The Chautauqua County Industrial Development Agency board of directors hear details of the 2016 audit from CPA Dave DeTanna (Buffamonte, Whipple, and Buttafaro), during the board’s March 2017 meeting.

JAMESTOWN – The Chautauqua Industrial Development Agency board of directors Tuesday signed off on cancelling nearly $900,000 in money owed through loans for a failed business in Falconer.

More than $1,000,000 in loans was given to Jamestown MVP Plastics in 2011 and 2012 to help with the purchase of a facility and new equipment. Jamestown MVP was a start-up company that had plans to produce environmentally-safe plastics at the former Sysco Foods location at 2060 Allen St. Ext.

However, the market never developed for the products and the company was forced to close its doors late last year. As a result, Jamestown MVP Plastics was unable to pay off the remainder of the money it owed on two IDA Al Tech loans, totaling $850 thousand dollars (one initial 20-year loan for $500,000 was approved in 2011, and a second loan for $500,000 was approved in 2012), along with another Chautauqua Revolving Loan Fund loan totaling $47,142 (of an original $75,000 loan approved in 2012).

The cancelled loans represents about 8 percent of the total amount of money the IDA is able to loan out.

IDA Director Kevin Sanvidge said the cancellation of the loans was disappointing, and members of the IDA board agreed. However, Sandvidge also noted that the IDA Board probably wouldn’t have done anything differently to prevent the loans from being given to the project, largely because the loans were also reviewed and approved by an independent loan committee, prior to the IDA board signing off on them.

“It is an independent loan committee made up of two [IDA] board directors and five independent local bankers, so they look at all the information – business plan and financials of an investor – and make a decision, as they would with any loan that would come in front of their bank. The difference is we don’t have Dodd-Frank telling us what to do and what not to do,” Sanvidge told WRFA, alluding to the federal law that places strict regulations on banks when it comes to giving loans to individuals and businesses.

Sanvidge added that there was some risk involved with giving the loan to Jamestown MVP and the IDA did give some leeway, but that was countered by the amount of private investment money the company was putting toward the project.

“The leeway here would have been the lack of strong costumer base, but also the fact that he invested $10 million into this – between the purchasing and upgrading the building and buying new equipment,” Sanvidge said. “It’s a fabulous building and now there’s a new owner in the building looking to move forward with a well-established manufacturing company.”

When Jamestown MVP received the loans from the IDA, it had said it planned to hire 125 people and would be the largest customer for the Jamestown Board of Public Utilities.

IDA BOARD RECEIVES CLEAN AUDIT FOR 2016

In other news, the IDA also received its independent audit for 2016 from Dave DaTanna of Buffamante, Whipple, and Buttafaro.

The audit showed the IDA had a total of $19 million in total assets and $13.27 million in net assets, which were down about $75,000 from the previous year. However, it also showed the IDA had a significantly higher amount of administrative revenue than the previous year, mostly through an increase of $800,000 in application fees collected by the IDA.

“One of the [application fees] was from the Celoron Hotel project, which is a $31-33 million project,” Sanvidge said. “I’d like to say we’re going to do one of those a year, along with manufacturing projects. But that’s our job, to go out and try and land these projects and [the Celoron Hotel] is the grand slam in the World Series for us. But we do keep swinging and swinging for the fence, and it pays off.”

The audit presented by DaTanna was unmodified with no exceptions, meaning it was clean. It also had no  major recommendations for the IDA board, in terms of how it manages or controls its finances.  The 2016 audit will be posted on the IDA website in the coming days.

CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY – Thousands of National Grid and NYSEG customers found themselves without power for more than two hours last night. Customers from Busti to Randolph lost power around 5:55 p.m., with over 6,000 homes without service in the affected areas. The National Grid website said power was restored by around 8:30 p.m.

HOMELESS PERSON’S MEMORIAL DAY RECOGNIZED WEDNESDAY NIGHT

JAMESTOWN – A candlelight vigil was held at St. Susan Center in Jamestown last night to raise awareness about the homeless in our area.  The Chautauqua County Homeless Coalition, along with the National Coalition for the Homeless, held its third annual Longest Night Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day with several people on hand. The event is held on the longest night of the year to highlight the issue of homelessness, not just on a national level, but also in Chautauqua County.

Each night since 1990, on or near the first day of winter and the longest night of the year, the National Coalition for the Homeless has sponsored such vigils to bring attention to homelessness and to remember those homeless friends who have died while homeless.

BWB DONATES $12,500 TO WNY FOOD BANK WITH $5,000 GOING TO ST SUSAN’S

JAMESTOWN – The Buffamante Whipple and Buttafaro, accountig firm is making note of its 40th year in operation by giving back to its communities. This week the announced that it would be donating $12,500 to the Food Bank of Western New York, with $5000 of that money to be used to purchase food that will go directly to the St. Susan Center in Jamestown.

On Monday, members of the BWB branch in Jamestown stopped by the St. Susan Center to not only drop off their donation, but to also hand-deliver 30 bags of food that was collected during a recent food drive.

The St. Susan Center occupies part of the Gateway Center building on Water St. in Jamestown. The Center provides a nutritionally balanced meal seven days a week, including traditional holiday meals on Christmas, Thanksgiving and Easter. In recent years, the number of meals served has grown significantly. On average, St. Susan’s serves more than 300 meals each day in the Jamestown area.

For more information about the St. Susan Center in Jamestown, or to find out how you can help, call or visit St. Susan online at www.stsusancenter.org.

