Energy main topic at April County Legislature meeting

Energy. The county Legislature’s April meeting was energized as much in its substance as it was in spirit. The meeting began with a vote to accept $2,328,800 of federal economic stimulus funds for energy-saving assessments and improvements at 23 county buildings. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act sought to increase energy efficiency nationwide via a $452 million effort, and our county Legislature vote will help to do just that.

Separately, the Stimulus Law has also awarded New York state $40 million to help businesses and residences pay for renewable energy systems and energy-efficient upgrades. Property owners seeking to borrow money for insulation, high-efficiency furnaces or the installation of clean energy, including geothermal and solar panels, should talk to their banks about Property Assessed Clean Energy loans.

Energy is an action word, and so also are development and transportation, other themes of the April agenda. The Legislature voted to create a Local Development Corporation, whose purpose is to assist the influential Industrial Development Agency (IDA) in attracting and making possible economic progress.

For decades one of the tools the IDA used to encourage local nonprofits to expand or embark on job-creating construction projects was IDA-issued tax-free loans. When state law changed, the IDA could no longer issue these job-producing loans — until now. By enacting a Local Development Corporation, Dutchess County can once again provide tax-free incentive loans to spur our economic welfare.

April’s agenda included ratification of several county-led, summer-long public works projects, including bridge repairs and the third stage of the popular Dutchess County Rail Trail.

Perhaps the most significant agenda item was a vehicle bond in the amount of $740,835. I say significant because the county’s current bond indebtedness is $15 million, which is a 250-percent increase in the last five years. While borrowing money is an accepted norm for government purchases, we must remain mindful of the debt we pass on to future generations.

The bond we passed — and I voted for— ultimately will replace 30 vehicles in the county’s fleet of 350. Most of these vehicles will be used by sheriff road patrols, a few for snowplows or highway purposes, and the remainder are those used by Mental Hygiene and Social Services (the last two partially reimbursed by the state).

The original request for vehicle replacement by department heads was twice as high as the 30 we voted to replace. The floor debate focused on whether to purchase hybrids and whether some of the lower mileage automobiles could be kept for another year before replacing them. After lengthy discussion, we opted in the end to defer to the professional opinion of the county’s purchasing team on both issues. No hybrids and no further holdovers this year.

The final noteworthy agenda item was an updating of the Criminal Justice Council, a dynamic think tank of professionals involved with all aspects of public safety that meets regularly with worthwhile discussions and outcomes. The group is well-respected for its synergy, which, no matter how you slice it, made the April meeting all about energy.

Michael Kelsey represents the towns of Amenia, Washington, Stanford, Pleasant Valley and the village of Millbrook in the Dutchess County Legislature. Write him at KelseyESQ@yahoo.com.

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