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Smart-er Growth: Building on a Solid Foundation
Good Afternoon - As the world's calendar moved us into a new millennium, millions of us watched it happen live and in glorious color, hour by hour, country by country. We went live around the world - we shared the celebrations and cultures of this diverse world of ours - we watched knowing new opportunities and advancements will greet us every day. Together we enter the 21st century knowing government needs to be able to ride the waves of technological advancements and needs to be ready to protect our future by linking with our past -- while remaining confident that we, you and I together, have laid the foundation for a successful passage into the future -- Dutchess County's future. If there is one thing we have learned over these past eight years it is that no matter what new and different opportunities and conditions emerge, basic core necessities will remain. Today I will focus my remarks on the foundations we have built to support government services in the 21st Century. I will talk about the steps that must be taken to support the personal growth of all our residents, the growth of employment opportunities and growth in the ability of our residents to compete in tomorrow's workforce. We will also discuss the actions needed to support smart-er growth within our communities to preserve and enhance the quality of life we all enjoy in Dutchess County. As public officials looking ahead into the 21st century, we must realize no matter how smart we are, we must strive to be smart-er; we must understand that we cannot stop growth, but we can manage it; that for the foundations we have laid to carry us into the future, we must evaluate the outcomes of our initiatives and strengthen those that work and look for new approaches for those that need to work better. As we saw on New Year's Day around the world, entering the future is all about expectations--and ours continue to be high. Secure Financial Footing Above all else, providing for the needs of Dutchess County residents requires sound finances. I am pleased to report that Dutchess County remains on secure financial footing as evidenced by Moody's recently assigned Aa-1 rating with an upgraded outlook. In addition to the investor community, county finances are reviewed by the State Comptroller, by the firm of Price Waterhouse Coopers under contract with County Comptroller Noel and by Bennett Kielson Storch Yablon & DeSantis as part of the Legislature's review of each proposed budget. Price Waterhouse Coopers issued an unqualified opinion in its audit of fiscal year 1998 and we expect the same for 1999. Particularly noteworthy this year were Bennett Kielson's observations regarding continued improvement of the county's financial position and their endorsement of the budgeting practices embodied in the year 2000 budget. Dutchess County enters the 21st century with its property tax levy totaling only 24% of its constitutional taxing limit and outstanding indebtedness representing a mere 8% of the county's constitutional debt limit; key indicators of financial health. And of primary importance to Dutchess County property taxpayers, the county levy was reduced another 4% in the year 2000--the fifth property tax reduction in the past eight years! While the local economy is strong overall, as stewards of the county's financial health, we must remain mindful of the need to prepare for a future economic downturn--the proverbial "rainy day." Maintaining a strong fund balance helps provide a level of security for the future. The fund balance provides working capital which enables Dutchess County to avoid having to enter the short term credit market, provides resources for major unknowns, generates interest income to help support government operations and helps us to stabilize property tax rates. It is imperative that our financial planning strategies are geared toward preserving our fund balance at levels recommended by rating agencies and by both independent auditing firms employed by Dutchess County and that the balance be replenished on an annual basis. Decisions in Albany and Washington continue to have direct impacts on county finances. Accordingly, we will monitor development of the State's 2000/2001 budget very closely. We have had conversations with the Governor's Office and the State Division of the Budget and we are working closely with the New York State Association of Counties (NYSAC) and other professional associations to ensure that the interests of Dutchess County are protected in the state's budgeting process. We are concerned with the impact of unfunded mandates, with policy decisions which shift financial burdens to county property taxpayers and with proposals to reduce CHIPS funding and aid to other program areas. Of particular concern is the recent legislation requiring Child Health Plus recipients to apply for Medicaid and the mandated county funding of 25% of additional Medicaid costs resulting from the new Family Health Plus program. The already costly burden of Medicaid promises to grow more costly in the future. At the Federal level, the U.S. EPA proposed new clean air standards for small resource recovery plants last August, compliance with which could cost Dutchess County taxpayers in excess of $10 million. While we must all accept responsibility for preserving the quality of our air, there is an inherent unfairness in penalizing responsible jurisdictions which constructed plants in full compliance with all rules, regulations and standards in effect at the time the plants were built when those jurisdictions could easily have sent their waste to landfills in someone else's backyard instead. Compliance with this proposed unfunded mandate would necessitate a significant taxpayer subsidy of the resource recovery plant or closing the plant and shipping county waste to out-of-state landfills--neither of which are acceptable alternatives. We will remain active in our efforts to protect the interests of Dutchess County residents. Moody's and your independent auditors have confirmed the strength of Dutchess County's finances. It is essential that we continue exercising prudence in developing our financial management strategies so we are prepared for a slowing of the economy which is certain to come and so we are prepared to respond to the uncertainties of Albany and Washington-based decisions. I thank you for your support of the administration's financial initiatives and look forward to continuing the momentum which has enabled Dutchess County to enter the new century secure in our finances and confident in our ability to meet the needs of our residents. Supporting Personal Growth One of the most fundamental core missions of this government is to protect the health and safety of our community and to establish an environment which enables our residents to realize their full potential.
On October 30, a E-9-1-1 dispatcher received a call from a man requesting an ambulance for an elderly relative who needed emergency attention immediately. The Dispatcher Life Support process began with the dispatcher asking specific questions and providing specific directions on how to check for breathing, perform mouth to mouth resuscitation, administer CPR, and through the cycle again until the EMT and Paramedic arrived. This is one example of what often occurs at the E-9-1-1 dispatch center. Dispatchers are "on the scene" via the telephone, helping people, giving instructions to callers on how to perform CPR; what to do for a person choking; or how to handle a childbirth. It is an example of why this Legislature, the E-9-1-1 committee who helped bring E-9-1-1 to our community, and our dedicated county staff who are on the front line every day have all persevered through the many challenges facing any community when designing and implementing such a critical service for its residents. We owe them a debt of gratitude that no price tag could reflect. The efforts of another life saving program, STOP-DWI, to deter impaired driving continue to generate encouraging results. For 1998, the most recent NYS statistics, only 3.3% of total crashes were alcohol related-- the lowest year ever. 1998 also had the lowest number of alcohol-related fatalities and injuries since the program started in 1982. During 1999, the program sponsored an Alcohol Highway Safety Educator, eight after-prom parties, an all-day training program for law enforcement professionals, and the annual Law Enforcement Luncheon. The program continued to fund extra DWI patrols, prosecution, evaluation & treatment, and intensive supervision for probationers.
