END OF NEW YORK STATE LEGISLATURE SESSION

Monday June 23, 2008 will be the end of the Legislature Session for the Senate and Assembly in our State. No further days for Legislative work are scheduled until January of 2009. Our Senator and Assemblymen return to run for office and to attend to business in our County. While there has been some discussion of the Governor calling the Legislature back into session to deal with some of the issues that are likely to be left unresolved, insiders feel that it is unlikely that any major matters will be taken up while the Legislators are campaigning. Over the next few months I will attempt to review and relay some of the Legislation that was completed late in the session ( over 700 pieces of Legislation were pending as of last Thursday) in an effort to keep the residents of our County informed about matters that have significant impact on all of us as tax payers.

One item that is particularly troubling is that the NY State Budget has a huge deficit built into it for this year (April 2008- March 2009) in amounts that have been projected to exceed 5 Billion dollars. Also it is common knowledge that the projected deficit for the upcoming year will exceed 7 Billion dollars, and the following year almost 9 Billion dollars. I participated in a conference call last Thursday with a majority of other County Executives from throughout the State to deal with the cuts that the State has already imposed on us, reducing the money that they had promised to send to deliver their services this year. The cuts exceed 65 Million dollars, of which 26 Million was for Mandated Programs that we have no choice but to deliver. The State is even cutting the payments to us for services that we delivered prior to April 1, 2008, bills that were sent after April 1, where we have to pay third party providers the full amount despite cuts by the State. I have been trying to think of an analogy for this in the private sector, however thankfully I cannot even comprehend a scenario, but if you can assist me with one I am all ears.

I stated in last week's memo that projections are for a 3.4 million dollar increase in expenses for next year. My Budget Director Kitty Crow correctly pointed out that this is after we account for the anticipated increase in revenue and that the actual increase in the costs associated with delivering our services for next year will exceed 7 million dollars. A significant increase is in the cost of the diesel and gasoline that the County is required to purchase, where we have projected that those costs alone will increase over $600,000.00. Also our Medicaid costs will go up by a minimum of $773,000.00 next year. As I stated, my goal is to find ways to deal with these increases by finding further efficiencies, revenues, and where appropriate, cuts in our spending to avoid property tax increases. However, if the State continues in it's effort to further cut the money that it should be sending us to do their work this goal will become impossible. I will keep you posted as our work progresses.

THE MANY SUCCESSES OF THE D.J.D.C.

Our hats are off to Lee Harkness at the Downtown Jamestown Development Corporation (DJDC) for the great new brochure "Find Yourself in Jamestown New York ." The brochure features the major attractions in the Jamestown area—the Lucy-Desi Center, the Audubon Center & Sanctuary, the Roger Tory Peterson Institute, the Fenton History Center, the Robert H. Jackson Center, the Jamestown Savings Bank Ice Arena, and the Reg Lenna Civic Center, along with a list of restaurants and bars, stores, and a map.

It is encouraging to see these organizations coming together to jointly promote what they offer our residents and visitors. To see them all in the same publication has a very positive impact—it attracts people who want unique experiences. You can get the brochures (there are lots of them available) and more information from DJDC at http://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=5962803&msgid=134513&act=VXNU&c=198559&admin=0&destination=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.discoverjamestown.com.

NEW PUBLIC HEALTH DIRECTOR

On Wednesday, June 18, I announced the appointment of Chautauqua County 's new Director of Public Health. My goal was to find a person who had a commitment to our public's health as a whole. I needed someone who understood the multi-faceted service levels of our health department as well as someone who has shown proven skill as an administrator. The person that I have appointed possesses all of these qualities and shares my vision for the need to work collaboratively in our delivery of services to the residents of Chautauqua County .


Christine Schuyler was appointed the Director of the Chautauqua County Public Health Department. She is well qualified for this position earning a Bachelors of Science in Nursing and Masters in Health Administration. Christine graduated from Villa Marie College of Gannon University, Erie , Pennsylvania with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree in 1990. She then attended Bellevue University , Bellevue , Nebraska and received a Master of Science in Health Care Administration in 2006. For the past eight years she has worked for the St. Vincent's Health System, most recently as Vice President of Administration at Westfield Memorial Hospital .

I am confident that Christine can continue the success that our Health Department has experienced the last two years under the leadership of Dr. Robert Berke. While Christine is going to take the Administrative lead in the Department Dr. Berke will continue to provide invaluable support and guidance to the Department.

VAN MILLER DAY

I had the distinct pleasure of delivering a proclamation Friday, announcing that in Chautauqua County , June 20 would be known as "Van Miller Day." Business and community leaders from around the County joined in the celebration of Van Miller and his accomplishments in the sports and entertainment field at an event held at the Shorewood Country Club in the Town of Dunkirk . I was glad to see many show up to raise money in Van's name for a Scholarship Fund for Broadcast and Communications students.

I would like to congratulate Stephanie Pulvino and her committee for their efforts to plan and coordinate this day celebrating on of our home town heroes. Van was born in Dunkirk and graduated from Dunkirk High School . He told me that he has been inducted into 5 separate Halls of Fame, but that this day was one of his highest honors. My comments in the proclamation stressed that Van achieved his much deserved respect due to his hard work and devotion to the sports and people of Western New York . Van commentated over 2,600 sporting events, never missing a single game he was scheduled to cover. His dedication and commitment will serve as a guide for all of the young broadcasters who follow in his wake particularly the recipients of the scholarships in his honor.

