Public Safety and Emergency Services Committee Meeting - Budget Hearings - 10/21/26 @3pm

Orange County, New York Public Safety and Emergency Services Committee budget hearing, October 21, 2026. The committee reviewed department budgets and approved the District Attorney’s proposed $18.8 million 2027 budget, a 5% increase, while county tax support was projected to decrease by about $163,000 due largely to increased grant revenue. A motion to add $50,000 for DA overtime was withdrawn. Probation reported budget reductions and explained that its proposed $250,000 security-services allocation covers one armed guard each at Goshen and New Windsor under the renewed Atlas contract, which followed a competitive bidding process. The committee also approved a five-year Axon equipment project for Taser 10 devices, body cameras, translation features, storage, and evidence sharing; the equipment is to be purchased through the state contract.

Emergency Services received approval to accept a $100,937 Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee grant for traffic-safety education and enforcement and a $40,000 Stop DWI grant for holiday and other high-visibility enforcement. The committee approved capital projects for an eight-location drone-as-first-responder system, estimated at nearly $4 million, and a garage to protect emergency-services equipment; members noted that capital-plan approval is separate from later funding appropriation. A $350,000 license-payment allocation from fund balance for real-time emergency-response software was approved by roll-call vote, and the amended budget subsequently passed. The committee also passed a resolution urging New York State to enact legislation concerning intoxication and sexual-assault laws; no procurement action was associated with that resolution.