Steuben County Council approves multiple additional appropriations, including $138,000 for ambulance remount

Steuben County Council on June 11, 2019 approved a slate of additional appropriations and fund transfers covering airport fuel‑tank inspection, public‑health grants, coroner expenses, highway projects, an ambulance remount and a Rainy Day settlement.

Key approvals included a $5,000 additional appropriation for the Board of Aviation to help pay for a required Jet‑A fuel tank cleaning and inspection (Randy Strebig), several Health Department grants (Alicia VanEe) including a Local Health Maintenance Grant ($33,139) and a Public Health Preparedness grant (up to $25,000), and $12,600 to cover higher coroner lab and autopsy costs through 2019 (Bill Harter). The Highway Department’s bike‑trail appropriation of $32,923.37 and assorted transfers (including E‑911 and MVH overtime adjustments) were also approved.

The council approved a request from EMS Director Patrick Kirkpatrick for a remount/replacement ambulance; Kirkpatrick had requested $140,675 but the council limited action to the advertised amount and approved $138,000 for the Cumulative Capital Development Fund after debate about maintenance costs and public‑safety responsibilities. That motion carried 5–2 (minutes record two nays but do not name them).

Commissioner Ron Smith requested and the council approved an additional $45,000 into the Rainy Day Fund tied to an FMLA mediated settlement; that motion passed 6–1 with Wil Howard recorded as the lone nay. Other appropriation votes in the minutes largely passed unanimously.

Votes at a glance (as recorded in minutes): Additional Appropriation Resolution No. 06‑2019‑01 — Aviation (1107): $5,000 approved; County General‑Coroner (1000‑007): $12,600 approved; Cumulative Capital Development (1138) Ambulance: $138,000 approved (5–2 on remount motion); Health Fund (1159): $7,793 approved; Plat Book Maintenance (1181): $2,500 approved; Pre‑trial Diversion (2511): $5,000 approved; Rainy Day Fund (1186): $45,000 approved (6–1); Recreational Trails Grant (8106): $32,923.37 approved.

Several motions list the mover and seconder in the minutes; where the minutes specify a dissenting vote they are recorded. The minutes do not always attribute every negative vote to a named council member. The council closed the business and moved on to the remaining agenda items.