DIVISION OF VALEO PURCHASED

On Wednesday, June 4, Equity Partners AB from Stockholm , Sweden , announced that they had acquired the Heavy Goods Vehicle Motor Cooling Division of Valeo. That purchase included Valeo's Jamestown location and two others in Mjallby and Linkoping , Sweden . The new company was named TitanX.

This was great news for our county and the 352 employees of TitanX at the Jamestown plant. On Thursday, June 5, I had the great pleasure of meeting Lars Larson, Chief Executive Officer of the new company, along with Matt Moore, TitanX’s new Vice President of U.S. truck operations, and the new Board of Directors of the company—most of whom were visiting from Sweden .

The private meeting included Jamestown Mayor Sam Teresi, Bill Daly from the CCIDA, and staff from the Greater Jamestown Empire Zone and the City of Jamestown Department of Development. It was an excellent opportunity to welcome them here and discuss their plans to improve the plant. We presented the significant inducements that TitanX can receive from New York State for their continued investment in a NYS business in an Empire Zone.

This is just one more example of the major investments being made in Chautauqua County . We are indeed fortunate to have these investments happen, but we will not rest on our recent successes—there is much more to do. We will continue to work with our local employers to encourage even greater investment in our County. Our outstanding workforce draws them here, and we must do all we can to attract more workers to our expanding advanced manufacturing facilities found throughout the County.

CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY JOB OPPORTUNITIES

Since my appearance, just one week ago, on Buffalo WGRZ Channel 2 News and the publishing of the article appropriately titled, "Help Wanted In Chautauqua County," my office has received over 60 phone calls from people looking for work. These phone calls from people looking for work included Chautauqua County residents and people willing to relocate to our County. Many are looking for employment in the manufacturing, transportation, engineering and nursing fields. As profiled in my last week's memo, below is the entire review of where Chautauqua County stands on job availability compared to Cattaraugus and Allegany Counties.

Dan Black of Blackstone Business Enterprises also appeared on the WGRZ segment and explained the employment sitation of his company and their continuing need for welders and I would like to take this opportunity to thank him for his help. This segment is available by clicking the Help Wanted link. I encourage anyone seeking employment to visit www.chautauquaworks.com or call their offices at 716-366-0130 or 716-661-9553. I have also received phone calls from employment recruiters and will work with them to broaden our access to other available employment services and update you as more information becomes available. If you hvae job openings please call me so I can help you find talented people to assist you with your efforts.

CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY BUDGET SEASON

The Chautauqua County budget season will begin very soon. This is the time that I spend reviewing the budget from last year and the year before to continue the streamlining and consolidation of county services while delivering the programs and services that you, as a tax payer, expect from County Government. In my last budgets, I have held the line of Property Taxes and I will do the same this budget season.

It looks as if this year there will be some more "belt tightening." The task of keeping Property Taxes flat will be difficult because we will likely experience a $3.4 Million Dollar mandatory increase in costs. I will work to find the proper balnace to make sure that this tax rate stays flat.

For a look at the budget schedule please click here.

SANDY SOPAK HONORED

I wanted to take a moment out of my Memo today to congratulate our County Clerk , Sandy Sopak. Sandy recently won the Wheeler B. Melius Award for "outstanding excellence in records management." She received the award from the New York Association of Local Government Records Officers at their annual conference in Corning , New York .

Sandy has also been the only County Clerk in the country to be honored by the National Genealogical Society for her efforts to improve access to historical records. Our County Clerk has worked tirelessly for the past fourteen years making sure that our County stays up to par and beyond in records keeping. A great thank you goes out to County Clerk Sopak for her many years of service and especially for her much deserved acknowledgement from the New York Association of Local Government Records Officers organization.

MEETING WITH NEW YORK STATE LEADERS

On Memorial Day, after participating in parades and memorial ceremonies, I headed to Albany for a meeting with NYSAC (New York State Association of Counties) leaders, and State elected officials scheduled for the following day. Thankfully the Thruway was busy, but not nearly as congested as I was expecting. Tuesday began with a morning meeting with the Executive Director and the Director of Intergovernmental Affairs of NYSAC. We discussed the status of the New York State Budget, likely reductions in funding by the State for Counties mid-year due to the estimated 5 Billion dollar deficit this year and the projected 7 Billion dollar deficit for the next two years. NYSAC had arranged for meetings with Governor Paterson, his Budget Director, Executive Staff and both Senate Majority Leader Bruno, and Assembly Speaker Silver about the decisions being made in Albany.

I was joined by County Executives from Westchester County , Suffolk County , Rensselear County and Albany County in our first meetings which began with the New York State Budget Director and a group of senior Executives from the Governor's office. We spoke directly and openly about the role that Counties play in New York State as the individuals responsible for the delivery of the State's programs to the people in our Counties. We asked to have the State engage us in the design of the State Budget and Programs so we could inform these leaders about the impact of the proposed actions, as opposed to past practice when the Budget was prepared, presented, and we would have to react after the fact. I encouraged these State officials to consider the steps that my Administration took last year to cut spending which resulted in reductions in our property taxes, as proof of the benefit of less government and less government spending.

