By RICK MILLER
CattCoNews&Photos
LITTLE VALLEY — Cattaraugus County Legislature Finance Committee Chairman Michael Brisky, R-Franklinville, pumped the brakes Wednesday warning that automatic backfilling of open positions was coming to an end.
“The last few years have been great, but it’s starting to tighten up,” Brisky said of county finances. He asked legislators and department heads to consider alternatives to the automatic backfilling of budgeted positions.
“We expect that when you come here they (requests to backfill positions) are 110% absolutely necessary,” Brisky said during the Labor Relations Committee meeting. “If you can hold off for even a few months.”
As the committee went through the list of requested positions to backfill positions open through promotion or resignation, only County Treasurer Matt Keller volunteered to delay backfilling an upcoming opening due to retirement.
“We are not trying to be jerks here,” Brisky explained. “Help us help you.” He said no cuts were being sought in health or public safety. Many of the nursing home positions are linked to state minimum safety standards and will be exempt from the new backfill policy.
The 2024 county budget totals $289.7 million, up $16.1 million from 2023. It relies on a $57.5 million tax levy, 77% of which is used to pay for state mandates. A $7 million increase in mandates this year cut money available for roads and bridges.
An unforeseen shortage of concrete box culverts is leading to some changes in this season’s county road construction projects.
Engineer Bill Fox said road projects in Mansfield and Machias where an alternative to box culverts is available can continue. Another option would to be to continue with the mill and pave projects and tear up the section around the culverts when they can be replaced next year or not pave over the culverts that need to be replaced.
Brisky said it would be a waste of tax dollars to have to rip up new pavement next year tio replace the culverts.
Public Works officials will meet with County Administrator Jack Searles to discuss what other projects could be moved up if the Mansfield and Machias projects are delayed for a year over the culvert issue.
One alternative project suggested by Fox would be to pave the Five Mile Road from the Allegany village line to Chapel Hill for about $1 million. There is an option to pave from Buffalo Road to Chapel Hill for $775,000. Other possible alternative projects could involve County Road 22, East Otto Road or Hardy’s Corners Road in Farmersville.
On another issue, members of the Finance Committee were unanimous in their support for a resolution blasting the Renewable Action Through Project Interconnection and Deployment or RAPID Act that was part of the recently passed 2024-25 state budget.
Legislature Chairman Andrew Burr, R-Gowanda and Legislator Ginger Schroder, R-Farmersville are cosponsors of the resolution that expands the powers of the state’s Board on Electric Generation Siting and the Environment, or Siting Commission.
The new powers include using eminent domain for transmission lines for new solar and wind energy projects.
Brisky, the Finance Committee chairman, said, “I am opposed to the continued erosion of home rule for projects for inefficient and expensive forms of energy generation.”
“It puts us on record,” Burr said of the resolution. “It’s putting people on notice that they need to pay attention to what is happening.”
The full County Legislature will vote on the measure next Wednesday.
The Cattaraugus County Legislature Finance Committee meets Wednesday to discuss opposition to the state’s new RAPID Act.
