Committee advances multiple sewer bond resolutions; public hearing set for North Chautauqua Lake upgrade

The Chautauqua County Public Facilities Committee on April 14 adopted multiple resolutions to prepare wastewater projects for grant application and financing.

Katie Crow, director of finance, told the committee that two bond resolutions on the agenda required revisions after approval by the New York State Comptroller's office; the revisions do not change the dollar amounts of the financings but adjust the bond resolutions to reflect the comptroller's review. For the Portland–Pomfret–Dunkirk project (listed as item 4), the committee adopted a resolution to authorize bonds in the amount discussed for that project and was told financing will close next month.

The committee also advanced several items for the North Chautauqua Lake Sewer District upgrade of wastewater treatment plant infrastructure, including: a project determination, establishment of a capital account, authorization to issue bonds in the amount discussed for the project, and authorization to apply for grants on the district's behalf. Committee members were told the items are intended to prepare the county to apply for grants and that the county will borrow only as much as needed after any grants are awarded.

Crow noted the resolution for the Portland–Pomfret–Dunkirk financing "will just supersede the one that was previously adopted" and that there was "no change in the dollar amount of the financing." Committee members adopted the bond-related resolutions by voice vote. The committee scheduled a public hearing on the North Chautauqua Lake project at the full-legislature meeting the following Wednesday.

Action items adopted in committee included publishing the bond resolutions in the newspaper as required before financing. Committee members emphasized that the county will not issue bonds for the full project amount if sufficient grant funding is not secured.