We then met with Senator Bruno. I thanked the Senator for his work on the Budget this year where he turned back then Governor Spitzer's efforts to pass off State expenses for Medicaid and Youth Detention onto County property tax bills. He accepted the complement but was quick to acknowledge my appreciation of the efforts of our Senator Catharine Young who helped make this work a reality. Senator Bruno also reacted to my request to have him support our attempts to increase the Bond capacity of Chautauqua County to support NRG, and the Jamestown BPU project with Prax Air carbon sequestration. I quickly learned that the Majority Leader knew of each effort, and Senator Bruno recited many of the important facts of these electric generation projects including the regional significance of the Jamestown project. Clearly he had done his homework and was working hard at the State level to support Chautauqua County . He pledged to continue to promote the growth of appropriate generation capacity to help the State deal with the increasing demand for energy while securing our tax base.

We then met with our New Governor David Paterson in the Executive Chamber. He was participating with NBC in a documentary about his work as our Governor. A camera crew filmed our meeting for possible use in this project. I must say that his limited vision did not impact at all on our meeting and our conversation confirmed that he is very bright, engaging, and committed to trying to find ways to improve our State. We discussed many of the same topics with the Governor as we did with his top advisors. I focused on asking the Governor to help with the energy issues in our County, the NRG matter and the BPU. He was well informed on each topic and assured me that he was working on both matters. I then asked for his assistance in finding a way to get people to come to Chautauqua County to take the over 1,000 open jobs that we have within a 50 mile radius of Jamestown. He was visibly taken back by that comment and immediately followed with a series of questions about the jobs, the Region, and assured me that he was very interested in helping. He told me that he would like to visit Chautauqua County and I promised that we would be delighted for him to come and experience our County first hand and meet with the people and businesses that make our County special.

The last meeting of the day was with Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver. The Assembly was in session and votes were taking place during our meeting which cut our visit short, but he too indicated a willingness to partner with Counties to help shape policy and budget issues.

In the past I have been concerned about the impact of investing the time to drive to Albany and back for meetings. I am convinced that this was a unique opportunity for me to express directly to these decision makers at the State level the needs of the people of Chautauqua County . I was the only County Executive from a County West of the Hudson River, and as a result this trip was of particular importance to our Region to help those in Albany know about our situations and needs.

If you are interested in some of the outcomes of my visit all you have to do is read the next section on my conversations with the Deputy Director of the Department of Labor, and the WIB.

DISCUSSIONS WITH NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

The need for people to come join those of us in Chautauqua County to take the existing jobs that are open right now has never been more critical. I had presented this need to our State leaders during my visit two weeks ago. On Thursday I received a telephone call from the Deputy Director of the New York State Department of Labor, Bruce Herman. He was in route from Albany to New York City and had called to respond to the request from the Governor's office. The request being to help me address the concerns I had expressed to Governor Paterson.

We talked for almost 40 minutes about the precise jobs that were currently unfilled, the areas of the economy here in Chautauqua County that were growing and creating these positions, and what the State Department of Labor might do to help. I told him that my desire was to market all of the openings, and the quality of life that we have here in our County as opposed to areas that were experiencing just the opposite- loss of jobs, and a decline in the quality of life. He was very interested in assisting me in these efforts, and I was encouraged to learn that he was going to spread the word about the opportunities provided by Chautauqua County and the positive direction that is was taking in the Upstate Region.

This is great news for our County and I guaranteed him that I would do everything I could to provide him with all of the facts and information necessary to partner with the New York State Department of Labor in this initiative.

CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY JOB GROWTH UPDATE AND INITIATIVES

On Friday I had a meeting with Sue McNamara, members of her Board at the Workforce Investment Board, my Economic Development Director Bill Daly and Todd Tranum from Manufacturers Association of the Southern Tier. We met to respond to Sue's request to brainstorm about how we could draw more people to our Region to support the growth of our local businesses and address how we market our County.

Below, courtesy of data collected from the organization "Research and Statistics" are but a few key areas where Chautauqua County is thriving in the creation of jobs. These are the jobs available compared to the availability of the same jobs in other Counties in the Southern Tier.

As you can see, Chautauqua County is leading the way in job creation. Currently, there is an employment vacuum that needs to be filled by individuals. We are currently in the process of marketing Chautauqua County and all we have here to offer. With the aid of Sue McNamara and Todd Tranum, we hope to acquire the grants from state and federal entities so that we may effectively and efficiently market these jobs. With the auto industry, steel industry and other basic commodity industries slowing in other areas, it is important that those who may be out of work know that there are jobs here in Chautauqua County . We have the jobs, now it is time to get the word out.

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE TO DECIDE ON RIFLE BILL

An initiative that our Assemblyman, Joe Giglio, has been in the process of passing in the Assembly will finally be voted on IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION SUB-COMMITTEE COMMITTEE this week. Assembly Bill A09890 deals with the creation of a trial period for the use of rifles during the hunting season in seven towns of Chautauqua County . These are the Towns of Charlotte , Gerry, Villenova, Cherry Creek, Ellington , Poland and Carroll. The actual bill may be found on the New York State Assembly Website by clicking here.

