The Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Legacy Fund

Facing a big ticket item known as Phase 3 of the Genesee County Water Project, the county legislature’s Public Service Committee on Monday engaged in a discussion with Highway Superintendent/Engineer Tim Hens on the chance of finding a lobbying firm to unearth some cash to support it.

“It’s a $70 million project, so every dollar we can bring in makes it more affordable for every member of our community,” said Legislature Chair Rochelle Stein, just before backing an informal (at this point) proposal for Hens and County Manager Matt Landers to find a lobbyist to advocate for the county and capture some federal grant funding.

Hens said the county has yet to use a consultant for the water project, which is nearing the completion of Phase 2, but said he knows that “opportunities are out there.”

“Ideally, we need to bring experts to the table,” he said.

Legislator Gary Maha advised that the Genesee County Water Resources Agency is in favor of contracting with a lobbyist, adding that the county would pay for the firm with money from the water fund.

Hens suggested that there could be a “substantial increase” in available funding as the American Jobs Plan moves ahead, prompting legislators Marianne Clattenburg and John Deleo to voice their support for a lobbyist.

Landers said he knows that Orleans County has utilized the services of a lobbying firm to a certain degree of success.

“They’ve worked directly with and contracted with a lobbying firm for years and it has provided them, I believe, with assistance with their infrastructure projects up north,” Landers said. “My understanding is that it was a good investment and it helped navigate through a complex system of trying to get projects seen and heard and understood – and to make sure you are reaching out to the right people.”

He also said finding a person “who can identify different pots of money could help us down the road for other projects.”

At this point, the committee is unclear of the exact cost of a lobbying firm’s service. Most likely, the proposal will emerge as a formal resolution in the near future.

In other developments from yesterday’s meeting, the PSC:

• Approved a request by District Attorney Lawrence Friedman to apply for and accept a $228,720 grant from the state Division of Criminal Justice Services to reimburse the county for expenses connected to discovery and bail reforms for the period of April 1, 2020 through March 31. Friedman reported that the bulk of the expenses were to pay an additional assistant district attorney and two paralegals, along with a new electronic data system. He also said that related expenses incurred by the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office, Le Roy Police Department and Batavia Police Department are included in the funding amount.

• Approved contracts with Seneca Pavement Markings of Horseheads and Accent Stripe of Orchard Park for pavement markings on all county roads and at the county airport, effective June 1 through May 31, 2022 for an amount not to exceed the budgeted amounts of $175,048 for highway pavement markings and $8,000 for pavement maintenance at the airport.

• Accepted a bid from Thomann Asphalt Paving Corp., of Lancaster, of $1.3 million for complete reconstruction of the county airport apron area where the aging T-hangars were removed last fall and a bid from C&S Companies, of Syracuse, of $163,000 for the project’s consulting services. The total amount is expected to be fully funded by a federal grant.

• Accepted a $46,493 grant from The Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Legacy Fund for Design and Access to partially pay for the DeWitt Recreation Area Waterfront Enhancement Project’s phase one design and engineering. The total cost of the project is $73,000, with the remainder coming from the county’s building and equipment reserve fund. Hens said this is the first time The Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Legacy Fund has supported a project in Genesee County.