Maintaining The Lake
9/3/2006 - Towns, Villages All Contribute Differently
By PATRICK L. FANELLI
It’s hard to doubt that Chautauqua Lake is the driving force of the waterfront economy, but some towns and villages give more than others when the time comes to help maintain it.
This year, the nine municipalities around Chautauqua Lake set aside a total of $62,500 for non-profit groups that strive to preserve the shoreline and the watershed, but if it weren’t the three leaders, that figure would have shrunk dramatically.
Ahead of the pack was the town of Chautauqua, with a $30,000 grant to the Chautauqua Lake Association, which maintains the shoreline most visibly by cutting and collecting invasive aquatic weeds.
‘‘The deal was if they could keep our end of the lake satisfactory as far as weeds and all that, and as long as our (revenue) stays halfway decent, we’ll be able to do that,’’ said Sid Compton, Chautauqua town supervisor.
Almost all the money towns and villages donated to non-profit lake groups went to the CLA, which would be hard pressed if it weren’t for the $56,000 it received this year, according to Terry Turner, CLA president.
‘‘Our total budget on a yearly basis is $350,000, so it’s a pretty good chunk,’’ Mrs. Turner said.
Compton thinks the $30,000 is money well spent, since so much of the town’s income depends on lake tourism — and he thinks the Chautauqua Lake Association staff does a worthy task at keeping the shoreline relatively free of weeds.
‘‘They do their work,’’ Compton said. ‘‘As long as we have money to work with, we’d rather push it their way.’’
The town of Busti set aside the second largest amount this year with a total of $13,000 for non-profit lake groups.
‘‘It’s such an important part of the community,’’ said Kathy Sullivan, town supervisor. ‘‘It’s a very important part of the economy.’’
This year, Busti officials decided to split the money evenly between the CLA and the Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy, another non-profit lake group that seeks to stop the lake’s problems at their source.
‘‘I think their contribution is just as important as the CLA’s,’’ said Lyle Hajdu, town board member, at the Aug. 7 board meeting when the decision was made.
According to John Jablonski, Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy director, the $6,500 grant will be earmarked for a serious problem facing the short Busti shoreline — storm water runoff from inland development.
‘‘What the money will go toward is identifying erosion and sediment control opportunities in the town of Busti,’’ Jablonski said. ‘‘We’ll be looking at potential ways of controlling those, or creating sediment traps.’’
Municipal donations to the CWC is rare, even though it’s 100 times cheaper to solve problems such as weed outbreaks and offshore debris buildup at their source, Jablonski said.
‘‘The board feels very strongly about trying to get things cleaned up and working on the whole prevention thing,’’ Mrs. Sullivan said. ‘‘I feel both groups will help in the long run.’’
At $7,500, Ellery gave the second largest donation to the CLA and the third-largest donation overall. Lakewood donated $3,500; Mayville donated $3,000; Ellicott donated $2,500; and North Harmony and Bemus Point donated $1,500 each.
The Village of Celoron did not make any donation to the CLA. According to Vickie Strong, village clerk, officials felt it would be a double tax on Celoron residents since they pay taxes to the town of Ellicott, which makes its own donation to the CLA.
Typically, though, the total dollar amount towns and villages donate to lake groups like the CLA does not reflect other services available to them, such as the occasional use of town and village highway equipment and workers.
‘‘We have a lot of lake frontage, so our town has always cooperated with the CLA however we could,’’ said Rebecca Haines, Ellery clerk. ‘‘When there was the carp die-off, everyone got together and worked on that. I don’t think we’ve ever turned them down for in-kind services.’’
Most CLA and CWC comes from private contributions.
Currently, the Chautauqua Lake Management Commission — which oversees all the lake groups, including the CLA and the CWC — is seeking additional money from the County Legislature. If the CLMC proposal is approved, it would mean an extra $567,360 in money for the non-profit lake groups.
However, Mrs. Turner said the CLA would still seek money from towns and villages, since the CLA can always use extra workers and additional equipment. In fact, the CLA operated with a budget shortfall this year, she added.