The New York State Assembly Committee will be voting on this bill Tuesday, June 10th, 2008, at 12:00 PM. The Assembly Committee will finally make a decision on the recreational availability of seven towns in Chautauqua County.

COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT

As I stated in my previous Monday Morning Memo on May 24, 2008 I visited Ripley for their Veterans Memorial ground breaking. While speaking with Ripley residents I discovered great pride in their community and their history. In my conversation I learned of one prominent Ripley native, B. F. Goodrich. B.F. Goodrich was born in Ripley in 1841; orphaned at age 8 and raised by an uncle and home schooled until age 15. Mr. Goodrich then went to medical school and completed his studies during the Civil War. He served as an assistant surgeon at age 19 and served until the end of the war. In 1870, just five years after the war, he established the first rubber factory in the United States . The BF Goodrich Company became one of the largest American corporations with international branches throughout the world. Mr. Goodrich died in 1888.

Chautauqua County is filled with history, and to this day I am amazed at the stories and memories that I am told as I travel to all corners of our County. B.F. Goodrich is another individual who adds to the colorful character that this County has and personifies in all its residents.

RIPLEY VETERAN'S ROLL OF HONOR

On Saturday it was my honor and privilege to participate in the groundbreaking ceremony for the Ripley Veteran's Roll of Honor. The monument, which will showcase the names of Ripley residents who died serving their country, will be erected in front of Ripley Central School.

As I stated on Saturday, it is my belief that things happen for a reason. Last week I spoke of the issues of our Veterans suffering from traumatic brain injury and recently have been informed that several friends of mine are retiring due to the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder. Because of this, I am continually committed to helping provide better services for our residents who have given so much.The Ripley community is an example of what can happen when a small community comes together with a goal and purpose. The complete article can be found at the Dunkirk Observer website by clicking here.

Photo courtesy of the Dunkirk Observer.

CIRCLE OF EXCELLENCE AWARD

Last Thursday, I had the pleasure of awarding 1st annual Circle of Excellence Award to Joseph L. Castigila at an event sponsored by Southern Tier Builders Association. The Southern Tier Builders Association serves the construction industry in Southwestern New York and Northwestern Pennsylvania to assist companies operate more efficiently, effectively and competitively.

Joseph L. Castiglia, who lives in Chautauqua County , has been a leader in the construction industry throughout the region for over 50 years. The construction business is at its heart building futures for not only the owners of the structures, but the people who work there and those that are served by the businesses occupying these buildings. As a result, construction is, at its core economic development.


Right now in Chautauqua County we are experiencing investment by our businesses in amounts that has never before been seen like Cliffstar at 15 million, Cummins 14 million, Purina 70 million, NRG 140 million, and JCC 15 million. We need more people to come here and take the jobs that we have for engineers, architects, welders, machine operators, professors and many, many more.

In 1956, Joseph L. Castiglia was one the Founding Fathers of the Southern Tier Builders Association and has been a driving force in this organization for every year since that date. From this year forward this award will be known as the J.L. Castiglia Circle of Excellence Award! For further information on Joseph Castiglia click here.

NEW YOUTH BUREAU DIRECTOR APPOINTED

When Don Reinhoudt announced his intentions to retire from his role as the Director of the Chautauqua County Youth Bureau I knew that the next Director would have big shoes to fill, figuratively and literally. I am please to announce that after an exhaustive search, interviews by a team consisting of Legislators, the Chair of the Youth Board, and partners in the delivery of services to youth, that I have found the right person for the job."


My goal was to find a person who had a commitment to youth, who understood the challenges that they face, and proven skill as an administrator . The person that I have hired possesses all of these qualities and, he also shares my vision of the need for us to work cohesively in our delivery of services to the people of Chautauqua County.

Our new Director of the Youth Bureau has extensive experience, working with youth, financial management, program development, and community relations. He knows the youth of our Region because he grew up here, and returned here after the completion of a professional career in Colorado.

I am pleased to introduce the Steve Purol the Director of the Chautauqua County Youth Bureau.

Steve graduated from Dunkirk City Schools, attended Genesee Community College graduating with an Associates in Applied Science-Police Science, and graduated from SUNY Buffalo where he received his Bachelor's of Science in Criminal Justice.

Steve served as a Police officer for over 19 years, and then was the Juvenile Diversion Director in the State of Colorado near Denver for 2 years. He then took the position of Director of Mentoring and Community Coordination for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Colorado where he served for over 3 years. Since 2002 he has worked in Chautauqua County as a Conflict Resolution Director in the Dunkirk City Schools, and as an Instructor/Case Manager for ROSS Innovative Employment Services.

Steve lives in Fredonia with his family.

COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT

The Story of Pat Moniot

I first met Pat at a reception held for her retirement from the CARTS department several months ago. Pat Moniot suffers from severe Anxiety Attacks, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and Bi-Polar Disorder, but that does not stop her from helping others. Moniot served for thirty five years in the Civil Service sector, working for the City of Jamestown and Chautauqua County. She devotes much of her free time to volunteer work such as spending time with the blind and elderly, and playing the organ at her local church.

