County backs veterans’ event, clinic expansion

Oct. 24--DELHI -- Delaware County Director of Veterans Services Charlie Piper on Wednesday presented to the county board of supervisors a new initiative to support local veterans in need.

The Delaware County Stand Down will be held Wednesday, Nov. 6, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Catskill Veterans Outreach Center in Stamford.

Named in reference to the wartime term for the practice of removing combat troops from the field and taking care of their basic needs in a safe area, Piper said, the event will feature several local vendors and services, including Veterans Affairs benefits counselors, food pantry and personal care items, flu shots, blood pressure checks and haircuts -- all available free of charge to veterans.

"In the military, in a time of war, when you're in harm's way, there would be periods of time you would be told to 'stand down,' and you would be sent to another location," Piper said. "And at that location, you would get medical assistance, clothing, food -- any of your necessities would be taken care of."

The Hitching Post in Grand Gorge will serve a free lunch to all attending veterans and their families, Piper said, and an array of military surplus goods will also be available at no cost.

Veterans should bring a DD-214, a veteran-stamped New York state driver's license, a retired veteran ID or a VA veteran or health card as proof of veteran status.

Anyone interested in volunteering at the event is asked to contact Jason Brisbane at 607-214-4095

The board also approved a $475,000, 4,100-square-foot expansion of the initial design for a new behavioral health services facility in Walton, which will house the county's adult and family and children's mental health clinics, both currently in Walton, and the office of alcohol and drug abuse services, presently in Hamden.

At the board's September meeting, Eric Witschi, managing architect at the Syracuse-based engineering consulting firm C&S Companies, presented the initial design proposal. At 19,800 square feet in total, the initial design featured a second story with about one-third fewer square feet than the first, which was designed for the possibility of expanding at a later date.

Estimating the cost of fully building out the second floor at $125 per square foot, Franklin Town Supervisor Jeffrey Taggart argued that "you'd be a fool not to."

Taggart pointed out that the Delaware County Public Safety Building in Delhi, constructed in 2003, was designed with the possibility of adding a second story later on, but that such a venture would not be cost-effective today.

"If it doesn't get done now, it probably will never get done," Taggart said, adding that the cost is "very reasonable."

Tina Molé, board chair and Bovina town supervisor, said the cost of the expansion would be justified, even if the extra space was only used for storage.

"One thing we really lack is storage space in the county," she said, noting that the county currently rents storage space outside the county.

The space could be used by the departments of transportation, social services and the county board of elections, which require the most storage space, according to Dennis Valente, Davenport town supervisor.

"It's a 20% increase at a third of the cost," said Joseph Cetta, Walton town supervisor.

Arthur Merrill, Colchester town supervisor and county budget officer, called the decision a "no-brainer."

"We'd have to do some revisions to the plans, which, at this point in time, would not really be a big deal," said Mark Tuthill, Delhi town supervisor and chair of the county's capital projects committee.

The board unanimously passed a resolution in support of federal legislation to repeal the health insurance tax, an annual fee on health insurance providers enacted by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010.

The Jobs and Premium Protection Act of 2019, introduced by Rep. Anthony Brindisi, D-Utica, would repeal the tax -- one of the most substantial in the PPACA, according to the resolution.

"The health insurance tax is a tax on the public health program, which supports our most vulnerable citizens, and has a serious implication for the state Medicaid program," said Wayne Marshfield, Hamden town supervisor. "It impacts individual consumers, small and large business employees, Medicare beneficiaries, senior citizens and Medicaid Managed Care for beneficiaries."

If the tax is not repealed, it is expected to decrease New York state's gross domestic product by $632 million over 10 years, according to Marshfield.

"Yes, the federal government will lose $159 billion in revenue over a 10-year period, but God only knows there's lots of room for improvement in their wasteful spending," Marshfield said.

Copies of the resolution will be forwarded to Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Sen. Jen Metzger, D-Rosendale; Sen. Fred Akshar, R-Endwell; Sen. Charles Schumer, D-NY; Rep. Antonio Delgado, D-Rhinebeck; and the New York State Association of Counties.

Sarah Eames, staff writer, can be reached at seames@thedailystar.com or 607-441-7213. Follow her @DS_SarahE on Twitter.

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