Chautauqua County Legislature meeting (May 24, 2023)

The Chautauqua County Legislature has passed a resolution supporting state bills that alter how the county can spend the bed tax monies it collects.

With the County’s 5% occupancy tax up for renewal by New York State, Assemblyman Andy Goodell and State Senator George Borrello have sponsored legislation that requires half of the 2% allocated for lake management and enhancement funds be used for “activities that control, treat, and/or remove invasive or nuisance submerged aquatic vegetation, reduce harmful algae blooms, or provide shoreline cleanup.”

There are no changes in the 3% allocated toward tourism efforts.

Legislator Susan Parker motioned to amend the resolution, saying she supports the extension of the occupancy tax, “And I support removing the strict expenditure requirements proposed by Assemblyman Goodell and Senator Borrello. This amendment will allow the county legislature to elect to allocate occupancy tax monies at its discretion as I think it should at that level without the dictate of New York State.”

Legislator Elisabeth Rankin countered that the state has always had a say in how the money is spent, “This is not unusual for them to do that and the state absolutely has the right to suggest how this money is spent. It’s without them and without their support, we would not have the occupancy tax. It’s just like the fact that if we wanted to increase the sales tax by 1%, we have to have the state’s support.”

Legislator Terry Neibel said he would be voting no against the amendment due to state representatives indicating there isn’t time to make changes to the resolution.
The amendment failed 3 to 14 with just Legislators Bob Bankoski, Tom Nelson, and Susan Parker voting yes. Legislators then unanimously passed the resolution.

County Executive PJ Wendel said the change in allocation should not affect the Watershed Coordinator position, “We’ve already made changes and corrections. You might see some increases in departmental budgets now. We’re looking for the best places to put some salary for Dave McCoy. He’s not living lavishly, but it’s where do we find that salary and do we take it from two different departments, do we put it in one.”

The extension of the 5% occupancy tax goes through the end of 2025.

Dave McCoy, Pierre Chagnon, PJ Wendel, Chuck Schumer, and Mark Geise

Chautauqua County officials recently met with U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer in Washington DC to discuss needs of the county.

County Executive PJ Wendel, County Legislature Chairman Pierre Chagnon, Chautauqua County Industrial Development Agency CEO and Deputy County Executive of Economic Development Mark Geise; and County Watershed Coordinator Dave McCoy went over ongoing community, business and infrastructure needs.

Schumer said in a statement, “Whether it is securing millions for our local and county governments in the American Rescue Plan or delivering critical investment to keep our waters clean, airports humming and harbors bustling, I always have the people of Chautauqua County at the top of my mind – and will always fight to make sure their voices are heard in Washington. I am eager to continue to work closely with the County Executive Wendel and leaders across Chautauqua to continue to deliver federal investment that will help breathe new life into our downtowns, energize our rural areas and farms, and preserve Chautauqua County’s natural beauty for generations to come.”

Pictured, a successful streambank restoration project on Candaway Creek that was co-funded by the 2% Occupancy Tax Grant Program for Lakes and Waterways.

Grant applications are being accepted for funds to improve local lakes and waterways.

The 2024 Round of the County’s 2% Occupancy Tax Grant Program is open until April 1, 2023.

The Occupancy Tax Grants for Lakes and Waterways are funded through the county’s 5% occupancy or bed tax for the rental of lodging units within the county. Two-fifths or 2% of the bed tax is used solely for the enhancement and protection of lakes and waterways in Chautauqua County.

These grants provide $500 to $40,000 in funding for projects to be implemented from January 1 through December 31, 2024.

The 2% Program has a variety of projects in its portfolio, including streambank and lakeshore stabilization projects, municipal stormwater, and agricultural projects aimed at reducing nutrient laden runoff. Projects located within the Lake Erie, Bear Lake, Cassadaga Lakes, Findley Lake and Chautauqua Lake watersheds are eligible.

Applications may be submitted by various groups and organizations including: not-for-profits, governments, businesses and corporations, public and private schools, and all landowners of Chautauqua County.

Applications are available online on the Chautauqua County Legislature’s page of the county website at https://chqgov.com and on the Chautauqua County Department of Planning and Development’s website at www.planningchautauqua.com.

