Pictured from left to right: Shelly Wells, contest winner; Vince Horrigan, Chautauqua County Executive; Tracie DeMotte, contest winner; and Chris White of the International Order of The King’s Daughters and Sons. Not pictured is contest winner Guy Karam.

MAYVILLE – Chautauqua County Executive Vince Horrigan and other local partners announced today that three winners have been selected for the third period of the I Love CHQ Challenge video contest, which concluded on August 31, 2015.

Winners were Tracie DeMotte, Guy Karam, and Shelly Wells. DeMotte, who is from Jamestown, NY, had two winning videos this contest period as her video, “Birds, Bees, and Butterflies,” won in the Outdoor and Recreation category and her video, “Local Flavors in Chautauqua County,” won in the Local Flavors category.

Each winner received a $250 prize with DeMotte receiving $500 for her two winning entries. There were no entrants in the Working Here category.

The I Love CHQ Challenge is a social media promotion. Videos are shared in order to generate “likes” and also evaluated by a local review group. The premise behind the campaign is to foster positive images about the Chautauqua County area.

The promotion’s fourth and final contest period began on Sept. 1 and continues until Oct. 31. Local residents as well as visitors are encouraged to upload 90 second to 3 minute videos in five thematic areas, through the designated Facebook page. They should then share the video and attempt to generate as many likes as possible. Up to five participants will be eligible to win prizes during the final contest period.

For additional information about the contest and to enter, visit www.facebook.com/Tour.Chautauqua and select the I Love CHQ Challenge tab.

From left to right: Vince Horrigan, Chautauqua County Executive; Tracie DeMotte, contest winner; Roslin Smith, contest winner; Kevin Kearns, Vice President of Engagement and Economic Development at the State University of New York at Fredonia; and David Saxton, contest winner.

MAVYILLE – Chautauqua County officials have announced the three winners for the first contest period of the I Love CHQ Challenge video contest, which concluded on March 31, 2015.

Winners were Tracie DeMotte, Roslin Smith, and David Saxton; who are all from Chautauqua County.

Each winner received a $250 prize and DeMotte’s video entitled, “Outdoor Chautauqua Living,” received the highest overall rank, followed closely by Saxton’s “Hometown Winter,” and Smith’s “View’s From Within.”

A press conference and award ceremony announcing the winners took place Wednesday afternoon at Chautauqua Institution, with Chautauqua County Executive Vince Horrigan, Chautauqua County Visitors Bureau Director Andrew Nixon and several other local officials on hand.

The I Love CHQ Challenge is a social media promotion that utilizes video images of the area in conjunction with Facebook. Videos are shared in order to generate “likes” and also evaluated by a local review group. The premise behind the campaign is to foster positive images about the Chautauqua County area.

The promotion’s second contest period is now underway and continues until June 30.

For additional information about the contest and to enter, visit www.facebook.com/Tour.Chautauqua and select the I Love CHQ Challenge tab.

Winners will be presented with prizes for their videos that promote Chautauqua County as a place to live and play.

Horrigan will be joined by Andrew Nixon, Director of the Chautauqua County Visitors Bureau (CCVB); Kevin Kearns, Vice President of Engagement and Economic Development at the State University of New York at Fredonia; Sheila Webster, Director of Marketing Communications and Governmental Affairs at Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce; Michelle Turner, Vice President of Marketing at County of Chautauqua Industrial Development Agency; and other local contest partners.

Part II of the I Love CHQ challenge is now underway. More details can be found at the visitor’s bureau Facebook page.

Chautauqua County Executive Vince Horrigan.

MAYVILLE – Chautauqua County Executive Vince Horrigan has released his 2015 executive budget, which includes an overall reduction in spending but also contains a slight increase in property taxes.

On Wednesday night Horrigan presented his budget to members of the Chautauqua County Legislature and the public. The tentative $228.7 million spending plan is $449,000 lower than the current year’s budget. But despite the decrease in spending, the county was still faced with significant budget gap.

Horrigan is suggesting the county use $4.5 million from the county’s fund balance to close the gap. In addition, he said the county will also need to increase the tax levy in order to balance overall spending.

“My budget proposes a 1 percent increase in property taxes to narrow the gap,” Horrigan said. “The bottom line is that we are asking, in this tentative budget, for a nine cents per thousand increase over assessed value… for the owner of a home valued at $100,000, the increase in property tax will be just over nine dollars per year.”

Horrigan also said that he and his staff were able to find more than $2 million in efficiencies in the 2015 budget. That was largely due to the sale earlier this year of the Chautauqua County Home, along with readjusting staffing in several county departments.

In all, the new budget sees a net reduction of 163 positions. A total of 197 positions will be cut once the sale of the home is finalized, which is expected to take place next month. However, Horrigan is also introducing 34 new positions, with 25 of those being supported entirely through state or federal grants or through collaboration agreements with neighboring counties.

• 2015 EXECUTIVE BUDGET
• HORRIGAN’S 2015 BUDGET PRESENTATION

PLANNING FOR FUTURE YEARS

In addition to presenting next year’s budget, Horrigan also explained to lawmakers that they need to also prepare for future years’ budgets. That includes a plan that helps to rebuild the remaining fund balance by increasing other revenue streams. Horrigan said the county can bolster both its sales tax and bed tax revenues through a stepped up tourism campaign, done in partnership with the Chautauqua County Visitors Bureau and Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce.

“Tonight I am announcing an “I Love Chautauqua” digital media advertising campaign,” Horrigan said. “This will be a citizen-based contest with business sponsorship to collect the best Youtube video and photos to promote Chautauqua County through the eyes of our citizens. We talking “I Love Chautauqua” going viral!”

Horrigan said the county will also work to continue its economic development marketing campaign, in an effort to develop new business.

With the presentation of the budget, the spending plan is now in the county legislature’s hands. It has until Dec. 1 to amend and approve a final spending plan, which would then return to Horrigan’s desk for his signature.

WRFA will have more on the county budget, including Horrigans entire budget presentation along with his Q&A with the media, during this week’s Community Matters program, which begins at 6 p.m. Thursday.  We will also hear from Jamestown Legislator Chuck Nazaro to get his reaction to the spending plan.