Supervisors’ Flood Committee members are working on simplifying applications for the 2022 round of NYPA settlement grants.
The money—now $200,000 a year—comes as part of the FERC relicensing agreement between the New York Power Authority and Schoharie County reached in September 2018.
Past grants have gone almost exclusively to local fire departments, the Sheriff’s Office, county ambulances, and first responders—though in 2019, the first year, tourism and economic development also got awards.
Thursday, Flood Committee members agreed to limit this year’s grants to no more than $50,000 as a way to get them in the hands of more agencies.
The focus will remain on emergency services, said Flood Committee chairman Don Airey, but he’s also open to hearing what other agencies and related non-profits might propose.
“The spirit of the agreement with NYPA is first responders, but maybe we start looking at what that means a little more broadly,” he said.
“Every year, we should try to be more inclusive. I’ll be curious to see who applies. I don’t want to build walls.”
Also with that in mind, Mr. Airey said they’re working on simplifying the application to require just a simple narrative and contact information.
County Administrator Steve Wilson and Mr. Ariey are still putting together the application; more details on where to get it will follow.
The tentative deadline for applications is June, with the Flood Committee’s decisions in July and dispersement in the fall.