Orleans Legislature plays Santa for agencies

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 19 December 2013 at 12:00 am

ALBION – Orleans County is tapping its contingency account to distribute $11,500 to five organizations in the county.

The Legislature did not give the agencies an increase in funding in the 2014 budget. But with the year nearly over county officials said there is money in the contingency account to give some of the agencies a little boost.

The Legislature agreed to give $4,000 to the Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council, $2,500 to Cornell Cooperative Extension, $2,000 for Soil and Water Conservation District, $2,000 to the Sportmen’s Federation and $1,000 to the Cobblestone Society Museum.

This is the second straight year the county has used contingency funds to give agencies a year-end financial boost. Last year the Legislature approved $14,500 for three groups.

Legislature Chairman David Callard said the agencies submitted funding requests as part of the county’s annual budget process. The agencies sought increases in funding, but the Legislature did not raise the budgeted amounts.

The county was comfortable, with the year nearly over, that it could direct some of its contingency funds to the agencies. All are currently in the county budget except the Cobblestone Museum, which was taken out a few years ago.

Here are the funded agencies and how much they will receive from the county in the 2014 budget: Cornell Cooperative Extension, $219,150; Orleans Economic Development Agency, $150,000; Soil and Water, $57,750; Libraries, $10,000; Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council, $1,000; and the Sportsman’s Federation, $500.