County Conversations

Redesigning and Investing in Main Streets

In this episode we’re talking about Oneida County’s Main Street Program, an initiative that provides county-level support to local municipal downtown development projects, assists in the redesign of main streets, and promotes investment and business growth.

Joining NYSAC’s Multimedia Specialist Kate Pierce to talk about the program is Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente.

Expanding Access to Broadband in Erie County

This week’s episode focuses on investing in broadband infrastructure. Joining NYSAC’s Legislative Director Ryan Gregoire is Benjamin Swanekamp, Erie County’s Deputy Budget Director.

Ryan and Ben discuss Erie Net, a 360-mile fiber network that would bring high-speed broadband to communities throughout the county who have struggled with access. The project was originally postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but the arrival of federal infrastructure funding could help to move it forward.

Workshops Preview: What to Look Forward to at the Fall Seminar

In this episode, you’ll hear directly from members of NYSAC’s Legislative Team about some of the exciting workshops being held at this year’s Fall Seminar, which runs from Monday September 13th through the morning of Wednesday the 15th, at the downtown Marriott Hotel in Syracuse.

Workshops are a vital component of all NYSAC conferences and provide our members with an opportunity to learn about issues facing county government from experts both in and out of county government. This year’s workshops take place  from 2-5pm on Monday the 13th and from 9am to 5 pm on Tuesday the 14th. 

For more details on our workshops and registration for NYSAC’s 2021 Fall Seminar, visit nysac.org/fallseminar.

ARPA Planning with Chemung County Executive Chris Moss

In this episode we’re talking about Chemung County’s allocation proposal for American Rescue Plan Act funding, recently released by County Executive Chris Moss. Chemung County was given over $16 million in funding from the American Rescue Plan, and the County Executive released a spending plan proposal using data collected from a survey for county residents.

County Executive Chris Moss joins NYSAC Legislative Director Ryan Gregoire to  discuss the survey and details on the funding allocation and what it will mean for the county.

Saving Summer: One County’s Collaborative Approach to Revitalizing Tourism

When COVID-19 arrived in New York State in March of 2020, it upended nearly every aspect of normal life. Events were canceled, businesses closed or dramatically scaled back, and people - heeding the advice of public health experts - began to stay home. While necessary to stay safe and slow the spread of the virus, these changes in consumer behavior presented major challenges to regional economies that depended on tourism. 

In today’s episode, you’ll hear how one county in upstate New York addressed this challenge. We're talking about the Warren County Hospitality Communications Group, which is a virtual meeting space for county supervisors and business leaders to work collaboratively on keeping the tourism industry open for business amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

NYSAC’s Multimedia Specialist Kate Pierce is joined by Warren County Administrator Ryan Moore, Warren County Director of Public Affairs Don Lehman, and Mark Behan, President of Behan Communications and Chair of the Hospitality Communications Group.

You can read more about the group in the article Warren County Group Organizes to Save Summer from NYSAC’s summer magazine.

Tick Safety and Prevention

In this summer episode we are talking about ticks – what they are, how to prevent bites, and the role of local health departments in providing information and resources on preventing tick-borne illnesses like lyme disease.

Joining NYSAC’s Multimedia Specialist Kate Pierce for the conversation is Dr. Scott Campbell, Chief of the Arthropod-Borne Disease Laboratory at the Suffolk County Department of Health Services.

Highlights from the NACo Conference

Today’s episode features a conversation on key takeaways and resources for New York county officials from the recent National Association of Counties Annual Conference.

NYSAC’s Deputy Director Mark LaVigne is joined by Stephen Acquario, NYSAC’s Executive Director, and Dave Lucas, NYSAC’s Director or Finance and Intergovernmental Affairs. They discuss presentations and meetings that provided solutions and best practices on a range of issues from COVID Recovery and ARPA funding, to cyber security and broadband – all focused for local government leaders across the country.

Reimagining Mental Health Care After the Pandemic

Today’s conversation focuses on mental health services and how they have changed throughout the pandemic.

NYSAC’s Multimedia Specialist Kate Pierce is joined by Teisha Cook, Director of the Mental Health Department in Madison County. The county has recently launched a Mental Health Task Force amid an increase in crisis calls, which is discussed in the episode.  

NYSID: Serving Counties, Making a Difference

We’re happy to be joined by our partners from the New York State Industries for the Disabled for this episode to talk about how counties can meet procurement needs and create meaningful employment for individuals with disabilities.

Jennifer Lawrence and Katie Tucci of NYSID join NYSAC’s Deputy Director Mark LaVigne to discuss the affordable products and services NYSID offers and the positive impact of a workforce that includes empowered individuals with disabilities.

Rescuing 9-1-1 Funding

Today’s conversation focuses on how county 9-1-1 operations are currently funded, the diversion of surcharge fees at the state level, and what it means to run a 9-1-1 dispatch operation. Joining NYSAC’s Legislative Director Ryan Gregoire for the conversation is Steve Sharpe, Director of Emergency Communications for Genesee County. 

NYSAC thanks our sponsor, PERMA.