Report: Saratoga County Board of Supervisors Monthly Meeting

BALLSTON SPA —The Saratoga County Board of Supervisors staged its monthly meeting at the county complex in Ballston Spa on March 19. 

Among the items approved:

• Proclaimed April as “Donate Life Month” In Saratoga County. The Board reported that approximately 8,000 people are currently waiting for an organ transplant across the state, with more than 1,000 waiting for more than five years. An estimated 400 New Yorkers die every year while waiting for an organ transplant. The Board’s resolution encourages county departments and agencies involved in providing information on organ and tissue donations to engage in activities in April that promote awareness of the need for organ and tissue donations in Saratoga County. Anyone 16 years of age or older can register with the NYS Donate Life Registry. In 2023, 3,580 transplants were performed in the state.  

• Authorized the execution of an agreement with McFarland Johnson, Inc. of Binghamton, to provide professional services related to property acquisition within Saratoga County Airport’s Runway Protection Zone, at a cost up to $60,540. 

• Authorized a $15,000 contract be increased to a cost of up to $35,000 with Hugh G. Burke, Esq. for professional legal services related to FOIL (Freedom Of Information Law) requests involving the District Attorney’s Office.  According to the resolution, the District Attorney’s office has a backlog of FOIL requests due to unfilled positions and outside legal assistance is required to timely review, compile and respond to the FOIL requests pending in that office. 

• The Board of Supervisors approved the acceptance of $56,377.69 in funding from the New York State Board of Elections for the reimbursement of expenses related to the expansion of early voting. The grant period runs from July 1, 2022 through March 31, 2024. 

Due to the anticipated high volume of requests for absentee ballots and early voting ballots, the Saratoga County Board of Elections Department recommended an outside vendor to print the massive number of absentee ballots expected during the 2024 Presidential Election Year. 

Phoenix Graphics, Inc. was awarded the competitive bid for Ballot Preparation and Mailing Services by the Saratoga County Department of Central Services on Jan. 29, 2024, after proposing in their winning bid a charge of $1.95 per package for Absentee Mail Packages and Early Voting Mail Packages – not to exceed the amount of $56,377.69 for 2024. 

• Authorized the execution of documents and agreements with New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services’ Office of Probation and Correctional Alternatives, for the acceptance of the County Pretrial Services grant in the amount of $415,738. The grant is for the period of April 1, 2023 through March 31, 2024.