From 1973 to 1976, Pat became bedridden suffering from depression. It was not until 1976 that music saved her life when she began playing the organ for her church. Soon she started working at Jamestown General Hospital and found her passion for public service. She worked as a Personal Care Aide, gave her time and energy to the United Way Project Dial and worked in a private practice Doctors office.

Fifteen years ago, Pat took the opportunity to take a civil service exam for Chautauqua County. She received a 100% and applied for a position at CARTS and was selected out of pool of 36 applicants and earned the position. During her fifteen year career at CARTS, Pat advocated for better and more efficient services for those with disabilities, particularly transportation to and from doctors appointments.


Because of her amazing story, her community involvement and the dedication to her many volunteering hours, I have taken this occasion to honor Pat Moniot. After hearing Pat’s story and the adversity she has overcome, I am honored to have the opportunity to be acquainted with such an amazing woman. I have awarded Pat with a Certificate of Appreciation for her service to all the individuals she has touched over the years and for her amazing contributions to making CARTS better suited for all its riders. It is people like Pat who help to make Chautauqua County the caring and inviting place that it is.

MEMORIAL DAY

Out of respect for the Memorial Day holiday, you are receiving my Monday Morning Memo on Tuesday.

I hope that you and your family took time on Memorial Day to honor its true meaning. Throughout the county there are many opportunities to remember those who have served and paid the ultimate sacrifice for this great country.


Villages and cities throughout the country held parades and Memorial Day ceremonies at local American Legion or Veterans of Foreign War Organizations. We thank our Veterans and our active members of the Armed Forces for the freedoms and liberties we have today.

To see my remarks from a previous Memorial Day Ceremony, click here.

VETERANS SERVICES FOR TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY

It has been the goal of my administration to do whatever is possible in my capacity as County Executive for our Veterans and our serving men and women. One important service needed is treatment for traumatic brain injury in Chautauqua County, closer to home and families. Over the past week, I have been investigating medical services offered to Veterans upon their return home and hope to move forward in providing these services. For more information contact our Veterans Service Agency by clicking here.

UPDATE ON COUNTY PRESCRIPTION DRUG CARD

Since appearing on Channel 8 News Medical Minute, my office received many phone calls regarding the Chautauqua County Prescription drug card. In the last week alone, I have provided over two hundred prescription drug discount cards to small businesses and individuals in Chautauqua County.

For individuals and businesses without prescription drug coverage, this card offers significant savings. I will continue to update everyone on the progress of this program and encourage anyone who would benefit to contact my office.

VACATION IN YOUR OWN BACKYARD

With the increase in gas prices it seems that many people are thinking of changing their vacation travel plans. I have a great suggestion—vacation right here in Chautauqua County. There are so many wonderful places to visit and things to do "in your own backyard."

There are several outstanding publications that can get you on the way to exploring our County. The Chautauqua County Visitors Bureau has the "Chautauqua County Travel Guide" that is loaded with information on all aspects of activities to do year round—Art, History & Entertainment, Festivals & Events, Recreation, Nature Guides, Wineries & Farm Markets, Lodging, Dine & Shop, plus general information. This publication is distributed throughout the County; you can also visit the Chautauqua County Visitors Bureau website for more information by clicking here.

The Post-Journal and Dunkirk Observer just published their "2008 Vacation Guide." The Downtown Jamestown Development Corporation has a full schedule of events in the Jamestown area that can be found by clicking here. The CCIDA has lots of information with links to other websites at the Chautauqua County Industrial Development Agency website here.

It is funny how often we talk about what a premier tourist destination our County is, yet how often someone will say they have never been to a certain event or attraction. A classic example is the Chautauqua – Lake Erie Wine trail. People talk about going to the wine trails east of here, but not here. Check out the website by clicking here
and see the opportunities to create your own tour from Erie to Silver Creek.

I would love to hear stories about the events or attractions you visit in Chautauqua County this year. Those that are new to you and your families or friends hold special interest, so let me know via email: EdwardsG@co.chautauqua.ny.us.

COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT

Jenn Stuczynski is a world renowned pole vaulter and has quite the interesting story. It seems that she sees a record, whether her own or another pole vaulter, and breaks it. Her roots are right here in Chautauqua County, where she was born and raised in Fredonia attending Fredonia Schools . In High School, she played softball and basketball and had no interest in track and field events.

When she graduated high school, Jenn attended SUNY Fredonia where she began practicing pole vaulting. She is currently participating in some of the most competitive pole vaulting competitions in the country and in the world. Just recently, Jenn took part in the Adidas Track Classic on Sunday, May 19
th, 2008, and cleared 16 feet, three quarter inches, breaking her own previous record of sixteen feet. She missed the Worlds Record by a mere four and three quarter inches, a goal her coach and others say she is within reach.

This is an amazing accomplishment for Jenn and her family and we as a County have so much to be proud of for her. She is considered one of the most likely gold medal winners in the 2008 Olympics! Let's congratulate Jenn and wish her the best of luck in the coming months and her shot at the World's Record.

To see her article in the Dunkirk Observer, please click here.

CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE BREAKFAST

Last Wednesday, I spoke to the members of the Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce Breakfast held at SUNY Fredonia. This is an event that I look forward to every year as it is a great opportunity to spend a couple hours answering the questions that are on the minds of the business leaders throughout our county.

I truly believe solidifying our current business base and expanding our economic development is the key to our long term goal of lowering property taxes in Chautauqua County. There are many steps that the County has already done such as becoming more efficient, cutting wasteful spending, and finding new ways to do business. Last year my budget cut spending by $3 million and on top of the reduction of sales tax by $12 million this resulted in a cut in the property tax rate and reduced the amount of property taxes paid by businesses and individuals to fund county government.

I spoke on an array of issues including efforts in the county to focus on shared services and consolidations, the tremendous economic investment in the Dunkirk area, county infrastructure projects, landfill methane to electricity project, the Lundine report, and many other issues important to the business community. I hope that I answered all questions clearly and candidly as possible, and would remind everyone that I am always available to answer any questions that community and business leaders might have regarding Chautauqua County.

Finally, when I took office over 24 months ago, Chautauqua County GOVERNMENT was the largest employer in Chautauqua County. I am proud to say that today, Chautauqua County government is NO LONGER the largest employer because businesses are expanding and investing in our county.

BEMUS POINT STOW FERRY AND CHAUTAUQUA BELLE

The members of the "Chautauqua Lake Historic Vessels" and other volunteers moved the Bemus Point Stow Ferry up Chautauqua Lake. It was moved from its traditional location to the area adjacent to the Lakeside Park in Mayville last weekend. The Ferry was taken out of the water for a mandatory inspection and is currently on the shore next to the Chautauqua Belle launch dock.

Our Ferry is and has been an important part of what makes Chautauqua County special and it is a rare sight to be able to see this vessel out of the water. After the inspection is completed, the Ferry will travel back to the narrows between Bemus Point and Stow . From that location, the Ferry will be running this summer as it has continuously done since 1811.

I encourage everyone to take time this summer to take a ride on both of these historic vessels. For more information on the Chautauqua Belle or the Bemus Point Stow Ferry, click here.

PRESCRIPTION DRUG CARD SAVINGS

Three months ago, I announced that we were successful in securing a partnership with our insurance broker to provide a Prescription Discount Card to all Chautauqua County residents.

Although, the card is just getting started and finding its way into the hands of the people that need it the most, I am excited to report that it is already a success. People have been calling my office and other human service offices inquiring how to obtain a card.

During the past 3 months, approximately $3,300 in prescription drug cost savings has been made in Chautauqua County. This figure will drastically increase over the next few months as more and more people obtain the Rx Card.

The card is also being properly managed and monitored and if you have any problem using it please call the 800 number located on the card and/or website for assistance.

If you own a small business and are not able to provide prescription drug coverage for your employees, I encourage you to call my office and we will mail you a supply of cards to include with your next pay stubs.

Please visit the Chautauqua County Prescription Discount Card Website for more information.

COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT

The Legacy of Lloyd Moore

I want to take a moment to recognize an individual with an amazing story. May 8, Lloyd Moore of Frewsburg was featured in an article in the New York Times. The article dove into the exciting early years of NASCAR racing and interesting adventures enjoyed by Mr. Moore. Moore started out his racing career in Heidelberg, Pennsylvania where he raced against one of the NASCAR greats, Lee Petty. Moore drove from 1949 to 1955.

I want to recognize Lloyd Moore on his accomplishments in life, and his dedication to his family and the family farm. But at the same time, I applaud his contributions to the birth of NASCAR while pursuing his passions for racing. Lloyd Moore has left his legacy on stock car racing sports and offers another reason for Chautauqua County to be proud of her many outstanding and accomplished citizens.

You can view the entire NY Times Article by clicking here.

Sadly, yesterday, Sunday May 18, 2008, Lloyd Moore passed away on his family farm in Frewsburg. He was one of the last founding members of NASCAR. During these difficult times, our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends.

ENERGY CONFERENCE

On November 14th and 15th, I will be sponsoring, through the CCIDA and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) the first ever countywide Energy Conference and Exposition. It will be held at Chautauqua Suites in their Conference Center. The Conference will begin on Friday, November 14, in the afternoon with the opening of the exhibit floor. Exhibitors will include a broad array of energy products and providers for residential and commercial applications that pertain to all of Chautauqua County and its residents.

On Saturday, November 15th, at 9:00 AM, the conference and the exhibits will open with simultaneous running of panel discussions on Energy Use & Development Issues. The panel discussions will include the following; County methane to electric project, alternative energy applications such as wind and solar power, bio-derived fuels, green building design, utilities rebates and energy conservation applications, Energy Star products and lighting, Jamestown Board of Public Utilities power plant project, and thermal energy. We will include additional energy topics.

It is important to note there will be no charge to individuals interested in visiting the exhibits and attending the panel discussions. Our Chautauqua Industrial Development Agency will be coordinating the conference and all exhibits. For participation as a presenter or exhibitor, and general information call Doug Champ, Conference Chairman, at (716) 664-3262.

