SENATOR AMEDORE SECURES FUNDS FOR MONTGOMERY COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICE

Senator George Amedore on Thursday joined  County Executive Matthew L. Ossenfort, members of the County Legislature and other distinguished guests helped break ground on an expansion at the Public Safety facility, in Fultonville.

The $3.6 million dollar expansion is a 10,000 square feet addition to the current Sheriff’s Office & Jail and will be the new home for the offices of Emergency Management, Probation and the Public Defender. The site will also be the home to the county’s new Emergency Operations Center.

“This is an important step forward for the county,” Ossenfort said. “Public safety is a priority. Making upgrades to inefficient county buildings is key to improving outdated infrastructure and ultimately saving money. This move begins the county’s look to modernize operations and increase efficiencies by locating departments that work together near each other.”

This is the first phase of a multi-year building use plan, with a priority of moving critical county offices out of the floodplain. The County Legislature approved bonding for the expansion last December and awarded the construction bids in August.

“This is a positive step for Montgomery County,” said Legislative Chairman Martin P. Kelly (District 1). “It’s good to see the relocation of several county departments, out of the flood zone, which will minimize the disruption of essential county services, in the wake of a disaster or severe weather event.”

State Senator George Amedore, who represents all of Montgomery County, as part of the 46th Senatorial District, helped obtain funding for the new Emergency Operations Center, securing $15,000 from the public protection funds in the year’s state budget.

“This is such an important project for Montgomery County, and I was happy to secure funding to help furnish and equip the new Emergency Operations Center,” Amedore said. “In the event of an emergency, like we had with Irene and Lee, we want our emergency personnel to be able to do their jobs as safely and efficiently as possible. When we have improved operations and better communications between departments, it will lead to faster response times and improved public safety for all residents.”

“A brand new Emergency Operations Center will help us in better dealing with disasters and other weather related emergencies that may arise,” said Emergency Management Director Jeffery T. Smith. “The location of this project, high above the floodplain, means that First Responders will be able to access this facility and do what is necessary to keep the people of this county as safe as possible.”

“The Probation Department is very pleased to be relocating to the Public Safety facility,” said Probation Director Lucille Sitterly. “Since we work closely with the Sheriff’s Office and the jail, putting us in close proximity will make our operation more efficient and provide for better corroboration among our agencies. It will also provide us with much needed space, as we have been seriously overcrowded for a number of years. We are looking forward to a new facility that will better meet the needs of the department and the community.”

The facility is expected to open next spring.