We have an aggressive program scheduled for 2000. First, we will continue to build upon the body of work developed by the CJC. We will evaluate the effectiveness of the many initiatives that have been implemented and advance proven programs. We will also work to identify gaps in alternative programs and continue to be innovative in identifying new areas where we believe we can make a difference. We will also implement the initiatives which were adopted in the 2000 budget. In particular we will focus on programs intended to close the revolving door that many low level offenders have been caught up in. According to information obtained through the Criminal Justice Council, every incidence of recidivism we can avoid saves our community an estimated average of $50,000 (damage from new crime committed plus the cost for re-arrest, trial and re-incarceration). We will attempt to break this cycle of incarceration through a collaboration between the Jail and the Department of Mental Hygiene that will expand the Jail Transitions Program. This program provides assessment, therapy, counseling and an individual transition plan for offenders to return to the community. The rate of recidivism in the jail for sentenced inmates has been 62%, however, the recidivism rate of inmates who have participated in the Jail Transitions Program followed by participation in community-based alternatives to incarceration programs was as low as 17%. By continuing programs and training that are initiated at the jail after release in community-based programs, we can provide a seamless transition and support structure that increases the likelihood of success. Therefore, in 2000 we will be expanding the community residence from 19 beds to 38 beds and the Day Reporting Program will be restructured to compliment the Jail Transitions Program. These initiatives will provide offenders the skills, support systems, and the opportunity to become self sufficient and productive members of our community. I've said it before and I'll say it again, this government could never have realized its many achievements without the collaborative efforts of many dedicated, talented individuals. We are truly fortunate to have an advisory council composed of criminal justice agencies and leaders where the traditional rivalries are put aside. Prosecutors and public defenders, probation and corrections, public and private agencies -- professionals working together to identify strategies to more effectively manage the criminal justice system. Public Health - The sudden and serious onset of West Nile Virus caught the public health community off guard last summer and demonstrated that the public health infrastructure is ill- prepared for outbreaks of this nature. Because of the potential seriousness of the threat and the lack of readily available information, many jurisdictions were forced to implement very expensive, large-scale control measures. With your support of my funding recommendation in the Year 2000 Budget, the Health Commissioner and his staff are developing an "early warning" system that will provide information to enable cost effective, targeted, and environmentally acceptable control interventions on an as-needed basis. This month I authorized the department to solicit proposals to establish and operate a surveillance system for arboviral diseases in Dutchess County. We will also be partnering with the Environmental Management Council to design and conduct health education initiatives that will raise our community's awareness and knowledge regarding reducing exposure to mosquitoes and ticks and preventing mosquito breeding. Children, Families and Seniors - The Children's Services Council (CSC), a key initiative first announced in my 1998 State of the County address, is now a successful, county-wide collaboration of a broad array of community stakeholders, especially youth. These youth link the CSC with the Youth Council, 60 young people representing high schools throughout the county who successfully completed three major community service projects, assisted other organizations like the CSC as trainers or facilitators, and presented at the Association of NYS Youth Bureaus' annual fall conference. In November, the CSC coordinated its second annual conference entitled "Charting the Course for Children and Families," at which the draft of the county's Status Report on children, youth, and families was introduced to conference participants. The Children's Services Council continues to support the efforts of the Department of Social Services and the Youth Bureau to begin merging their department's planning process as required by New York State. The CSC has published an integrated Data Needs Assessment Document and has sponsored six town meetings throughout the county involving 236 youth and adults to identify community investment and resource priorities. This information has assisted the departments in organizing their functions in a framework of cross-systems goals and objectives to strengthen families and help youth to grow into healthy, productive, caring adults. The CSC has also served as the community advisory group for several new collaborative proposals between agencies and government to increase funding and programming to serve children and families. One example is the grant award received by the Mental Health Association in Dutchess County - a two-year School Action Grant of nearly $200,000. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration awarded the grant to initiate a pilot program promoting violence prevention and resilience development among elementary school age children. While the Mental Health Association was the lead agency for this grant, the Association benefitted from the support and auspices of the Children's Services Council. This year, I am particularly pleased the new children's health initiative launched last fall will be developed and implemented by the Children's Services Council. The $500,000 we allocated is substantial, and will go a long way toward developing new and innovative educational programming for children at the earliest ages to teach the harmful effects of tobacco on their health. The Children's Services Council (CSC) partners include the United Way, schools, the Dutchess County Youth Bureau, the Dutchess County Department of Health, the Dutchess County Department of Social Services, hospitals and health organizations, and many other representative organizations. It will be crucial to the success of this program that we work with our school based partners to strengthen smoking avoidance programs, and that we target the very young. Aside from these very general parameters, however, I will rely upon those at the table of the CSC to outline and further define what should be included in the program. It is especially appropriate as we enter a new century we do all we can as a community to identify ways to educate our children and commit them to making healthy lifestyle choices. Funding for this initiative will come from the county's first year tobacco settlement allocation. As demonstrated across county government, involvement on inter- agency committees has been very effective in carrying out our broad-based objectives for our residents. Besides sharing the lead in the Children's Services Council with the Department of Social Services and the United Way, Youth bureau staffs are active partners in such committees as: the Coordinated Children Services Initiative, the Criminal Justice Council, the School Violence Safety Committee, Dutchess Health 2000, Children's Mental Health Providers Committee, Incarcerated Youth Committee, PINS Task Force and Alcohol Tobacco and Other Drugs (ATOD) Prevention Network. The Youth Bureau and our entire community benefit from the expertise and dedication of a strong volunteer Youth Advisory Board, and we thank them for contributing to our objectives to improve the lives of our children and families. According to a needs assessment completed last year by our Office for the Aging (OFA), loneliness is the most serious problem faced by Dutchess County residents age 60 and over. In response, we will broaden the mission of the ten OFA-run nutrition sites located throughout the county to include additional programming geared toward enhancing fellowship opportunities. To be renamed Dutchess County Senior Friendship Centers, the centers will soon provide weekly health promotion events focussing on disease prevention, mental fitness and related topics. Despite the recent decision by New York State to eliminate its financial support of our Injury & Prevention Exercise Program, ongoing strength training programming will be continued and enhanced. We also look to expand transportation and shopping trips. Key to the success of this initiative is improved outreach to increase awareness of the centers and the opportunity they provide our senior citizens to meet and socialize with their peers. Additional initiatives to combat loneliness will be developed in the months ahead with the valuable assistance of our volunteer Office for the Aging Advisory Board. Welfare Reform - The forecasts of welfare reform disaster were wrong. Although the "five-year limit" has not yet been felt in New York State, the combined Temporary Assistance and Safety Net average monthly caseload in our county is at a 15-year low; 1,551 cases in 1999 compared to 3,771 only six years ago. The goal of welfare reform, we must not forget, is to empower people to achieve a level of self-sufficiency so they no longer require public assistance. Achieving this goal requires us to work harder and smart-er. The following accomplishments have enabled caseloads to drop and recipients to become self-sufficient. First I am pleased to report our mentoring program with the Chambers of Commerce was expanded in 1999; thirty-two recipients graduated by September and the overall job retention rate for mentored recipients remains above 90 percent, which is well over the national average for all employees. The BOCES/DSS car-to-work collaboration gifted eight working recipients with donated rehabilitated cars. Recipients struggling with alcohol/drug addictions received counseling coupled with day care and transportation. The Private Industry Council provided a business coordinator, located in