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County committee backs $50,000 match request to study shared services and municipal consolidation options
Summary
Planners and town supervisors asked Chautauqua County to fund a $50,000 local match to two state efficiency grants so a consultant can study public-works sharing and possible consolidation among Fredonia-area municipalities; the committee approved forwarding the match funding to the full legislature.
Chautauqua County planners and municipal leaders told the Public Facilities Committee on March 16 they seek county Government Reduction Initiative (GRI) support to study sharing or consolidation of services among neighboring municipalities.
"The Village of Fredonia approached the town of Pomprit late last year with a request to take over the village's public works department," said Lauren Sharp, senior planner with the Department of Planning and Development. Sharp said the effort expanded to include courts, building inspection, code enforcement and dog-control offices after initial outreach.
Dan Pacis, who identified himself as the town supervisor for Conford, said the Town of Pford is acting as lead applicant for two state Local Government Management Efficiency grants totaling $50,000; those grants require a 50% local match. "We would anticipate that without one or the other, we wouldn't be able to do the full study," he said. The body voted to provide the county match on the committee recommendation.
Committee members emphasized this is a study, not an immediate consolidation, and that an implementation plan could be part of the consultant scope. Officials also noted the county executive has asked staff to consider consolidation options in parallel but said the study should start with shared-services analysis.
Mike Cileto, who identified himself as a fourth-board councilman for the City of Dunker, asked how the Dunkirk city council could participate; committee members encouraged follow-up conversations between municipal leaders and county staff.
The committee approved forwarding the proposed funding match to the full Chautauqua County Legislature for final action.
