News
Weekly Wire August 8, 2016 Summer Edition
- By: NYSAC
- On: 08/09/2016 09:15:59
- In: County Perspective
Summer Edition - Early Bird Registration, Broadband, E-Waste Recycling, Fantasy Sports
 Fall Seminar Agenda Available, Registration Open NYSAC's Fall Seminar is the place for New York's county leaders to come together and share vital information, develop educational and operational strategies for success, and learn about the complex issues impacting counties. For a glimpse of the presentations and workshop lineup, click here. The 2016 NYSAC Fall Seminar will be held on September 19-21 in Niagara Falls at the Conference & Event Center of Niagara Falls. Hotel accommodations will be at the Sheraton at the Falls Hotel across the street from the Conference Center. Early Bird registration rates are available until August 12th. For more information and to register, click here. The three-day training program will include a full schedule of workshops, standing committee meetings, and presentations. The slate of workshop topics includes the heroin epidemic, 9-1-1 funding, new jail construction, safe drinking water, new apps for county communication, automobile fleet management, meeting new compliance demands, succession planning, and international economic development.
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State Update Governor Signs Bill Permitting Operation of Daily Fantasy Sports in NY On August 3, 2016 Governor Cuomo signed a bill which will authorize daily fantasy sports to continue operation in New York State. In late 2015, New York State Attorney General Schneiderman suspended operations stating that, as constructed, sites operating daily fantasy sports were illegal falling under the definition of gambling. Additionally, the Attorney General brought claims against specific daily fantasy sport sites for false advertising and consumer fraud. Regardless of this bill being signed the false advertising and consumer fraud claims will continue. Signing this bill will result in legalizing daily fantasy in New York, however before operation can continue rules and regulations must be set by the New York State Gaming Commission. There is no time table yet set on those regulations. The New New York State Broadband Program On Wednesday, August 3, 2016 Governor Cuomo announced the New NY Broadband Program's Round I awards. The awarded projects will provide Fiber to the Home and cable to unserved and underserved communities. Projects will provide service to over 30,000 homes Round I awards: · Armstrong Telecommunications, Inc. - $3,930,189 · Armstrong Telephone Company - $1,778,256 · Citizens Telephone Company of Hammond, N.Y., Inc. - $3,316,810 · Empire Access - $3,396,374 · Frontier Communications - $3,339,543 · Germantown Telephone Company - $2,512,562 · Haefele TV Inc. - $271,568 · Hancock Telephone Company - $4,915,920 · Heart of the Catskills Communications - $1,224,946 · Margaretville Telephone Company - $4,791,505 · Mid-Hudson Data Corp - $1,009,339 · State Telephone Company, Inc. - $8,720,560 · TDS Telecom - $9,393,753 · The Middleburgh Telephone Company - $5,562,548 In addition to the Round I awards, the Governor announced the launch of Round II. Round II will address additional unserved and underserved homes and businesses, including a portion of the areas that Verizon would have served through the Federal Communications Commission's Connect America Fund (CAF). Round II Request for Proposal Guidelines and application questions are now available on the New York State Broadband Program website: New NY Broadband Program Phase II Request for Proposal Guidelines Phase 2 Application Questions Applications for Round II will be accepted from October 17th-November 30th. State announces $3 million for electronic waste recycling Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced last week that $3 million is available from the Environmental Protection Fund in grants to assist municipalities in New York State with the cost of collecting and recycling electronic waste. New York State consumers are required to recycle electronic waste, such as computers, keyboards, televisions, and small electronic equipment, in an environmentally responsible manner. These grants will help municipalities recycle electronic waste efficiently and sustainably. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) will administer the grant program, which will provide up to 50 percent of eligible expenses of collecting and recycling e-waste between April 1, 2016 and March 31, 2017. Application materials and guidance documents are available on the DEC website. Grant applications will be accepted for funding from October 3 to October 31, 2016. For more information please visit the DEC website here, http://www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/8778.html. |
Federal Update NACo Annual Conference Convenes Thousands of County Leaders Representative from NYSAC attended the National Association of Counties' 2016 Annual Conference in Long Beach, California. The Conference was attended by over 2,000 counties officials from across the United States. New York State was represented by Madison, Essex, and Saratoga counties. The conference had many educational sessions that ranged from building successful communities, combating heroin, addressing the need for mental health resources and upgrading technology within the county. The 2017 Annual Conference will be held in Franklin County, Ohio. Essex County Treasurer Diskin Receives Prestigious National Award Last week, Hon. Michael G. Diskin, Essex County, NY Treasurer who received the prestigious "Victor E. Martinelli Outstanding County Treasurer Award," which is presented annually by the National Association of County Collectors, Treasurers and Finance Officers (NACCTFO), an affiliate of the National Association of Counties (NACo). The award goes to a person who has been an active member of NACCTFO for at least two years and who serves as a leader in their home state and as a professional of the highest caliber in the operation of their own County office. A "Distinguished Panel of Judges", who are not affiliated with NACCTFO nor known to the organization, selects the winner. The award is presented at the NACCTFO Installation Banquet at the annual NACo Conference each July. |
Training & Funding Opportunities Water Fluoridation Equipment Grants Available This Summer More people drink water during the hot summer months and the NYS fluoridation equipment grants ensure that communities can provide drinking water that is a healthy choice for bodies and teeth. The funding opportunities from the NYS Department of Health support costs related to the construction, installation, repair, replacement, or upgrade of fluoride equipment in drinking water facilities. Both opportunities are now posted on the NYS Grants Gateway. One opportunity supports municipalities with funding up to $50,000 for the planning and implementation of community water fluoridation. Component 1 (Grants Gateway # DOH01-DWF1R2-2016) will pay for development of an engineering report to initiate or maintain water fluoridation. Component 2 (Grants Gateway # DWF2R2-2016) will pay for the upgrade, replacement, repair or purchase of equipment to initiate or maintain water fluoridation. The second opportunity (RFA- Grants Gateway # DOH01-DWF3R2-2016) supports municipalities seeking to upgrade, replace or repair existing water fluoridation equipment or install fluoridation systems in public water systems that have authorized the implementation of fluoridation. Applicants may request between $50,001 and $1 million in funding. Applications for both components will be accepted until August 31, 2016. More information on the grants and important dates can be found on the Department of Health website or by contacting oralhealth@health.ny.gov. State's New Online GIS tool designed to help local officials make decisions The New York State Department of State Office of Planning & Development (OPD) has developed a Geographic Information Gateway, which is an interactive data portal and mapping interface providing access to information used in planning and development efforts. The Gateway was developed to update and replace the state's previous GIS Atlas tool. The OPD encourages county officials to visit the Gateway at http://opdgig.dos.ny.gov/ to test its value in helping communities' planning and decision making. 2016 NYS Digital Government Summit The Office of Information Technology Services will be hosting the 2016 NYS Digital Government Summit held on September 15-16 in Albany, NY. The cost is free to the government sector. For more information and to register online, please visit http://www.govtech.com/events/New-York-Digital-Government-Summit.html. The Best of NY Awards Ceremony will be held on Friday, September 16 at 11:45am. If you have any questions, please contact Maureen Torncello at mtorncello@erepublic.com. |