Otsego County Board of Representatives: the Veterans’ Agency Year in the ADMINCOM and IGACOM Record

The committees. The 14-member Board of Representatives works through standing committees; the Administration Committee (ADMINCOM) and the Intergovernmental Affairs Committee (IGACOM) both carry "VETERANS' SERVICE AGENCY - PHIL COUSE, DIRECTOR" as a standing report. The Document Center's Agendas and Minutes (BOR) folder posts every agenda and minutes set; the window's 89 files were read whole. The Board's roll-call total is 100 (the salary law's "Total: 100"), with the committees' votes recorded as ayes of the whole Board. The veteran items, in order: - November 5, 2025 (minutes draft): "Representative Catan presented a late resolution from the floor - SUPPORTING OPERATION GREEN LIGHT FOR ACTIVE MILITARY SERVICE MEMBERS IN TRANSITION TO CIVILIAN LIFE (VETERAN STATUS)"; numbered and adopted as Resolution 377-20251105, "with designation as a Green Light for Military Service County, Otsego County hereby declares from November 4th, 2025 through Veterans Day, November 11th, 2025, a time to salute and honor the service and sacrifice of our men and women in uniform transitioning from Active Service." - November 10, 2025 (IGACOM): "VETERANS' SERVICE AGENCY - PHIL COUSE, DIRECTOR" - a budget modification moving $68,700 from A6510-437101 Community Services (rev) to A6510-547866 Veterans (exp) "to run the Dwyer" (the 2025 Dwyer carryover). - November 20, 2025 (ADMINCOM): the 2026 renewal list carries "Veterans Services (VA) 2026, at a cost not to exceed $41,500.00"; Steve Wilson requested the $68,700 Dwyer modification; "Representative Catan requested approval for the Director of Veteran Affairs, to use the Joseph Dwyer grant to cover additional hours outside his work day ... the committee to support and approve paying additional stipend to the Veteran's Affairs Director, to be funded by the Joseph Dwyer grant" - carried 39-6. - December 3, 2025: Resolution 391-20251203 (Martini, Basile, Bliss, Brockway, Mendez), "AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR OR THE CHAIR OF THE BOARD TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH RESOURCE CENTER FOR INDEPENDENT LIVING TO PROVIDE NON-MEDICAL IN-HOME SUPPORTIVE SERVICES FOR VETERANS IN OTSEGO COUNTY" - RCIL, P.O. Box 210, Utica, NY 13503, as Fiscal Intermediary "to act as employer of record for Veteran Directed Care workers," a total not to exceed $80,000 for January 1 through December 31, 2026, funded through the 2026 Office for the Aging Budget (A6772) at line 549890 Veteran Directed Care, "utilizing 100% Federal funds." - March 4, 2026 (ADMINCOM): re-appropriation of the unexpended $68,700 of 2025 Dwyer funds from Fund Balance to the Veterans Services Department. - April 23, 2026 (ADMINCOM): "Phil Couse requested approval for a resolution to purchase a vehicle ... through the Dwyer grant, for an amount not to exceed $32,664.00, noting that ... Subaru came back at the cheapest." - May 6, 2026: Resolution 226-20260506 (Marietta, Mickle, Kennedy, Mendez, Clapperton), "AUTHORIZING THE DIRECTOR OF THE VETERANS' SERVICES AGENCY TO PURCHASE A VEHICLE USING THE DWYER GRANT" - a van from Five Star Subaru, 331 Chestnut Street, Oneonta, through the State bidding process, not to exceed $32,664, charged to 2026 Veterans Budget (A6510) line 547866 Dwyer Grant, "utilizing 100% State funds." - May 12, 2026 (IGACOM): Couse requested the departmental credit-card line go from $1,500.00 to $9,000.00 "as the Dwyer Grant is $108,000.00" - carried. Chair Marietta's farm question: a farm's November donation of "50 turkeys and 50 complete meals for veterans" becomes a recurring arrangement - the county receives a $4,000.00 grant, writes the farm a $4,000.00 check, and "the Veterans would get 100 meals donated per year." - August 11, 2026 (IGACOM): the Dwyer update (above); on the NYS 100% P&T property-exemption legislation: "The county boards and schools can vote whether or not they will pay for taxes or not. It is optional at this point and will have to be discussed by the end of the year"; no way to determine how many Otsego veterans are 100% P&T; "It has been discussed to have a class with the assessors explaining this." - August 20, 2026 (ADMINCOM): the county "is working with Phil Couse" and the NYS Department of Veterans Services "legislative language concerning the Disabled Veteran's exemption." - September 24, 2026 (ADMINCOM): a budget modification of "$82,299.00 from the Office of Mental Health to Veterans' Services"; "Increase Dwyer grant A6510-437101 by $109,732" and "Increase Dwyer grant A6510-547866 by $109,732"; the Real Property Tax Service report notes "Allen Ruffles would like to revisit the Disabled Veteran's exemption." - October 7, 2026 (Resolution 393-20261007, docx minutes): "INCREASE: Veterans Services Dwyer Grant A6510 437101 $109,732" and "A6510 547866 $109,732" - adopted 100-0. No veteran benefit was adopted, narrowed or repealed; the appropriations and contracts fund the agency's existing programmes and the Dwyer peer support. The full board meets in Board Chambers; the window's budget hearings carried the agency's $41,500 renewal and the Dwyer lines above.