COUNTY LAWMAKERS DISCUSS FUTURE OF AIRPORTS
MAYVILLE – Some county lawmakers say it may be time for the county to consider privatizing its the two airports. Today’s Jamestown Post-Journal is reporting that the legislature’s Public Facilities Committee revisited the airport task force report, which first arrived in their mailboxes in September. The report found that changes need to be made to how the county’s two airports are operated. Jamestown area legislator and committee member Chuck Nazzaro discussed the possibility of turning over full operations of the airports to the fixed-base operators or to an authority. He also spoke about cutting the airports off entirely from county funding, although it would be done over time with a steady decrease in funding.
Of the two airports, the Jamestown airport has consistently cost the county more, with its five-year losses totaling over $3.6-million and Dunkirk’s totaling $775,000. County Public Facilities Director George Spanos disagreed that the county was losing money each year on the airports. He said a financial analysis would need to be done to get a better understanding of the impact the two airports have on the communities they serve. He said the county should be looking at the costs of upkeep on the airports not as a loss, but as an investment.
PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETS TODAY IN MAYVILLE
MAYVILLE – The Chautauqua County Legislature’s Audit and Control Committee will meet this afternoon in Mayville to continue its discussion into the 2012 budget. The panel, which deals with overseeing the county sheriff’s share of the budget along with other public safety-related funding, hasn’t restored any of the $900,000 in funding removed from the Sheriff’s department. That translates to over 20 positions that will have to be eliminated in the department, along with cutting back on equipment and vehicle costs.
Earlier this month during the audit and control committee’s budget deliberations, Sheriff Joe Gerace pleaded with lawmakers to restore some of the money. But despite the Sheriff’s wishes, the audit and control committee did not restore any money to his department. The issue of funding for next year will continued to be discussed during today’s public safety committee, which begins at 4 p.m. on the 3rd floor of the Gerace Office Building.
YOUNG, GOODELL CALL ON GOVERNOR HALT EXTRA MEDICAID PAYMENT
ALBANY – Saying it would bring immediate taxpayer savings and mandate relief, state Senator Catharine Young (R,C,I-Olean) and Assemblyman Andrew Goodell (R,C-Chautauqua) are calling on Governor Andrew Cuomo to reverse a decision that forces an extra weekly Medicaid payment from counties in 2012.
Chautauqua County makes a weekly payment to the state Department of Health (DOH) on every Monday to fund its share of Medicaid. In 2012, there will be 53 Mondays, rather than the normal 52, and the state DOH is requesting that the county make an extra weekly payment. The result would cause the Medicaid cost to Chautauqua County taxpayers to increase by $600,000, and would cost local taxpayers millions of dollars statewide.
In a prepared statement, Senator Young called the requirement another unfunded mandate and a step backwards in the effort to remove unwanted burdens from Albany.
HISTORIC PRESERVATION CONFERENCE BEGINS IN BUFFALO
BUFFALO – More than 2,000 delegates from the Trust for Historic Preservation will be in Buffalo starting today to attend the 2011 National Preservation Conference. The four-day event has attracted thousands of preservationists from across the country to Buffalo. Along with 3 days of seminars, attendees will also take a field trip that includes tours of historic buildings, sacred places and neighborhoods. City officials are hoping the event will help to put Buffalo on the map in the national preservation community. Those in attendance include leaders of preservation groups, architects, planners, craftsmen, and museum administrators from throughout the United States.
IMPROV TRYOUT TONIGHT IN JAMESTOWN
JAMESTOWN – Tonight’s the final night for people interested in joining a local Improv comedy troup in Jamestown. The Galactic Systems Headquarters is holding an audition for an upcoming improv comedy show. The venue – located at 201 N. Main St. on the corner with 2nd St. – is producing the show and plans to premiere it in the facility as well as limited tour dates. The production will be directed locally, but improv instructors from New York City and New Orleans will provide support to train the cast.
Auditions are open to anybody over the age of 18 who has free time to commit to a weekly open run theater production. Actors should expect to rehearse once a week. Auditions will take place tonight at 9:00 p.m. in the facility.
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