[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6108533,"mediaKeyId","2767957-d35037832a79e877c2d98d2add31c832","parentId",2767957,"title","Committee questions code enforcement revenue tracking as staff seek higher fines and grass‑cut fees","audioSeconds",4488,"startMs",3533000,"endMs",8021000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2767957-d35037832a79e877c2d98d2add31c832&start=3533&end=8021","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2767957-d35037832a79e877c2d98d2add31c832/thumbnail_3533000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6108533/Olean/Cattaraugus-County/New-York/Committee-questions-code-enforcement-revenue-tracking-as-staff-seek-higher-fines-and-grasscut-fees","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6108533-d9874303b6d242ce8d91f93c9f20ef72/orig.mp4?Expires=1771083739&Signature=Xe0wTgNm9vii4GkY7MMU799s-L651qgGDJUehaTaY6XEfUVCXMg0s6xLFppWb70XJBXCh63bPNe7Kxq~uofhlhgyaRa-HkMpO9P~F2jDiv7N3FNWpui2J6ztOY3RP4Fc8-GqAk3j--DRDvJY5aCSBZFlcjVhRgQL6nGauG6LmwSgpx~UAcLq6~EJiNOLQoPr85bw9Puug1r-0FPxT~eG0g6xIseXmRNskJpv2sJDN5qEftSC-brwTORjensF4Wbd7sauzlMNL4qJ3WOAjSAh5d5JkHVI7qmETJ6MTCdqmfLVM2MsEuwdqPYmr1AX73zcKApBYQpy30ydiYrOoiOHPA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Olean","date","2025-03-18T00:00:00Z","article","Finance committee members pressed code enforcement staff for clearer, more consistent revenue accounting after staff presented volatile year‑to‑year figures for rental permits and building permits.

Committee members said rental‑permit revenue varied widely across recent years — for example, figures shown in the packet ranged from roughly $7,500 in one year to more than $60,000 in another — and asked whether new software and process changes are being used effectively to capture and classify receipts. Staff said some revenue currently posts in multiple lines and that liens and contractor reimbursements can cause timing differences between when work is done and when money posts to the ledger.

Codes staff asked the committee to consider modest fee adjustments to keep third‑party contractors willing to perform nuisance‑abatement work. Specifically, staff proposed raising the contractor payout basis from $0.016 per square foot to $0.02 per square foot. Staff said some contractors consider the lower rate unworkable for small lots and that a higher rate would improve vendor participation and timeliness of abatement work.

Codes also proposed fine increases for repeat offenses (examples discussed included raising a first‑offense administrative fee from $50 to $100 and a second offense from $250 to $500) and requested a larger revolving fund balance to cover upfront contractor costs for mowing, garbage removal and building‑safety work.

Committee members asked finance staff and codes to separate expenditure and revenue lines more clearly (for example, distinct lines for liens, fines/fees and contractor reimbursements) so that the city can project net revenue and encumber funds for capital or vehicle replacements. Staff agreed to provide month‑by‑month volumes of rental inspections and permit activity so the committee can set realistic revenue projections for next year.

No fee change or ordinance was adopted at the meeting; staff were asked to return with recommended language, projected revenue impacts and a clearer chart of how lien and contractor collections post to the city’s accounting system.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City Of Olean Common Council Meeting (03/18/2025)","oneSentenceSummary","Members pressed codes staff for clearer revenue accounting after large year‑to‑year swings in rental‑permit and building‑permit revenue; codes proposed fee increases for repeat violations and a small rise in per‑square‑foot grass‑cut rates for contractor viability.","taxTitle","Olean, Cattaraugus County, New York","taxId",69897,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6108538,"Fire department flags rising ambulance call volume and staffing pressure; billing rates proposed to climb",1279,4057000,5336000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2767957-d35037832a79e877c2d98d2add31c832&start=4057&end=5336","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2767957-d35037832a79e877c2d98d2add31c832/thumbnail_4057000.jpg","/articles/6108538/Olean/Cattaraugus-County/New-York/Fire-department-flags-rising-ambulance-call-volume-and-staffing-pressure-billing-rates-proposed-to-climb","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6108538-e6157a8b7c310c01ce24970a2cf0aaf8/orig.mp4?Expires=1771083739&Signature=VBh0hF3CR7ywxQfw7nYn2G8jM1PGvz8pinxeYovb7eTOmx-IX732KA-3q0-vZ-VfijGOTgsC~QHcQysHS6pmz6Rumn2IH9fPy6t9B8E4NtIhgvk3wRRfQXPPcu3jQYJQ8dojy0YH06bQZV5uFLGkfwai4o-gwk15IsViKtZfKwpbVQuUZepy6rge6nNfND0NokPjQpwqjmXWj0Ws2D70X7xwHbDKTJ5dVRxZV7oOPXPqLtKIsfFvOKkkvQU3Zu-jS0AKsrmW~4-k1vaMWcU-kdghpGdcTSHbM4GaOB84C1IXADYAFJA1TvFcVbxDCd4vEedH4DHK5suocau5M2mJQw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Fire and EMS staffing, call volume and ambulance revenue were a central focus during the finance committee’s budget review, with department leaders reporting record monthly ambulance counts and warning that concurrent ambulance and fire responses are creating potential coverage gaps.

The fire chief told the committee that ambulance calls rose sharply, citing roughly 3,450 ambulance calls in February 2024 and an engine‑call count near 2,300 in the same month. Committee members and the chief said increased ambulance activity has, at times, left a single firefighter available to respond to some fire incidents when other crews were committed to medical calls.

