State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli and Chautauqua County District Attorney Jason Schmidt announced 63-year old Hector Rosas of Silver Creek was indicted for using his public position to pilfer the monies through several schemes.

DiNapoli and Schmidt said Rosas, as Festivals Coordinator, deposited nearly $15,000 in donations meant to aid residents of Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria into the city’s festivals bank account, which he controlled, before transferring to his personal bank account. Although Rosas visited his mother’s home in Puerto Rico and spent some of the funds, officials said he could produce no receipts, nor could he account for the money collected.

As Festivals Coordinator, from the summer of 2016 to the summer of 2019, Rosas was responsible for collecting and depositing cash generated from beer sales at the annual summer festivals. The investigation revealed that over $42,000 in cash sales were collected by Rosas but never reported or deposited in the festivals account.

Rosas was arraigned in Chautauqua County Court before Judge Stephen Cass and is due back in court on June 13, 2023.

WRFA’s Julia Ciesla-Hanley spoke with Chautauqua County Executive PJ Wendel about the City of Dunkirk‘s recent DRI announcement, funding for Chautauqua Lake, an Airport Market Analysis, and more.

PJ Wendel

Governor Kathy Hochul with Dunkirk Mayor Willie Rosas and other officials for the Downtown Revitalization Initiative Award announcement (January 23, 2023)

The City of Dunkirk has been awarded $10 million in Downtown Revitalization Initiative monies.

Governor Kathy Hochul announced the funding from Empire State Development Corporation at the Clarion Hotel Monday.

Dunkirk Mayor Willie Rosas said the plan presented to the EDC has ten different projects including work on the marina, an indoor waterpark, Jamestown Community College having a presence downtown, and renovations to the Clarion Hotel.

Dunkirk will now begin the process of developing a Strategic Investment Plan to revitalize its downtown with up to $300,000 in planning funds from the $10 million DRI grant.

A Local Planning Committee made up of municipal representatives, community leaders and other stakeholders will lead the effort, supported by a team of private sector experts and state planners.

The Strategic Investment Plan will guide the investment of DRI grant funds in revitalization projects that will advance the community’s vision for its downtown and that can leverage and expand upon the state’s $10 million investment.

The White Inn in Fredonia has received $1.25 million toward the renovation and reopening of the former hotel and restaurant.

In the village of Westfield, the Welch’s Building will receive $1.5 million toward its historic rehabilitation and adaptive use of the building. The project will create 46 new housing units in the village.

The City of Dunkirk will receive $1 million for its Central Avenue Transformation project. That project will address vacant properties in the 400 block of Central Avenue in Downtown Dunkirk. Local investor Allan Steinberg, who bought 411 Central, plans to create a “Broadway Market” type of space where kiosks could be rented and a butcher shop reopened. A two-story building located at 423-427 Central Avenue also would be developed into four new apartments.

And the Village of Silver Creek Senior School Apartments project has been funded with $1 million. The project at 60 Main Street involves the substantial rehabilitation, conversion, and an addition to a vacant, nearly 100-year old, 57,000 sq. ft. abandoned former school into a 59,900 sq. ft. building with 47 units of affordable rental homes for seniors ages 62 and older.

Restore New York supports municipal revitalization efforts across the state, helping to remove blight, reinvigorate downtowns, and generate economic opportunity in communities statewide. The program, administered by Empire State Development, is designed to help local governments revitalize their communities and encourage commercial investment, improve the local housing stock, put properties back on the tax rolls and increase the local tax base.

The top 40 pros and top 40 co-anglers will compete in the event on Lake Erie. It’s considered the sport’s most lucrative event, awarding three fully-rigged boat packages, and it also determines the Lucas Oil Angler of the Year, the most prestigious title in walleye fishing.

The National Walleye Tour events are televised on the Pursuit Channel, the World Fishing Network and are available to stream on demand through several platforms.

The public is invited to attend the daily weigh-ins, and there will be a free kids fishing clinic after the weigh-in (about 4:30 p.m.) on Thursday, August 25th. Prior to the tournament, a community meet and greet is scheduled for August 21 at 5:00 p.m. in the field between the Clarion Hotel and Tim Hortons where the anglers will have a chance to show off their vessels and answer questions.

For more information about Dunkirk’s tournament, contact Festivals Director Ryan Hall at (716) 366-9886 or rhall@cityofdunkirk.com.

Independence Day

In the City of Dunkirk, a three-day festival kicks off at 9:00 a.m. Saturday with the Marauder Trotter Run/Walk 5K at Wright Park. The rest of the festival takes place at Dunkirk Memorial Park on Route 5 with live music and food vendors. Fireworks will take place at dusk on Monday, July 4.

Cherry Creek will host an Independence Day Celebration on Saturday, July 2. The celebration from 1:00 to 10:00pm will feature rides, a parade at 5:00 p.m., a car show, chicken barbecue, music, and more. A fireworks show will take place at 10:00 p.m.

Bemus Point will hold its fireworks display at 10:00 p.m., Sunday, July 3. The show will be visible from on-shore and on Chautauqua Lake.

In the county seat of Mayville, the Monday, July 4 Celebration starts at 10:00 a.m. with a grand parade down Route 394. Festivities continue at Lakeside Park with face painting, a petting zoo, live music, food, games, and more. The celebration concludes with a fireworks display at 10:00 p.m.

The Village of Lakewood marks the return of the July 4th Summerfest and Fireworks at Hartley Park. The Lakewood Family YMCA’s Firecracker Run starts at 9am Monday followed by vendors on Chautauqua Avenue from noon to 10:00 p.m. Live music will be performed in Hartley Park from 6:00 p.m. until the fireworks display at 10:00 p.m., Monday.

