JOHNSTOWN - Fulton County supervisors have rescinded a $34,000 state grant application originally sought by the Public Health Department to help fight obesity.

At the request of that department, the Board of Supervisors earlier this year authorized an application for a state Healthy Communities Capacity Building Initiative Grant. The grant period would have been from Aug. 1 to March 31, 2010.

But at the Nov. 9 Board of Supervisors meeting, supervisors voted to refuse the state grant and rescind the previous board resolution.

Monday's resolution stated county Public Health Director Denise Frederick indicated her department "does not have the resources to meet the objectives" of the grant.

Frederick couldn't be reached Friday, but department Fiscal Manager Joy Little said Friday the grant explanation was deemed vague by the department.

County Administrative Officer Jon Stead told the board it was rejecting an "obesity grant." Reached Friday, Stead further explained that the DOH intended its grant funding to be spent on creation of a "local action plan" to fight obesity in the county. Stead said the plan was to focus on improving physical activity and nutrition, and public relations, but he wasn't sure if the grant was just for children or for both children and adults.

Stead also said the Public Health Department may have balked at the grant because it might have started a large program with no follow-up money from the state.

"It kind of looks like it's going to be a one-time thing," Stead said.

In other action last week:

The board urged the state Department of Environmental Conservation to reconsider its opposition to controlled burning sites in the Adirondack Park. A DEC regulation effective Oct. 1 said municipalities within the park will no longer be able to openly burn brush and wood products in burning pits, and licenses and renewals will no longer be honored.

Supervisors approved several resolutions allowing municipalities to use the county landfill in 2010, including the villages of Middleburg, Schoharie, Richmondville and Schuylerville and the towns of Hadley, Niskayuna and Edinburg.

The board authorized the purchase of certain equipment for use in the District Attorney's Office and certain police agencies with crime forfeiture proceeds. The equipment includes a digital recorder, a handheld GPS system, a jacket, a fax machine and toner cartridges.

The board authorized a contract between L-1 Enrollment Services of Johnstown for electronic fingerprinting services at a cost of $94.25 per submission. Sheriff Thomas J. Lorey said fingerprints must now be submitted to the state Division of Criminal Justice Services by electronic means.

The board designated The Leader-Herald as the county's official newspaper and set designating banks for 2010 - Key Bank of Gloversville, Bank of America and Citizens Bank, both of Johnstown; and NBT of Johnstown and First Niagara.