APRIL LEGISLATURE REPORT

Jazz Fest

In April, Frank Malfitano updated the Education and Libraries Committee, which I chair, on the 2007 incarnation of Jazz Fest, which remains the largest free jazz festival in the Northeast.  

The festival will be from Friday, June 29 to Sunday, July 1. This year’s festival will feature 37 acts, including Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, Dave Brubeck and Aretha Franklin. Specific information about the festival—including times, acts, directions, and special eventc—can be found at its website SyracuseJazzFest.com. 

I am pleased that the festival will again be located on the Onondaga Community College campus. Jazz Fest is a great event in itself and a showcase for our college’s facilities. 

New this year, visitors will be able to stay in overnight in the college’s brand-new, all-suite residence halls. Information on renting a suite for the weekend is available on the college’s website SUNYOCC. Exercising due diligence, the committee closely questioned both festival Director Malfitano and William Emm, OCC’s chief fiscal officer, about budgetary, liability and other important issues related to renting suites to non-students. 

Malfitano said the festival is expected to cost $650,000, much of that to be paid by local corporate contributors.

Jazz Fest is a highlight of the summer season. If you have never attended, go this year.

Radio Interoperability

Believe it or not, radio communications among police, fire and other agencies with emergency responsibilities still has to rely on a 30-year system that operates on several frequencies, has dead spots and is in constant need of repair. In other words, emergency responders can’t always communicate with each by radio in the field.

The Public Safety Committee, on which I sit, received an update on progress toward installing an up-to-date system in which everyone can talk to everyone, which is what radio interoperability involves. The County has committed to fund the backbone infrastructure, but cannot finance the entire cost. Currently, we are seeking are seeking state and federal aid to cover a substantial share of the estimated $33 million cost.

Medicaid Cost Containment

Medicaid is the single biggest program delivered by Onondaga County. The program provides vital help to low income people needing medical care. Unfortunately, it has been targeted for fraud by both clients and vendors.

In April, the Social Services Committee, on which I sit, approved additional funds for a cost containment program and authorized hiring two fraud investigators and an assistant district attorney to chase down abuse.

For more than a year, the county has been using software that helps identify potential abusers among both users and providers in the program. Now, additional personnel are needed to follow up on the information the software has turned up.