Sain Building Sale Delay Latest Spat Between Day, Wolfe

On Monday, Rockland County Executive Ed Day announced a series of emergency financial measures that will be put in place to address a potential $4 million budget shortfall because the Sain Building is not yet sold.

He blamed the delay on the Rockland County Legislature.

"We are facing a $4 million hole in our budget, not because of poor planning or economic circumstances beyond our control," Day said in his announcement. "We are facing a $4 million deficit because of senseless political posturing."

Rockland County Legislature Chairman Alden H. Wolfe said Day was making it up.

The “emergency” has been manufactured by the County Executive to put political pressure on legislators to approve the sale of the Sain building to a private developer, he said in a press release.

“We have requested information from the County Executive that is germane to the proposed sale of the Sain building and those requests have been unanswered since February,” Wolfe said. “He agreed to give us information and then changed his mind when he decided he wanted to sell the Sain building to a private developer.”

As the county's chief budget officer, Day said he has the responsibility to Rockland's taxpayers to make sure that finances are handled appropriately.

"We will make some very painful cuts in programs and services in an attempt to recoup as much of that $4 million shortfall as possible," Day said. "This will be a deficit – and tax increase – created solely by the Legislature."

Day said a $4 million deficit equals a 4 percent county property tax increase.

But Wolfe said the county's current financial situation looked OK:

As of June 15, 2016, the county is ahead of budgeted revenues by $4.3 million due to strong showings in various revenue categories, but mostly due to solid sales tax revenues.

Additionally, the county expects new state and federal reimbursements of about $400,000 in 2016, reducing the local share already budgeted for 2016 for various programs.

There are currently 69 vacant positions in county government. A specific estimate on the resulting salary savings is not yet possible as some posts will likely be filled. But if all remained vacant through the rest of the year, a salary savings of about $1 million would result.

Meanwhile, Day ordered the following steps effective immediately:
· hiring freeze including all temps and relief positions.

· curtailed overtime, payments will require prior authorization from the county executive
· review of all scheduled highway work, with delays or stoppages as appropriate
· purchasing orders will be cancelled or delayed.
· all mass mailings are suspended
Other measures that could be implemented by July 1:
Departments will return 20 percent of county vehicles to the fleet garage, with the exception of fully marked law enforcement vehicles.
· Hours could be cut at all county parks.
· Review of all consulting contracts, with some stopped as needed, including, among other actions, cancellation of this year's police academy class.
· Contract agencies that have migrated to oversight by county departments under my administration's new rules will be unaffected. But we will be forced to stop payment to other community based organizations that receive payments via the legislature without similar, appropriate oversight.

Day said that he proposed as part of the budget in October – nine months ago – that he wanted to sell the Sain Building to offset the one-time costs associated with the closure of the Summit Park nursing home to ensure a balanced budget.

Day said the legislature approved a budget that called for $4 million from the sale of the Sain Building. By vote, each lawmaker affirmed the sale. But since then, the legislature has refused to move on the sale even though a well-financed, nationally known company responded to a request for proposals and advertisements and offered to pay $4.51 million – $510,000 above the appraised value.

"Now the Legislature, for no lucid reason, is refusing to bring the sale to a vote," Day said. "We cannot even make our case because the chairman refuses to simply place the matter on an agenda."

These cuts are not designed to hurt county residents or county employees, he said.

"Unfortunately, the actions of the Legislature leave me no choice but to take these actions," Day said. ""I will not allow this county to run up another deficit."

All of these cuts and emergency measures can be avoided by immediate action of the Legislature, Day said.

"I urge all county residents to contact their legislators with this simple message: Sell the Sain Building."

Wolfe said any action proposed by the County Executive will receive a full discussion at the Legislature’s Budget and Finance Committee.

“This Administration has gone back on its commitment to provide the Legislature with answers to reasonable questions about the property, which has caused an otherwise unnecessary delay in our deliberative process,” Wolfe said. “In order to make sure that Legislators have the necessary information we will be asking the Administration to be providing us with documents and answers to related questions in advance of a committee discussion at the end of the month. We will be asking that the County Executive personally appear to tell us about the plans, to answer questions and to work through the issues.”

PHOTO: Rockland County Executive Ed Day and Rockland Budget Director Stephen DeGroat/contributed