This will be an important conference for Chautauqua County and all of its residents. Anyone with interest should plan to attend. Future Monday Morning Memos will include updates and progress reports.

WORLD TRADE CELEBRATION

Last Thursday, May 8th, the World Trade Center Buffalo Niagara held the "World Trade Celebration 2008" at the Buffalo Convention Center. This was a great event to showcase Chautauqua County since the keynote presentation was given by Joe Loughrey, President & COO of Cummins Inc. Director Bill Daly and Rich Dixon from the CCIDA, and I had the great pleasure of riding to the event on the Cummins employee bus as the guests of Matt McQueen, Plant Manager at the Jamestown Engine Plant (JEP). Joe Loughrey gave a tremendous speech—"Unleashing the Power of Trade"-- that ended in a standing ovation from the large group of WNY business leaders in attendance. The Jamestown Engine Plant of Cummins is now the largest employer in our county. Its success is something that we can all be proud of since it reflects the dedication and excellent work done by our friends and family who work in that exceptional advanced manufacturing environment. A $14,000,000 expansion at JEP was just reported in our local media. This is one more sign of the growth occurring throughout our county's manufacturing segment. We also need to tip our hats once again to the CCIDA for its close work with Cummins.

CHANGES IN MY OFFICE

I wanted to take this opportunity to announce some changes in my office. I recently learned that my Executive Assistant, Eric Amidon, had been contacted by Alexander "Sandy" Treadwell, a candidate for Congress in New York's 20th District. The 20th Congressional District encompasses 12 Counties around the Capital and Upper Hudson Region.

Sandy was appointed NYS Secretary of State in 1995 under Governor Pataki and in 2001 was elected Chairman of the New York State Republican Party. Eric worked for Sandy while attending college in Albany , and Sandy has remained one of Eric mentors ever since. Recently, Eric was once again contacted by Sandy and asked to come join his congressional campaign. Eric agreed to join Sandy 's team and will be leaving my office at the end of the week. Eric will be working with some of the field's best and brightest including a pollster who worked on a Republic of Phillippines presidential election and a Paris France mayoral race.

When I learned of this opportunity for Eric, I attempted to persuade him to remain here in Chautauqua County . However, the chance for Eric to work on a congressional campaign is a great opportunity and I wish him the best.

I will be searching to fill this void left in my office, and would encourage any interested parties to contact my office and submit a resume.

Bike to Work Week

Last Friday, I had the pleasure of being invited to the opening of “Bike to Work Week” at the Jamestown Cycle Shop in Jamestown . Bike to Work Week takes place form May 12 to May 16 in Chautauqua County . This program was created to start the conversation regarding awareness concerning personal health and a clean environment. Bike to Work Week encourages individuals to ride their bike to work and that you can stay healthy even with a busy work schedule. Through the efforts of the Chautauqua County Healthy Heart Worksite Program, there will be fun activities and opportunities to win prizes for those participating in Bike to Work Week.

If you are interested in participating, please contact Lisa Schmidtfrerick at Steps/ Healthy Heart by phone at (716) 665-9255 or by email at ccstepsny@alltel.net , or go to the Bike to Work webpage by clicking here.

This is a great chance to express the importance of our own personal health and the health of the environment. I encourage you to give bike commuting a try. Be safe: wear a bike helmet, be visible and follow traffic rules! Again, thanks to our friends at Chautauqua County Healthy Heart Worksite Program and at Jamestown Cycle Shop for there continued support of healthy living and a healthy environment.

FOR ALL OUR SENIORS

GAS TAX

A year ago in May of 2006, Chautauqua County took action in an effort to help residents deal with the drastic increase in gas prices. The legislature passed and I signed a resolution capping the local tax on gasoline at $2, effective July 1, 2006. In other words, as gas prices continued to increase, Chautauqua County would only tax the first $2. We were one of the only counties in NYS to take this action in an effort to bring immediate relief to consumers.

As the months passed I became concerned about the increasing costs at the pump and the failure of our residents to see any benefit from this elimination of local tax on a gallon of gas. The last few months residents have been approaching me explaining that they have not experienced a savings at the gas pump in Chautauqua County and they confirmed that many times Erie County, NY and Cattaraugus County, NY actually had lower prices per gallon than Chautauqua County (they have tax on the full price of each gallon). As a result of our gas tax cap, every resident should be paying about 6 cents per gallon less at the pump than they would in Catt or Erie County . This savings is not being seen at the pump and to add insult to injury we here in County Government have not received the approximate 1.2 million dollars of revenue that would have been received had the tax not been capped, and our Towns, Villages and Cities have lost an additional 1 million totaling over 2.2 Million lost tax dollars that could have been used to offset property taxes.

I contacted Finance Director Darin Schultz, and asked him to complete an examination of our gas prices compared to neighboring NY counties. You can see his latest analysis by clicking here. To summarize the findings, Chautauqua County gas prices are equal to or at times even higher than neighboring NY counties.