the Department of Social Services lobby, who assisted 243 people in obtaining assistance from the New York State Department of Labor. One of the most frequently cited obstructions to obtaining full-time employment is the lack of affordable day care opportunities. In 1993, Dutchess County provided $900,000 in child care subsidies. Currently, we provide day care subsidies for more than 1,100 children. But need still exists. Accordingly, I proposed funding to create additional day care slots and to increase child care subsidy support to $4.5 million as part of my Year 2000 Budget. I thank you for your support of those initiatives. In our continuing effort to assist individuals achieve their full potential, Commissioner Allers and his staff will continue to partner with the AARP Senior Community Service Employment Program, the Poughkeepsie and Greater Southern Dutchess Chamber of Commerce, Dutchess County Community Action Agency, Dutchess Community College, Dutchess County BOCES, Vocational & Educational Services for Individuals with Disabilities (VESID), the Department of Labor, and the Dutchess County Economic Development Corporation at the Department of Labor One-Stop Employment Centers. While much has been achieved and caseloads are at a 15-year low, it should be no surprise that the recipients who remain are often quite challenged in many areas of self sufficiency. Assisting these harder to serve recipients will present new challenges. I have every confidence that our social services professionals and our community partners will respond effectively, and I commend Chairman Kendall for his timely proposal to pause and evaluate our local progress toward welfare reform. We look forward to working with the Legislature on this topic. Supporting Jobs and a Smart-er Workforce We have been quite successful at rebuilding our economy and adding more than 10,000 new jobs to the county, lowering the unemployment rate to the current 2.9%, and bringing in high quality companies and employers like the Gap, Inc., CHEP manufacturing, Sikorsky helicopter, RJM Plastics to the Millerton Industrial Park and Mechtronics in Beacon. As a result of our economic development and community successes, the County was the recipient of several significant recognitions during 1999. We gained much attention with articles in national and international publications such as Future Fab, noting the county's site for top-level work in semiconductor research and development; Site Selection magazine, dubbing Dutchess County's grab of the GAP distribution center one of the "Top Ten Deals" worldwide; Expansion Management magazine, awarding Dutchess County a "Five-Star location" quality of life rating; and The Wall Street Journal, ranking Dutchess as one of the "13 Hottest Places on the New High-Tech Map." In order to keep our economic development and jobs growth momentum, we must ensure an employment system accommodating diverse businesses and an even more diverse workforce. Dutchess County's strategic plan for workforce development has as its goal to design and implement a county wide and regional workforce development system that helps individuals to attain the skills necessary for employability and to help employers be competitive. In 1996 we recognized and understood the growing importance of workforce development to the county's economy. We knew changes were in the wind on both the federal and state levels that would require a more integrated, coordinated workforce development system. As we frequently do, we gathered the appropriate forces and began our work to create a new, demand driven workforce development system. In collaborative efforts with county government agencies, the Economic Development Corporation, the Poughkeepsie and Southern Dutchess Chambers of Commerce, the New York State Department of Labor, the Private Industry Council, the Community College, BOCES, community-based organizations such as the Community Action Agency, we have been preparing to meet the requirements under the new federal Workforce Investment Act (WIA). In December I convened the first meeting of the Workforce Investment Board (WIB). This board, a requirement of the WIA, must have a majority of members from the private sector. The responsibilities of the WIB include specific functions such as oversight of One-Stop Centers (a physical location where job seekers and employers are provided with services and information they need to make good choices about education, training, and/or employment-related needs); certification of training providers; establishment of performance measures (what works, what doesn't); coordination of employer linkages; and establishment of a youth council, to focus on youth employment needs. I have every confidence that the distinguished individuals who have agreed to serve on the WIB will be able to meet and exceed these responsibilities, and I thank each and every one of them for their commitment to this important issue. I am pleased to announce we estimate Dutchess County will target approximately $4 million in the coming year for education, training and employment-related needs. With the smart-er use of every dollar available through either the federal allocation under WIA, Welfare-to-Work funds, the EDA grant, state education funds, and others, I believe we can ensure that our businesses and workforce are prepared and can continue to compete in the global marketplace of the 21st century - we will demonstrate how "Dutchess County WORKS." Economic development, however, does not stop with the expansion of existing or the attraction of new businesses. The people who come with these businesses or those who must make a career decision that could involve relocation have expectations regarding the quality of life in the area they live and what's important to them and their families. So while we develop plans and strategies to support jobs and create a smart-er workforce, we must also support smart-er physical and environmental growth. Supporting Smart-er Physical & Environmental Growth Water & Wastewater Authority Partnership - As a County we can be proud of the partnership we have created with the Water and Wastewater Authority (WWA). The WWA was established so the County might provide a broader perspective in planning and developing water and wastewater infrastructure while protecting our water resources. The Authority began operating its first system in 1995, and in the five years since has acquired five additional systems in five municipalities, serving in excess of 2,250 customers. Its construction budget exceeds $3 million annually. Discussions are currently underway with several municipal and privately owned system providers to explore the potential advantages of becoming part of the WWA System. Through the efforts of the WWA, water supplies have been safeguarded and water and sewer services have been delivered most efficiently. County taxpayers saved more than $300,000 in 1999 by our determination to achieve the restructuring and refinancing of the former Hyde Park Fire & Water District water system. Future savings are projected to total $10 million for the County over the life of the refinancing. The restructuring will also return hundreds of acres to the tax rolls and clear the way for smart-er economic development in Hyde Park. While we continue to explore the benefits of a dedicated WWA revolving loan fund, I want to share an example of the County's commitment to providing necessary up-front capital for Authority infrastructure investments. Through the County/Authority partnership I proposed in a previous State of the County Address, a 4600' water line was constructed along St. Andrews Road as part of the overall reconstruction of this County highway. Substantial construction savings were realized by replacing the water line at the time of our public works road reconstruction project. We all recognize the wisdom of this type of coordination and intend to continue taking advantage of opportunities to place utilities as part of highway construction, and when necessary consider advancing capital money for a project that will pre-position the Authority for planned future expansion. Based upon the projected capital program needs of the Water & Wastewater Authority, I propose we make available up to another $1 million this year to invest in this necessary infrastructure. I am particularly pleased to report the Authority is nearing completion of a 9,000' water line that will deliver high quality water to Staatsburg from Hyde Park. Again in partnership with the County, the WWA will enable Staatsburg system customers to receive high quality water at reasonable cost after decades of non-solutions to their needs. The Authority is also working with the Town of Hyde Park to provide water service to the Harbourd Hills area which would eliminate the need for the Town to upgrade the storage facilities and to continue operating this small system. We will continue to concentrate on advancing the Central Dutchess Utility Corridor project to construct a water line to deliver Hudson River water from Poughkeepsie/Hyde Park to public and private users in LaGrange, Wappingers and East Fishkill including the IBM Hudson Valley Research Park. The availability of this water will improve the attractiveness of the IBM site for a $1 billion chip fabrication facility. The economic and environmental benefits of this project will be felt region-wide. To everyone's credit, individual municipalities, State and local agencies, local State legislators, Governor George Pataki, and our Federal elected representatives have all been working together in a cooperative spirit. I have every expectation from these meetings and discussions that the State will provide significant funding to advance this project. As I have stated repeatedly, one of the most concrete examples of community improvement is the provision of central water and sewer. These improvements have the benefit of strengthening community centers, building our tax base, preserving open space, creating opportunities for economic growth and protecting the environment. Our continued partnership with the WWA and investment in water and sewer infrastructures is truly a legacy that will outlive our tenure as government servants and benefit generations to come.
