"This plan will yield considerable savings and has been a very good exercise," said County Administrator Michael Zurlo, who was assigned by the state to lead the effort here.
All 18 municipalities in the county have been meeting in recent weeks to come up with a plan to share services and find savings for taxpayers.
DEADLINE NEARS
The process was ordered by the state, and a first draft of a plan must be done by Aug. 1.The municipalities include 14 towns, three villages and the city of Plattsburgh.
Zurlo said the panel has been able to realize some savings in consolidating dog-control services in most municipalities, snow and ice removal for some and, possibly, assessments services for the city.
The Clinton County Sheriff's Department is slated to take over the Rouses Point Village Police Department, if opponents fail to produce a petition to force a public vote and that vote, in turn, goes down.
It will be included in the plan, however.
Details of the shared-services plan, including the latest estimates for savings, are still being worked out.
The state is offering a match of any savings realized by the plan for next year.
HELPS CITY
Plattsburgh Mayor Colin Read said the process has been very helpful for the city, which is experiencing a difficult budget year."I believe there are a number of areas that we can look at to make things more efficient," he said.
The city is also considering merging its information technology department and human resources unit with the county.
PUBLIC INPUT
Zurlo said the plan will be presented to the County Legislature by Aug. 1 for its review. Legislators will provide guidance on whether and how they think it should be changed.Public hearings will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 8; 7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 9; and 10 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 10, in the County Legislature chambers at the Clinton County Government Center on Margaret Street, Plattsburgh.
The full panel of municipalities will vote on the plan after the public hearings, and it will then be sent to the state.
Municipalities do not have to opt in to shared services if they do not want to.
'FRUITFUL'
Zurlo said the discussions have been productive and should continue."It has been fruitful, and there is a commitment to continue to work together beyond this year to attempt to lower property taxes in all municipalities," he said.
©2017 the Press-Republican (Plattsburgh, N.Y.) Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
