The Chautauqua County Audit & Control Committee approved a series of resolutions on budget amendments, bond issuances, lease changes and property transfers during its public meeting. Most measures, including multiple 2025 budget amendments, authorizations to issue serial bonds and transfers of foreclosed parcels to local redevelopment entities, were carried by voice vote; one transfer to the City of Dunkirk was tabled for later action.

The package included smaller departmental budget adjustments (public facilities engineering, landfill household hazardous waste program, environmental health, medical examiner/coroner), lease amendments and renewals (Jamestown City Hall space for Public Health, Taylor Training Center and related Jamestown Board of Public Utilities arrangements), bond resolutions to fund equipment and facility construction, and several property transfers tied to tax-foreclosure auctions and the county land bank. The Board of Elections accepted state grant offers to offset vote-by-mail and election security costs and approved a budget-neutral equipment transfer for an envelope sealer.

Why it matters: the approvals release funding for ongoing county operations and capital projects and move tax-foreclosed properties into local redevelopment channels. Separately, the committee approved a $500,000 amendment to the county’s government reduction/consolidation incentive fund and accepted a $651,045 “unmet needs” supplemental grant for the Office for Aging, both discussed in separate agenda items.

Votes at a glance

- Resolution 1 — Renew and amend Resolution 139-25 to amend the 2025 budget to implement waterway hazard removal using ARPA interest earnings and 3% occupancy tax reserve — Carried.
- Resolution 2 — Amend 2025 budget for Department of Public Facilities Engineering (contractual/IT/meal reimbursements) — Carried.
- Resolution 3 — Amend 2025 budget for Chautauqua County Landfill Household Hazardous Waste Program (NY State retirement underestimate) — Carried.
- Resolution 4 — Amend existing lease agreement with City of Jamestown for additional office space for Chautauqua County Health Department (lead rental registry staff) — Carried.
- Resolution 5 — Amend 2025 budget for Department of Building and Grounds for build-out costs for County Law Department office at 9395 East Chautauqua (furniture/door controls/windows) — Carried.
- Resolution 6 — Authorize lease of Taylor Training Center, 240 Harrison St., Jamestown (10-year term with renewal options; nominal rent) — Carried.
- Resolution 7 — Authorize lease renewal with Jamestown Board of Public Utilities for 240 Harrison St., Jamestown (contingent, same terms) — Carried.
- Resolution 8 — Amend 2025 budget for North County Industrial (retirement/benefit costs) — Carried.
- Resolution 9 — Amend 2025 budget for North Chautauqua County Water District (retirement/benefit costs) — Carried.
- Resolution 10 — Authorize $1,000,000 serial bonds to finance purchase of construction and maintenance equipment — Carried.
- Resolution 11 — Authorize $1,224,675 serial bonds to finance construction of a new Buildings & Grounds maintenance building at Mayville office complex — Carried.
- Resolution 12 — Authorize $7,226,730 serial bonds for reconstruction and improvements at Falconer DPW/Highway facility — Carried.
- Resolution 13 — Amend Resolution 139-17 (government reduction initiative) to authorize up to $500,000 for consolidation/dissolution/shared-services incentives — Carried.
- Resolution 14 — Amend Board of Elections 2025 budget for equipment purchase (budget-neutral transfer) — Carried.
- Resolution 15 — Authorize acceptance of a 2025 vote-by-mail grant ($32,040.39) from the New York State Board of Elections — Carried.
- Resolution 16 — Authorize acceptance of a 2025 election grant ($9,421.57) from the New York State Board of Elections for election security/secure products and services — Carried.
- Resolution 17 — Quitclaim deeds for parcels sold at tax auction (list on committee desk; deeds to highest bidders who paid in full) — Carried.
- Resolution 18 — Authorize transfer of tax foreclosure property to City of Dunkirk — Tabled (previously held in Administrative Services; no action today).
- Resolution 19 — Authorize transfer of foreclosed properties to the Chautauqua County Land Bank Corporation (parcels for rehab, demolition or side lots) — Carried.
- Resolution 20 — Authorize transfer of tax foreclosure property to Chautauqua County Industrial Development Agency (IDA) (old Pierogi property; IDA to pay back taxes) — Carried.
- Resolution 21 — Authorize acceptance of New York State supplemental “unmet needs” grant for Office for Aging, $651,045 — Carried (see separate article on Office for Aging).
- Resolution 22 — Amend 2025 budget for Medical Examiner/Coroner to correct double-counted purchase order; decrease appropriations and revenues by $148,632 (budget-neutral housekeeping) — Carried.
- Resolution 23 — Amend 2025 budget for Environmental Health (move $55,000 from contractual to equipment; infrastructure grant items purchased as equipment) — Carried.
- Resolution 24 — Adopt amended 2026 budget package by substitution (constitutional tax limit/interest corrections for North Chautauqua Lake Sewer District; packet substitution accepted) — Carried.

What passed: The committee approved the package of operational and capital items, granted authority to proceed with bond issuances (which still require separate legislative resolutions to issue debt), accepted state grants for elections and aging services, and moved numerous foreclosed parcels to local entities for reuse or demolition. The only item expressly tabled was the transfer to the City of Dunkirk (Resolution 18), which remains under Administrative Services review.

Meeting context and next steps: Many approvals are procedural budget adjustments or routine renewals; the bond authorizations reflect previously approved capital projects and will proceed to the full legislature for debt issuance. Transfers to the land bank and IDA move foreclosed parcels toward redevelopment or remediation; staff said most transfers to the land bank are for $1 purchases to allow demolition or rehab. Several items referenced grant funding (Office for Aging, Board of Elections, lead rental registry) that the county said will offset local costs.

Ending: Committee members voiced occasional procedural questions on account balances and the mechanics of interfund transfers but carried the package by voice votes; no roll-call tallies were given in the public record for these items.