The Poughkeepsie-Dutchess County Transportation Council (PDCTC), which I Chair, has adopted the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) for FFY 2000-2004. The TIP is the capital program for all federally-funded transportation projects in our area. The 2000-2004 five-year TIP includes $156 million in highway, safety, bridge and transit projects. In the coming year we will work with several communities to develop Corridor Management Plans along some of the major roadways in the region. The Corridor Management Program is a cooperative effort among local, county and regional officials to examine some of our major highways and to develop comprehensive plans to accommodate future growth. We have initiated a project in cooperation with the Harlem Valley Partnership to examine the Route 22 Corridor in Pawling, Dover, Amenia, and North East. Staff also expects to work with the Town of East Fishkill on a project in Hopewell Junction. The importance to our economy of a safe and efficient highway infrastructure must not be underestimated. The condition of the local network of roads and bridges is a key factor when business and industry leaders make decisions on whether to locate or expand. For example, prior to the reconstruction of Reagans Mills Bridge in Dover, the owners of Westchester Modular were considering relocating outside of Dutchess County because difficulties with the bridge required rerouting vehicles over other roads, resulting in lost time and additional expense. As a result of the bridge project, Westchester Modular embarked on a $1 million expansion at the site and is hiring additional workers. I appreciate the support of the Legislature in adding two design professionals to our Public Works staff to help tackle the monumental task of rebuilding our infrastructure. Recent changes in state policy have shifted design and project management responsibility from NYS Department of Transportation to the counties. Without your support, this policy change would have caused delays in initiating projects - placing the federal funding in jeopardy and allowing further deterioration of our highway and bridge infrastructure. Our current staff of five professionals will not only design and manage projects in-house, but will oversee projects that are outsourced to qualified professional engineering firms, thereby multiplying our ability to get the work done as quickly as possible. Technology - Each year in my State of the County address I comment on the impact the judicious application of new technologies has on government operations. Whether it is surveying equipment used by our field engineers, mobile computers in our sheriff's vehicles or desktop computing equipment used throughout county government, technology has enabled county employees to work smart-er, to be more efficient and more responsive to the needs of our residents than at any time in the past. Talented, well trained and well-equipped county employees make it possible to deliver top quality services to our residents with a workforce the same size as that in the mid-1980's. Last year, we ensured the soundness of our technology foundation to support 21st century growth. A significant effort was devoted to making certain all county computer resources were ready to recognize January 1, 2000. The effort was successful -- New Year's day arrived without incident. Also, the county's 1993 mainframe computer was replaced and we began the installation of the Dutchess County Wide Area Network (DCWAN). The DCWAN is the framework needed to support 21st century computing. It will provide the ability to send and receive messages and share data files, documents and graphical images significantly improving productivity. But it provides much more than that. It also forms the infrastructure for the government of the 21st century --- electronic business. Soon, residents may choose to interact with county government "online," not on a line. We're not there yet, and we can't begin to effectively implement it yet, but electronic government (e-government) is around the corner. No longer will citizens have to take personal time or time off from work to conduct many types of business with County government. Once our data and applications are on the WAN, the next step will be access through the Internet for not only information but filings, forms, applications, services, and payments without the necessity of going to government offices and waiting on lines. It won't happen overnight, and it will be evolutionary in coming, but it will change forever how the citizen and government interact, and will make government more effective and efficient.
While there have been stand alone GIS systems in several agencies, there has never been a single set of data and standards that all GIS users could share. Building on the base created through the County's E-9-1-1 project, the county-wide GIS system will display property maps on a computer with multiple layers of information superimposed on them, the electronic equivalent of layering several plastic transparencies on an overhead projector to produce a composite image. The integration of property maps with tabular data related to that property will open a new era in county government operations. Interagency cooperation and sharing of up-to-date information will close the gaps between agencies - the ultimate effect will be a “seamless” structure. The old adage that a picture is worth a thousand
words could not be more appropriate, except the pictures generated from a GIS may well be
worth a million words. The system will provide the ability to bring together critical
information in hours instead of days, months or in some cases years. It will be used for
varied applications such as environmental and resource planning, transportation routing
public buses and emergency response vehicles, infrastructure management, land use planning
and development, property tax assessment, voting district reapportionment and tracking
crime. GIS will span different agencies with the core users including
Planning and Development,
Emergency Response, law
enforcement, Department of
Health,
Public Works,
Real Property Tax,
County Legislature,
local governments, the Dutchess County Environmental
Management Council, and the
Dutchess
County Economic Development Corporation Community Planning: The Greenway Idea Is Growing in Dutchess County - Three years ago in my State of the County Address, I committed Dutchess to become the lead county in implementing the Greenway Program. Since then, the seeds we planted are bearing fruit, and the evidence is everywhere, from Millerton to Beacon:
As a follow-up to recommendations by the international visitors, local committees were set up and a Beacon Community Exchange public workshop was held to continue the discussion. The County Department of Planning & Development worked with Mayor Gould's office and provided graphics to illustrate ideas on how to better connect the City to the waterfront, the new Dia Center for the Arts, and the Hudson Highlands. Graphics were also produced to illustrate ways to enhance the City's gateways. The County will continue to work with the Mayor's office and the Linkages Committee to formalize recommendations and prioritize transportation-related projects that strengthen connections within Beacon. The County helped facilitate the acquisition of the vacant Nabisco factory in Beacon by the Dia Center for the Arts and will continue to provide assistance as the Dia project proceeds through the approval process. The Center will convert Beacon's historic Nabisco plant to one of the world's foremost museums of contemporary art while preserving a unique industrial landmark that employed generations of Beacon workers. Dia will stimulate the ongoing economic revitalization of Beacon's historic downtown and draw visitors to the city's trails and waterfront parkland. We worked with Town of Poughkeepsie and others on the Arlington Revitalization Committee to improve the Arlington district. Our Planning Department developed a conceptual pedestrian improvement plan and presented the plan to NYS DOT. We will continue to collaborate with the committee this year. We continue to facilitate a precedent-setting cooperative pedestrian improvement project for the Village and Town of Red Hook. The project's goal is to create a more pedestrian-friendly and economically viable village center and to encourage the development of a similar pedestrian-oriented business district along the Route 9 South corridor. Another notable example of collaborative team approach to challenges is the Hyde Park Crossroads project. A local committee, working cooperatively with the County Departments of Planning and Public Works and NYS DOT, prepared detailed plans to revitalize the historic Crossroads along West Market Street with new sidewalks, curbs, pavement, and street trees. The state agreed to fund $200,000 for new curbs and sidewalks on both sides of the Post Road to connect the Crossroads with the main gate of the Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site. The County contributed $90,000 to repave West Market Street and install curbing. Hyde Park invested $58,000 of Community Block Grant funding and $10,000 of town funds for brick paver sidewalks and street trees. The Committee also agreed on a conceptual redesign for the property across from the Post Office and Town Hall with a central greenspace as a focal point for a Hyde Park town center.
