County law recommends settlement of historical claim; committee approves payment by county

The Chautauqua County Audit & Control Committee on Nov. 13 approved a resolution authorizing settlement of a historical claim after the county law department recommended payment following depositions and review.

Kristen Wright of the county law department told the committee the claim was filed within an expanded New York State time window that allows certain historical claims to proceed. Wright said the county’s decision to settle reflected an assessment of the facts, the credibility of witnesses, and litigation risk, including how a jury might respond. "The county...this will be paid for by the county. This is not something that it's covered by insurance," Wright said.

Wright characterized the claim as sensitive and dated to the 1970s. She said depositions and a thorough factual review informed the recommendation, and that the county does not admit liability by settling. Committee members asked questions about the age of the case and how it reached settlement now; Wright explained that changes in the state’s allowable filing periods made it timely.

The committee carried the resolution by voice vote. The county did not state the settlement amount on the public record during the discussion; Wright said standard confidentiality and sensitivity apply to these matters. County staff said the settlement payment will be processed by county finance and is not covered by existing insurance policies.

Next steps: county law and finance will process the settlement payment and record the accounting steps for the county’s year‑end reporting.