MAYVILLE – Last night’s Chautauqua County Legislature meeting also featured the annual state of the county address delivered by Chautauqua County Executive Greg Edwards. It was Edwards’ eighth state of the county address since first entering the office of county executive at the start of 2006, and he spent much of the address going over the success the county has seen during the past seven years.
Edwards said that during his time in office, county residents have seen both the property and sales tax rates decrease, adding that they are actually still lower now than they were in 2006. He also assured residents that if the county home would be sold this year, he could guarantee there would be no tax increases for 2014.
Edwards also highlighted three success stories in the county that can be found nowhere else in the state. They included the merger of the county’s Department of Social Services and Health Departments, the effort by the Army Corps of Engineers to undertake a project to improve the quality of Chautauqua Lake without any local cost to residents, and the said he county is actually using fewer taxes and fees from county residents now than it was in 2006.
As for projects on the horizon, Edwards pointed to six major projects he hopes to either undertake this year or see to completion. Those projects involved:
- Undertaking a study to see the impact of centralizing the county highway department services at the Sherman Shop in Sherman
- Turning the county airport in Dunkirk over to a private owner
- Creating a smoke-free environment on all county campuses
- Continuing a partnership with the Seneca Nation of Indians so that an outlet mall can be completed in the north county
- Working toward improving the conditions of Chautauqua Lake by creating a lake-wide sewer district
- Continuing the effort to upgrade the north county water district for communities along Lake Erie.
Edwards State of the County was greeted by a standing ovation by nearly all the lawmakers in attendance. The full version can be found on the county executive’s website.
WRFA will also replay the State of the County tonight during our Community matters Program at 6 p.m.
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