To shore up revenue, staff proposed raising base billing rates for ambulance transport. The billing consultant recommended moving basic life support (BLS) from $950 to $1,250, ALS‑1 from $1,250 to $1,500 and ALS‑2 from $1,600 to $1,800, with smaller increases in mileage and paramedic intercept fees. The chief and the billing contact said insurers pay below billed rates; the department’s average reimbursement has been about $386 per call, and only a small fraction of calls (66 in the prior year) paid billed amounts in full.

Using conservative assumptions, staff projected ambulance revenue of roughly $1,000,000 for the coming year if the new rates are adopted and recovery efforts continue. The committee discussed potential new revenue streams — notably interfacility transports — but members cautioned that the firefighters’ collective bargaining agreement grants the union exclusive rights related to ambulance service and that any operational changes would require negotiation.

The committee also reviewed staffing tradeoffs: the fire department plans to leave three vacancies unfilled going into the upcoming year to meet budget targets. Staff warned that vacancies would raise overtime and reduce the number of responders available for concurrent incidents. Committee members asked for more detailed projections of fiscal‑year overtime and for a plan to refill vacancies when possible.

The committee directed staff to refine the ambulance revenue and overtime projections and return with more detailed assumptions on insurer reimbursement, student‑class reimbursements and any contractual barriers to expanding EMS‑only services.","Department leaders reported record ambulance and engine calls, warned of firefighter gaps when crews are on medical calls, and proposed higher EMS billing rates to push ambulance revenue toward $1 million; committee discussed potential interfacility transports and union constraints.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6108543,"Olean police budget debate centers on staff cuts, vehicle replacements and body‑camera contract",1637,1099000,2736000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2767957-d35037832a79e877c2d98d2add31c832&start=1099&end=2736","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2767957-d35037832a79e877c2d98d2add31c832/thumbnail_1099000.jpg","/articles/6108543/Olean/Cattaraugus-County/New-York/Olean-police-budget-debate-centers-on-staff-cuts-vehicle-replacements-and-bodycamera-contract","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6108543-7ae28dfc6452b7fc2354eefe77a0a63d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771083740&Signature=oD9P5GtYud7juW-IRVgVkyDOwhx7HNDg9c8CIZeBMZ79hGo2x~HePOpR4dExVWUJ5TmowZgl2cc4WIOQpeNWZzW4odRDUtGjaWKcS7ENAKG9tcao~b30byHkzRTbC06JeuXtsDQQyuNAFvEct-NcO86rFk-~fCsnhDXApKRhQg4qiL~OKYh6kX6~cKF2fTw9fz1UUJOsTC~3M1ExJ0pG7JINlyTWY-4WXYdj1IiWNoE0ixBrne7s2wLhsw8~wwJYTaGZc1h374RF49z-~bvc36V2gjVSp1qNWyTS0NtFvkCVaHWeOSDMGDkVCficl66cUsjDgwpqNXjCZRU162PiWA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Olean Finance Committee spent substantial time Wednesday reviewing the police department’s 2025–26 budget as officials warned that two proposed position cuts and several imminent retirements could leave the department short-staffed and increase overtime costs.

The police chief said two positions were cut from the department’s 100 line, a change that reduces personnel costs by about $121,262 but would leave the department down about two sworn officers after accounting for a current assignment to the middle school. Committee members pressed department leadership on recruitment plans and the timetable for replacements.

Committee members and the chief noted rising call volumes over the past decade and flagged public‑safety consequences from fewer officers on patrol. The chief reported historic call counts and recent increases that, he said, have pushed demand for staffing and overtime higher; the committee asked whether overlapping hires or temporary coverage plans should be considered to reduce response delays and overtime spikes.

The budget discussion also covered vehicles and equipment. The department currently operates four 2021 Dodge Chargers and is proposing to replace one vehicle this year, with a plan to stagger replacements over multiple years. The chief said trading a leased vehicle might recover roughly $5,000 in equity and that he is talking with a leasing vendor about cutting an existing lease short if a replacement can be outfitted earlier.

Committee members asked about outside funding. The chief said he is working with grant consultant John Bolton on potential Department of Justice grants that could cover equipment and training and estimated a possible grant of about $500,000, but he said some federal grant programs were temporarily paused.

School resource officers and reimbursements were clarified. The newest middle‑school SRO is paid 65% by the Olean City School District; when school is not in session the officer is assigned back to patrol or used during holidays and summer. The department submits SRO salary costs to the district and receives quarterly reimbursements; the budget therefore includes the full SRO salary on the revenue side with an offsetting reimbursement line.

The committee also discussed body‑worn cameras. Staff said the Axon contract under negotiation would require an initial payment of $6,492 in the coming budget year and substantially larger recurring annual payments in subsequent years if the city signs a five‑year unlimited‑storage contract (the vendor’s sales proposal showed recurring annual costs around $34,000 after the first year). Committee members instructed staff to seek a signed contract and said they would discuss a purchase order or a resolution at the next meeting.

No ordinance or binding contract was approved during the committee’s discussion of the police budget; the committee asked staff to return with corrected line‑item figures and a purchase‑order or contract draft for future action.

The committee approved minutes from previous finance committee meetings earlier in the session and later adjourned by unanimous voice vote.","Committee reviewed proposed 2025–26 police budget that cuts two sworn positions, leaves staffing short by multiple vacancies, budgets for one vehicle replacement and shifts body‑camera costs into a multi‑year Axon contract; school resource officer payback and grant opportunities were discussed.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee questions code enforcement revenue tracking as staff seek higher fines and grass‑cut fees

Fire department flags rising ambulance call volume and staffing pressure; billing rates proposed to climb

Olean police budget debate centers on staff cuts, vehicle replacements and body‑camera contract