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BALLSTON SPA — During its monthly meeting, held Sept. 19 at the county complex in Ballston Spa, the Saratoga County Board of Supervisors announced the acceptance of two grants from the NY State Department of Health totaling approximately $670,000 overall, authorized more than $30 million in spending to three health providers related to medical insurance costs to cover county employees for the 2024 calendar year, and announced a series of countywide proclamations to be initiated in October.
Acceptance of Funding, Grants
• The Adolescent Tobacco Use Prevention Act Grant: $67,437, for the term through March 31, 2024. The Adolescent Tobacco Use Prevention Act (ATUPA) regulates the sale of tobacco and vaping products to restrict their access by youth and young adults, including banning the sale of flavored vapor products, ending price discounts on tobacco and vapor products, banning exterior display of tobacco and vapor product ads near schools, stopping shipment and delivery of cigarettes and vapor products to private residents, increasing retailer penalties for tobacco sales violations, and raising the minimum legal sale age to purchase tobacco and vapor products
•Immunization Action Plan Grant. Acceptance of the NYSDOH five -year grant in the amount of $118,680 per year, through March 31, 2028, totaling $593,400. Grant funding shall be used to reduce and eradicate vaccine preventable diseases in adults and children by eliminating barriers to the receipt of the immunizations.
•Acceptance of $343,450 in funding from the New York State Office for the Aging, for the Saratoga County Department of Aging and Youth Services. The funding will assist with the Senior Nutrition Program, Expanded In-Home Services for the Elderly, senior transportation, and mandatory caseworker conference fees, among other items.
Medical Insurance Costs for County Employees
The Board authorized an agreement with Capital District Physicians’ Health Plan, Inc. for the provision of medical and prescription health care insurance and administrative services for County employees for the 2024 calendar year at a projected cost of $25,884,468.25.
Authorized to execute any and all agreements required with MVP Health Plan, Inc. of Schenectady, for the provision of medical and prescription drug health care insurance for Medicare eligible retirees from County employment under MVP’s Medicare Advantage Plan for the 2024 calendar year at a projected cost of $3,816,471.98.
Authorized an agreement with Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, Inc. for the provision of dental health care insurance for County employees and the offering of voluntary dental health care insurance plans to County retirees, for the 2024 calendar year at a projected cost of $925,696.75.
Proclamations
• The Board proclaimed Oct. 7 – 13 as “National Fire Prevention Week” In Saratoga County, and encourages all residents to plan and practice a home fire escape for Fire Prevention Week 2023. Home fires caused 2,285 civilian deaths in the United States in 2022, according to the National Fire Protection association (NFPA), and fire departments in Saratoga County responded to 899 residential fire alarms of which 372 were reported structure fires.
• The Board proclaimed the month of October 2023 as “Domestic Violence Awareness Month” in Saratoga County and urges all of our citizens to support and participate in on-going programs designed for the reduction and elimination of domestic violence. Each year more than 10 million adults experience domestic violence; on a typical day, domestic violence hotlines nationwide receive over 20,000 calls.
One community member requested to speak during the public input session of the monthly county meeting.
Darlene McGraw, of Halfmoon, suggested Saratoga initiate a reporting App for county residents to inform community leaders of street signs being down, and requested the county institute a smoke-free and vape-free policy in the vicinity of county buildings.
