What We Are Watching In Committee This Week - 11/17/2025
November 17th 2025
This Week’s Overview
The excitement of the election and the chair nominations has overshadowed the fact that we still have work to accomplish.
The legislature has a lighter committee week, but there are still a few items that will shape our parks, wastewater infrastructure, and support for children and families.
Here is what we are going to evaluate this week:
County Facilities Committee
Tuesday, November 18 at 11:30 a.m..
Beaver Lake Boardwalk Replacement. Phase 2 Grant
The Parks Department is asking us to amend the 2025 County Budget so we can accept a one million dollar state grant to continue rebuilding the aging boardwalk at Beaver Lake Nature Center, along with two hundred fifty thousand dollars in support from the Friends of Beaver Lake.
The boardwalk was built in the late 1970s and 1980s and it has seen decades of wear. Some sections sit under water for much of the year. A 2019 structural review recommended replacing the old pilings with helical piles that hold up better to weather and water.
Phase 1 was completed in spring 2025 and replaced two thousand fifty three feet of the boardwalk
Phase 2 would replace the remaining five hundred twenty three feet, at a total project cost of one million two hundred fifty thousand dollars
I will be asking about the long term plan. Once all the work is done, how long is this new structure expected to last and what is the plan for ongoing maintenance so we are not back in the same spot in a few years.
Environmental Protection Committee
Tuesday, November 18 at 1:00 p.m.
Public Hearing on the Oak Orchard Municipal Expansion Project
The Department of Water Environment Protection is asking the Legislature to schedule a public hearing on December 16, 2025 at 12:50 p.m. for the Oak Orchard Municipal Expansion Project. The maximum estimated cost is five hundred forty nine million five hundred thousand dollars.
This would be a major expansion of the Onondaga County Sanitary District. When we talk about half a billion dollars in wastewater infrastructure, residents deserve clear information about:
What is being built
Why it is needed
How it will be paid for
What it means for rates, neighborhoods and the environment
The hearing is one of the first opportunities for the public to weigh in, so I encourage people to pay attention to the details as they become available.
Creating an Industrial Wastewater District
Another resolution would designate the Department of Water Environment Protection as the lead agency to create a new Industrial Wastewater Disposal District and to prepare the maps and plans for it.
The idea behind this is that industrial wastewater has different needs than typical municipal users. As the county prepares for new large scale industrial projects, we will need to decide:
How industrial users share the costs of new infrastructure
What protections are in place for local communities
How we make sure growth does not come at the expense of clean water or fair costs for residents
I will be looking closely at how this district is defined and how it interacts with any future economic development proposals.
Health and Human Services Committee
Wednesday, November 19 at 12:30 p.m.
Children and Family Services. Transfer for Required Trainings
The Department of Children and Family Services is requesting a thirty two thousand dollar transfer inside its existing budget. The funds would move out of Maintenance, Utilities and Rents and into Travel and Training.
The reason is straightforward. The department has:
Hired new caseworkers who must complete mandatory state training
Identified additional required trainings for new and existing staff
Training caseworkers well is not optional. These are the people who respond when children are at risk and the state expects a high level of preparation.
My questions would include:
Are current caseloads sustainable for staff or do we need more positions in future budgets
Should training be built in as a permanent line at a higher level instead of shifting money in the middle of the year
Whether there are better ways to schedule or deliver trainings without lowering the quality
Special Children’s Services. Informational Update
The committee will also receive an informational update on Special Children’s Services. This usually covers programs like early intervention and preschool special education.
While there is no resolution attached to this item, these updates often show real world challenges that families are facing, including wait times, staffing shortages, service gaps or changes in state rules.
If important issues come up in that discussion, I will share more details after the meeting.
How You Can Stay Engaged
Watch the livestreams of the committee meetings if you are able.
Reach out with any questions about these items.
Share this update with neighbors who care about parks, clean water and services for children and families.
My goal will be to to keep you informed and to make county government as transparent and accessible as possible.