By PATRICK L. FANELLI
It’s hard to doubt that Chautauqua Lake is the driving force of the waterfront economy, but some towns and villages give more than others when the time comes to help maintain it.
This year, the nine municipalities around Chautauqua Lake set aside a total of $62,500 for non-profit groups that strive to preserve the shoreline and the watershed, but if it weren’t the three leaders, that figure would have shrunk dramatically.
Ahead of the pack was the town of Chautauqua, with a $30,000 grant to the Chautauqua Lake Association, which maintains the shoreline most visibly by cutting and collecting invasive aquatic weeds.
‘‘The deal was if they could keep our end of the lake satisfactory as far as weeds and all that, and as long as our (revenue) stays halfway decent, we’ll be able to do that,’’ said Sid Compton, Chautauqua town supervisor.
Almost all the money towns and villages donated to non-profit lake groups went to the CLA, which would be hard pressed if it weren’t for the $56,000 it received this year, according to Terry Turner, CLA president.
‘‘Our total budget on a yearly basis is $350,000, so it’s a pretty good chunk,’’ Mrs. Turner said.
Compton thinks the $30,000 is money well spent, since so much of the town’s income depends on lake tourism — and he thinks the Chautauqua Lake Association staff does a worthy task at keeping the shoreline relatively free of weeds.
‘‘They do their work,’’ Compton said. ‘‘As long as we have money to work with, we’d rather push it their way.’’
The town of Busti set aside the second largest amount this year with a total of $13,000 for non-profit lake groups.
‘‘It’s such an important part of the community,’’ said Kathy Sullivan, town supervisor. ‘‘It’s a very important part of the economy.’’
This year, Busti officials decided to split the money evenly between the CLA and the Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy, another non-profit lake group that seeks to stop the lake’s problems at their source.
‘‘I think their contribution is just as important as the CLA’s,’’ said Lyle Hajdu, town board member, at the Aug. 7 board meeting when the decision was made.
According to John Jablonski, Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy director, the $6,500 grant will be earmarked for a serious problem facing the short Busti shoreline — storm water runoff from inland development.
‘‘What the money will go toward is identifying erosion and sediment control opportunities in the town of Busti,’’ Jablonski said. ‘‘We’ll be looking at potential ways of controlling those, or creating sediment traps.’’
Municipal donations to the CWC is rare, even though it’s 100 times cheaper to solve problems such as weed outbreaks and offshore debris buildup at their source, Jablonski said.
‘‘The board feels very strongly about trying to get things cleaned up and working on the whole prevention thing,’’ Mrs. Sullivan said. ‘‘I feel both groups will help in the long run.’’
At $7,500, Ellery gave the second largest donation to the CLA and the third-largest donation overall. Lakewood donated $3,500; Mayville donated $3,000; Ellicott donated $2,500; and North Harmony and Bemus Point donated $1,500 each.
The Village of Celoron did not make any donation to the CLA. According to Vickie Strong, village clerk, officials felt it would be a double tax on Celoron residents since they pay taxes to the town of Ellicott, which makes its own donation to the CLA.
Typically, though, the total dollar amount towns and villages donate to lake groups like the CLA does not reflect other services available to them, such as the occasional use of town and village highway equipment and workers.
‘‘We have a lot of lake frontage, so our town has always cooperated with the CLA however we could,’’ said Rebecca Haines, Ellery clerk. ‘‘When there was the carp die-off, everyone got together and worked on that. I don’t think we’ve ever turned them down for in-kind services.’’
Most CLA and CWC comes from private contributions.
Currently, the Chautauqua Lake Management Commission — which oversees all the lake groups, including the CLA and the CWC — is seeking additional money from the County Legislature. If the CLMC proposal is approved, it would mean an extra $567,360 in money for the non-profit lake groups.
However, Mrs. Turner said the CLA would still seek money from towns and villages, since the CLA can always use extra workers and additional equipment. In fact, the CLA operated with a budget shortfall this year, she added.
For more information on Chautauqua Lake Real Estate & Living visit: www.chautauqualakehomes.com
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