[0:03] Good evening, everyone. My name is Olivia Mullins, and I am the clerk of the area county legislature, and I'm going to call this public hearing to order at 6 p.m. I will start by reading the notice into the record, and then we will move on to the public comment. I have quite a few letters that were sent in that I have to read into the record. Following that, we will move to anyone who is here who would like to speak, starting with the notice.

[0:29] Please take notice that a meeting of the County Legislature of the County of

[0:33] Eerie, New York, shall be held in the chambers of the legislature at 92 Franklin Street 4th floor,

[0:39] both in New York 1-4-202.

[0:41] On the first day of October, 2026 at 6 p.m., for the purpose of conducting a public hearing to hear public comment on local law

[0:49] in July 7, 2021-26.

[0:51] A local law formally known as the Eerie County Small Business Utilization Act.

[0:57] A copy of the local law may be seen on our website at eerie.gov-legislature-bufflin-o-York September 21st, 2026 by order of the county legislature of the county of Eerie, New York, signed by myself, Olivia Owens, clerk of the legislature.

[1:16] I will start reading the comments that I got over email into the record starting now.

[1:25] The first one is from Councilmember David Rivera.

[1:30] So often our small local businesses are priced out of contracts because they can't compete with larger companies.

[1:36] I support this proposed act because I support small businesses and keeping taxpayer dollars local whenever possible.

[1:43] I am hopeful that this act will encourage more businesses to apply for county contracts without costing taxpayers more money.

[1:51] The next one I have is from Brianna Hargrave.

[1:58] She is the lead 716 coordinator.

[2:01] Dear legislators, I'm writing to express my support for the Eerie County Small Business

[2:07] Utilization Act and the opportunities it could create for small businesses throughout

[2:11] our community.

[2:13] Small businesses are an important part of Eerie County.

[2:16] They employ local residents, provide valuable services and contribute to the strength and

[2:20] growth of our communities, creating more opportunities for qualified small businesses to compete

[2:25] for county contracts can help ensure that local businesses have a meaningful opportunity

[2:31] to grow and participate in the local academy. I also appreciate that this legislation is

[2:37] targeted and does not apply to every eerie county contract. By focusing on certain contracts

[2:42] and consultant service RFPs under $10,000, the proposal creates opportunities for small businesses

[2:49] without placing a significant financial or administrative burden on the county.

[2:54] It allows your county to continue meeting its contracting needs while also creating additional opportunities for local businesses.

[3:02] The definition of a small business is also important because it allows businesses to grow without being immediately excluded from these opportunities.

[3:11] Small businesses need room to build their teams, increase their capacity, and become more efficient.

[3:16] supporting that growth can help create stronger businesses that continue contributing to

[3:21] Erie County over the long term. Most importantly, Erie County is already going to spend money on

[3:25] the goods and services it needs. When qualified local small businesses have an opportunity to compete

[3:31] for those contracts, those dollars can remain within our region. The county can accomplish two goals

[3:37] at once, meet its contracting, needs while also investing in the growth and sustainability of local

[3:42] small businesses. Keeping money in our local economy benefits more than individual businesses.

[3:48] It supports local jobs, families, and communities and helps create a stronger regional economy.

[3:54] Providing qualified small businesses with greater access to county contracting opportunities

[3:58] is a meaningful way to strengthen the communities that make up your economy.

[4:03] I respectfully encourage you and your colleagues to move that your county small business utilization

[4:08] act forward and support its passage.

[4:10] Small businesses deserve meaningful opportunities to compete, grow, and contribute to the future of our region.

[4:17] This legislation is an opportunity for Eury County to use the resources.

[4:22] It is already investing in a way that can benefit both county and the local businesses that call it home.

[4:28] Thank you for your leadership and for your commitment to create meaningful opportunities for small businesses throughout Eury County.

[4:35] I am proud to support the Eury County Small Business Utilization Act.

[4:39] My next public comment is from Joyce Dangoes. I definitely support small businesses. They

[4:47] are vital to our community as many big businesses are going bankrupt and closing.

[4:52] They are also a vital connection for neighbors in that community to shop locally. This is

[4:58] why they're vital. I'm going to pass it over to Caleb to read a few of the ones that he

[5:03] received.

[5:04] Okay, this one comes from Lakeisha, Collins, to the Honourable Members of the Eerie County Legislature.

[5:11] My name is Lakeisha, and Collins, and I'm writing to express my strong support for the Eerie County Small Business Utilization Act.

[5:18] Introduced by legislators, Titus St. Jean Tart.

[5:21] I'm the owner of LMC Photo, LLC, a New York State Certified Minority and Women Own Business Enterprise, MWBE, MBE, and WBE.

