Fewer court fines with pandemic shutdowns mean less STOP DWI funds for county

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 2 June 2021 at 4:29 pm

ALBION – The Orleans County Sheriff’s Office was budgeting $88,865 from the state for the STOP DWI Plan. That money is distributed by the state Department of Motor Vehicles and Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee.

However, the Covid-19 pandemic shutdowns with local and county courts reduced the court fines. That is forcing the state to amend its allocation for the county. The Orleans County Sheriff’s Office will now be receive $54,065 through the STOP DWI Plan.

The Orleans County Legislature approved the amended memorandum of understanding last week.

In other resolutions approved last week, the Legislature:

• Authorized spending $143,840 for three sheriff patrol vehicles with two 2021 Ford Explorer AWD Interceptors for $50,131 each from Tri Star Motors in West Blairsville, Pa., and one 2021 Police Charger AWD for $43,576 from Joe Cecconi’s Chrysler Complex in Niagara Falls, NY.

• Authorized Computer Services to spend $7,686 for 21 Advidia security cameras with mounting junction boxes, with cameras to be used to protect county assets.

• Authorized spending $7,200 to purchase TextMyGov software and licensed messaging platform to be used to communicate with government employees and the general public at large if needed.

• Authorized county treasurer to set up money in the county attorney budget to accept $10,780 in intervenor funds from the Town of Barre for the Heritage Wind project. Apex Clean Energy is providing the funds to be used to hire counsel on environmental issues.

• Authorized probation director to apply and accept $149,616 from state Division of Probation and Correctional Alternatives, effective for the calendar year from July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2022.

• Approved probation director accepting $120,392 to reimburse department for Raise the Age costs from April 1, 2018 to March 31, 2020.

• Renewed agreement with Lyndonville Central School with Orleans County Sheriff’s Office providing deputy as school resource officer at a cost of $87,148 for 11 months.

• Authorized district attorney to accept $30,200 in State Aid to Prosecution grant from April 1, 2021 to March 31, 2022.

• Authorized Department of Public Works to spend $168,991 for a 2022 Hunter Peterbilt 10-wheeler dump truck from Hunter Buffalo Peterbilt in Buffalo. The dump truck is reimbursable through state CHIPS funding with county cost $100.

• Authorized county DPW to spend $56,531 for 6-ton Falcon Asphalt Recycler and Hot Box Trailer from Stephenson Equipment in Syracuse. The equipment is reimbursable with CHIPS funding.

• Authorized spending $6,447 to Lyons Collision in Medina to remove old decals, replace and repair body diamond plate, and do body work and lighting upgrades on a mobile command center that has been donated by Erie County to the Orleans County Emergency Management Office. The Legislature also authorized spending $1,650 for six new tires for the 2006 mobile command center.