Chautauqua County Human Services Committee discusses updated sewer law, approves leases and a health grant; reviews temporary assistance data

The Chautauqua County Human Services Committee met in May and discussed a proposed update to the county's sewer-use local law, heard a presentation on county mental health services and the Chautauqua Tapestry children's initiative, and approved two short-term lease extensions plus acceptance of a $15,000 grant for the Local Roots program.

The committee's most substantive policy discussion centered on Local Law Intro 225, an update to the county's sewer-use ordinance that was first adopted in 1979 and last updated in 1994. Pierre Shagnon, chairman of the county legislature, said the update was prompted by an Environmental Protection Agency audit of the City of Dunkirk, which treats wastewater from the county's industrial sewer district. Shagnon said the EPA found the county's ordinance "way out of date," and that a three-year effort produced a draft the affected sewer districts and treatment plants have reviewed and accepted.

The proposed local law adds enforcement tools the county does not now have, Shagnon said, including a requirement that sewer connections be investigated in property sales so illegal connections (for example, sump pumps or downspouts tied to the sewer) can be identified and remediated. Shagnon said adoption is expected to be on the county legislature agenda next Wednesday; the committee discussed the draft but did not adopt the law at this meeting.

On administrative items, the committee…