County Legislature’s new meeting schedule, on fourth Tuesdays, starts tomorrow

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 23 January 2023 at 11:23 am

ALBION – The Orleans County is making a big change in its meeting schedule, starting tomorrow.

For at least 25 years, the meetings have been on Wednesdays. They used to be the second and fourth Wednesdays, generally starting at 4:30 p.m. They then changed to once a month on the fourth Wednesday.

But the Legislature decided to try to fourth Tuesdays this year, with the first session on the new schedule tomorrow.

The Legislature is changing the meeting times to see if that will boost public participation in the county government.

In 2023, the Legislature will meet on the fourth Tuesday during the months of January, March, April, May, June, August, September and October. The meetings will be on the third Tuesday for February, July and December.

The regular meeting on Tuesday starts at 4:30 p.m., but there will be a public hearing at 4:25 on an application for assistance for Freeze-Dry in Albion.

The meeting is in the legislative chambers at the Orleans County Office Building, 14016 Route 31 W in Albion.

Some of the resolutions on the agenda include:

• Setting a public hearing for 6 p.m. on Feb. 9 to reapportion the four legislative districts for the County Legislature.

• Submitting a Community Development Block Grant application to the state for up to $675,000. That grant would assist Freeze-Dry in a $3 million investment and expansion at 11 West Ave. The company is estimating the project will create 45 new jobs.

• Endorsing an application from the Vintage Aircraft Group, which is seeking state funding to purchase and install a solar farm at Pine Hill Airport in Barre.

• Approving an agreement with LeBella Associates to be paid up to $165,000 for architectural and engineering services for a new fuel farm for the county on West Academy Street by the Orleans County DPW.