Albany County Executive Dan McCoy is proud of his administration’s accomplishments and believes the county is on a pathway to prosperity.
McCoy delivered his State of the County address Monday, March 10, with several county legislators and leaders, local officials and community leaders, listing a recap of accomplishments while laying out his agenda for this year. McCoy focused on making the county financially sound, spurring economic development, increasing private and public partnerships, enhancing programs serving the most vulnerable residents and pushing for the county to be the “greenest county in the state.”
“I’m here in part to report on the progress we’ve made and on the successes we’ve achieved,” McCoy said. “I’m also here tonight to call for action on some very important ideas and initiatives and to ask for your support in moving them forward.”
McCoy touted the county budget this year under the tax cap, but pointed to unfunded mandates as being a continued burden. He said reducing the county’s annual short-term borrowing by more than $4 million, from around $15 million, during his first two year’s has placed the county on more solid financial ground.
“My biggest challenge is to do more with less and lower taxes in the county,” he said after his address. “We have to continue to look outside the box, and we need to strive to make county government more like a business … to give relief to taxpayers I represent.”
He acknowledged during his speech that those cuts have placed more strain on county employees.
“There is no question that the cuts we have made have required us to call on our employees to do more with less, and they have responded,” he said. “The strength of any government lies in its workforce, and we are very fortunate to have a dedicated, hardworking group of men and women.”
County officials recently settled six union contracts through 2016, and McCoy said efforts to resolve remaining outstanding contracts is ongoing.
Many touted economic developments and initiatives were tied to the city of Albany, but later that week McCoy said redevelopment of the city helps the suburban communities. His belief is economic growth will stretch into outlying areas if the county has a strong core to build upon.
He also said there are too many Industrial Development Agencies in the county, with eight different bodies vying for individual communities. He said a more regional approach is needed to help place companies interested in moving to the county.
Progress will be continuing at Lawson Lake this year, which reopened last summer as a free camp for county children. McCoy said additional buildings would be opened later this year.
To help foster strong families, he is proposing to give county employees four weeks paid leave after the birth or adoption of a child without tapping into accrued time.
He proposed continuing environmental efforts through establishing a new county Public Service Agency, which he would work with legislators to finalize.
“The agency will hold the authority to explore any and all options to reduce the energy carbon footprint of Albany County by developing and managing renewable energy projects at existing county facilities,” he said. “And the agency will explore how to provide county residents with the opportunity to purchase excess power not being consumed by county facilities.”
He touted his administration dedicating 372 acres for conservation and helping to restore four-and-a-half miles of the county’s Rail Trail.
McCoy thanked former County Legislature Minority Leader Christine Benedict, now serving as deputy minority leader, during his opening remarks for fostering bipartisan support on several issues.
“Bipartisan support was needed on many occasions for the good of Albany County and, as minority leader, Ms. Benedict understood that,” McCoy said.
Legislature Chairman Shawn Morse said there are “many hurdles” fellow legislators are facing, such as unfunded mandates, but he believes the county has moved in a positive direction. He also commended McCoy’s vision for the county.
“That doesn’t happen without some strong will, and sometimes it even takes people to bang heads to get things to happen, but over the last two years we’ve seen Albany County moving in a good direction,” Morse said.
Rep. Paul Tonko shared brief remarks and said he would continue working with the county to help address infrastructure improvements, economic development and enhancing the quality of life for residents.
“Lets move forward together in a bipartisan spirit in way that gets work done and responds to the people’s business. They have placed their trust in us, and we value that trust,” Tonko said.
