Facilities and Infrastructure Committee - June 18, 2026

The Tompkins County Facilities and Infrastructure Committee met on June 18, 2026, to discuss several procurement and capital improvement matters. Key procurement-related actions included the postponement of a lease renewal for the Department of Motor Vehicles facility due to roof issues, and the approval of multiple federal and state grant applications totaling several million dollars to support rural and urban transit services through Tompkins Consolidated Area Transit (TCAT), Gadabout, and county transportation projects. The committee also authorized amendments to the county's capital plan and contracts for design and right-of-way services for a culvert replacement project on Caroline Depot Road, funded in part by a New York State DEC Water Quality Improvement Program grant with a 20% local match provided through in-kind county services. Additionally, a contract was approved for a bottleless water cooler system to reduce waste at the county recycling facility. A significant presentation was given on the geothermal district heating project for county buildings, highlighting a shift from a traditional closed loop to an open loop system with substantial cost savings and integration with the Center of Government building project. The committee expressed support for advancing the geothermal project design phase. TCAT provided an update on fleet modernization, ridership growth, financial challenges including fuel costs, and the potential transition to local authority status to improve funding stability. The meeting also included discussions on recycling program updates and future planning for transportation infrastructure and services. No votes were taken on the geothermal project itself, but the committee indicated consensus to proceed with further development.