The Department of Public Works also worked with the Village of Millbrook on street improvements and with the Village of Millerton to complete new curbs and crosswalks including preparation of a grant proposal to fund project implementation. This year DPW will collaborate with the hamlet of Hopewell Junction to look at vehicular and pedestrian access, service roads and landscaping. This year we will be pro-active and aggressive in an attempt to convince Governor Pataki and state officials that Dutchess County is the ideal location for the Governor's proposed Hudson River Research Institute. We will work collaboratively with the local government, our colleges and other prestigious environmental and research organizations, our Chambers of Commerce and others in the county to make a solid case why Dutchess County is the place to be for Hudson River research. As part of my Year 2000 Budget, I recommended that funding be provided to help underwrite the Community Leadership Alliance Program. This program provides training to local officials to assist them in making smart-er land use decision which are respectful of our natural surroundings and the quality of life of our Dutchess County residents. Community Development - In 1999, the federally funded Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG) provided $1,736,000 for municipal and nonprofit agency use. Two-thirds of the allocation was awarded for improvements to streets, water and sewer systems; neighborhood and public facilities, and sidewalks, handicapped accessibility improvements, and economic development activities. (The remainder was awarded to agencies providing various human services.) As part of the rehabilitation of the rental housing stock in the City of Beacon, implementation began on the City of Beacon Facade Improvement Program. One project, including four storefronts, has been completed and a second project is under construction. CDBG Funds were used to complete construction on thirteen rental units on Main Street in the City of Beacon and the rehabilitation of fourteen homes occupied by low income senior citizens. The County's First Time Homebuyer Program also helped four low income households purchase their first homes with down payment and closing cost assistance. The County also committed $250,000 to assist with the construction of 32 units of senior citizen housing in the village of Wappinger Falls and $27,000 to assist the Christmas-in-April program with the rehabilitation of seven homes occupied by low income senior citizens. The County has also set aside $240,000 for the City of Poughkeepsie, its partner in the HOME Consortium, for their First Time Homebuyer and Home Rehabilitation programs. In 2000, Dutchess County will apply for additional federal Supportive Housing Program funds to support programs for the homeless. The county will also implement the second phase of the City of Beacon Facade Improvement Program. Federal programs will also fund the construction of 27 low and moderate income rental units through the HOME Investment Partnership Program and the rehabilitation of seventeen homes occupied by low income senior citizens. The County's First Time Homebuyer Program will help ten low income households purchase their first home with down payment and closing cost assistance. I am pleased to announce I will direct up to $250,000 from the County's HOME program as match funding for the Artspace project in the City of Poughkeepsie. This project has the potential to be a catalyst for major investment and improvement in downtown Poughkeepsie. We look forward to working with Mayor Lafuente and city officials as this project moves forward.
Late last year Dutchess County took the lead among New York State counties when I proposed we create the Open Space and Agricultural Protection Fund. That single step of the Legislature's approval of this strategy spoke volumes about our commitment to preserving our agricultural heritage and the critically important open space which helps to define the character and quality of life we enjoy as Dutchess County residents. One of the most attractive elements of our Open Space and Agricultural Protection Matching Grant Fund is it provides an opportunity to leverage County dollars in partnership with available public and private funding sources. The County's commitment of matching funds makes sponsor applications for grants far more attractive to primary funding organizations, and importantly, will likely maximize the total dollars captured. We have every indication that competition for County matching funds will be keen. We also envision the real possibility that the financial commitment we made last year could be exhausted in the first annual cycle of matching fund awards. Accordingly, I propose today, that we build upon the wisdom and vision embodied in our matching grant fund by providing in our next capital plan to be prepared this summer and adopted later in this year another $1 million dedicated to preserving critical open space and agricultural assets for future generations. As noted throughout this entire document, government is all about people. Regardless of what new opportunity or need presents itself or regardless of where technology takes us in the 21st century, securing the financial footing of this county government, supporting personal growth by providing human services, supporting jobs and a smart-er workforce, working collaboratively with our cities, towns and villages to support smart-er physical and environmental growth -- what we do and why we do it is motivated by and for people. In case there's any doubt if what we do works and if it counts.....meet Alicia Brown. Alicia is a true success story - she represents all that is good about what we as a government and a community want for each other. Alicia is a single mother of five children who was previously a social services recipient. She obtained part-time employment about two years ago following a community work experience internship at Community Action Agency. Established in recovery from alcohol and drug abuse for a year prior, she set her priorities to maintain and advance in employment and recovery as well as to achieve personal life goals: to obtain a driver's license, buy the home that she currently rents and to be a model and example to other public assistance recipients that motivation and a chance to succeed can make hopes into reality. Alicia worked at Community Action Agency as a clerical assistant, first as a Community Work Experience Program worker and then on the payroll. Soon she was given responsibility for coordinating special programs where her skills and competencies in case management became evident by the rapport she established with families. Her public assistance case closed and after a year of transitional benefits, she successfully negotiated day care and summer camp scholarships for her children so she could maintain full-time employment at Community Action Agency. She received a promotion at the agency that necessitated commuting a considerable distance to work at another location. For six months, she took the bus to work. Shortly after obtaining her driver's license, she received a donated, refurbished car through the Department of Social Services/BOCES vehicle program. Further recognition of her strengths and abilities at work resulted in her being selected to participate in a United Way minority leadership program. In the past year, she has obtained her Family Development Worker Credential and is a regular guest speaker about her agency at the Department of Social Services, the Department of Labor and other community-based agencies. Alicia has the unique perspective of now being a representative of service providers where once she was a consumer. This understanding has become even a more powerful asset for the families with whom she works. With both strong conviction and gentle sensitivity, she conveys the message that families in distress need the collaborative strengths of community partnerships to ultimately succeed in restoring a family's self-reliance. Alicia has been participating in a savings program that will enable her to purchase a home within the next two years. Her positive and proactive approach to her own personal and family self-reliance is an inspiration and example to her colleagues, the families she works with, and to the greater human service system. Earlier I discussed the new Dutchess County E-9-1-1 system. It is important we put a human face on what E-9-1-1 means to you, your families and your neighbors as well as on the dedicated employees who are the backbone of this critical new service. The following details an actual emergency situation I referred to earlier where a call was received from a man requesting an ambulance for an elderly relative who was unconscious and not breathing. The caller was immediately instructed by the dispatcher to check his relative's airwave, which was clear. The dispatcher next instructed him how to check for breathing. The person was not breathing, nor was there a pulse. The dispatcher then instructed the man, over the phone, how to perform mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. "Place one hand under the neck, the other on the forehead and tilt the head back. Pinch the nose closed, completely cover the mouth with your mouth. Force two deep breaths of air into the lungs, just like you are blowing up a big balloon. Watch for the chest to rise with each breath." The man begins and checks for a pulse. "Slide your index and middle fingers into the groove next to the Adam's apple. Feel carefully for a pulse. Don't press too hard. Feel for five seconds. Go do it now and come right back to the phone. Can you feel a pulse?" He replies: "I don't think there is a pulse." The dispatcher instructs the caller further: "Put the heel of your hand on the breastbone in the center of the chest. Place your other hand on top. Push down firmly two inches with only the heel of you lower hand touching the chest. Do