Schuyler seeks $55K in security funding

SCHUYLER COUNTY--The Schuyler County Legislature voted to seek two grants through state security programs during their regular session held Monday, May 11 in the legislative chambers. The legislature agreed to submit grant applications through both the the State Homeland Security Program as well as the Law Enforcement Terrorism Prevention Program for a total of $55,000 in funding.
The county is currently seeking $41,250 for the office of emergency management under the State Homeland Security Program, while the sheriff's department is seeking $13,750 under the State Law Enforcement Terrorism Prevention Program. Both grants are 100 percent funded with no local match required.
In other business:
• The legislature approved seeking a S2AY Rural Health Network's National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) Grant to establish a baby café in Schuyler County. The baby café is meant to provide free drop-in support to all pregnant and breastfeeding moms by the presence of Certified Lactation Consultants (CLC) at the café. According to the resolution, breastfed infants are less likely to develop medical problems such as childhood obesity, respiratory and gastrointestinal infections and are at lower risk for childhood cancers, asthma and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. Meanwhile, mothers who breastfeed infants decrease their risk of breast and ovarian cancers, osteoporosis and postpartum depression as well as increase their likeliness of returning to pre-pregnancy weight.
• The county agreed to advertise for bids for the rehabilitation of County Road 14 over the Hooker Creek bridge. Hunt Engineers has provided a proposal for engineering services on the road over the creek and now needs to advertise for rehabilitation work bids now that the project design is nearly complete.
• The legislators agreed to send a request to the New York State Legislature asking them to approve a bill authorizing a renewal of the additional 1 percent sales tax for Schuyler County. This legislation has to be renewed every two years.