BATAVIA — The Genesee County Legislature on Wednesday appropriated nearly $70,000 for 2008 election expenses, which had nearly doubled despite an unusually slow year in contests.

The per-diem cost for election inspectors of $69,829 is almost twice the cost of the previous year, when the fee was initiated by the Board of Elections.

Most of the cost is based on the number of election inspectors in the city and 13 towns. The city’s share is $21,600, while the smallest town, Bethany, owes $1,785.

The increase results from primaries, in which state law mandates voter registration days in each town and registration days for the November election.

The February primary cost $13,940; the September primary, $14,650. The general election expense was $29,180, and training costs were $1,550. The county has more than 300 election inspectors who work on a part-time basis.

The legislators approved a second attempt at providing electronic monitoring devices for criminal offenders. Contracts will be signed with two companies for eight ankle bracelets at a cost of up to $5,830. A test of monitoring devices last year was canceled after test runs failed to work properly.

The Legislature also:

Accepted a state grant of $10,000 to fund an environmental education program at the county park’s interpretive center.

Approved the receipt of $31,816 from the state for the county Probation Department’s supervision of sex offenders for a one-year period.

Accepted a state grant of $19,000 for the Job Development Bureau, to purchase new equipment and upgrade equipment for seminars.

Referred back to committee requested transfer of $10,556 from the E911 account to upgrade the safety radio monitoring system used by the Sheriff’s Office.

Voted to purchase a 2001 International truck with a high-boom bucket lift for $40,000 from the Village of Akron.

Appointed Theodore P. Hawley, of Batavia, to a three-year term to fill a vacancy on the county’s Planning Board.