Tioga County Legislature: the Veterans’ Committee Year

The committee. The Legislature's Administrative Services Committee holds a monthly Veterans agenda with the Veterans' Service Agency director: the "Veterans' Legislative Package" posts monthly on the county site (October and December 2025, January through August 2026 read; the September and October 2026 packages were not yet posted), and the April through August 2026 minutes are the committee's own, signed Dennis M. Mullen, Director. Attendance: Legislators A. Aronstam, R. Ciotoli, W. Standinger and William "Jake" Brown, with Legislative Chair Tracy Monell, County Administrator Jackson Bailey and Legislature Clerk Cathy Haskel among the guests. The resolutions and items, in order: - October 2025: Resolution J-25, Appropriation of Funds and Budget Modification - "Tioga County Veterans Services' Agency (TCVSA) has been allocated state aid funding for the Dwyer Program and Mental Health Outreach (MHO) in the amount of $109,037 and $6,000, respectively, for 2025"; the Dwyer revenue line A6510-427700-DP22 takes $5,037 more, with $94,140.30 budgeted expense. Army/Navy Game Resolution J-26. The Green Light Campaign "in conjunction with Tioga Legislature, NACVSO, and NYSAC" proposed; the November 12, 2025 Legislature public meeting set to recognize county employees who are veterans. - December 2025: the year-to-date budget report; the Toys for Tots collection, Richford tree lighting, Army/Navy game and food-basket giveaway as agency events. - April 7, 2026 (minutes): the 2025 budget "closed out with a significant return to the County", most of it salary and benefits savings; Resolution D-31 lets TCVSA exceed food-and-beverage purchase guidelines for the Military/Veteran Families Appreciation Month bowling events (Owego Bowl, Cardinal Lanes, Valley Bowling Center); the Cornell Law School legal-advice night of April 29, 2026 at the agency office. - June 2, 2026 (minutes): Resolutions F-37 and F-38 accept donations - $500 from the Southern Tier Veterans Support Group and $1,000 from Valerie Smith - appropriated to the TCVSA 2026 budget; F-39 waives the food-and-beverage guidelines for the Strawberry Festival, July 4 parade and 10th Mountain Division band concert; the NYS Fresh Connect farmer's-market coupons ($5,000 worth) arrive for distribution. - July 7, 2026 (minutes): Resolution G-38 - "REQUESTING TIOGA COUNTY VETERANS' SERVICE AGENCY BE ALLOWED TO PURCHASE 200 TIOGA COUNTY FAIR TICKETS FOR TIOGA COUNTY VETERANS & THEIR FAMILIES; NOT TO EXCEED $3,000.00 TOTAL"; G-11 amends Resolution 204-26's food-and-beverage terms. The July 2026 minutes also record: "In July 2026 eight (8) Veterans/Surviving spouses contacted TCVSA concerning the ne[w] NYS 100% P&T Disabled Veterans Property Tax Exemption law." - August 4, 2026 (minutes): the agency bought the 200 fair tickets (limit four per veteran/family, "Total Cost not to exceed $3,000.00"); the 2027 TCVSA budget proposed with "No changes to the Budget... anticipated"; Resolution H-20 waives food-and-beverage guidelines for the Field of the Fallen luncheon and the Ruck for Them March on September 26, 2026; all 2,500 Fresh Connect coupons ($5,000) distributed to veterans and families. No veteran benefit was adopted, narrowed or repealed; the appropriations and donations fund the agency's existing programmes. The Legislature's full-board minutes publish with the committee packages; the window's full-board veteran item is the November 12, 2025 recognition of county employees who are veterans.