Audit & Control Committee approves leases, grants and budget amendments

The Chautauqua County Audit & Control Committee on Jan. 16 approved a slate of resolutions covering leases, airport agreements, grant-funded budget changes and intermunicipal public-safety contracts.

The committee voted to: authorize a short-term lease for the County Office for Aging in the City of Dunkirk; approve a five-year commercial lease for a portion of the Jamestown Airport parking lot used for CDL training; approve two terminal-office leases at the Jamestown Airport (Penn Border Aviation LLC and Chase Aviation Company LLC); set a public hearing for a restaurant lease at the Jamestown Airport (Basal and Bones Incorporated); amend the 2025 budget to move a state FY‑21 cyber security grant into 2025 and spend the award; close a long-unused sheriff’s petty-cash account and remit its balance to the general fund; renew enhanced police-protection agreements with several towns; and renew multiple court-security contracts. The committee also advanced a repurposing of a capital project for Jamestown Community College (JCC) and budget amendments to account for resiliency and waterway planning grants.

Most votes were voice approvals. Where specific tallies or roll-call votes were not recorded in the transcript, the committee carried each resolution by voice vote.

Votes at a glance (committee action/result): - Authorize lease: Chautauqua County Office for Aging Service — short-term lease with City of Dunkirk — carried (voice vote). - Authorize commercial five-year lease: portion of Jamestown Airport parking lot (DMV/CDL training) — carried (voice vote). - Authorize lease: Jamestown Airport terminal office with Penn Border Aviation LLC (6-month trial) — carried (voice vote). - Authorize lease extension: Chase Aviation Company LLC (3-year lease) — carried (voice vote). - Authorize public hearing: restaurant lease (Basal and Bones Inc.) — carried (voice vote). - Amend 2025 budget: FY‑21 state cyber security grant ($50,000) moved into 2025 — carried (voice vote). - Close sheriff’s special petty cash (investigations) account and return balance to general fund — carried (voice vote). - Authorize agreements with towns for enhanced police protection for 2025 (Ripley, Charlotte, others listed in packet) — carried (voice vote). - Authorize agreements with towns for court security services for 2025 (multiple towns; Harmony/North Harmony consolidation noted) — carried (voice vote). - Repurpose capital project funds for Jamestown Community College (change demolition project to asbestos abatement; funding source switched from bonds to capital reserve) — carried (voice vote). - Amend 2025 budget to record countywide resiliency planning grant ($144,000 with 10% match), Restore NY reimbursement for White Inn, and Bemis Creek debris-management planning grant ($50,000) — carried (voice vote).

What the approvals mean The committee approved short-term and trial leases intended to preserve county services (Office for Aging) and to retain tenants and revenue at the county airport. The budget amendment for the cyber grant moves an awarded FY‑21 state grant into the county’s 2025 budget so the county can spend on annual licensing and other cybersecurity items. The JCC capital repurposing approves replacing a demolition project with asbestos abatement and switches county funding from bond proceeds to the county capital reserve; JCC officials said abatement work has already been completed and the State has agreed to allow the reclassification. The committee carried each resolution by voice vote with no recorded roll-call tallies in the transcript.

Next steps Several items were routine renewals that will be memorialized by signed agreements (leases and town contracts). The JCC and resiliency items will require coordination with state agencies for reimbursements and follow-up reporting. Committee members asked for follow-up on timing for the Office for Aging’s move and monitoring of airport tenant performance if air service returns.