Cortland County Awarded Over $830K to Help Lower Municipal Costs in County

Cortland County has been awarded $834,399.86 from the New York Department of State to fund two projects that will help lower municipal costs within the county. According to a release by the Department of State, the state match awards come from New York’s County-Wide Shared Services Initiative (CWSSI), which incentivizes counties, cities, towns, and villages to partner on shared services and efficiency projects by providing a one-time state match of county and local government taxpayer savings achieved in the first year of project implementation.

“Cortland County has an eye on the residents’ future tax savings by taking advantage of the Department of State’s incentives for shared services and efficiencies,” said Secretary of State Walter T. Mosley. “Local governments working together to lower costs is a surefire way to protect taxpayers and ensure long term municipal stability.”

Back in 2023, the county took lead on bringing municipalities to the table for two shared services projects, including the NYS Pharmacy Purchasing Coalition and consolidated Geographic Information Services (GIC), the Department of State says.

According to the Department of State, Cortland County’s participation in the NYS Pharmacy Purchasing Coalition, the county entered into an inter-municipal agreement with Capital Region BOCES to allow the County to join a larger network of public sector employers, ensuring consistency in pharmacy benefit management and strengthening long-term health plan stability for employees and retirees. The measure resulted in a state match of $817,249.86.

The second project the county led the effort was consolidating GIS technology within the City of Cortland, Towns of Cincinnatus, Cortlandville, Freetown, Preble, and Solon, as well as the Village of Marathon. The agreement has the county provide GIS services to assist in municipalities with mapping projects that support local planning, zoning, public safety, and infrastructure management. By offering these services countywide, municipalities can access accurate, high-quality data that supports better decision-making and fosters regional coordination. The shared service is resulting in a state match of $17,150.

“On behalf of the Cortland County Legislature, I want to thank the Department of State for recognizing and supporting our shared services initiatives,” said, Chair of the Cortland County Legislature. “This funding strengthens the County’s ongoing commitment to partnership with our municipalities. Through these collaborations, Cortland County continues to reduce costs, improve efficiency, and enhance the quality of services provided to our residents. When our towns, villages, and the county work together to make services more efficient, it ultimately benefits all Cortland County taxpayers. Cortland County will continue to seek new opportunities to share services and find innovative ways to save taxpayers money wherever possible.” Said Chair of the Cortland County Legislature Kevin Fitch.

The County-Wide Shared Service Initiative (CWSSI) program was enacted by the State Legislature at the request of the governor in 2017. It generates property tax savings by facilitating collaboration between local governments across the state.