Board hears update on military readiness training, approves raises

Apr. 26—The Delaware County Board of Supervisors raised salaries for department heads and heard an update to this summer's military readiness training during its April 26 meeting.

The Walton Central O'Neill High School will be the site of an Innovative Readiness Training mission July 10-21 that will allow Delaware County residents receive free medical care for themselves and their pets.

Director of Delaware County Planning and Watershed Affairs Shelly Johnson-Bennett, who was appointed by the board to lead the community partnership, outlined the mission during the Feb. 22 supervisors meeting. On Wednesday, she introduced Captain Richards, Staff Sgt. Kuqi and Sgt. First Class Thibeault, who are coordinating the event. The first names of the coordinators were not provided and Johnson-Bennett did not return an email message seeking that information before press time.

U.S. Army Reserve, 3rd Medical Command (Deployment Support), 8th Medical Brigade, 804th Medical Brigade, 405th/865th Field Hospital, 439th Multifunctional Medical Battalion from Staten Island and Boston, Massachusetts, will set up a simulated disaster zone that patients will be moved through. The army will set up on July 10 and provide no-cost dental, optometry, medical, behavioral health and veterinary services, including spaying and neutering, in field conditions from July 11 through July 19. She said SUNY Delhi will provide veterinary equipment and vet tech and nursing students to help.

Supervisors were able to ask some questions about the upcoming training event. Questions included what time the clinic will take place, if people needed to pre-register, if there were any issues with medical credentials, and if people should bring some documentation with them, such as dental x-rays.

Richards said the clinic will be open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and there will be extended hours until 7 p.m. two of those days. He said it is walk-in only, and the end time would be the hour they stop admitting patients, but everyone in the waiting area past closing time would be seen. He said the medical and dental will be separate from the veterinary clinic. He said there were no issues with credentials. He said local community partners would be there for people to schedule follow-up appointments. He also said it would be helpful if people brought dental records with them.

Newly appointed Davenport Town Supervisor Patricia Valente asked how mental and behavioral health patients would be seen. Richards said the patients would be given an initial intake evaluation and be referred to local providers. "We won't be able to do continual care," he said.

The mental health of veterans was also addressed when the board accepted a $100,000 Dwyer grant from the state Office of Mental Health to fund a veteran peer-to-peer support program.

Veterans Service Agency Director Charles Piper said Joseph Dwyer was a veteran of the Iraq war who didn't receive any assistance after returning from the war, and committed suicide. The county contracts with Clear Path for Vets, which provides individual or group support for veterans. Piper said his agency has referred four veterans to the program since January and others have contacted Clear Path for Vets on their own. He said all of the local American Legion posts have the contact information, or veterans can call his agency for more information.

During the meeting, 18 local laws were approved that would raise the salaries of department heads as follows:

—Election commissioners $55,252 to Maria Kelso, Republican, and Judith Garrison, Democrat. The law also made the positions full-time.

—County Attorney Amy Merklen $139,100.

—Director of Real Property Tax II Sherri Falcone $82,192.

—Personnel Officer Carrara Knoetgen $85,731.

—Director of Information Technology Joseph deMauro $94,124.

—Director of Emergency Services Stephen Hood $71,698.

—Director Community Mental Health Services Douglas Elston $102,306.

—Commissioner of Social Services Sylvia Armanno $106,408.

—Director Veteran Service Agency Charles Piper $56,918.

—Director Office for the Aging Wayne Shepard $81,897.

—County Planning Director Shelly Johnson-Bennett $104,564.

—Director Economic Development Glenn Nealis $93,738.

—Commissioner of Public Works James Thomas $110,607.

—Public Health Director Amanda Walsh $108,562.

—County Clerk Debra Goodrich $77,819.

—Sheriff Craig DuMond $97,822.

—County Treasurer Beverly Shields $77,819.

Colchester Town Supervisor Art Merrill said after the April 12, meeting the laws were introduced because the figures have changed.

During the meeting, Local Law 19 was introduced that would raise DuMond's salary to $100,422. The public hearing will be held at 1 p.m. Wednesday, May 10.

Vicky Klukkert, staff writer, can be reached at vklukkert@thedailystar.com or 607-441-7221.