County Executive delivers State of the County address outlining Grow CHQ agenda, ARPA investments and infrastructure plans

County Executive Paul M. Wendell Jr. delivered the State of the County address, outlining a multi‑year agenda centered on his Grow CHQ initiative and summarizing the county’s fiscal and programmatic priorities for 2025.

Key items highlighted - Grow CHQ: The executive described a three‑part strategy to boost economic development, improve infrastructure and promote sustainable growth; he cited examples including the Dunkirk downtown revitalization, Mayville waterfront work and local waterfront revitalization programs. - Budget and tax rate: Wendell said the 2025 budget was structured to remain under the state tax cap and that the property‑tax rate for 2025 was set at $6.72 per thousand (the executive noted multi‑year reductions he said his administration implemented). He projected county sales tax revenue around $94,000,000, with $39,000,000 shared with municipalities; occupancy tax receipts were described as roughly $2,000,000 with a 60/40 split for tourism and waterways protection. - ARPA investments: The county received $24,600,000 in ARPA funds; Wendell said the county leveraged that award into a larger pipeline of projects, reporting the ARPA investment helped leverage an estimated $75,000,000 in total project funding across 84 projects (presentation materials cited an ARPA report available online). - Infrastructure and economic development: He described shovel‑ready industrial sites, investments to replace four bridges, nine culvert rehabilitation projects and more than 670 miles of road rehabilitation (project types included full replacement and surface treatments). He also discussed ongoing Westside Sewer Extension Phase 2 work and a feasibility study for extending North County water to Fredonia. - Housing: The executive said CCIDA‑assisted projects and incentive work could produce about 400 new housing units across the county when realized. He cited CCIDA and the county planning department’s roles and noted awards and outside funding the county and partners secured. - Energy and innovation: Wendell discussed efforts to promote Chautauqua County’s energy heritage and said he intends to launch a committee to explore micro‑nuclear energy opportunities in the region; he said he participated in regional roundtable discussions including NYSERDA and state officials. - Public safety, health, and social services: The address noted investments in public safety teams, EMS responses, senior services, mobile health clinics (county reported conducting mobile health clinics across the county), and an apparent 50% reduction in county overdose deaths compared with the prior year cited by the executive.

What comes next Wendell asked the legislature and communities to continue collaborative work on economic growth, infrastructure, housing and water resources; he said staff will publish an ARPA impact report online and pursue targeted grant opportunities to support the outlined projects.