Register for Putnam County Police Policy Review Panel on October 13, 2020 1:00 P.M.
Please register for Putnam County Police Policy Review Panel on Sep 29, 2020 10:00 AM EDT at:
https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/218787830635667982
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.
2021 County Budget delivered to the Legislature
Putnam County Executive delivered her 2021 County Budget to the Legislature, which will be reviewed and modified before November 1.
To review the County Executive Budget click here.
Putnam County Executive MaryEllen Odell delivered her 2021 budget proposal to the Putnam County Legislature on Thursday, Oct. 1.
The $164.2 million proposal, which is within the New York State tax cap, represents a spending increase of $477,000, or less than 1% over this year’s budget, and does not include any layoffs.
The average Putnam County homeowner, whose property is assessed at $357,000, would pay about $1,182 in county taxes under the plan, an increase of $25.
The budget, the ninth that Odell has prepared since she became County Executive in 2011, represents Odell’s fiscally conservative approach, and is contingent upon Gov. Andrew Cuomo providing the amount of state aid for which the state is responsible.
“Despite the coronavirus pandemic creating a difficult year that resulted in an estimated 9.5% decrease in sales tax revenue, we have managed to present a budget that avoids employee layoffs and preserves the services that our county residents rely upon and deserve,” Odell said. “If the governor goes through with his threat to withhold 20% of our state aid, however, then we, along with every other county in the state, will have no choice but to reassess.”
Other budget highlights include the consolidation of dispatching services into the Bureau of Emergency Services and the addition of an EMS Education Coordinator, funded mostly through fee revenue. Odell noted that her administration continues to meet the need of strengthening the Bureau of Emergency Services.
“We are in the midst of a pandemic, combined with the continued major storms that affect Putnam County, the need to strengthen our Bureau of Emergency Services and our incident command center has never been greater,” Odell said.
County Executive Odell noted that this budget process has been particularly challenging due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Despite increases in mandated employee benefit costs such as health insurance and retirement, we eliminated some vacant positions, allowed very few equipment purchases and decreased overtime funding in this budget,” Odell said.
She further stated: “Our department heads have done a great job of helping me craft a budget proposal that is really bare bones, and I believe that they, along with all our employees, will successfully execute this plan, which meets our social and fiscal responsibilities to the people of Putnam County.”
In closing, County Executive Odell said: “We recognize the difficult times that are upon us and have responded accordingly. I can only hope the governor does the same when it comes to distributing state aid.”
This year, County Executive Odell will give her annual budget summary presentation to the Legislature on Tuesday, October 6 at 7 p.m., via telephone, without the usual public hearing at the Putnam County Golf Course, in order to comply with Covid-19 restrictions. The meeting will be available to the public via audiocast on the county’s website, putnamcountyny.gov.
The Legislature is expected to revise and adopt the 2021 budget by November 1.
The Putnam County Police Review Panel is seeking people from all walks of life who want to help shape the discussion of policing issues in the county.
The 21- member panel chaired by Putnam County Executive MaryEllen Odell includes Sheriff’s Department and local police officials, as well as legislative, county and municipal leaders. The panel was established in August in response to Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Executive Order 203, which requires each of the 500 jurisdictions with police departments in New York State to develop a police reform plan by April 1.
The Putnam County panel met on Tuesday, Sept. 29, with the proceeding livestreamed on the web, and issued its call for community participation.
“I want to thank all of the members of the community who have already submitted questions and comments,” Odell said. “We do believe that this should be a very inclusive discussion and the information and input we receive from the public will be very helpful so that we can complete this task on time.”
There are more than a dozen wide-ranging areas of discussion for police reform and that will need to be considered, Undersheriff Kevin Cheverko said during Tuesday’s meeting. His list included use of force, de-escalation and community-based outreach, among many other topics.
Michael J. Piazza Jr., commissioner of Putnam County’s Department of Social Services and Mental Health, invited all Putnam County residents, particularly those in community and cultural diversity groups, people of color, the Latino and LGBTQIA communities, faith-based groups, veteran’s organizations, schools and mental health consumers, to participate in the discussion.
The email address to sign up is policereviewpanel@putnamcountyny.gov.
The county has established a new police review panel website, at www.putnamcountyny.gov/policereviewpanel, where ongoing and updated information about the panel will be posted and maintained.
In the panel discussion on Sept. 15, which is archived on the website, Piazza told a moving story about a man who walked from Yonkers to Yorktown to attend the funeral of a police officer who had helped him when he needed it most.
“That’s the impact community policing can have,” Piazza said. “It was very telling in terms of what it can mean to a community member when a police officer receives the appropriate training.”
Future meetings of the Putnam County Police Review Panel were scheduled for the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month through the end of the year.
HEALTH ALERT If you worked at or visited Fuente de Gracia Church in Brewster September 27 You may have been exposed to COVID-19
HEALTH ALERT
If you worked at or visited Fuente de Gracia Church at 2 Marvin Ave, Brewster on Sunday, September 27 from 6pm to 9pm
You may have been exposed to COVID-19.
A member of the public who has tested positive for COVID-19 was at the church during this time. Please watch for symptoms of COVID-19 which include fever, chills, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea.
Contact your physician with any concerns.
Please visit our website for testing information www.putnamcountyny.com/health/coronavirus/
If you have any questions, please contact the Putnam County Department of Health at 845-808-1390.
AVISO DE SALUD
Si usted trabajó o visitó la Iglesia Fuente de Gracia en la 2 Marvin Ave, Brewster Domingo 27 de Septiembre
de 6 p.m. hasta las 9 p.m. Es posible que haya estado expuesto a COVID-19.
Un miembro de la comunidad salió positivo para COVID-19 y estuvo en la iglesia durante este tiempo.
Por favor este pendiente y vigile para síntomas de COVID-19 que incluyen fiebre, escalofríos, dificultad
para respirar, fatiga, dolores musculares o corporales, dolor de cabeza, nueva pérdida de sabor o olfato,
dolor de garganta, congestión, nariz mocosa, náuseas, vómitos o diarrea.
Llame a su médico si tiene preguntas o síntomas.
Visite nuestro sitio web para obtener información sobre las pruebas para COVID-19 www.putnamcountyny.com/health/coronavirus/
Si usted tiene peguntas por favor llame al Departamento de Salud del Condado de Putnam al 845-808-1390
