factors as the Commissioner determined may influence the cost of transportation services, and
    WHEREAS, counties are mandated to provide transportation to sites and adhere to service levels that are prescribed by school districts, provide quality transportation to disabled young children, and must comply with procurement requirements contained in Education Law and General Municipal Law, thereby restricting the ability of municipalities to provide lowest cost, quality transportation services, and
    WHEREAS, the ceilings that were established by the State are not sensitive to regional or individual county costs, geography, population density, or numbers of children to be served, and
    WHEREAS, the statewide per pupil transportation regional average per trip rate does not account for cost of living factors, market availability of qualified transportation vendors, increased safety requirements, and/or increased least restrictive environment sites with fewer children being transported, resulting in a loss of economies of scale, and
    WHEREAS, in a survey conducted by the New York State Association of County Health Officials in summer 2004, fully two-thirds, or 26 of the 39 responding counties reported that their transportation costs had exceeded the state reimbursement ceiling; transportation costs statewide that exceeded the cap in 2003-04 was reported to be $17.3 million - a fifty-seven percent increase over the amount exceeding the cap in just the previous year, and on average, thirty-one percent of transportation costs were over the cap, now therefore be it
    RESOLVED, on recommendation of the Health and Human Services and Budget and Capital Committees, That the Tompkins County Legislature urges the rescission of reimbursement ceilings for regional transportation rates because they have failed to reduce costs, and do not foster appropriateness of services to eligible children enrolled in the program, 
RESOLVED, further, That copies of this resolution be forwarded to Governor George Pataki; Senate Speaker Joseph Bruno; Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver; Senator James. L. Seward; Senator Michael Nozzolio; Senator John R. Kuhl; Assemblywoman Barbara Lifton; and the New York State Association of Counties.
SEQR ACTION:  TYPE II-20
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Report from Finance Director

    Mr. Squires briefly reported that he will be requesting to the Legislature a resolution authorizing refunding of 1998 and 1999 Bonds for consideration.

Adjournment

    The meeting adjourned at 5:12 p.m.

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