Federal lawsuit challenges Sept. 11 election date

    YATES COUNTY—The scheduled Sept. 11 state primary date is not yet certain on the election calendar for 2012.
    The New York presidential primary will be held on April 24, 2012. However, the state primary that was scheduled for Sept. 11 is now in question. TheJustice Department has filed a lawsuit against the state alleging that N.Y. has done little to comply with the 2009 Military and Overseas Voter Empowerment (MOVE) Act. The MOVE act requires states to hold primary elections at least 80 days before a general election. N.Y. currently holds its primary election only 49 days before the general election.
    On Monday, Dec. 12, the Yates Legislature passed a resolution that requests the state and federal primary to be held on the same date. This would avoid a third primary date that would incur additional, unbudgeted taxpayer expense.
    In other business:
    • A resolution to adopt a local law establishing redemption fees for impounded dogs was unanimously passed. The law establishes a flat $25 fee to be paid by an owner after a dog has been impounded.
    • Financial assistance in the amount $5,000 for the Keuka Arts Festival was authorized from the Occupancy Tax Reserve Fund. Finance Committee Chairman Tim Dennis said he feels this is an appropriate use of the fund.
    • Chairman Taylor Fitch was authorized to sign memorandums of understanding for allocations of funds from the 2012 budget. The village of Penn Yan and the towns of Middlesex and Torrey will receive funds for lifeguard services. Penn Yan will receive $10,800 and the towns will each receive $1,080.
    • Fitch was authorized to sign a contract with Biznetix of Rochester for redesign of the county website. The amount is not to exceed $12,385.
    • Kevin Bailey, R. Michael Briggs, Timothy Dennis and James Long were appointed to terms on the boards of Finger Lakes Economic Development Center, Yates Capital Resource Corp. and Finger Lakes Horizon Economic Development Corp. Terms are from Jan. 1, 2012, to Dec. 31, 2013.
    • John Sawyers, Douglas Skeet and Jerry Stape were reappointed to the  Yates County planning board for terms ending Dec. 31, 2014.
    • Klaas Martens, Michael Steppe and Pat Flynn were appointed to the board of Yates County Soil and Water Conservation District.
    The year-end meeting of the Yates County Legislature will be at 1 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 29.  The organizational meeting will be at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2012.