steuben county

School districts in Steuben County paid thousands of dollars this year to use the county’s new voting machines for budget votes and school board elections. It was the first time that Steuben County charged school districts to use its voting machines.

A lawsuit filed against the town of Thurston was recently discontinued. It challenged the town’s ban on landspreading, which uses sewage sludge as fertilizer.

A legislature committee is investigating claims of alleged sexual harassment and discrimination within the sheriff’s office and the office’s response to those claims.

Steuben County has not been left out of the opioid epidemic. Narcan kits are accessible in public spaces countywide. The county is also working to get Narcan and Narcan training into every school district.

Local Republican lawmakers are calling on Governor Kathy Hochul to keep millions of dollars in funding for a major infrastructure program in the 2025 state budget.

The town of Thurston is being sued for its ban on landspreading, which is the practice of using sewage sludge as fertilizer. Sewage sludge is the byproduct of human and industrial waste produced by wastewater treatment plants.

The document identifies nine policy areas with a focus on infrastructure issues like housing, broadband, transportation and climate strategies.

A town in Steuben County hired its first female—and youngest—highway superintendent. Saige McGarvey, 19, took the position after a newly elected official stepped down weeks before signing the oath of office on Jan. 1.

In December, county residents gathered at the Thurston Town Hall for the results of 83 water tests from the towns of Thurston, Cameron and Bath. Results show that PFAS compounds in water sources adjacent to sewage sludge usage—also known as landspreading—were on average nine times higher than in areas not adjacent to landspreading. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency warns even trace amounts of some PFAS chemicals found in drinking water may pose health risks.

The towns of Addison and Wheeler in Steuben County voted down similar ballot measures during this year’s general election. Both wanted to eliminate the elected highway superintendent position and replace it with an appointed one.