New York State
Department of State
Grant Program
The Department of State provides grant assistance to local governments for the development of projects or programs that will result in savings and improve efficiency through shared services, mergers, consolidations and dissolutions. Units of local government may include: • Counties, Cities, Villages, and Towns • School Districts and Boards of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) • Special Districts • Water and Sewer Authorities • Regional Planning Boards • Fire Districts • Library Districts Generally, grants are available to two or more municipalities to cover costs associated with cooperative projects. Through the first three rounds of the original Shared Municipal Services Incentive (SMSI) grant, over 750 grant applications were received from across New York State. Applicants have sought more than $144 million in grant assistance. The grant program has provided nearly $30 million in assistance to local governments for shared services, with anticipated savings of more than $100 million. Beginning in 2008, the SMSI grant program has been expanded and renamed to Local Government Efficiency (LGE) grants.
The Department of State defends the public’s safety, protects and develops a sustainable environment, strengthens local communities, and serves the business community. The Office of the Secretary of State was established in 1778, making it, other than the Offices of Governor and Lieutenant Governor, the oldest agency in the administration of New York State government. Known as the “Keeper of Records” for more than two centuries, the Department of State continues to perform its historic responsibilities, as well as oversee a wide range of additional functions and evolving programs. The Division of Local Government Services provides training and technical assistance to local governments and community organizations throughout the state, and helps local officials to solve problems involving basic powers and duties, public works, municipal organization, planning, land use and regulatory controls, and community development. One of the goals of the Division is to serve as a principle resource for New York local governments.
Division of Local Government Services
Shared Services
New York State
Department of State
Division of Local Government Services
One Commerce Plaza, 10th Floor 99 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12231 Telephone: (518) 473-3355 Toll-Free Local Government Helpline: (800) 367-8488 www.dos.state.ny.us E-mail: localgov@dos.state.ny.us
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David A. Paterson Governor
Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez Secretary of State
David A. Paterson Governor
Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez Secretary of State
Sharing Equals Savings
To encourage local government efficiencies and costsavings through collaboration and consolidation, the Department of State provides both technical and financial assistance. Grants can be used to develop local and regional projects focused on shared services, cooperative agreements, mergers, consolidations and dissolutions. Technical assistance is available to municipal officials and communities interested in shared services or consolidation. Resources available to local governments include: case studies, sample intermunicipal agreements, publications, and technical assistance manuals. Our programs and staff are focused on providing resources to local leaders to help them carry out their evolving responsibilities as effectively as possible. To receive information about Shared Services technical assistance and the grant program, send an email with your request to: sharedservices@dos.state.ny.us.
Resources
NYS Department of State, Division of Local Government www.dos.state.ny.us/lgss The Publications page links to documents related to local government cooperation such as the James A. Coon Technical Series and other land use publications, Legal Memoranda, NYS Statutes and Legislation, and shared services case studies.
Examples of Shared Services and Intermunicipal Cooperation:
Consolidation/Dissolution Studies: • Town & Village of Pike Coordinated Police and Court Services: • Yates County & Village of Penn Yan Consolidated School Business Office: • Brocton, Chautauqua Lake, Ripley and Westfield School Districts Joint Administrator for Planning, Zoning and DPW: • Village of Cambridge & Town of Greenwich Health Care Consortium: • Tompkins County Council of Governments Municipal Emergency Shelter and Support Program: • Newcomb Central School District & Town of Newcomb Shared Highway Services: • Chemung County Shared Highway Services Shared Municipal Facilities: • Town & Village of Adams Water & Wastewater Infrastructure: • Towns of Eden, Brandt, North Collins and Collins and Villages of North Collins and Angola
NYS Division of Budget www.budget.state.ny.us The Aid to Municipalities (AIM) program provides aid to fiscally distressed municipalities in addition to incentive to local governments that consolidate. NYS Office of the State Comptroller, Division of Local Government www.osc.state.ny.us A publication: “Local Government Management Guide: Intermunicipal Cooperation” is a series of modules that include technical information as well as suggested practices for local government management. NYS Office of Real Property Services www.orps.state.ny.us Various options are available for more efficient assessment administration including cost efficiencies, new technology, valuation expertise, and changing from part-time to full-time assessors.
A blueprint for shared services:
1. Define problem and affected parties. 2. Identify solutions and potential partners. 3. List and allocate financial impacts. 4. Confirm legal authority. 5. Plan the project. 6. Collaborate with affected parties. 7. Negotiate the agreement. 8. Prepare agreement. 9. Implement the agreement. 10. Evaluate the project.
(From the SMSI Technical Assistance Project at the Albany Law School)