Highlights of the 11/6/25 Tompkins County Legislature meeting
Published on November 14, 2025
Emergency Management Services evaluation completed
Legislator John (D-Ithaca City) reported the findings of the Center for Governmental Research (CGR) study on the current state of Emergency Management Services (EMS) in the county, including challenges, gaps, and future outlook. CGR presented their evaluation to the Public Safety Committee and will repeat the presentation at the Tompkins County Council of Governments meeting on December 11. The evaluation included key findings about EMS agency profiles, challenges in EMS education, and provider survey results, as well as suggested actions around a county EMS program, funding options, and next steps the county can take.
Legislator Black (D-Ithaca Town) shared that Tompkins-Cortland Community College (TC3) reported at the Tompkins Inter-Governmental Relations Committee on its Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) program in partnership with Upstate Medical and Cayuga Medical, which currently has 25 participants enrolled.
Cost projection for Center of Government reconstruction exceeds previous estimates
At the Downtown Facilities Committee meeting, HOLT Architects presented a timeline and current cost projections for the deconstruction portion of the Center of Government project. The deconstruction includes three county-owned buildings at the corner of North Tioga and East Buffalo Streets, which require unforeseen asbestos abatement before reusable materials can be removed and sold for repurposing after suitable markets for these materials have been identified. The estimated timeframe for deconstruction is 8.5 months. After executive session deliberations, legislators unanimously approved up to $2.6 million in funding for the deconstruction of these buildings.
Other business
The Tompkins County Legislature commemorates the 250th anniversary of three founding branches of the nation’s military, designates November 9 through 15 as Veterans Week, invites residents to switch one public-facing lightbulb to green in observation of Operation Greenlight to show visible support for our veterans community, and encourages all to reflect on the enduring courage, sacrifice, and commitment of our service members.
The Tompkins County Legislature proclaimed the month of November 2025 Native American Heritage Month to honor our nation’s and Tompkins County’s Indigenous roots, history, and contributions, and further encourage the inclusion of local Indigenous history and culture in community education, such as the Gayogo̱hó:nǫɁ street sign project carried out by the Tompkins County Historical Commission, The History Center, the Villages of Groton and Trumansburg, and the City of Ithaca in 2023, as well as other efforts to draw awareness to Gayogo̱hó:nǫɁ as the proper name of the peoples otherwise known as the Cayuga, incorrectly named by colonizers.
The Tompkins County Legislature recognizes and celebrates the Tompkins County Public Library's 25th anniversary at the Green Street location as the library continues to play an essential and evolving role in the life of Tompkins County residents.
The legislature allocated $2,500 to print and distribute 10,000 food resource guides for five areas throughout the county to help residents find food distribution sites and volunteer opportunities.
The Director of Human Rights position is posted and will close on November 30. County Administration is accepting applications for the County Historian position until December 1. The Chief Equity and Diversity Officer posting closed on November 9.
For September, Finance Director Darrel Tuttle reported a 14.49% sales tax revenue decrease for the county compared to September 2024 (-$1,189,000).
Legislator Dawson (D-Lansing, Cayuga Heights) introduced a resolution, urging immediate state action to reopen the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) and protect vulnerable New Yorkers from utility shut-offs. The resolution calls on the Governor to immediately declare a statewide moratorium on residential electric, gas, and combination utility terminations until HEAP is fully funded. The resolution was adopted unanimously.
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