July 19, 2019
Ohio

County to vote again on Pops funding

Dennis Phillips, Jamestown Reporter/Business Editor | The Post-Journal | Jul 18, 2019 | www.post-journal.com

MAYVILLE – Confusion in what source will assist in funding the Chautauqua Lake Pops will cause the Chautauqua County Legislature to vote again.

On Wednesday, Kathleen Dennison, Chautauqua County budget director, told the Planning and Economic Development Committee that a resolution the legislature passed in May was not correctly worded. The original resolution authorized the use of $10,000 from the 3% occupancy tax reserve for undesignated off-cycle projects budget would be used to assist the Chautauqua Lake Pops, which formally was known as the Bemus Bay Pops. She said the resolution should not have stated reserve and should have just read undesignated off-cycle projects.

Legislator Mark Odell, R-Brocton, said this is a “housekeeping” issue, which will result in the legislature voting again on the resolution at its voting session meeting Wednesday.

In May when the first resolution was up to vote there was only one “No” vote. Jay Gould, R-Ashville, voted against it because he doesn’t believe the organization should receive county funding just for moving from Bemus Point to its new location in Mayville.

In other business, the committee unanimously voted down a resolution to fund the Grape Discovery Center with $10,000 from the 3% occupancy tax off-cycle project budget. Legislator Pierre Chagnon, R-Bemus Point, said the center had received occupancy tax funding seven different times in the past. He said the county policy is for no project to receive occupancy tax funding more than three times. Christine Starks, D-Fredonia, agreed with Chagnon that even though assisting the Grape Discovery Center is important, the purpose of the occupancy tax funding is to provide the money to several organizations.

The committee approved a resolution to provide $8,100 from the 3% occupancy tax off-cycle project fund to assist the Chautauqua Hometown Heroes Veterans Memorial in constructing seven educational kiosks. The total project cost is $81,000, of which, if approved, the county will fund 10%.

The memorial will be a gazebo structure incorporating walls of commemorative bricks honoring all Chautauqua County service men and women.

The Chautauqua Hometown Heroes Veterans Memorial is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt corporation. Tax-deductible donations may be sent to P.O. Box 102, Mayville, NY 14757 or online donations accepted at crcfonline.org. For inquires call 581-1790.

The committee also briefly discussed the resolution being proposed by several legislators who live near Lake Erie opposing to the construction of any wind turbine farms on the great lake. The resolution notes that recently the state of Ohio has partnered with a business to construct wind turbine along the shore of Lake Erie, which has spawned discussion from lakeside communities in Chautauqua County.

The resolution also states that the Erie County Legislature as approved a resolution opposing the construction of wind turbine farms on Lake Erie. The resolution reads that the construction of wind turbines on the lake could negatively impact not just migratory birds, but also impact fishing waters through the destruction of spawning grounds.

Also, there could be leaks from the hydraulic fluids from the turbines and could create physical barriers to fishing vessels. Wind turbines projects have been approved for Cherry Creek, Charlotte, Stockton, Arkwright and Villenova in Chautauqua County, which has caused outcry from several community residents.


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2019/07/19/county-to-vote-again-on-pops-funding/