it 15 times, just like you are pumping the chest twice a second. Don't hang up, do it now." The man began the compressions. The dispatcher gave CPR instructions: "Pinch the nose closed and tilt the head back again. Give two more big breaths, then pump the chest 15 more times. Make sure the heel of your hand is on the bone in the center of the chest. Keep repeating this cycle of two breaths, 15 pumps." The man began the cycle and continued it until the EMT and Paramedic arrived eleven minutes later. The individual was transported to the hospital. Later, the paramedic called the dispatcher from the hospital to report the individual was breathing -- the paramedic believed the Dispatcher Life Support instructions played a vital role in getting this person to the hospital alive. Meet the E-9-1-1 dispatcher Kyle Gordon and join me in thanking him for his quick, knowledgeable and professional response in this emergency. Let me add that he is representative of all our dispatchers and other personnel who perform similarly for us every day in the discharge of their duties. We thank you all. Alicia Brown and Kyle Gordon are two examples of what this government and this community are all about. It is about hope, about dreams and about opportunity. Together, what we can achieve is only limited by our imagination. Thank you for your attention and courtesy. God Bless Dutchess County. William R. Steinhaus, Dutchess County Executive January 24, 2000 1999 DEPARTMENTAL/ADMINISTRATION ANNUAL SUMMARY We view Dutchess County Government as a whole. Each department has its own responsibilities, yet we function seamlessly because we coordinate and integrate whenever and wherever possible to provide efficient and cost-effective service delivery. The following summaries show the dedication and hard work put forth by Dutchess County government's skilled and valued workforce in the performance of their jobs. This is not an all inclusive list but highlights of select portions of our 1999 work agenda and some 2000 work plans. Public Works/Infrastructure 1999 involved a commitment from the entire Department preparing the County for potential Y2K problems. This commitment involved inventorying the vast amount of equipment and facility systems employed by the County in carrying out our governmental responsibilities, determining the critical nature of its functions and potential for failure, and then devising contingency plans for the failure of systems beyond our control. In 1999, DPW's Aviation Division secured a $120,000 grant from the FAA to update the Master Plan for the Dutchess County Airport. The plan will provide direction for the facility's future and a recommended program of capital improvements. The majority of the capital improvements included will become eligible for 95% Federal and State funding. With the assistance of the Buildings Division and a $100,000 dollar NYS Special Aviation Program grant, we removed seven outdated fuel storage tanks and installed a new 15,000 avgas tank to serve the general aviation fleet. The Division took over the responsibility of operating the Airport Terminal Building acquired by the County in lieu of back taxes. We are in the process securing tenants for the facility, using the streamlined procedures worked out by DPW, the County Executive, the Legislature and the Airport Advisory Committee. On tap for 2000, is the rehabilitation of nearly a mile of taxiways to enhance safety and increase capacity. This $670,000 dollar project will be 95% funded by the FAA and State. We will also be working to progress the schematic design for the construction of additional hangars, funded by the Legislature in 1999 and again host the 9th Annual Great Hudson Valley Balloon Race on June 9, 10, & 11, 2000. The Buildings Division oversaw the completion of the new E-911 Dispatch Center and renovations to the attached Emergency Response Center in 1999. The new facility was opened in October of 1999 to much acclaim, it met all major construction milestones and was completed within budget. The Division is also managing the roof replacement on the Farm and Home Center and completed in-house the repair or replacement of the HVAC systems in the County Office Building, the Courthouse and its Annex, the Regional Transportation Center and the Auto Center. The Engineering Division managed or completed in house $4,143,000 of design and construction projects aimed at maintaining and improving Dutchess County's 395 mile road network and the 141 bridges. The division initiated the following high priority projects in 1999 which will continue to fruition in 2000; the design of 12 bridge replacement projects funded by Federal Transportation dollars; Construction for Phase II of the Harlem Valley Rail Trail; design of phase III; the Myers Corners Road Rehabilitation Project in Wappinger; the Crossroads Project in Hyde Park and a federally funded sign Management Program that received national recognition involving the inspection of over 14,000 traffic control signs and subsequent replacement of 7,800 signs. In 2000 the division will manage $9,540,000 worth of design and construction projects. The Division of Highway Construction and Maintenance continued its mission of maintaining and improving the safety of the County's extensive road and bridge network. With reduced funding in the 1999 budget the division oil and stoned 13.86 miles of roadway and reclaimed nine miles of roadway. A new process called Micro-Paving was used in several high accident areas to enhance pavement friction. With restoration of full funding in the County's 2000 Budget, the Division will extend its oil and stone to approximately 25 miles, extending the life of our roadways at a substantial savings to the County. The Division plans to expand its use of the innovative Micro-Paving technique to improve surface friction in areas with high accident occurrence rates. In 1999, the Parks Division focused on completing the improvements and expansion of park facilities started in 1998 with the Parks Restabilization Program. The new pavilion and the Historic Ellessdie Chapel are already in use and MapleKnoll Lodge will be brought on line in 2000. The second phase of the current Parks Restabilization Program has been awarded and work will begin in 2000. Also in 2000 the County is planning to take over management of the acreage owned of by Hudson River Psychiatric Center, located on the River side of Route 9. This property, with proper development and management, will allow Dutchess County residents direct access to the Hudson River. Currently, there is a team working on a development and management plan which will be presented to the Legislature during the year 2000. The preliminary plans involve opening the new park for passive recreation in 2000, which would allow residents to enjoy the spectacular vistas of the river offered from this unique property, while allowing its current use by rowing organizations to continue. The connection between the Wappinger Creek Greenway Trail and Bowdoin Park, facilitated by an agreement between Scenic Hudson and the County, should be ready for use by the public in early 2000. It will provide park goers access to the Reese Audubon Sanctuary and make the amenities available at the Park accessible to trail users. The Harlem Valley Rail Trail continues to enjoy tremendous success, and with the completion in 2000 of the second phase of the trail usage is expected to increase exponentially. Phase II doubles the length of the trail open to the public and completes the portion of the trail linking the Hamlet of Amenia and the Village of Millerton. Design work was begun on the third phase, when completed the Harlem Valley Rail Trail will be over 10.2 miles in length and extend from the new Metro-North train station into the Village of Millerton. The Federal Government will have funded 80% of the entire cost of the trail's development. The County has already applied for additional Federal funds to extend the trail north from the Village of Millerton up to the Columbia County border to connect with the existing trail segment there. That four mile segment, which is operated by State Parks, ends at Copake Falls State Park. Following up on the advance work already done by County staff and local legislators, the Engineering Division will begin design of County's second rail trail on the abandoned rail bed acquired by the County for CR11. The development of the rail trail in this corridor will be accompanied by the use of the corridor for a variety of utilities. The planning for sharing the use of this corridor is well underway and federal funding has already been secured for design and construction of the trail. Planning and Development Transportation/PDCTC staff assisted the NYS Department of Transportation and MetroPool to develop and distribute the Smart Guide for Transportation in Dutchess and Ulster Counties. The Smart Guide is a comprehensive list of public and private transit services in the two counties, and has been used by a variety of business, employment and social service agencies. The first year of a comprehensive three-year program to gather traffic counts on major county and local roads was completed. In 1999, counts were taken at over 125 locations. A comprehensive report will be prepared and distributed in mid-2000. The data is used by the Transportation Council and its member agencies in planning and capital programming activities. Metro-North Railroad continued work on several capital projects during 1999. The work on the Wassaic Extension continued. The project is on schedule, and new service is expected to begin by mid-2000. The Poughkeepsie Parking Project was initiated in the fall with the removal of the hill north of the existing River Lot. The project includes a new parking garage, intermodal area, and the reconstruction of the pedestrian access to Main Street. Expansion of parking at the New Hamburg Station was completed in November. Transportation staff has been working with the