The Chautauqua County Legislature will be voting on a variety of projects and purchases that use American Rescue Plan funds at its meeting tonight.
The largest purchase to be voted on is $4.68 million for a crane, two dump/plow trucks, a snow blower, and long-arm excavator.
The Legislature also will vote on using $1.4 million in ARP funds to purchase property to turn them into shovel-ready sites.
$1.1 million use of funds will be considered for upgrades to the Frank W. Bratt Ag Building on Airport Hill. Building upgrades include demolition work, new air handling units, exterior doors, carpet, new gutters, acoustic controls, lighting and electrical work.
The ARP funding for a number of economic development initiatives will be voted on including $800,000 to bolster the occupancy tax fund, $500,000 for the Chautauqua County Partnership for Economic Growth, $400,000 to provide marketing assistance to businesses and not-for-profits; and $352,000 for workforce development initiatives.
The County also is proposing using $150,000 in ARP funds to develop a Chautauqua Lake District Work Plan.
Funding for a study on bringing back Essential Air Service to the Jamestown Airport is also under proposed resolutions. $72,000 in ARP funds would go toward that. Chautauqua County has received $24.6 million in American Rescue Plan funds.
Outside of the ARP resolutions, the legislature also will vote on a contract with the the County Sheriff’s Supervisor’s Association. The contract agreement runs from January 1st, 2022 through December 31st, 2025.
It includes modifications to longevity, employer and employee cost share of the health plan, the retiree cash-out benefit, the addition of a cell phone stipend of $50 per month, an increase to the clothing allowance, and a change from a three to a four step salary schedule. The four step schedule has Step 1 at $85,586, Step 2 at $87,298, Step 3 at $89,044, and Step 4 at $90,825. Those steps would increase by 4.36% in 2023, 3.89% in 2024, and 3.89% in 2025.
The legislature also will vote to accept a $703,124 grant from the Division of Criminal Justice Services to deal with increased expenses for the District Attorney’s office, Probation, and local law enforcement agencies. The money will be used to offset the increased expenses associated with implementing the Discovery and Bail Reform laws that went into effect in 2020.
Two motions will be considered as well with one motion asking New York State to consider alternative preventive procedures against COVID-19 transmission and infection for those healthcare workers who decline to get vaccinated. The other motion calls on elected officials to act to uphold the U.S. Constitution in the county.
The County Legislature’s meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. tonight in Mayville and is open to the public and available streaming online.
They also are going to vote on resolutions informing our President, Governor and legislative leaders in Congress and the state that they have to follow the Constitution. As if all elected officials haven’t taken an oath to follow the constitution. And another resolution to demand that health care workers do not have to be vaccinated. Outrageous.