Joint Westchester County Legislature Committee Meeting - June 8, 2026

The meeting convened joint committees including Health, Budget & Appropriations, Infrastructure & Housing, Seniors & Youth, and Public Safety & Veterans. The session addressed grant agreements, bond acts for lab equipment, roads, IT upgrades, emergency services, and the first quarter budget forecast. The minutes record the meeting being called to order at 10:39 AM, while the transcript indicates a 10:11 AM start; the Sexual Risk Avoidance item is numbered 2026-266 on the agenda but ACT-2026-133 in the minutes.

Consent Calendar

• Minutes from prior meetings (May 18 and May 26, 2026) were approved by the respective committees.
• Several items were signed and referred to the Board of Legislators after committee votes.

Discussion Items

• Sexual Risk Avoidance Education Program (Item 2026-266 / ACT-2026-133): Youth Bureau Executive Director Ernest McFadden presented the seventh year of a New York State Office of Children and Family Services grant. The program serves approximately 105–110 youth annually, ages 11–18, through classroom education (boundaries, consent, character) and employment skills. Each municipality's enrollment ranges from 15–18; participants are about 60% female and 40% male; the classroom completion rate is ~90%. No county match is required; municipalities contribute about $32,000, with $25,000 going to the classroom provider. Legislator Alvarado expressed 100% support, citing direct benefits in Yonkers, and Legislator Barr praised the program's dual classroom/employment approach.

• Bond Act – BLR2F Labs & Research Equipment Acquisition '26–'30 (Item 2026-273): Chief Administrator Keith Hoffman requested a $550,000 bond to replace 13 pieces of laboratory equipment, including BOD analyzers, a microwave digestion system, PCR systems, and forensic tools. Many items are 15–21 years old, beyond their expected 10-year useful life; some require refrigerants now banned by New York State DEC. Hoffman confirmed current operability but noted parts are increasingly difficult to obtain. Legislators asked about safety and service timelines; Legislator Barr recommended marking "life safety" and "energy efficiency" on the project sheet.

• Litigation – Surety Bond Dispute (Item 263): Mark Gardner (County Attorney's Office) and Ira Shulman (Shepherd Mullen) discussed a dispute with surety NGM (recently acquired by Nationwide) over a performance bond for terminated contractor MBM. Shulman, who has served the county for 24 years, said the objective is to compel the surety to fulfill its bond obligations; he expects concrete results in 30–45 days. Legislator Barr asked about responsible bidder law and possible debarment. The item was approved by Budget & Appropriations and Litigation.

• Various County Road Rehabilitation Bonds (Item 264): Deputy Commissioner Rob presented an $11,805,000 bond request for design and construction on four roads: Theodore Friend Avenue (0.8 miles), Anderson Hill Road (2.4 miles), Aqueduct Road (0.17 miles), and Long Ridge Road (1.2 miles), with PCI values and traffic data provided. Construction is planned as roving one-lane milling and paving with flaggers; coordination with schools and utilities was discussed. Legislators also discussed New York State DOT projects and Con Ed coordination. The bond act passed.

• Information Technology Upgrades (Item 271): Jason Carrow presented the second year of a five-year IT replacement plan covering laptops/desktops, data storage, and data center equipment. No new recurring maintenance or licensing costs are anticipated; laptop purchases had not been made since COVID. The bond act passed.

• Regional Partnership with Putnam County (Item 272): Emergency Services Commissioner Spear and Deputy Chief Christopher Johnson presented a $100,000 competitive state grant for technical rescue and urban search and rescue equipment. Westchester and Putnam received the maximum amount and the largest grant awarded in the state. Funds will purchase rope rescue gear, PPE, shoring tools, and transit. Legislators discussed fire safety education and clarified that the "23" in the grant title refers to fiscal year 2023, not retroactive funding. Approved.

• First Quarter Budget Report: Budget Director Larry Soule presented the first quarter forecast. Key points: sales tax (over 40% of revenue) held flat; healthcare costs projected $9.3M over budget net of $4.4M in prescription rebates; daycare subsidies show a deficit due to a later-than-assumed start to a freeze, with a 500–600 family waiting list; bus fare evasion remains ~40%, with fare box collections down ~$3M; New York State provided a 7.4% increase in operating assistance (~$5M); vacancy savings of $1.7M are projected. The county ended 2025 with a $4.2M operating surplus. Legislators discussed healthcare cost drivers, bus enforcement, and fund balance levels. The report was accepted.

Key Outcomes

• The following items were approved and referred to the Board of Legislators:
  • Sexual Risk Avoidance Education Program (motion by Barr, seconded by Imamura)
  • BLR2F Labs & Research Equipment Bond (motion by Imamura, seconded by Barr)
  • Litigation surety bond item
  • Road Rehabilitation Bond Act
  • IT Upgrades Bond Act
  • Putnam County Technical Rescue Partnership
• The First Quarter Budget Report was accepted.
• A Receive & File item concerning improved cell phone coverage was filed.
• Committees adjourned; the transcript records a 12:02 PM adjournment while the minutes state 11:29 AM.