Department of Mental Hygiene and some private not-for-profit agencies in the county to examine existing and future transportation needs of their clients. PDCTC will initiate the periodic review of its long-range transportation plan to meet the federal deadline of mid-2001. A Park Planning Committee with a wide range of interested parties was formed to oversee plans for transforming the 27 acre parcel west of Route 9, the Hudson River Psychiatric Center Riverfront Park, into a state park to be managed by the County. A draft Phase 1 improvement program with an illustrative map and preliminary cost estimates was presented to the committee and at a meeting with state officials. Plans include a non-motorized boating center, rowing programs, a community meeting room in the Navy Clubhouse building, picnic and fishing areas and necessary parking and public rest rooms. A Rowing Subcommittee was also formed to look at all potential riverfront properties in the area to determine a larger strategy for the future of rowing along the Hudson. Through a cooperative effort between the County, the Town and City of Poughkeepsie, Marist and Vassar Colleges, and representatives of all the local rowing groups, plans for a large community boathouse are being prepared and a not-for-profit organization, the Hudson River Rowing Association, has been organized to secure the property and build the boathouse. It is expected a memorandum of agreement with the state for the management of the HRPC riverfront park will be finalized, planning for the park will be completed, and Phase 1 improvements will begin to be implemented over the next year. Planning and Development will work with the Hudson River Rowing Association and property owners on site plan options for a community boathouse. The Planning & Development staff worked with the U.S. Census Bureau to help make Census 2000 as successful as possible. Reviewed census geography, hosted a census teleconference to promote community involvement, and responded to public information requests regarding the upcoming census. In 2000, the Department will continue to work with the Census Bureau to promote Census 2000. We will be hosting the NYS Data Center Affiliate Conference in Dutchess County in 2000. Kaatsbaan International Dance Center has broken ground for its first studio complex and expects to begin limited operation in the summer of 2000. This first phase of construction will allow the Center to offer rehearsal and performance space to dance companies and to welcome the public to this extraordinary site in the Village of Tivoli. Staff served on the Town of Poughkeepsie's Assisted Living Committee to help develop zoning code language regarding senior care facilities. Will continue to work with the Town on this issue in 2000. The 1999 Major Projects Report and Summary was produced in 1999. These reports are now available on the County website. We will continue to track major projects in Dutchess County throughout 2000. The Dutchess County Bus System (LOOP), carried 795,000 passengers (December 1999 figure is projected) in 1999. The bus fleet will be upgraded in the year 2000 with the arrival of fourteen new vehicles. The County Website continued to be enhanced as information on the Department of Emergency Response, the Youth Bureau and the Traffic Safety Board were added. Election results were also available on-line. Staff assisted in the boundary revision for the Poughkeepsie-Dutchess Economic Development Zone. Land in the Village and Town of Fishkill was added to the EDZ to accommodate the Gap distribution center proposal. Through a NYS grant, the County hired a consultant to complete a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Needs Assessment Study. The Needs Assessment provided a framework for the development of a county-wide GIS effort. Implementation of a coordinated system will begin in 2000, as GIS builds on the Wide Area Network and the digital tax parcel data. Health and Human Services -- Helping People We continue to provide high quality programs in health education, Communicable Disease control, Public Health Nursing and Environmental. Application will be sent in to implement (if received) in 2000, as part of a seven County Asthma grant (the American Lung Association , Westchester region is lead agency) to help disseminate education to the general public as well as medical professionals. Emergency room visit data collection will also be a key component. Open airways asthma educational programing has been done in elementary schools in 1999 and will be continued in 2000. If a grant which has been applied for is received enhancement of this program will ensue. The Department has been working with the American Heart Association in the implementation of the "CPR in the Schools" Program in the County public high schools. It is expected that completion of the program in all the public high schools will be done in 2000. Data collection is being done on the number of students receiving Heartsaver cards and BLS certification A Cardiac Arrest Surveillance System has been created. DCDOH, DC Emergency Response, DC EMS Council and the Emergency Medical Community have begun to collect data regarding cardiac arrests and use of automatic external defibrillator in Dutchess County. In 2000 the testing phase of the database will be complete and the first stats should be generated. This will help to identify trends in Dutchess County which in turn will aid in how to gear public health prevention tactics. When Dutchess first became eligible for Ryan White C.A.R.E. Act funding in 1994, I envisioned an opportunity to improve the level of health and human services available in our County for persons infected with and families affected by HIV disease and AIDS. The Ryan White, Title I grants have made it possible to fulfill this vision without the use of County tax dollars for these needed services. Dutchess County's Title I grant award was substantially increased for 1999. The award to Dutchess in FY 1998 was $854,481. The FY 1999 grant amount was increased to $1,220,662 an almost 43% annual increase. I am proud of our County's continued participation in this nationwide initiative to mitigate the impact of the continuing HIV epidemic. The Flu/Pneumococcal Vaccine Program continues to be a key provider of flu and pneumococcal vaccines to high-risk groups in the community. 5,894 flu and 832 pneumococcal vaccines were administered at 42 sites throughout the County. The flu/pneumococcal program contributes significantly to improving the health of our residents. Our Immunization Program provides childhood vaccines and immunization education to Dutchess County children. 89% of children under the age of two were fully immunized in 1999 as compared to 86% in 1998. The overall community strategy has demonstrated marked success in improving community wide immunization rates moving from 84% in 1998 to 88% in 1999. The Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program has seen a substantial decrease in the number of confirmed lead cases, only 2 new cases since January 1999. The focus of the program in 1999 has been on community outreach and education. For Youth -The Youth Bureau administered $820,000 in 1999 NYS Office of Children & Families Services funding to provide primary prevention, intervention, and runaway & homeless youth direct services to more than 40,000 youth in our community, with 97% of the programs successfully completing their service objectives. As of December 13, 1999, the Youth Services Unit provided 115 youth with general counseling, 116 youth PINS truancy diversion, and 31 youth-at-risk of placement intensive case management. Youth Services Unit's 1998 outcomes resulted in 88% of the youth counseled showing improvement, and 79% of the PINS cases not going to Family Court. For Project Return, 48% of the 33 youth served successfully reintegrated into the community and only four or 12% were placed outside the home. As of December 1, 1999, River Haven, the comprehensive runaway and homeless youth program services, served 871 youth. Their lead agency, YMCA of Dutchess County, has formed a Transitions Committee to move the River Haven program to another sponsor by July 2000. Youth Bureau participated in this committee to assist ensuring a successful transition. For Veterans - The Office of Veterans Affairs services the Veteran Community with a staff with a staff of a Director, Deputy Director, one secretary and part-time receptionist. In 1999, the office had 5,236 contacts and rendered 9,780 services to veterans or their family members. The branch office in Beacon will reopen in early 2000 two days per week. For Seniors - Caregiver Services - During 2000, the Office for the Aging will partner with the Alzheimer's Association Mid Hudson Chapter to offer caregiver services including a caregiver support group, caregiver training workshops and an educational conference. TRIAD Crime Prevention Program - The TRIAD Crime Prevention and Consumer Protection program began offering workshops on crime and safety issues for senior citizens in 1999. Needs Assessment - A comprehensive Needs Assessment was conducted of senior citizens in 1999, finding that the greatest problems faced by seniors in Dutchess County include loneliness, transportation, figuring out health insurance/Medicare and home maintenance. The results will be used by government and community agencies to assist in funding, planning and coordinating services to the 60+ population in the future. Transportation Needs - In order to address the unmet transportation needs of seniors, the Office for the Aging is working with the Department of Planning and Development and other human service agencies to study the transportation needs of elderly and disabled clients and ways that services can be coordinated and improved. In addition, the Office for the Aging is recruiting volunteers to serve as aides on the Dial-A-Ride buses to carry packages and escort seniors from the curb to their doors. Insurance