A certificate of need has been submitted to the New York State Department of Health to make Tri-Town Regional Hospital in Sidney; a satellite emergency department under the leadership of Fox Hospital in Oneonta. Tri Town Regional Hospital CEO Dr. Carlton Rule explains:

(Dr Carlton Rule 1-25-17)

Dr. Rule said that both hospitals are part of Bassett Healthcare Network; he said that if the Certificate is approved, the conversion to a satellite Emergency Department model would take effect in the third quarter of this year. Dr. Rule said that services would not change; state regulations simply stipulate that a satellite emergency department must be within 35 miles of an acute care hospital. Fox Hospital is 23 miles from TRH in Sidney while Bassett Medical Center is just over 45 miles away.

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59 school districts have been designated as fiscally stressed under State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli’s Fiscal Stress Monitoring System, which is a decrease from 82 districts that were listed in stress last year and 90 the year before. The latest round of scoring designated two school districts in “significant fiscal stress,” nine in “moderate fiscal stress” and the remaining 48 as “susceptible to fiscal stress.” Only 2 local schools were listed in the “Susceptible to Fiscal Stress Category, those were the Harpursville & Afton school district.

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Governor Cuomo is being criticized by members of the Legislature for taking his Budget proposal on the road, instead of the traditional presentation in front of a joint session of the Legislature. Area Assemblyman Pete Lopez comments:

Lopez 1-25-17)

Cuomo had members of his cabinet deliver his State of the State & Budget presentations around the state in the last week and a half, and did some presentations himself in a few upstate locations where he announced upstate economic development projects.

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Governor Cuomo wants $2 billion to address some of the nation’s oldest water and sewer systems in this year’s State Budget. The Governor wants to replace old water mains, modernize sewer systems and remove lead pipes. The Governor said that the $2 billion would be spent over five years. It would come on top of $200 million for water projects approved by lawmakers last year.

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The Bainbridge-Guilford Central School will hold an information session in conjunction with the regular Board of Education meetings. Meetings start at 6:30 PM with the business portion of the meeting starting at 7:00 PM. A special Board Of Education Meeting will be held this Thursday for Board members to vote on SEQRA and the Capital Project, It is anticipated that the public will vote on the Capital Project in March.

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New York Lawmakers will begin several weeks of hearings on Governor Cuomo’s proposal in the 152 billion dollar budget plan. The 1st hearing will be focus on the Governor’s plan to make state & City university free again, for students in families making less than 125,000 a year, the 2nd hearing will be dedicated to workforce development, following hearings will deal with taxes, state spending on public safety, economic development, health care & social services, education and the environment. The legislature has until April 1st to pass a budget.

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The Tri Town Coalition on Substance abuse will hold their next meeting tonight at the Sidney High School Library. Spokesperson Lorraine Keckeisen comments:

(Lorraine Keckeisen 1-25-17)

Residents from Sidney, Unadilla & Bainbridge are encouraged to attend tonight’s meeting, which will run from 6:00 to 7:30 PM.

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The Afton SADD chapter & Afton Driver Education announced a Brooks Chicken Barbecue to benefit the family of Lynn Bascuiska today, during the boys & girls basketball games with Sidney. Pick up or eat in available from 4:00 to 7:00 PM. Plans also call for raffling off baskets & other prizes throughout the night.

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