Warren County has decided to renig on the purchase of a new backup electrical generator that was originally approved by the Board of Supervisors in September for $200,000. Our Brooke Selby spoke with county officials to find out why they've decided to stop the spending and save on electricity at a time when outages are at a premium.

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WARRENSBURG, N.Y. -- Hurricane Sandy has caused electrical outages all over the northeast grid that may continue in the days and weeks ahead but, that isn't changing the minds of Warren County officials who have decided to scrap the purchase of a backup generator.

Warren County Supervisor Paul Dusek said, “When you prepare the budget and realize what the tax increase is going to be as a result of including all these items you have to start pairing back what it is you include."

Members of the Warren County Board of Elections are upset with the plan. They would have benefited from the backup generator.

Commissioner Mary Beth Casey said, "I must respectfully disagree with this plan as a procedure for the future. We are the only office that has that kind of information so we must be available within minutes of any situation. I'm a tax payer as well as an Elections Commissioner so I don't look at the purchase of a back up generator lightly."

Although Warren County officials decided to scrap the purchase of a backup generator in the Human Services building, they said the one they already have provided enough coverage for electrical outages they experienced during Hurricane Sandy.

Plus, Administrator Dusek said they have already put an additional plan in place, should there be an outage, and it does not involve carrying the election equipment up the two flights of stairs like the Board of Elections insinuated.

Dusek said, "We can run a separate electrical feed directly to the elevator so we can actually take care of that problem immediately, if there was say a power failure on the day they wanted to move the voting machines which like I said would be days before the elections we would be able to have power available."

A new generator would cost the county $200,000.