Counseling - The Office for the Aging Insurance Counseling service was able to respond quickly to the needs of seniors brought on by drastic changes in the HMO offerings available to Dutchess County seniors. This past fall alone, over 2000 seniors were provided with reliable, up to date, unbiased information through individual counseling sessions or group presentations. Social Services - Learnfare began in September 1999. Temporary Assistance families with children ages 6 to 12 will be monitored for school attendance. Family Credentialing was brought to DSS in 1999. This strength based training program was presented in collaboration with Dutchess Community College and Dutchess County Community Action Agency. To date, 15 Temporary Assistance workers have been awarded Family Development Credentialing. This program was presented at the summer NYPWA conference and was applauded by state and local agencies. On December 15, Sheila Anderson and Lorraine Lima from the California Community College Foundation traveled to Dutchess County to see our collaborative project. They were impressed with our project, its results and our staff and they will try to initiate our program model in California. Continuing in our "user friendly" vision for our department, we redesigned our waiting room at Dutchess County Department of Social Services. Gone is the bullet proof glass. Receptionists meet at eye level with visitors, the training tapes are on the TV's and a business coordinator and a family credentialing trainer enlist recipients into job/training programs. We have expanded outreach for Medicaid and Food Stamps in eastern Dutchess. We have added a HEAP (Home Energy Assistance Program) packager to help families with heat-related emergencies for all areas of Dutchess County. We have partnered with VESID for a $250,000 ERA (Employment, Retention Advancement) grant that will provide intensive services to our disabled TANF population. DSS, through BOCES, will develop a Computer Data Base Program to profile our current TANF recipients. This will avoid duplication and conflicts of employment activities. Our car-to-work program has a goal of 20 cars to recipients for Y2K. With BOCES, we will develop a Personal Choice program to work with changing behaviors of our hard-to-serve population. We will continue our partnership with the Chambers and EDC in the mentoring program and our goal is for the waiting list of day care to have no holdovers from 1999 in the year 2000. Medicaid brings the highest county cost program to the forefront of the budget every year. In 1999 we will have a gross Medicaid expenditure of over $170 million with a county cost of almost $30 million. While our overall number of Medicaid recipients decreases, our cost per recipient increases. We account for this as a result of Welfare Reform and a working economy. Persons do not apply for Medicaid until they are sick or have a medical emergency. There are over 1,400 nursing home cases in Dutchess County (up from 1,350 in 1998). On a bright note in 1999, Dutchess County Department of Social Services coordinated the availability of Northern Dutchess' Mobile Health Care Van in our back parking lot on ten occasions. The van provided vision services to over 100 scheduled persons regardless of income or medical coverage. In 2000 we plan to continue scheduling visits and the services of a dentist will be included in the schedule. Our Resource Consultant collected/assigned proceeds for $1,829,191 in 1999. Our fraud division collected funds and/or received Confessions of Judgments in the amount of $357,821. Our FEDS unit for SFY 1998/1999 achieved a gross cost avoidance of $4,383,546 ($1,451,240 net to county). Our Adult Protective Services division was audited by New York State in October of 1999. The compliance standard for New York State is 85 percent. Dutchess County Department of Social Services received a compliance standard of 99.58 percent. The motel statistics show an average length of stay for persons in temporary housing to be 4.5 weeks. Four hundred fifty one (451) persons were placed in temporary housing in 1999 at a cost of $555,045. We investigated 579 reports of protective services to adults and we are now guardian for 30 fragile, impaired adults. Also in 1999, Dutchess County Department of Social Services and Dutchess County Office for the Aging took over the coordination of the Dutchess County Elder Abuse Task Force. This is a coalition with a mission to reduce the incidence of abuse and neglect of the vulnerable older residents of Dutchess County. Maximizing child support as a resource continues to be a major priority for our agency. To help accomplish this goal, a new collaborative partnership for 2000 will continue with EDC and the Family Court of Dutchess County. A new welfare to work program for non-custodial parents of TANF children will be initiated. This program will focus on non-working parents of TANF children utilizing resources of the one-stop center to help these parents find jobs, pay child support and increase the self sufficiency of our TANF families. This program will for the first time focus on absent parents who are not part of the welfare system but whose children are. Again the goal is to begin to collect child support for TANF children from non-supporting absent parents. Presently these custodial parents receive zero support, the goal of this program is to assist the absent parent in obtaining employment, thus resulting in the ability to pay child support. The child support collections in 1999 totaled $17,700,000 million, up from $15,700,000 million in 1998, and $9,700,000 million in 1994! Child support will continue to prioritize three areas: paternity establishment, support enforcement, and collections. In summary, Dutchess County Department of Social Services has had an excellent year. The number of recipients finding jobs and moving off temporary assistance has increased. Child support collections and day care subsidies has also increased. Dutchess County Department of Social Services is looked to as a model in New York State. We are often asked to do state presentations. We sit on state boards (such as NYPWA) and local boards (such as Family Partnership Center). In the year 2000 we will initiate an award of a personal computer to one child in each school district who has shown outstanding community or school achievements. In October we received a Certificate of Special Recognition from Congresswoman Sue Kelly and in December received recognition from a community college foundation in California. Mental Hygiene - The re-engineering of the mental hygiene community delivery system has achieved the goals put forth three years ago: more services, continued high quality care, fewer county staff, lower county costs and greater efficiencies. During the past eight years the Department of Mental Hygiene has eliminated 131 positions--bringing the Department's staffing levels to its lowest point in over 20 years without a single layoff or any reduction in service. In fact, services have increased. In the Year 2000, the mentally disabled in our community--the mentally ill, the developmentally disabled, the chemically dependent and their families--will have available to them more treatment, residential, vocational and support services than at any time in the history of the county. Congratulations to Dr. Kenneth Glatt and his staff for their tremendous accomplishment. Their achievement could not have occurred as smoothly and successfully without a clear vision and an implementation plan which was multi-year in its focus and brought to fruition incrementally over several budget cycles. Consumer Affairs -A number of initiatives were implemented in 1999 to increase our ability to protect Dutchess County consumers. Our program to mediate and/or prosecute unscrupulous home improvement contractors was enhanced which has resulted in more money being returned to home owners. Our data base on charities has been expanded to help residents feel confident the charities they donate to use their donation for its intended purpose. Finally, we have increased our ability to protect residents in all of their gasoline and fuel oil purchases by integrating new petroleum testing equipment into our petroleum monitoring program. PROBATION & COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS - During 1999, the Department of Probation and Community Development in Partnership with the National Institute of Corrections completed the Violations/Revocation of Probation Project. This project involved an in-depth analysis and critique of existing policies and procedures involving Violations of Probation. The project resulted in new methodology for tracking and responding to probationer misconduct. It culminated in the establishment of a Misconduct Review Board designed to make the conditions of community correctional sentences more demanding as an alternative to returning to court on a formal violation proceeding. This program was designed in collaboration with the District Attorney's Office and Public Defender's Office and has received their support. The New York State Division of Probation and Correctional Alternatives in Conjunction with the State's Domestic Violence Agency invited the Dutchess County Office of Probation and Community Corrections to host a full day workshop highlighting the County's Domestic Abuse Response Team (DART). This program was chosen to showcase to other counties the Team's unique ability to work collaboratively, even though the participating agencies might be perceived to have conflicting or competing missions and goals. Finally, the daily administrative and executive support, legal services, financial advice and support as provided by the departments of law, finance, personnel, risk management, the Comptroller's Office, and others, is an invaluable addition to county government functions. These contributions are too numerous to mention. |
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