[5:31] I am also the owner of LMC Consulting Services LLC and Founder and President of LMC Impact Incorporated a 501-C3 nonprofit organization serving youth, families, and communities throughout the Western New York, throughout Western New York.

[5:47] As a small business owner, I understand firsthand the challenges that small businesses face when attempting to compete for government contracts.

[5:54] Small businesses have the experience, talent, professionalism, and community relationships necessary to perform a quality work.

[6:03] What we do not always have is the same access, administrative capacity, financial resources, or contracting, or contracting history as larger companies.

[6:13] That is why legislation like the Small Business Utilization Act is important, creating stronger pathways for qualified small businesses to compete.

[6:20] For eerie county contracts, it's not simply an investment in individual businesses.

[6:25] It is an investment in our local economy.

[6:28] When small businesses receive opportunities, they can hire local workers, purchase equipment,

[6:33] utilize other local vendors, expand their services, and build the capacity needed to pursue future opportunities.

[6:40] As MWBE business owners, I also understand that certification alone does not guarantee opportunity.

[6:47] We must have systems that provide qualified small, minority-owned, and women-owned businesses with meaningful opportunities to compete.

[6:56] This is not about lowering standards.

[6:58] Businesses should still be qualified, responsible, and capable of performing the work.

[7:03] This is about making sure that the doors of opportunity are truly accessible to businesses of all sizes.

[7:10] Small businesses are ready to work, we are ready to compete, we are ready to grow.

[7:14] So most importantly, we are ready to continue investing our time, talent, resources, and dollars back into Eerie County.

[7:21] I respectfully submit this statement in support of the Eerie County Small Business Utilization Act,

[7:26] Local Law Intro 7-1 of 2026, and asked that it be entered into the official record.

[7:32] Respectfully submitted, Lukisha M. Collins.

[7:41] Okay, this next one comes from Robert Lowry.

[7:45] Dear members of the eerie county legislature, as a small business owner in eerie county I understand how important access to opportunities is for the growth and sustainability of local businesses.

[7:56] I am writing on behalf of RL experience LLC to express my support for the eerie county small business enterprise utilization act.

[8:05] Small businesses help create jobs, strengthen neighborhoods, and support our local economy.

[8:09] This legislation represents a meaningful step toward reducing barriers and providing local small businesses with greater access to county contracting opportunities.

[8:19] I appreciate Legislature Titusha at St. Gene Tards leadership in advancing this initiative and respectfully encourage the Eerie County Legislature to support its passage.

[8:31] This one is from Rob Winstead.

[8:34] I support the Eerie County Small Business Utilization Act sponsored by Legislature St. Gene Tard.

[8:39] And

[8:44] then this last one comes from Dr. Susan McCartney,

[8:48] Karina Loera, and Bailey Brullard of the Greater Buffalo Small Business Development Center.

[8:57] Dear Honourable Tiesha, St. Jean Tard, and members of the Eerie County Legislature.

[9:02] On behalf of the Greater Buffalo Small Business Development Center,

[9:06] we are writing to express our support for the proposed Eerie County legislation designed to give small businesses

[9:11] of bidding advantage in Erie County purchasing through its purchasing division.

[9:16] We support this proposed legislation because allowing eligible small businesses to be considered

[9:21] when their bids are within 5% of the lowest bid incorporating scoring and providing a preference

[9:26] in the event of a tie with a larger entity could create meaningful opportunities for local

[9:31] businesses and strengthen our regional economy.

[9:34] The Greater Buffalo SVDC directed by Dr. Susan McCartney at SUNY Buffalo State University

[9:40] provides management and technical assistance to start up in existing small businesses throughout Eurick County and an Niagara frontier.

[9:47] As a center within Buffalo State University, we bring together the resources of SUNY Buffalo State,

[9:53] the private sector and government agencies to counsel and train small businesses as they address organizational, financial, marketing, technical, and other challenges.

[10:02] For over 40 years, we have served the small business community.

[10:06] We continuously work with thousands of local entrepreneurs and business owners each year.

[10:12] Through this work, we recognize the importance of helping small businesses grow, compete, and

[10:17] contribute to our local economy, particularly in the area of procurement.

[10:23] As businesses move beyond startup and planning and begin pursuing larger opportunities,

[10:27] many entrepreneurs look to contract with established companies and institutions

[10:32] to support their growth.

[10:34] However, preparing to compete for contracts does not always translate into securing them.

[10:39] We have first-hand experience helping qualified responsible small businesses navigate the procurement process

[10:45] and understand the challenges they face when competing for public sector opportunities.

[10:51] We believe the proposed legislation will create that opportunity,

[10:53] providing eligible small businesses with meaningful consideration in the bidding process could help more local businesses secure their first public sector contracts establish business to business and institutional pass performance and build a foundation for sustainable growth.

