County renews $90K contract with lobbying firm

ALBION – Orleans County will keep a lobbying firm in 2021 at a cost of $90,000 for the year, the same rate for 2020.

The County Legislature agreed to pay Park Strategies $5,000 a month for government affairs services at the federal level and $2,500 a month for government affairs services at the state level.

County officials say the firm has given Orleans County a “louder voice” at the state and U.S. capitols. Park Strategies was founded by Al D’Amato, the former U.S. senator from New York who is a Republican.

The firm assist county officials in setting up meetings with representatives from the state and federal governments. Park Strategies also makes the county aware of legislative that could be helpful or harmful to the county, and brainstorms ways to pursue funding for critical projects in the county, including expansion of high-speed internet.

This will be the seventh year the county has contracted with Park Strategies. County officials believe the relationship has benefitted residents. Park helped make the county’s case for canal bridges to be repaired. The state is spending about $10.7 million on seven bridges.

The state also has repaved portions of the Lake Ontario State Parkway, committed to dredging harbors on Lake Ontario and also allocated funds to protect lakeshore properties from flooding.