Highlights of the 10/07/25 Tompkins County Legislature meeting
Published on October 17, 2025
Flock Safety responds to community concerns about traffic cameras
The Tompkins County Legislature invited a Flock Safety representative to address community concerns about a pending contract renewal for traffic cameras with AI-enhanced license plate readers, currently funded through a NYS Gun Involved Violence Elimination (G.I.V.E.) grant. During public privilege of the floor, 11 members of the public spoke about privacy and data protection concerns, while two members spoke in favor of the technology.
Trevor Chandler, Director of Public Affairs at Flock Safety, highlighted the company’s collaborative policing technology, which enables precision policing through real-time alerts that identify vehicles, not individuals, and provide actionable data to law enforcement to solve crimes. Chandler stated that Flocks stores data with end-to-end encryption, ensuring the highest level of security, has no access to personally identifiable data (license plates are not private), and automatically deletes data after 30 days. He emphasized that Flock does not sell or share data; the community owns the data and chooses who to share it with. Chandler shared Flock’s partnerships with and endorsements by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.
Legislator Brown (R-Newfield, Enfield) recalled a person who was killed in his town. He wondered if the person could have been caught if there had been a camera in the vicinity. Sheriff Osborne noted other local crimes that remained unsolved, “that keep me up at night,” and recent cases that were solved with Flock information.
Legislator Black (D-Ithaca Town) inquired about sharing data with federal agents. Sheriff Osborne shared that they have to share any data, not just Flock data, through the proper legal channels, but they cannot look at camera data without a legal process. He noted the limited access to local data for certain NYS agencies, not including communities that have agreements with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Legislator Black (D-Ithaca Town) “doesn’t trust the corporation that helps criminalize women and deport hard-working people.”
The resolution authorizing the acceptance of $220,650 to support the Gun Involved Violence Elimination (G.I.V.E.) initiative in the Sheriff’s and Probation departments was approved in a 9-4 vote, with Legislators Champion (D-Ithaca Town), Lane (D-Dryden), Pillar (D-Ithaca City), and Black (D-Ithaca Town) opposed.
Legislator Brooks (D-Ithaca City) emphasized, “Folks that I represent won’t come here to say they want cameras. Gunshot detection has helped in this community. Families have unanswered questions about how their loved ones died. I need young people not to be afraid when they go to a party or basketball game, that someone pulls out a gun and shoots around.”
Legislator Pillar (D-Ithaca City) questioned what Flock can and cannot do with customer data. Legislator Koreman (D-Ulysses, Enfield, Ithaca) advocated for legislative control over the local Flock policy.
Legislator Mezey (D-Dryden) cautioned about the full impact of this vote. G.I.V.E. money also pays for keeping youth out of prison and provides for high-risk probation services. As a GIVE recipient, the county received $350,000 a year for youth employment services. “We have lamented gun violence, and we argue against a tool that can help eliminate it.”
Volunteers of America awarded contract for Code Blue shelter services
The legislature unanimously adopted a resolution to contract with Volunteers of America of Upstate New York to deliver overnight Code Blue shelter, daytime drop-in warming center, and essential case management services for the 2025/26 season. The coordinated Code Blue shelter program will operate at 227 Cherry Street from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m., supplemented by a daytime drop-in warming center at the same location from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. daily (or as needed during cold-weather periods). Code Blue expenses that are directly tied to emergency cold-weather shelter and warming services are eligible for 100% state reimbursement. The budget estimates for these services shall not exceed $2,300,000. Tompkins County has been allocated up to $2,000,000 in state reimbursement for Code Blue services; any exceeding cost will be borne by the county. Legislators Black (D-Ithaca Town) and Brooks (D-Ithaca City) advocated for a request for proposals for case management services next year to involve local agencies.
County building security to expand
Tompkins County is committed to ensuring safe access to services for clients, staff, and community members, as well as maintaining safe working conditions in all county buildings, and to minimizing barriers to service access wherever it is safely possible. Accomplishing these goals may require the presence of additional security personnel and the implementation of screening protocols. A resolution to utilize $128,176 from the contingent fund in 2025 to add 4.5 full-time staff for the remainder of the year and related equipment and increase the total staffing for countywide security to 7 in 2026, with a target budget increase of $628,351 was approved 8-5, with Legislators Dawson (D-Lansing, Cayuga Heights), John (D-Ithaca City), Lane (D-Dryden), Sigler (R-Lansing), and Brown (R-Newfield, Enfield) opposed.
Legislator Dawson (D-Lansing, Cayuga Heights) did not support making a budgetary decision for 2026 through this resolution. Legislator Pillar (D-Ithaca City) noted the importance of safety and security and the extended debate and planning that preceded this resolution.
Other business
The Tompkins County Legislature proclaims the second Monday of October, October 13th, 2025 as Indigenous Peoples' Day and invites the entire community to celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day in a manner that promotes respect, understanding, and friendship, combats prejudice, and eliminates discrimination stemming from colonization.
The Tompkins County Legislature recognizes Sevy Stiglitz, a fourth grader from Belle Sherman Elementary School, as the winner of the second annual 2025 “Future Voter” Sticker Contest, and Olivia Casselberry, a seventh grader from Boynton Middle School, as the winner of the 2025 “I Voted” Sticker Contest. The Board of Elections will print these stickers for voters and the youth accompanying voters in the 2025 general election. (Download the image above(PNG, 4MB))
A public hearing on the 2026 county budget and 2026-30 county capital program is scheduled for Tuesday, October 28, 2025, at 5:30 pm.
A resolution to amend the county charter to redefine the size and provide that the legislature shall, open reapportionment, have an odd number of members, failed in a 6-7 vote, with Legislators Champion (D-Ithaca Town), Mezey (D-Dryden), Pillar (D-Ithaca City), Shurtleff (R-Groton, Dryden, Lansing), Sigler (R-Lansing), Black (D-Ithaca Town), and Klein (D-Danby, Caroline, Ithaca) opposed.
The legislature unanimously approved additional employee parking and lower-cost health insurance plan options for employees and retirees.
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