Onondaga County Executive Joanie Mahoney touted her administration’s achievements during her “state of the county” address Tuesday night, detailing progress on city-county shared services, infrastructure projects and local graduation rates.

Mahoney delivered the speech to government officials, including Mayor Ben Walsh and other community members in a packed Oncenter Carrier Theater in downtown Syracuse.

In her wide-ranging address, Mahoney at times praised some officials such as Walsh, and pleaded with the Onondaga County Legislature to pass a sustainable development plan that hasn’t been updated since 2012.

When Mahoney praised newly-elected County Legislator James Rowley for his ability to quickly merge the Town of Clay Police Department and the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Department, she said fellow county legislators might not want to implement policies with such speed.

“Not all of your colleagues like to be pushed,” Mahoney said, looking at Rowley. “They tend to like to read, and read, and read, and talk, and study, and convene committee meetings.”

The county executive, though, described what she said were the county’s accomplishments in recent years, including the 2017 completion of the first city-county shared services plan, which she said identified $5 million in potential savings.

She pointed to a recent partnership between the county and 35 government entities such as cities, towns, villages, school districts, the airport authority and Oswego County to buy salt for winter weather.

The partnership, she said, resulted in savings that were 15 percent greater than if each entity bought salt through the previous state contract.

“Consolidated purchasing works,” Mahoney said.

Mahoney during her speech touted the economic benefits of the Lakeview Amphitheater, which the county completed in 2015. The amphitheater, near Onondaga Lake, cost the city just over $49 million to build and has generated $100 million in economic activity, Mahoney said.

She also detailed progress on local infrastructure projects, including improvements at the New York State Fairgrounds. Projects there include the construction of an expo center and pavement of a now-dirt parking lot.

When Mahoney took office in 2008, she said there was not direct involvement between the county and area schools. But, since then, Mahoney said county government has stepped in to provide services to students who need support.

She said the county has moved services, including behavioral health professionals and mental health partnerships, directly into schools.

“In the old days, we kept the services separate from the schools and we waited for things to get bad enough for people to bring kids to the civic center,” Mahoney said. “And, oftentimes, that was too late.”

The Syracuse City School District high school graduation rate has grown from 49 percent to just over 60 percent since 2012, according to the New York State Department of Education.

Mahoney said SCSD Superintendent Jaime Alicea will hand high school graduates voter registration forms with their diplomas. She also thanked New York state Gov. Andrew Cuomo for funding the “Say Yes to Education” program, which provides free college tuition to some students who graduate from Syracuse schools.

The county executive, during the speech, also took time to officially congratulate Walsh on his historic mayoral win. The two have enjoyed a cordial relationship since Walsh took office in January, a marked departure from Mahoney’s years of feuding with former Mayor Stephanie Miner.

She said members of her staff have been meeting with Walsh’s team in the 65 days since he was inaugurated.

“We’re making a lot of progress,” Mahoney said. “We’re really happy to have a partner in that progress.”

Published on March 6, 2018 at 10:30 pm

Contact Jordan: jmulle01@syr.edu | @jordanmuller18