Otsego County Budget and Finance Meeting 
3-19-25

Nothing particularly controversial or exciting occurred. All measures passed without dissent. They included:

• 1) an unrequested federal grant permits replacing a number of older bikes at the motorcycle training program, so that budget amount is to be changed to reflect those funds;

• 2) allocate $5,225 to the MVAA to cover a shortfall from a state reallocation (affecting 70 counties) removing @ $12,000 in funding;

• 3) allocate $50,000 from the Opioid Fund to ultimately get those funds to RISE;

• 4) amend the 2025 budget to provide $35,000 in additional funding for the OCSD due to increases from last year's POAM collective bargaining agreement (previously confirmed by the OCBoC);

• 5) increase the EMS budget by $10,000;

• 6) reallocate @ $22,000 from the 2024 Parks and Rec budget to 2025 for windows bought last year, but not received until this year;

• 7) increase of $7,100 for a generator for the campground, to ward off $3,400 in refunds per each day of interrupted grid power;

• 8) #7 above is offset by campground plumbing work coming in $7,000 under budget;

• 9) addition of $9,550 for possible use of Groen staff under the Earned Sick Leave Act;

• 10) reallocate $56,800 of the Administrator Fund to pay for the new deputy finance director (no increase in staffing or outlay);

• 11) amend budget to pay $2,200 the last fee for a hanger completed in 2020 (long story...).

• 12) amend bus system budget to permit hiring 1 full time driver instead of 2 part time drivers, due to difficulty in finding part-timers, an increase of @ $5,000.

  The overall financials were reviewed, nothing weird or startling, but the process was slowed by some software glitches. The 2023 financial audit remains on track. Credit card statements were reviewed and approved. A grant for First Responder Recruitment and Training requires a filing to recoup some $36,000. The $450,000 brownfield grant for the courthouse site will permit getting the $$$ before paying the bills, rather than pay and get reimbursed. Note that the county staff familiar with/responsible for the budget matters do attend the B & F meetings, and don't necessarily attend the full board meetings. Someone wishing to stir up trouble can generally feel comfy that the most knowledgeable staff member won't be present to push back. Just sayin'...