County approves $50K in ARPA funds for Cooperative Extension, workforce training

ALBION – The Orleans County Legislature has approved $50,000 each for both the Cornell Cooperative Extension and for a workforce development initiative.

The money comes from part of the $7,887,187 in federal funds set aside for Orleans through the American Rescue Plan Act.

The Legislature in a resolution last week said the $50,000 for the Extension will assist the agency with infrastructure upgrades. Legislators said the Covid-19 pandemic restricted the Extension from generating revenue to fund the infrastructure upgrades. The pandemic, for example, forced the cancelation of the Orleans County 4-H fair in 2020.

The other $50,000 goes for technical job training for Orleans County residents. The money goes to Livingston County Workforce Development, which was a grant recipient for the four-county Genesee-Livingston-Orleans-Wyoming (GLOW) Workforce Development Board.

“Orleans County has an increased demand from Orleans County residents for job training so that these residents may be qualified for existing jobs that require specific technical skills training,” county legislators stated in a  resolution. “Orleans County has a significant number of job vacancies that require specific technical skills.”

Legislators last week also approved using $29,400 for 250 copies of NetMotion connectivity software from Brite Computers in Victor.

Since the pandemic started in March 2020, county workers have been more mobile and not confined to the office.

“The increased mobility of the workforce creates an increase in the risks to cybersecurity,” legislators said.

The NetMotion connectivity software gives the county government more cybersecurity protection, legislators said.