[11:09] We appreciate your consideration of this legislation and encourage the eerie county legislature to support its advancement.

[11:15] since early doctors, Jews, and McCartney,

[11:18] Karina Loera, and Bailey Brewer.

[11:23] Okay, I have three more to read into the record.

[11:27] The next one is from Dequila McGee.

[11:31] Dear Honorable Taisha, St. Jean Tart,

[11:33] and members of the York County Legislature.

[11:36] I'm ready to express my strong support

[11:38] for the proposed York County Legislation,

[11:40] deciding to provide small businesses

[11:42] with a building advantage, a bidding advantage,

[11:45] and your county purchasing through its purchasing division.

[11:49] As a small business owner who lives and works in the city of Buffalo, I have seen firsthand

[11:54] how access to opportunity can impact the growth and sustainability of a local business.

[12:00] I believe that when your county and the city of Buffalo intentionally create opportunities

[12:05] for local businesses to participate in public procurement, those investments have the potential

[12:12] to circulate within our communities, strengthen our local economy, and create pathways for businesses to grow.

[12:19] After becoming MWBE certified with Erie County in the city of Buffalo, I gained an even greater

[12:25] understanding of the challenges small businesses face when pursuing government contracts.

[12:31] My company has a skills experience and capabilities to fulfill larger,

[12:37] We are often competing against significantly larger corporations, including businesses located outside of our region.

[12:45] For many small businesses having the capability to perform the work is only part of the challenge.

[12:51] We also need a meaningful opportunity to compete and be considered for these contracts.

[12:56] The proposed legislation could help create that opportunity by allowing eligible small businesses to remain competitive when their bids are within a specified

[13:05] provide percentage of the lowest bid, incorporating small business considerations into scoring and providing

[13:12] a preference in the event of a tie with a larger entity.

[13:16] These measures could make a meaningful difference for businesses that are ready to grow but need

[13:21] access to larger opportunities to take that next step.

[13:25] My long-term goal is to scale my apparel company into a larger manufacturing operation, establish

[13:31] an unparalleled manufacturing facility in Buffalo and create quality jobs for people in our community.

[13:38] However, businesses cannot grow into major employers without opportunities to first demonstrate their capacity,

[13:45] build their track record, and reinvest in their operations.

[13:49] I believe Eerie County has an opportunity to help create that pathway for local small businesses.

[13:53] Supporting small businesses through procurement is not simple, simply about awarding contracts.

[14:01] It is about helping local companies build capacity to employ more people, invest locally,

[14:08] and contribute to the long-term economic strength of our community.

[14:12] For these reasons, I respectfully urge the York County Legislature to support proposed

[14:17] legislation and continue creating meaningful opportunities for qualified small businesses

[14:23] is in eerie county to compete for public contracts.

[14:26] Thank you for your consideration and for your continued work on behalf of our local business community.

[14:33] Sorry that one work is very hard for me to say.

[14:36] My next letter is from Latoya, Chennai, Tierra, Jeter, Deary Eerie County Legislature.

[14:44] I'm writing in support of the proposed Eerie County Small Business Utilization Act.

[14:48] As an eerie county business owner building elbow agencies consulting administrative and community engagement services

[14:55] I know that access to smaller public contracts can help

[15:00] Local firm established a track record and grow. I ask the legislature to make the process practical for small businesses. Please publish clear instructions on how firm proves it qualifies as an eerie county small business enterprise. Allow firms to prepare that documentation before solicitation opens and make bid notices easy to find. When a notice is posted for only three business days, businesses need to know where to look and what to submit. Please also provide outreach

[15:29] or training for firms that are new to County Procure Mint.

[15:35] The proposed preference will have the greatest impact if eligible businesses can find

[15:41] opportunities and submit complete competitive response.

[15:46] Thank you for considering my comments.

[15:48] Please include this statement in the public hearing record.

[15:52] The final one I have is from Cindy McEachon.

[15:55] I'm running in support of the Erie County Small Business Utilization Act.

[16:00] Small businesses are the backbone of our community and this legislation creates more opportunities for them to access county contracts and grow.

[16:08] I encourage the legislature to support this important effort to invest in local businesses and strengthen our economy.

[16:15] Thank you for your leadership on this issue.

[16:19] Those are all the public comments that I received beforehand.

[16:22] And now, at this time, I will open up the floor for public comment.

[16:27] Is there anyone who would like to speak?

[16:29] Is there anyone who would like to speak?

[16:31] For the third and final time, is there anyone who would like to speak?

[16:35] Hearing none, I will now adjourn this public hearing at 6.16 PM.

[16:40] Thank you.

Oct 01, 2026 Public Hearing

Transcript