HIGGINS, DOT ANNOUNCE NEW PILOT FATIGUE RULES

BUFFALO – Representatives Brian Higgins joined other members of the Western New York congressional delectation yestersday to welcome the announcement by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) of the completion of landmark new rules to address pilot fatigue. Congressman Higgins said the new rule was long over-due, with the National Transportation Safety Board having identified pilot fatigue as a problem for over two decades.

Pilot fatigue was a contributing factor in the crash of Colgan Air Flight 3407, which took place in Clarence Center outside of Buffalo in February 2009.  After the tragedy, Western New York Representatives, along with the Flight 3407 families, led a fight for legislation to reform aviation safety.

GOODELL CALLS ON CONSTITUENTS TO COMPLETE 2011 SURVEY

JAMESTOWN – Area Assemblyman Andy Goodell is urging his constituents to fill out his 2011 Legislative Survey and return it to his district office either by mail, or in person. The poll was recently mailed to households in Chautauqua County in an effort to gain important feedback from Chautauqua County residents on important issues facing New York state.

The survey deals with critical issues, such as budget priorities, job creation, education, energy policy, and other key issues.  In addition to several questions, the survey contains several opportunities to provide additional comments and suggestions.  The survey responses will be used to help guide legislative policy next year.

Anyone who did not receive a copy of the survey in the mail can request a survey by contacting Assemblyman Goodell’s office at 664-7773, by e-mail at goodella@assembly.state.ny.us, or by stopping at his office at Fenton Building, 2 East 2^nd Street, Suite 320 in Jamestown.

MAYVILLE – If all recommendations were approved today by the full legislature, the property tax increase for next year in Chautauqua County would be 5.66 percent. That after the Chautauqua County Legislature’s Audit and Control Committee met yesterday morning and continued looking for ways to bring down the tax rate.

The committee went into yesterday’s session with a goal of reducing a 7 percent sales tax increase down to below 2 percent. And while lawmakers were unable to met that goal, they still were able to eliminate nearly $1.15 million out of next year’s tax levy. The plan by the Audit and control committee will now go before the full legislature next Wednesday, although committee member Chuck Nazzaro of Jamestown isn’t optimistic other lawmakers will support all the changes.

The audit and control committee made a total of seven changes to the budget during yesterday’s meeting, including restoring $500,000 from Sheriff’s department by removing the controversial 53^rd Medicaid Payment – which totaled $610,372. The panel used the remaining $110,372 of that payment to bring down the tax levy.

The panel also increased its sales tax projection for next year by $540,000 and agreed to remove $250,000 in its IGT Payment from the County Home and $150,000 was cut out of the county airport budget.

Next Wednesday, a total of 11 budget changes by the committee will go before the full legislature. Prior to its voting session, a public hearing on the budget will take place at 6:30 p.m. in legislative Chambers.

SHERIFF COMMENTS ON $500,000 RESTORATION TO 2012 BUDGET

MAYVILLE – Chautauqua County Sheriff Joe Gerace was able to see the Audit and Control Committee restore some money to his budget for next year. But while he appreciates the $500,000 restoration, he says it’s still not nearly enough, when considering a total of $2.6 million has been taken away from his department in just two years.

The Sheriff says he and his staff will now meet to decide how to best utilize that $500,000 – should the full legislature support the restoration.

COUNTY LAWMAKERS RECEIVES 2010 INDEPENDENT AUDIT

MAYVILLE – Chautauqua County’s 2010 budget received a full bill of health, but some concerns have been raised with a lack of staffing in the county’s finance department. That’s according to the Accounting firm of Buffamante, Whipple and Buttafaro, who sat down with the Audit and Control Committee yesterday morning to go over the an Independent Audit of last year’s finances. The audit found that the 2010 budget was in accordance with state law and there were no major discrepancies. However, the accountants still listed several recommendations for the county to consider in the future, including increasing staffing in its finance department and streamlining the reporting process from all departments. County

Finance Director Darin Shultz says those were issues he’s been aware of and he’s hopeful things will change during the next year or two. Although the independent audit listed the reporting process as a primary concern, Shults said he’s still pleased with the overall results.

WATERSHED CONSERVANCY TO HOLD TOUR OF WATERSHED PRESERVE

JAMESTOWN – The Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy invites you to tour its Randy Allan Hendrickson Watershed Preserve and learn about the benefits of this property in collecting, storing and delivering clean water to Chautauqua Lake. The walk will be held from 1:00 to 2:30 PM on

Sunday, October 23rd and will be led by CWC Conservationist Deb Naybor. Participants should meet at the corner of Woodworth and Elmwood Avenues (south of Fairmount Avenue), West Ellicott. Participants should wear boots or waterproof footwear.

The tour is free for CWC members, with a $5 suggested donation for non-members. To register for this event or learn more about how the CWC can help you to conserve or enhance your property, please call the Conservancy at 664-2166.

‘THESE ARE DAYS’ CLOSING RECEPTION IS SATURDAY

JAMESTOWN – And don’t forget that a closing reception of the “These are Days” exhibit will be taking place tomorrow night at the Arts Council’s 3^rd on 3^rd Gallery. Stop by and take a trip through 30 years of memories with 10,000 Maniacs one more time before the exhibit ends on Oct. 29. The reception will begin at 8 p.m. and continue through the evening.

ARTS ON FIRE TO FEATURE LOCAL AUTHOR AND LOCAL PROMOTER

JAMESTOWN – Tune in to Arts on Fire this afternoon at 1 p.m. and hear from local author Lia Habel, who’s first book “Dearly Departed” was just released for sale by the Del Ray publishing company. We will also talk with local entertainer and promoter Angelo Guiffre, who will give us details about the Spire – a new entertainment venue located in the First Congregational Church in Jamestown.