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Annually, Livingston County Board of Supervisors is presented with the State of the County address. The Express caught up with county administrator Ian Coyle to talk about the past year.
Coyle noted Livingston County has retained a status quo in its ability to provide services and retain its employees, as well as keeping a flat tax rate for 2012.
As stated in a letter to the supervisors, chairman of the board of supervisors James Merrick noted that the fiscal responsibility of Livingston County has garnered it the best credit rating of any county in the state with a population less than 75,000.
Regarding fiscal operations worthy of note is the county’s Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation which will, for the first time, operate without a direct tax levy.
Generally, the CNR draws about $2 million from a tax levy. Coyle said there was no need for a direct levy this year due to grants and private billing taking care of the CNR’s expenses. The 266-bed Murray Hill nursing home is 96-percent occupied.
Coyle said that the public nursing home is, “probably one of the best in terms of financial operation.”
Relating to Murray Hill, a number of capital projects, most of them having taken place on the Mt. Morris campus, was accomplished last year.
Although not a county clinic, the Rushville Dental Clinic opened in Building 1; The Veterans Service Agency and a portion of Department of Social Services left building 2 to expand into Building 7.
Initial work on building 3 commenced to allow Cornell Cooperative Extension (currently off campus) and Office for the Aging to move there this coming year.
In addition to the Murray Hill campus, other projects took place. After the new wing for the county jail opened in late 2010, the existing jail underwent a major renovation of its own. It is nearly complete, with a few touch ups left.
Another major capital project was the continuation of a six-mile, $3 million highway construction project for Stagecoach Road in Conesus and Sparta, which began in 2010 and is planned to be finished this coming year.
The remediated Wilcox Press site in Dansville, also known to locals as the former F.A. Owen Publishing Company, underwent some Department of Environmental Conservation review this past year.
Coyle said that he had hoped all would have been finished by now, but said it was likely delayed due to cuts in DEC staffing. However, he is confident that this year, the review will be ready, and the county can then pursue finding a suitable buyer for the vacant property.
He anticipates the DEC may require another public comment period on the remediated property first, however.
Other county highlights last year include, among others, 14,000 people served at Center for Workforce Development, plus more than 281 hires placed through Department of Social Services.
Moving into this coming year, goals include assessing mandated and non-mandated programs; develop a “Thank a Vet” project in the County Clerk’s office; and work with communities on the development of a county-wide transportation connectivity plan.
The state of the county presentation can be viewed online at co.livingston.state.ny.us.
Annually, Livingston County Board of Supervisors is presented with the State of the County address. The Express caught up with county administrator Ian Coyle to talk about the past year.
Coyle noted Livingston County has retained a status quo in its ability to provide services and retain its employees, as well as keeping a flat tax rate for 2012.
As stated in a letter to the supervisors, chairman of the board of supervisors James Merrick noted that the fiscal responsibility of Livingston County has garnered it the best credit rating of any county in the state with a population less than 75,000.
Regarding fiscal operations worthy of note is the county’s Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation which will, for the first time, operate without a direct tax levy.
Generally, the CNR draws about $2 million from a tax levy. Coyle said there was no need for a direct levy this year due to grants and private billing taking care of the CNR’s expenses. The 266-bed Murray Hill nursing home is 96-percent occupied.
Coyle said that the public nursing home is, “probably one of the best in terms of financial operation.”
Relating to Murray Hill, a number of capital projects, most of them having taken place on the Mt. Morris campus, was accomplished last year.
Although not a county clinic, the Rushville Dental Clinic opened in Building 1; The Veterans Service Agency and a portion of Department of Social Services left building 2 to expand into Building 7.
Initial work on building 3 commenced to allow Cornell Cooperative Extension (currently off campus) and Office for the Aging to move there this coming year.
In addition to the Murray Hill campus, other projects took place. After the new wing for the county jail opened in late 2010, the existing jail underwent a major renovation of its own. It is nearly complete, with a few touch ups left.
Another major capital project was the continuation of a six-mile, $3 million highway construction project for Stagecoach Road in Conesus and Sparta, which began in 2010 and is planned to be finished this coming year.
The remediated Wilcox Press site in Dansville, also known to locals as the former F.A. Owen Publishing Company, underwent some Department of Environmental Conservation review this past year.
Coyle said that he had hoped all would have been finished by now, but said it was likely delayed due to cuts in DEC staffing. However, he is confident that this year, the review will be ready, and the county can then pursue finding a suitable buyer for the vacant property.
He anticipates the DEC may require another public comment period on the remediated property first, however.
Other county highlights last year include, among others, 14,000 people served at Center for Workforce Development, plus more than 281 hires placed through Department of Social Services.
Moving into this coming year, goals include assessing mandated and non-mandated programs; develop a “Thank a Vet” project in the County Clerk’s office; and work with communities on the development of a county-wide transportation connectivity plan.
The state of the county presentation can be viewed online at co.livingston.state.ny.us.
