COUNTY HIRES FIRM TO MARKET COUNTY HOME
MAYVILLE – The Chautauqua County Home will be on the market starting January 1. That after the Chautauqua County Legislature approved a resolution last night 13 to 11 to enter into an agreement with the Marcus and Millichap firm to market the potential, sale, lease, or other disposition of the County Home. Following the voting session, County Executive Greg Edwards commended those who helped to pass the resolution.
“We are scheduled beginning January 1 to lose over $10,000 a day at our county home,” said Edwards. “I want to thank those leaders that agreed to do just that – lead, because you can’t turn a blind eye to a problem, you have to address it, and they did.”
Edwards added that under the agreement with Marcus and Millichap, the county will not pay any money to the firm unless a deal is struck with a potential buyer…
“We’re going to get all of this at no cost to the tax payers by having this done by Marcus and Millichap,” explained Edwards. “We will pay nothing unless a successful deal is brought to the legislature, approved by 17 votes of the legislature, approved by me as well and then goes forward to a successful closing.”
The county will also be able to establish various stipulations regarding the sale of the county home to any perspective buyer.
LAWMAKERS TAKE EACH OTHER TASK FOR VOTING ON COUNTY HOME RESOLUTION
MAYVILLE – To some members of the county legislature, the effort to act on the Marcus and Millichap resolution came as a surprise, considering it was tabled last month with the understanding it would be revisited in January with the arrival of eight new legislators. Keith Ahlstrom of Dunkirk even chastised some of his colleagues for bringing the measure back to the floor last night.
“We have some legislators here tonight that are leaving after distinguished careers as legislators and I would be embarrassed to have one of my last actions be something as dishonorable as this,” said Ahlstrom. “That we are looking at taking the voice away from a good segment of our workforce and from a good segment of the county.”
While Ahlstrom’s was quick to voice his disapproval of how the process was handled, Legislator Larry Barmore of Gerry defended to move.
“You talk about dishonor. Dishonor would be passing it along to the new guys coming next month instead of handling it yourself,”said Barmore. “We are not voting to sell the county home. We are voting to look into the options.”
Barmore was one of the 13 to vote in favor of the measure. Others who supported bringing Marcus and Millichap on board were outgoing legislator Rudy Mueller of Lakewood and Jamestown’s Chuck Nazarro.
To hear more from various lawmakers and individuals on the county home marketing resolution, tune in to Community Matters tonight at 6 p.m. right here on WRFA.
MOTION TO AMEND HUNTING LAW IS KILLED BY LAWMAKERS, TWO OTHER MOTIONS PASS UNANIMOUSLY
MAYVILLE – The legislature last night also killed a measure to amend the county hunting law. A motion that was sponsored by Mueller and Sheridan’s Bob Duff and tabled last month did not receive enough votes to come back to the floor last night. As a result, it was killed and will have to be redrafted and re-introduced at a future date.
Lawmakers also unanimously approved two motions that will be sent on to Albany. One involved requesting the state provide Medicaid relief to the Chautauqua County, eventually taking over all costs within an eight year period. The other was a request that the state cover any local health department costs involving ground water testing associated with hydro-fracking gas well drilling.
ANTI-BULLYING SEMINAR IS TODAY
JAMESTOWN – Local youth and adults who work with young people will be at the Gateway Center today in Jamestown to attend an Anti-bullying seminar. The “End the Silence, Spark the Leader” Anti-bullying seminar will involve two workshops and include discussions, music, food, and give-a-ways – plus a keynote speech from life coach Jerry Ackerman, who will share several tools with those in attendance. The event is being held in an effort to address traditional bullying along with the ever growing problem of cyber-bullying.
The first session is being held from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. and the second session running from 4 to 7:30 p.m.
JAMESTOWN PUBLIC SCHOOLS SEEKS REPLACEMENT BOARD MEMBER
JAMESTOWN – The Jamestown School Board has started the process of finding a replacement for outgoing board member Barbara Piazza. Anyone interested in filling the empty seat for the remainder of this term should contact any member of the Board of Education. Interested persons would be able to run in the upcoming elections as well if they wish to continue serving on the board. There will be two seats up for a 3-year term and one seat up to complete the 1-year remaining on the open seat’s term.
Piazza was charged Friday with third-degree grand larceny after an investigation revealed she allegedly took more than $19,000 in cash between 2007 and 2011 while employed with Jamestown Area Medical Associates. Piazza began serving on the Jamestown Public School board in July 2010.
For more information regarding filling or running for the open seat, contact the Jamestown Public Schools district clerk at 483-4420, or email BOE@jamestown.wnyric.org.
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