Approval was granted Monday by the Yates County Legislature for the construction of a new County Highway Department, Office of Emergency Services, and Public Health multi-use facility in the town of Benton. Legislator Jesse Jayne (District Four) cast the lone no vote for the project and said he was against the project from the very first site plan.
Legislators William Holgate (District Four) and Dan Banach (District Three) explained why the county is not using its own workers for the site work.
Prior to Monday’s vote, Benton Town Supervisor John Prendergast voiced concerns over what he thought was the lack of public knowledge that NYSEG’s new gas main service would be extended to residents in the area. The gas main project is not to exceed $1.7 million. After voting to approve the project in a separate resolution, Legislator Douglas Paddock (District One) proposed delaying Monday’s vote on another resolution that called for having a new natural gas main installed at the new facility, which prompted this reaction from fellow lawmaker Terry Button (District Two).
Legislator Paddock responded to Button’s comments.
Ultimately, Paddock’s motion failed. The resolution from the county to provide NYSEG with two options to extend the new gas main to service to additional Benton residents and at a cost not to exceed $1.7 million passed. The approved resolution will also see a public information meeting for town of Benton residents scheduled in the “near future.”
