Cayuga County's Ways & Means Committee met this week reviewing a slate of grant updates, staffing changes, and department reports ahead of the 2026 budget cycle.
Youth Bureau Director Debra Dennis presented a resolution amending an existing $15,000 allocation of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding previously designated for a mentoring program. The funds will instead support the expansion of the Safe Space youth program, which will offer 26 community-based activities through Cayuga Counseling Services.
Dennis said the change keeps the focus on youth development while ensuring the program remains sustainable. The extension maintains county approval through December 2026.
She also reported that 27 applications were submitted for this year's local youth grants, totaling $322,000 in requests. Twenty programs were awarded funding, with 10 of them first-time recipients. All seven Cayuga County school districts will participate in the upcoming Student Government Day.
Additionally, the Youth Bureau received a $15,000 state grant to support New York's 250th anniversary events in summer 2026.
The Health Department advanced contracts with Canine Cove Kennell for boarding and quarantine services and Ciciarelli Wildlife Solutions for wildlife specimen handling and rabies testing. Officials said the agreements ensure continuity as existing providers approach retirement.
Department staff also highlighted public participation in Walk to School Day and shared that nearly 800 residents completed the county's latest community health survey.
Lauren Walsh, Director of Community Services, outlined the county's use of opioid settlement funds. Cayuga County received $158,000 through the state's Office of Addiction Services and Supports, with an additional $28,000 directed to the City of Auburn.
A new Court-Based Mental Health Navigator program will launch under a state grant, contracted to Cayuga Counseling Services, to help individuals in the criminal justice system access treatment and resources.
Walsh said the mobile crisis unit has completed more than 200 visits this year, and the department will soon be fully staffed with social workers for the first time in four years.
The Department of Social Services presented several staffing and program updates. Commissioner Christine Bianco said homelessness has declined, with 84 single adults and 18 families housed as of Oct. 10 -- about half the number reported six months earlier.
The committee approved a six-month contract renewal with Chapel House for its 16-bed emergency shelter on Grant Avenue, which will continue through April 2026 as the Rescue Mission develops a permanent facility.
Other resolutions created a Principal Account Clerk position to improve internal accounting efficiency and authorized filling two Human Services Examiner positions.
Bianco also discussed upcoming federal changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) that will tighten work requirements for certain adults beginning Nov. 1. Staff are preparing outreach efforts to ensure compliance.
Office for the Aging Director Brenda Wiemann reported record participation in Medicare open enrollment. The office has already booked more than 200 appointments and expects total enrollment assistance to exceed 400 clients this season.
Wiemann said one staff vacancy dating to May has added strain during a busy period but that services such as GoGo Grandparent transportation and the county's senior nutrition program will continue uninterrupted.
She also cautioned that potential federal funding delays could affect energy and food assistance programs this winter.
Highway Superintendent Brian Soper presented an overview of the department's five-year financial trend, noting that stable CHIPS reimbursements and newer equipment have helped offset rising costs. The department maintains a $3 million fund balance and continues to meet state repair standards.
District Attorney Brittany Grome Antonacci reported that her office remains fully funded through state grants, diversion revenues, and victim support funding under the state's STRIVE initiative. Rising digital evidence and expert witness costs were cited as ongoing budget pressures, though staffing levels remain stable.