Democratic candidate for County Executive Norm Green criticized Chautauqua County leaders on their process for how to spend $24.6 million in American Rescue Plan monies.
Green, speaking before the County Legislature‘s Audit & Control Committee Thursday, said the county should have held public input meetings, “A small, select group of county only people assembled by the County Executive met and only heard from County Department Heads. This money is being awarded to the entire county. And we’ve missed out on Silver Creek, we’ve missed out on Jamestown, we’ve missed out on Sheridan, not so much for the town of Harmony, but we’ve missed out on the metropolitan areas.”
Green was also critical of the $8.4 million proposed to fund Phase Two of the South & Center Sewer District expansion project, saying it would only benefit “a dozen millionaires from Cleveland.”
Legislator Chuck Nazzaro said four county legislators, including himself, were part of the committee put together by County Executive PJ Wendel to review potential projects to be funded, “There have been comments made that the public was not involved, well, we could argue that point but that’s not why we’re here. There are monies that came into the county. We’re elected officials. We’re listening to everyone. The plan has not been approved yet. But now we’re going to the next step where we’re going into the projects.”
The full County Legislature will vote on the 41 projects to be funded by American Rescue Plan monies at its meeting this Wednesday.
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