Committee approves package of 2024 year‑end reconciliations and OKs several election grants and an extension

The Chautauqua County Administrative Services Committee on Feb. 18 approved a package of year‑end budget reconciliations affecting multiple county funds and authorized several Board of Elections (BOE) grant actions, including an extension to a previously awarded technology grant and acceptance of grants for the 2024 general election, ballot‑by‑mail postage and electronic poll books.

Sam Zafuto, Deputy Director of Finance, represented Information Technology and the Finance Office at different points in the meeting. Zafuto said the county has been working with the New York State Board of Elections to finalize reimbursements tied to 2024 purchases and that the county could seek as much as $38,000 from one of the grants. “I can't guarantee you we'll get a dollar, but we could get up to $38,000 and we will make the effort,” Zafuto said.

Why it matters: the votes close out 2024 accounting for multiple departments and funds, allocate grant revenue options for election administration, and keep in place a recurring request to the state to continue a 1% local option sales tax the county has relied on in prior cycles.

Most significant items

Board of Elections grants and reimbursement issues: The committee authorized an extension to an amended Technology Innovations and Election Resource grant so the county can submit claims for voting machines purchased in 2024 whose delivery fell just outside the original grant period. Zafuto said the amendment will allow the county to seek reimbursement once the state processes a contract amendment. The committee also accepted a 2024 General Election grant (potentially up to $38,000), a Ballot‑by‑Mail postage grant (budget amendment to record the revenue), and an Electronic Poll Book grant (which reimburses recent iPad purchases the BOE completed at year end). The BOE accepted these grants with the understanding that some expenses may be reimbursable and some may not; Zafuto described the acceptances as an effort to pursue reimbursement where…