I have contacted the New York State Attorney General's Office and asked them to conduct an investigation into this matter. If the Distributors of Gasoline in Chautauqua County are not passing this savings along to those of us purchasing gas at prices now exceeding 3.70 per gallon in violation of State Law then the Attorney General should enforce these State Statutes, and assure that savings are passed along to consumers at the pump. If there is no way to guarantee the savings at the pump, then we should consider repealing the cap and have those revenues available to offset the expenses that are increasing for our Municipalities (like our own expenditures for petroleum products that have increased right along with the price consumers pay at the pump). If there is no way to enforce this savings, we should repeal the cap on our local gas tax and pass the savings onto our residents by holding the line on property taxes, or increasing our investment in our infrastructure (we cut over 2.6 million from our roads and bridges budget along with other services and cuts in spending to achieve a property tax cut this year).

I will keep you updated as progress moves forward on this matter.

ROAD PROJECTS

Last year, we committed the resources needed to increase significantly the investment that we were making in our roads and bridges to bring them back up to the standards that the public expects. As a result of the work that we completed last year more miles of County Higway received maintenance than at any time in history. To hold the line on spending and deliver a property tax cut this year we were required to reduce the Department of Public Facilities budget by over $2 million. Although we significantly reduced the budget, the county's road crews have designed an aggressive plan to continue the work to improve our roads and bridges that we started last year.

The County will be completing over 285 miles of surface treatment, 20 miles of major reconstruction and new pavement, rebuild 10 bridges, and repaint 6 bridges. This does not include the regular annual maintenance performed on our 1,082 miles of roads throughout Chautauqua County .

By clicking here you can see exactly where road construction will be taking place throughout Chautauqua County .

Please be certain to recognize the areas under construction and if possible avoid these areas to help us complete this work as quickly and efficiently as we can. Even more importantly, be sure to slow down through any construction areas. All to often our workers are exposed to serious risk of injury due to distracted and speeding motorists. Anything you can do to help us protect our friends and family who join me in working for you is greatly appreciated.

WORKERS MEMORIAL

On Saturday morning I had the privilege of participating in the 8th Annual Chautauqua County Workers' Memorial Program at the Erlandson Overlook Park , on Oak Hill Rd. in Frewsburg. I serve this organization as a Co-chairman with Jack Rudy representing Jamestown Central Labor Council, and Doug Stock representing Dunkirk Central Labor Council. The event is supported by the rest of our Board of Directors, and organized by our Secretary-Treasurer James Kurtz C.S.E.A. Local #903/3.

Pastor (and Legislator representing Frewsburg) Ron Lemon gave the Prayer of Remembrance, Hank Hoisington representing the Dunkirk C.L.C. gave the salute to the flag and the Jamestown Vietnam Veterans of America #865 were the Color Guard.

A large number of people attended the service including many of the local labor organizations, and Richard J. Vanhise Chairman of the Chaut. Co. Parks , and I welcomed all to the Natural Cathedral that is Erlandson Overview Park .

Paul Fardink and Mike Piazza read the names of the workers who have died while on the job, and William Servis of Sprinkler-Fitters Local #669 played Taps. Hank Hoisington, and Don Williams representing Dunkirk C.L.C. placed the wreath on the Worker's Monument.

Our State Senator Catharine Young spoke at the memorial to affirm her continuing commitment to the workers in her District and her efforts to push forward with improved support for the workforce in our County at the State level. Her efforts on behalf of workers was recognized and encouraged by all in attendance.

This year our program again highlighted the sacrifice of the people of our County who have lost their lives while on the job, and a special tribute was given to honor Professor James Miller known to all in the labor-management circles. He was a certified mediator and arbitrator and served for 20 years on the faculty of the School at the Cornell University as Director of Labor Studies. He was instrumental in the introduction of a labor studies program at JCC in the early 1970's and the Jamestown C.L.C. dedicated a park bench in his honor. Local Attorney Charles S. DeAngelo spoke of his friend and honoree James Miller's influence on all those that he came in contact with, and the event was made even more special by the attendance and remarks of James Miller's spouse Martha, who provided poignant observations about her husband. Many others spoke of Professor Miller's genuine concern for the process of labor relations and his significant contributions of many years that we all continue to benefit from.

I would encourage all to travel to the Erlandson Overlook Park to view the spectacular vistas offered by one of the highest peaks in the County, the beautifully manicured park maintained by our Parks Department, with picnic areas complete with grills and walking trails. While you are there please pause to view the memorial and the bench in Professor Miller's honor.

NRG PILOT COMPLETE

Friday morning we completed the authorization of a 20 year PILOT (Payment in Lieu of Taxes) agreement between NRG, the City of Dunkirk , the Dunkirk City School District , and Chautauqua County . NRG is currently the largest taxpayer in Chautauqua County ; therefore, the negotiations were very important to everyone involved. The negotiations have been going on over the past 9 months and resulted in a fair agreement for everyone. The 20-year fee schedule of payments will be shared among the 3 taxing jurisdictions: City of Dunkirk 32.33%, Dunkirk City School District 48.99%, and Chautauqua County 18.69%.

During the negotiations, we realized there would be a significant impact to the Dunkirk City School District if there wasn't a PILOT agreement. Without the PILOT, there would be a substantial loss in state aid to the school district, resulting in a tax increase of approximately $7.00 per $1,000 of assessed value. The settlement ends the litigation relating to the assessed value between NRG and the City and the costs associated.

This PILOT also allows NRG to p