Legislature holds year-end meeting

SCHUYLER COUNTY--Although the end-of-year meeting for the Schuyler County Legislators Dec. 28, 2022, was brief, legislators unanimously authorized more than 20 resolutions. The lawmakers approved a contract with the New York State Office of Victim Services for a multi-year Victim of Crime Act and Witness Assistance Grant.
Members of the public safety/criminal justice committee considered several points before bringing this resolution to the legislators who authorized it. The Schuyler County District Attorney's Office has been awarded a New York State Office of Victim Services Victim of Crime Act Victim and Witness Assistance Grant in the amount of $754,339.74.This includes a 20 percent local in-kind match. These grant funds will be used to assist the district attorney's office in creating and operating a justice center, with transitional housing for victims of domestic abuse, sexual abuse, and human trafficking. This initiative will be in collaboration with non-profit service providers in Schuyler, Chemung and Steuben Counties. A portion of the grant will also be used to continue to fund the position of the victim services coordinator. The contract will be in place through Sept. 30, 2025, with funds received annually in the amount of $251,446.58 each year of the three-year contract.
In other news, legislators were briefed on the status of Cayuga Health Transport (CHT), which began operations on Dec. 19, 2022. CHT employees as well as representatives from several area fire departments, including Watkins Glen, Odessa, Montour, and Hector, helped provide emergency medical services and fire-fighting efforts in Buffalo in response to the recent blizzard.