Highlights of the 9/15/25 Expanded Budget Committee (EBC) meeting

Published on September 18, 2025

Highlights of the 9/15/25 Expanded Budget Committee (EBC) meeting &

2026 Budget Forum planned for September 30

The following department and agency budgets were presented during this 4^th EBC meeting:

Executive Director Jim Bouderau described steady operations and an increased need for access to care, growing needs from the unhoused population, and areas of pet overpopulation. He cited a higher number of trap-and-release projects in 2024 (419) compared to 2023 (165). The submitted budget request ($32,663) remained flat from 2025 without any enhancement requests and was supported in the Administrator’s Recommended Budget.

Rural Library Services

This funding supports the Finger Lakes Library System and 5 local libraries. They include the Groton Public Library, Southworth Library of Dryden, Newfield Public Library, Ulysses Philomathic Library of Trumansburg, and the Lansing Community Library. Library directors who were present emphasized high and growing use—120,000+ visits in 2024 (10% increase). The submitted budget request ($220,026) did not include any enhancement requests and was supported in the Recommended Budget.

Soil & Water Conservation District

District Manager Jonathan Negley reviewed core work, including flood response, erosion control, watershed protection, and invasive species control. Negley’s budget request remained flat from 2025. The Recommended Budget included a $33,543 county share reduction (10% of the total budget).

Cornell Cooperative Extension of Tompkins County

Executive Director Cynthia Cave-Gaetani and Finance Director Robert Brown stressed that county target funding is the core that leverages other state and grant funding and underpins many programs spanning agriculture, youth, environment, and workforce. Enhancement requests for budget restoration ($37,960), philanthropic development coordinator ($70,000), climate grant support ($60,000), and youth mental health initiative ($50,000) were not supported in the Recommended Budget, which also included a $72,123 budget reduction. Brown explained that the proposed cuts reduce the county's share to funding levels of 10 years ago and that the county funding cannot be replaced by other funding sources, which are mainly programmatic. Asked by Legislator Veronica Pillar (D-Ithaca City) how he arrived at such a significant budget reduction, the county administrator explained that funding decisions for departments and agencies were made to accommodate a tax levy increase that can be supported by the legislature.

The History Center in Tompkins County / Tompkins Center for History & Culture

Executive Director Ben Sandberg described his dual role of managing the operations of the History Center and Tompkins Center for History & Culture – a multi-tenant facility owned by the county. The submitted budget request ($46,501) did not include any enhancement requests and was supported in the Recommended Budget. Expanded Budget Committee Chair Mike Lane (D–Dryden) called the county’s purchase and multi-tenant model “one of our greatest successes.”

Tompkins Community Action

Executive Director Danielle Harrington summarized programming in early education, housing stability, and food security. Harrington outlined that county funds represent 3.3% of TC Action’s annual budget with a significant impact on leveraging federal grants that require local matches. Harrington requested a flat budget for 2026; the Recommended Budget included a $27,038 county share reduction. Harrington stated that this reduction may put federal grants in jeopardy and may impact the Head Start program and supporting housing services. Legislator Shawna Black (D-Ithaca Town) stated that funding this agency represents a preventative action, and reductions may lead to an increase in other service calls.

Human Services Coalition of Tompkins County – Organization

Executive Director Cindy Wilcox and Deputy Director John Mazzello outlined three core program areas—Human Services Planning, Health Planning Council, and 2-1-1 Information and Referral— emphasizing the organization’s important functions of convening, technical assistance, data support, and systems coordination. Two enhancements were not supported in the Recommended Budget: $30,000 for a Continuum of Care (CoC) housing specialist and $20,000 for a data specialist.

Human Services Coalition – Community Agencies

Executive Director Cindy Wilcox and Deputy Director John Mazzello explained that the Coalition supports the county by reviewing funding requests from community organizations and providing funding recommendations to county administration and the county legislature. The Recommended Budget includes a reduction to the base budget from 2025 by $294,612: $10,165 Advocacy Center, $19,303 Catholic Charities, $9,374 Community Dispute Resolution Center, $8,704 Ithaca Health Alliance, $17,000 Ithaca Neighborhood Housing Services, $16,000 Ithaca Welcomes Refugees, $16,400 LawNY, $16,400 Lifelong, $4,000 Loaves & Fishes, $1,000 Mutual Aid Tompkins, $6,000 Open Doors English, $5,082 Southside Community Center, $23,099 Tompkins Learning Partners, $8,000 Village at Ithaca, $98,951 OAR, $16,075 Downtown Ithaca Children's Center, and $19,059 Food Bank of the Southern Tier.

The county administrator directed the Coalition to review the budget adjustment and reprioritize their enhancement requests. The county administrator did not include support for the following enhancement requests: $25,000 LawNY Reentry Project Target OTR, $25,000 Community Food Coalition One-Time OTR (Year 2 of 3), $16,075 Downtown Ithaca Children's Center (from the county administrator’s reduction above), $19,059 Food Bank of the Southern Tier (from the county administrator’s reduction above), $57,500 REACH one-time funding, and $45,000 OAR Sunflower House One-Time OTR (Year 2 of 3).

Asked by Legislator Randy Brown (R-Enfield, Newfield) about the process that led to the cuts for individual agencies, the county administrator emphasized that he suggested the total level of reductions; the Coalition adjusted the individual agency budgets to accommodate the recommended level of funding. Legislator Pillar (D-Ithaca City) requested input from the agencies on the impact these cuts would have on their operations and clients, while recognizing that these cuts are based on the direction the legislature gave county administration.

Probation & Community Justice

Director Daniel Cornell reviewed mandated services and presented two enhancements that were supported in the Recommended Budget: $48,407 to cover contracts for the delivery of programming and services essential to the Day Reporting curriculum, and $25,000 for body-worn cameras for officers assigned to GIVE detail, per legislative direction.

Next EBC meeting

The next EBC meeting is scheduled for September 18 with the following expected department presentation (subject to change): Sheriff/Jail, Emergency Response, Office for the Aging, Youth Services/Recreation Partnerships, Workforce Development, and Airport. The meeting starts at 5 pm and will be livestreamed.

2026 budget forum planned for September 30

The Tompkins County Legislature invites members of the community to a public forum regarding the 2026 budget. The forum will include a brief update on the budget’s development and the opportunity for community members from all backgrounds, identities, and experiences to comment on and ask questions about the budget. The county values the community’s input.

The forum will take place at the Tompkins County Legislature Chambers, 121 East Court Street, Ithaca on Tuesday, September 30 at 5:30 pm. Members of the public are invited to attend in person or virtually; if attending virtually, pre-register to get the Zoom link. Each attendee will have up to three minutes to provide comment.

Those unable to attend the public forum may provide written feedback on the community engagement portal.

The public is encouraged to review the highlights of the county administrator’s 2026 recommended budget presentation, as well as the digital budget book, where one can browse the departments, agencies, and projects supported by the county.