The Chautauqua County Public Facilities Committee on Dec. 8 voted to confirm multiple appointments and reappointments, authorized a maintenance agreement for a county water-tank site, approved transfer of Hangar A at Jamestown Airport (forgiving an $81,000 remaining bond balance) and advanced five‑year capital plans for Dunkirk and Jamestown airports.

Committee Chair (unnamed) opened the meeting and the panel first approved the minutes and budget review for prior sessions. John McEnroe, report manager for county airports, introduced a new appointment — Dalton Anthony — and listed reappointments for the airport commission. After committee discussion that John Shedd could no longer serve, members voted to remove his name from the slate before confirming the remainder. “We’re excited to have Dalton, Anthony join the airport commission,” McEnroe said.

Allison Vento, administrative director for the North Chautauqua Water and Sewer Districts, presented a separate reappointment resolution to confirm Sally Cousan and Don Swingle to the PPD board and noted a clerical date error in the paperwork: “the meeting is the eleventh, not the tenth,” she said. The committee approved those reappointments.

The panel authorized an agreement to have the Town of Sheridan perform routine maintenance—plowing, mowing and related work—at the North Chautauqua County Water District tank on Miller Road, noting the arrangement mirrors a similar agreement with Portland.

Mark Geiss, CEO of the Industrial Development Agency, walked members through the proposed formal transfer of Hangar A at Jamestown Airport to the county. He explained the hangar, built in 1995 with IDA bond financing, reverted to the county when a ground lease ended in 2023; because bond payments were contractually payable only from hangar revenues, the committee approved a resolution that transfers the hangar and forgives the remaining $81,000 balance on the bond. “And it forgives the $81,000 that’s still remaining on that bond,” Geiss said, describing the transaction.

McEnroe then presented five‑year capital plans for Dunkirk and Jamestown airports. He said FY2026 projects have a 2.5% local match (rising to 5% in 2027) and highlighted planned work including Runway 13/31 rehabilitation at Jamestown, Taxiway Bravo North rehabilitation and T‑hangar construction contingent on state grant awards. McEnroe said most airport capital funding is drawn from user sources — fuel surcharges, ticket fees and similar revenue streams — and noted an application for essential air service is still pending with the U.S. Department of Transportation.

The committee also authorized a public‑hearing process to consider a terminal restaurant lease for Archie’s Airport Diner LLC, with a proposed lease start date of March 1, 2026, and proposed monthly rent of $900. McEnroe emphasized the authorization was to hold a hearing and not a final lease approval; he said no major additional county investment is needed for the operator to start and estimated a possible mid‑March opening if the lease is subsequently approved.

A late resolution confirming five reappointments to the parks commission — Jacob Bodway, Steven Sandberg, Martha Anderson, Robert Franson and Tuan Lenders — was presented and approved. With no further business, the committee adjourned.

Votes at a glance
- Approval of minutes and budget review: voice vote; chair called the motion carried.
- Airport commission slate (amended to remove John Shedd): amendment passed by voice vote; amended slate confirmed.
- Reappointments to PPD board (Sally Cousan, Don Swingle): approved by voice vote.
- Maintenance agreement with Town of Sheridan for water-tank site: approved by voice vote.
- Transfer of Hangar A and forgiveness of $81,000 bond balance: approved by voice vote.
- Authorization to hold public hearing on Archie’s Airport Diner LLC lease (proposed start March 1, 2026; $900/month): approved by voice vote (hearing authorization only).
- Parks commission reappointments (five members): approved by voice vote.

What’s next
The committee authorized public hearings and approvals that will return to the committee or related boards for final action where required (for example, the terminal restaurant lease requires further approval after the hearing; the essential air service application decision remains pending with federal DOT).