Applications are also available at the Chautauqua County Department of Planning and Development, 201 W. Third St., Suite 115 in Jamestown, N.Y.

For more information or assistance with the application process, please contact Dave McCoy at (716) 661-8915 or by email at McCoyD@chqgov.com.

Lakeshore and Streambank Stabilization projects

The Chautauqua County Department of Planning and Development has announced applications for Chautauqua County’s 2% Occupancy Tax for Lakes and Waterways Grant Program are now available.

The Occupancy Tax Grants for Lakes and Waterways are funded through the county’s five percent occupancy or bed tax for the rental of lodging units within the county. Two-fifths or two percent of the bed tax is used solely for the enhancement and protection of lakes and waterways in Chautauqua County.

These grants provide $500 to $40,000 in funding for projects to be implemented from January 1 through December 31, 2023.

Chautauqua County Watershed Coordinator Dave McCoy said they anticipate that approximately $225,000 will be available for grant funded projects in 2023. He encouraged projects that leverage additional investment from land owners and other grant programs such as the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s Water Quality Improvement Program, where each local dollar leverages three state dollars. McCoy added that to date, the program has leveraged over $3 million for water quality improvement projects in Chautauqua County.

Successful projects funded under this program include but are not limited to streambank, shoreline, or ditch stabilization; sediment retention basins; buffer strips; and green infrastructure projects.

Applications are available online on the Chautauqua County Legislature’s website at www.chqgov.com and on the Chautauqua County Department of Planning and Development’s website at www.planningchautauqua.com. Hard copies of the applications are also available at the Chautauqua County Department of Planning and Economic Development, 201 W. Third St., Suite 115 in Jamestown, N.Y.

Completed applications are due by April 1, 2022 and should be sent electronically to the link provided on the application form.

For more information, contact Dave McCoy at (716) 661-8915 or by email at mccoyd@chqgov.com.

Chautauqua Lake

Chautauqua County Watershed Coordinator Dave McCoy said boat owners should prepare to remove their boats and docks from the water prior to that date.

McCoy said the Warner Dam will be opened October 20th and Chautauqua Lake levels will trend downward for the winter season.

The Warner Dam, located along the Chadakoin River in Jamestown is owned by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and is operated by the Jamestown Board of Public Utilities. The Dam is operated following a rule curve and serves a primary role of reducing flood damage to homes surrounding Chautauqua Lake. The BPU opens the dam annually during the fall and winter months in an effort to lower the lake level and reduce potential flooding and shoreline damage by ice sheets in the winter and spring.

McCoy added that maintaining the recreational lake level presented some challenges in 2021 due to an unusually dry spring, which was followed by almost three times the normal amount of rain in July, with high lake levels and flooding caused by intense rainfall events. Since then, the County has had enough rainfall to properly maintain lake levels.

To view current and past U.S. Geological Survey hydrological data on lake levels and Chadakoin River stage and discharge, visit chautauquaalliance.org/resources.

During his February 28 State of the County report to the Chautauqua County Legislature, Borrello said he wanted to create a consensus between all Chautauqua Lake stakeholders that will be highlighted in an official memo of understanding and which would be used to help steer funding for lake management.

“The Consensus Strategy will involve a series of action steps and tenets that will be outlined in a Memorandum of Understanding. We will be asking all of the major stakeholders to sign onto this M.O.U., which will essentially be a ‘ceasefire agreement’ that the lake groups and municipalities would participate in so that we can move forward, together, with an action plan for in-lake weed management while not losing sight of the long-term strategy needed to truly cure the disease that the lake suffers from,” Borrello said.

During his February speech, the county executive also noted that there would be financial consequences for any organization that did not sign the M.O.U.

“Any funding from the county, and from many of the local foundations, for efforts dealing with in-lake projects will flow through the Chautauqua Lake and Watershed Management Alliance. The executive board of the Alliance has preliminary agreed to only fund those organizations who participate in the Consensus Strategy by the signing the Memorandum of Understanding,” Borrello said.

The County Executive’s Office says that on Wednesday morning, March 27, Borrello will be unveiling what is now being called a “Memorandum of Agreement for the Chautauqua Lake Weed Management Consensus Strategy.”

