MONTICELLO — Legislators unanimously agreed Thursday to set a public hearing in March to gauge support for raising the tobacco purchase age in Sullivan County to 21, banning sales within 1,000 feet of school properties, and limiting the opening of new outlets.

Whether the majority of legislators will actually pass the law, however, remains to be seen.

Last Tuesday, Sullivan County Public Health Services Director Nancy McGraw presented a case for doing so.

“It's the right thing to do,” she contended, arguing that restricting tobacco sales means children “will be less likely to end up as lifetime smokers.”

She peppered her PowerPoint with statistics:

• 96 percent of current adult smokers began before the age of 21

• About three out of every four teen smokers end up smoking through adulthood, even if they originally intended to quit after a few years

• Nearly a quarter of Sullivan County's adult population (18 years or older) are current smokers

• There are at least eight tobacco outlets in Sullivan County which are within 1,000 feet of a school building or property

• A recent Tobacco-Free Action Coalition survey found that 68 percent of Sullivan County residents favor prohibiting the sale of tobacco products near schools, and 58 percent favor raising the minimum purchase age to 21

“Tobacco remains the leading cause of preventable disease and premature death in New York State,” McGraw stated.

Legislators listened quietly to her presentation, asking a few questions here and there. Unlike when the topic was initially broached last month, they did not debate whether this law would hurt local businesses and whether it represents governmental overreach.

But that could resurface after the March 16 hearing, scheduled for 1:40 p.m. at the Government Center in Monticello. Legislators are anticipated to make a vote thereafter.

Up and up

County Treasurer Nancy Buck again reported to legislators that sales tax revenues continue to climb.

With only a few adjustments left to make, 2016 appears to have raked in around $40.4 million, according to the latest figures.

When compared to this time last year, the county is also up in mortgage recording taxes ($56,239 more than last January) and room taxes (by $73,385.06).

About the compressor

With neighbors of the proposed Highland Compressor Station equally curious, Legislator and Health & Family Services Committee Chair Nadia Rajsz inquired Tuesday about the status of a health impacts study promised a year ago.

The first request for proposals (RFP) were answered by firms and individuals who “didn't address the particulars” to the county's satisfaction, explained County Attorney Cheryl McCausland.

A second RFP elicited no responses, she added, so a third one was issued, with replies due this past Friday. That request, however, was just for air quality analyses, and neighbors of the compressor station want a more comprehensive, longer-term study.

“We're far from anything that sounds like a health impact study at this point,” contended Smallwood resident Dr. Larysa Dyrszka, who urged a six-month to yearlong air quality assessment of the similar Minisink Compressor in Orange County to gauge what she called “spikes” in emissions.

County Manager Josh Potosek said such was requested in the second RFP, which received no responses. (Dyrszka did confirm that a separate air quality study has been done at Minisink, but only after the compressor went into operation, giving researchers no baseline data.)

Millennium Pipeline, which is applying to the federal government to build the Highland Compressor Station, has offered $50,000 towards the study, but the county has not yet committed to those funds - and neighbors questioned the legitimacy of a study utilizing such money.

“Does Millennium ... have approval over the methodology?” questioned George Billard, who like other Town of Highland residents, has expressed strong opposition to the station's construction and operation. “If they do, then it's cooked!”

“We don't have an agreement with Millennium currently,” McCausland replied. “The county has and will continue to remain objective.”

Billard determined the county likely does not have enough money to do the kind of study he and others are advocating, so he urged officials to reach out to Albany.

“This is our health, and you must take this to the state level,” he stated, rueing the fact that the county did not apply for “intervenor” status in the station's federal application process.

“You forfeited your legal standing,” he charged, which McCausland strongly denied.

Legislators indicated they continue to want a study to be undertaken and that Millennium will not have final approval over who conducts the study or its results.

Neighbors persuaded legislators to send letters to the NYS departments of Health and Environmental Conservation to solicit a meeting for advice and aid, and possibly to ask them not to issue permits until a study can be accomplished.

Hangar talk returns

Tabled under the prior Legislature in 2015, a proposal to build a new hangar at the county airport in White Lake was resurrected on Tuesday.

A state grant covering 90 percent of the million-dollar cost may soon run out, and Public Works Commissioner Ed McAndrew wondered if legislators would be amenable to kicking in an additional million dollars to make the 10,000-square-foot hangar 14,000 square feet instead.

That could house four reasonably large private jets instead of just one, thus bringing in more rental revenue - perhaps enough to cover the resulting construction debt payments.

Legislator and Public Works Committee Chair Joe Perrello argued it's an opportunity not to be missed.

“This county has always been behind - one step forward, two steps back,” he lamented. “... The airport is a hidden treasure. ... It brings business to our community. I think we should build. ... We have some money to handle this with no expense to the taxpayers.”

“I understand the optimism, but I also understand the county overbuilding its infrastructure, which then is underutilized - like the airport,” replied Legislator Alan Sorensen, who had been skeptical of the idea when it was first broached in 2015. “I want to make sure if we build something, it's going to be utilized.”

Legislators Mark McCarthy and Ira Steingart said their talks with people in the aviation industry indicated strong demand for available hangar space at reasonable rents outside the New York City metro region.

Based on a conversation he had with them, McCarthy postulated that the airport's fixed base operator (FBO) - Private Flight Maintenance - might reconsider its operations if a larger hangar isn't built.

“They're going to be making money on the fuel,” he explained to his colleagues. “If we're not willing to help, then we'll end up looking for another FBO.”

Sorensen wondered if they might be willing to undertake a private-public partnership to help shoulder costs.

“Absolutely,” anticipated McCarthy.

No action was taken that day, however.

E-scrap recycling almost here again

Sullivan County Recycling Coordinator Bill Cutler was pleased to confirm that eLot Recycling is once again picking up electronics at county transfer stations.

Residents haven't been encouraged to drop off TVs, cellphones, computers and the like quite yet, because the county is attempting to clear out the existing backlog of e-scrap first.

Cutler anticipates that the general public's electronics will be welcome sometime next month.

New position, familiar face

Longtime Research Analyst Heather Brown, who ran the county's Office of Sustainable Energy, is now the Sustainablity Coordinator.

Joining her as Sustainability Analysts are Carol Roig and Stephen Stuart, who previously served in those roles via a contract with Sullivan Alliance for Sustainable Development.

Brown reported at Tuesday's Agriculture and Sustainability Policy Committee that the trio are continuing to focus on cleaner, greener energy solutions for county government and local municipalities.

She also noted that the county's new solar array near the Adult Care Center in Liberty should be going live about now.

Meanwhile, legislators approved proceeding with a retrofit of the Government Center in Monticello to make it far more energy-efficient, authorizing the payment of nearly $260,000 to the New York Power Authority to bid out the project.