County To Receive Significant Assistance for Transportation

By Chris English

SCHOHARIE COUNTY — Schoharie County has been awarded significant state and federal assistance for improvements to the county transportation system.

A resolution approved by the county Board of Supervisors at its Friday, Jan. 16 meeting lists a project with a total cost of $1,038,811 to be paid for 80 percent with federal funds, 10 percent with state funds and local funding of 10 percent.

The project would involve "vehicle replacement, ancillary bus equipment, bus graphics and mobility management that will be used to provide public transportation services to the residents of Schoharie County. Transportation services will be available to the general public during all hours of operation," according to the resolution.

The document authorizes county BOS Chair Bill Federice — after review by county Attorney Mike West — to sign all agreements necessary to complete the project.

In a related transportation matter at the Jan. 16 meeting, County Administrator Bryan Best in his monthly report said a Request for Proposals for an outside agency to operate county transportation services should be released Jan. 26 and ready for the BOS to act on at the March meeting.

Best added that his evaluations of department heads should be done soon and that he's been conducting them in a different way than what has been done in the past. Those differences include getting input from employees and fellow department heads and incorporating that into the evaluations.

"It should provide me with a more holistic picture of department heads," Best said.

Also at the Jan. 16 meeting, the BOS approved a new local law setting 2026 salaries for all county officers elected or appointed to a fixed term. This year's salaries will be: $26,295 for county BOS Chair Bill Federice; $15,123 each for all other BOS members; $107,056 for County Treasurer; $73,822 for the BOS Clerk; $150,000 for County Administrator; $86,002 for Real Property Tax Service Director; $107,056 for County Clerk; $65,029 for County Attorney; $221,100 for District Attorney; $26,765 each for Elections Commissioners; $97,019 for IT Director; $107,056 for County Sheriff; $107,056 for Probation Director.

Other 2026 salaries are: $100,996 for OES Director; $100,996 for Director of Public Health; $104,718 for Director of Mental Health; $89,888 for Director of Public Transportation; $120,288 for Social Services Commissioner; $79,680 for OFA Director; $68,394 for Youth Director; $79,999 for Director of Old Stone Fort; $67,168 for Veterans Services Director; $100,996 for Personnel Director; $127,507 for Administrator of Indigent Defense; $6,382 for County Historian; $100,996 for Director of Planning and Community Development.

A resolution appointing members to the Southern Tier Eight Regional Planning Development Board was tabled. Also, a resolution honoring retired County Sheriff Ronald R. Stevens was postponed until the February meeting because Stevens was unable to attend the Jan. 16 meeting.