The M.O.A. will reportedly contain 24 separate tenets.

The county executive’s office also says that Borrello plans to sign the agreement on behalf of the county during the announcement.

Borrello will be joined by Mark Geise, Deputy County Executive for Economic Development; Dave McCoy, County Watershed Coordinator; Pierre Chagnon, County Legislator and Chair of the Chautauqua Lake and Watershed Management Alliance; and Tom Heins, P.E., Principal of Ecology & Environment, Inc.

The unveiling will take place at 10 a.m. in Room 331 on the third floor of the Gerace Office Building in Mayville.

Pictured above, panelists of the Western New York Regional Harmful Algal Bloom Summit.

ROCHESTER – Chautauqua Lake was well represented at the Western New York Regional Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) Summit in Rochester on March 26.

County Executive George Borrello, County Legislator Pierre Chagnon, Water Resource Specialist Bill Boria, Soil & Water Conservation District Field Manager Dave Spann, and Watershed Coordinator Dave McCoy attended the 12-hour session on behalf of Chautauqua County.

They were joined by other lake organization representatives – including Erin Brickley from the Chautauqua Lake & Watershed Management Alliance; as well as representatives from Chautauqua Lake Association, Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy, Audubon Community Nature Center, and Chautauqua Lake Partnership.

The state held the summit as an effort to address the growing problem of algal blooms on New York Waterways.

As part of the state budget, Governor Andrew Cuomo included Chautauqua Lake in his $65 million HABs Initiative as one of twelve priority lakes in New York State.

Officials hope information collected during the summit will help them better address the HAB problem at the local level.

The two provide details about the 2015 Spring Lake Rally, taking place inside the town of Chautauqua Municipal Building, located at 2 Academy St., from 8:30 a.m. to noon.

The rally will present the progress made on Chautauqua Lake regional projects and initiatives. Numerous lake-based organizations will be on hand to answer questions. The event is free and open to the public.

The Village Casino in Bemus Point, on Chautauqua Lake, will be the location of a Chautauqua Lake Rally on Aug. 23, 2014. (Photo from Chautauqua County Government website)

BEMUS POINT  Residents wanting to get an update on the health and status of Chautauqua Lake will want to be in Bemus Point tomorrow morning.

The Chautauqua Lake and Watershed Management Alliance will be holding a Chautauqua Lake Rally Saturday, Aug. 23 from 9 a.m. to noon at the Village Casino in Bemus Point.

According to county economic and planning officials, the event will include opening remarks from the County Executive Vince Horrigan and other local government leaders, exhibits and displays from numerous lake-based organizations, and presentations about the positive initiatives currently underway to address the health of Chautauqua Lake.

Presentations include:

• 10 a.m.– Mark Geise, Deputy Director of Chautauqua County Department of Planning and Economic Development; Randy Sweeney, Executive Director of the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation; and Linda Barber, President of the Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy Board of Directors, will discuss the formation of the new Chautauqua Lake and Watershed Management Alliance.
• 10:30 a.m. – Doug Conroe, President of Chautauqua Lake Association, will speak about the causes and impacts of algae on lake ecosystems.
• 11 a.m. – Michael Manning and Janelle Chagnon from O’Brien & Gere Engineering will discuss their work in preparing the Integrated Sewer Management Study.
• 11:30 a.m. – Geise and Chautauqua County Watershed Coordinator Dave McCoy will speak about the status of the Marcophyte Management Strategy currently being developed.

Representatives from the Chautauqua Lake Partnership, Chautauqua Lake Association, Chautauqua Lake and Watershed Management Alliance, Chautauqua Lake Management Commission, Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy and others will also be available to answer any questions the public may have about the Lake.

The Chautauqua Lake Rally is co-sponsored by the Chautauqua Lake Partnership, Chautauqua County Visitors Bureau, Chautauqua Region Community Foundation, and the Chautauqua County Department of Planning and Economic Development. The rally is free and open to the public and a light breakfast will also be provided for attendees.

For more information regarding this event, please contact Chautauqua County Watershed Coordinator Dave McCoy at (716) 661-8915.