And in Findley Lake, a Fourth of July Celebration takes place from noon to 10:00 p.m. on Monday, featuring a chicken barbeque, duck race, boat parade, and fireworks at 10:00 p.m.

The funding is for Community Planning and Development activities, ranging from the development of affordable housing to expanding economic opportunities for people with low and moderate incomes.
These grants are part of $6.3 billion to U.S. states, local entities of government, and U.S. territories through HUD’s Fiscal Year 2022.

The Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG) provides annual grants on a formula basis to states, cities, and counties to develop viable urban communities by providing decent housing and a suitable living environment, and by expanding economic opportunities, principally for low- and moderate-income persons.

The HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME) provides funding to states and localities that communities use – often in partnership with local nonprofit groups – to fund a wide range of activities including building, buying, and/or rehabilitating affordable housing for rent or homeownership or providing direct rental assistance to low-income people.

Jamestown Director of Development Crystal Surdyk said the allocation received by the City is about $50,000 less in CDBG funds compared with 2021 but $60,000 more in HOME funds.

The press release from HUD said Jamestown is also receiving $194,828 in CDBG Coronavirus (CV) Reallocations fund activities to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus.

Chautauqua County Legislature (May 25, 2022)

After voting down a proposed change that would have phased in payments for Jamestown, Dunkirk, and Westfield, the Chautauqua County Legislature approved a local law amending the County’s Worker’s Compensation Plan.

The local law changes the county administered plan so that costs are now allocated at 60% experience and 40% on wages. Previously, the costs were allocated at 60% experience and 40% property valuation.
Legislator Bob Bankowski proposed an amendment that would have allowed a two year phase in of the plan with proposed allocations the first year based 10% on valuation, 30% wages and 60% experience.

He agreed that the way the plan was set-up has been “broken” for many years and that it needed to be fixed to make it fair and equitable to all taxpayers, “But I just feel that with the amended print two that I proposed, it’s not going to be that drastic an effect on everyone. It phases in over the course of two years and everything should be fine. It gives Jamestown and Dunkirk some time to actually get their ducks in a row and make adjustments in their budget.”

County Finance Director Kitty Crow stated at the meeting that the increased costs to the Village of Westfield will be $7,766; $86,139 to the city of Dunkirk; and Jamestown would see an $157,315 increase in costs. She confirmed in email to WRFA that any municipality with an unusual increase now has the option of an installment payment plan and that this language was intentionally added to allow a phase-in by way of a payment plan.

The amendment proposed by Bankowski failed in a vote of 6 to 12, with Legislators Bob Bankowski, Susan Parker, Elisabeth Rankin, Billy Torres, Paul Whitford, and Dave Wilfong voting yes. Bankowski also made a motion to table the law for further discussion and that also failed 6 to 12.

The local law ultimately passed 15 to 3 with Legislators Bob Bankowski, Susan Parker, and Dave Wilfong voting no.

Finance Director Crow also clarified at the meeting that while the 2023 budget will see a $700,000 savings under Worker’s Compensation, the savings would have happened regardless of whether the Legislature changed how the plan costs were allocated.

Jamestown Mayor Eddie Sundquist stated earlier this week that city is already looking at other Worker’s Compensation firms under the assumption the local law would pass.

County Finance Director Kitty Crow address Administrative Services Committee over Zoom (May 16, 2022)

The Chautauqua County Legislature will vote on amending the County’s Worker’s Compensation Plan, which, if passed, would result in higher payments for Jamestown and Dunkirk.

County Finance Director Kitty Crow explained at the Administrative Services Committee meeting on May 16 that the county administers a municipal plan with the current plan costs allocated based on 60% experience and 40% on property valuation, “We would like to move to a model that allocates the 40%, that is allocated based on valuation to an allocation that’s based on wages, which is really more relevant when assessing charges for such a plan as Worker’s Comp Insurance essentially. So, we’re not proposing any change to the experience factor, so that would remain at 60%

Crow said the change between wages and valuation was dramatic for four municipalities in the county, with the town of Chautauqua seeing a large decrease.

She said while their property valuations are high around the lake, their workforce is much smaller, “In the Village of Westfield, they actually have a couple of things that drive up their wages, such as paid police as well as paid utility workers. And so their wages are a little bit higher as a percentage total compared to valuation. And then the two cities would also see an increase under the new formula because, you know, their wages as a percentage of total was more significant.”

Crow said under the wage based formula, the City of Jamestown would have been charged approximately $275,000 more in 2022. This is because the city’s share of total property valuation is 4.5% of the total whereas the city’s share of wages is 19.2% of aggregate wages. Crow added that 25% of all claims over the past five years are attributed to the City of Jamestown.

Jamestown Mayor Eddie Sundquist said his administration has been in contact with the County in regards to this possible law change, “This is obviously an increase to the City’s budget. We’ve asked the county to be able to spread those costs over, to amortize them, which has happened in the past. But more importantly it’s a time for the City to look at other options.”

Sundquist said he’s already met with different Worker’s Compensation firms to start investigating options.

The County Legislature’s meeting takes place at 6:30 p.m. in the Legislative Chambers of the Gerace Office Building in Mayville. It is open to the public and will be livestreamed on facebook.com/ChautauquaCountyGovernment.

The funding was approved by the New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation Board of Directors as part of more than $83 million dollars for drinking water and wastewater projects across New York State. The funding includes grants, interest-free financings, and low-cost financings that provide cost-effective solutions for critical infrastructure projects across the state that protect or improve water quality.

Ellicott will use the $403,800 grant for the rehabilitation of a 150,000-gallon water storage tank and associated upgrades.

The City of Dunkirk will receive $11,387,000 in long-term, interest-free financing for the planning, design and construction of the city’s water pollution control project.