County Executive News

Transition team recommends County Create, Collaborate and Consolidate

Albany, NY – Albany County needs to change the way it’s doing business is the message of Albany County Executive Daniel P. McCoy’s 2012 Transition Team. In the Transition Team Report released today, recommendations focus on creating a county Local Development Corporation, collaboration within county departments and with outside partners, and consolidation of functions and efforts within departments to create efficiencies and save money.

“I am grateful for the time, effort and energy invested by the members of the Transition Team,” said McCoy. “The recommendations will be carefully considered as we assess how to do what’s best to streamline county government.

As I said during my State of the County message, nothing is written in stone. These recommendations give us another perspective from respected leaders in the Capital Region. We need to look at every option and try different things to find new approaches to do business in a better way. ”

“I’m pleased to have been invited to contribute to this report, along with a distinguished group of citizens who share Dan McCoy’s commitment to our County,” said Jim Barba, chairman of the Transition Team and CEO of Albany Medical Center. “We face many challenges, but this effort  demonstrates that by engaging good minds and the best intentions even the toughest issues, like meeting the needs of our seniors, can be effectively addressed.”

Priority recommendations made by the team’s Executive Committee include closing the Albany County Nursing Home to “better utilize county resources to provide access to quality home and community based services to the 45,000 senior living in Albany County. County resources could then be invested in support programs including home delivered meals, home care, personal care and other community supports that allow seniors to remain in their homes and communities.”  

The recommendations include creating a Local Development Corporation to serve as the county’s economic development team. The report highlights “to position itself (the county) as the entry portal for interested and existing firms and completing a Medicaid Review. This should be done across agencies to make sure the county is getting the maximum reimbursements due. Since Medicaid is changing, the review would allow the county to get ready for this transformation.

Consolidation of departments and collaboration with other agencies to increase efficiency are recommended to improve fiscal management. This is suggested by merging the fiscal offices across departments under one Management and Budget Division. Collaboration with other municipalities like Albany County DPW currently does with NYSDOT could result in cost savings as well.

After his election last November, McCoy appointed a transition team of community leaders to address the challenges facing the county. There were 53 members of subcommittees that addressed Fiscal Policy and Planning, Mental Health and Health, Human Services, County Administration and Operation, Infrastructure and Asset Management and Law and Public Protection.

The full report from the transition team can be found here.