OBSERVER Photo by Gregory Bacon Ellery Town Supervisor Larry Anderson talks to county leaders about his plan to improve and protect Chautauqua Lake.
With the demise of the Chautauqua Lake Protection and Rehabilitation Agency, the leader of the Ellery Town Board has a new six-point plan to improve the lake, something that has at least intrigued many elected
officials.
Supervisor Larry Anderson submitted his plan to the Chautauqua County Legislature. It was previously published in The Post-Journal on Feb. 11 and was read aloud during this month’s meeting. The plan is as follows:
¯ Reach agreement on an overarching goal for Chautauqua Lake management among lakeside municipalities, Chautauqua County and New York state leaders using a slightly modified state DEC mission statement as follows: To conserve, improve and protect Chautauqua Lake natural resources and environment and to prevent, abate and control water, land, and air pollution to enhance the health, safety, and welfare of the people of Chautauqua County and their overall economic and social well-being. The goal is to achieve this mission through the simultaneous pursuit of environmental quality, public health, economic prosperity and social well-being, including environmental justice and the empowerment of individuals to participate in environmental decisions that affect their lives.
¯ Contract with a major university-led consortium of scientists, engineers, protect managers, and other key disciplines to develop a multi-year Chautauqua Lake Management Plan with near- and long-term implementation plans, capital and operating expense estimates, quantitative progress measurements, and potential funding sources.
¯ Request the county legislature allocate a significant portion of the now excess $7 million of the $7.7 million designated for clean water in the county’s American Rescue Plan Act budget which is no longer needed for Phase 2 of the westside sewer extension. This would be used for development and initial implementation of the Chautauqua Lake Management Plan.
¯ Revisit countywide funding instead of special district taxation for Chautauqua Lake protection and rehabilitation. Consider the use of existing property, sales and occupancy tax revenue with the potential for increases in such tax rats including review of occupancy tax exemptions and enhanced collection of current occupancy tax levies.
¯ Form an organization of lakeside municipality mayors and supervisors supported by Chautauqua County and New York state unaffiliated with lake organizations, to oversee development and implementation of the new Chautauqua Lake Management Plan and manage lake and watershed activities consistent with the goal established at the outset.
¯ Encourage state Sen. George Borrello and Assemblyman Andy Goodell to further develop and use their influence to garner additional state funding for the New York state-owned Chautauqua Lake and assist the state DEC in fulfilling all their mission/goal requirements, with increased focus on improvement of the lake and enhancement of health, safety, welfare, economic prosperity, and social well-being of people.
At the legislature meeting, Anderson thanked everyone for considering his plan. “As everybody knows, it’s taken 50, 60 years for the lake to get this bad. It’s going to get fixed overnight. This is going to take some time but I really feel that our six-point plan is the way to start. If we can get enough support and everybody comes together with the townships and villages around the lake, we can finally go in the right direction,” he said.
In Anderson’s letter, he stated that certain characteristics must be part of any improvement effort. Those include:
¯ Build and maintain public trust with clear and frequent communication, transparency, logic and consistency.
¯ Have elected government leadership to represent taxpayers’ interests supported with skilled and unbiased multidisciplinary support.
¯ Limit and manage overlapping organizational roles and special interests to ensure clear responsibility and accountability.
¯ Have an implementation focus with science and technology to effectively execute recommendations with efficiency and accountability.
¯ Have project and program performance confirmation with before and after measurement, cost-benefit evaluation, and continuous accountability.
¯ Recognize that consensus may not be attainable if on too specific a position and that value of positions may be neutralized of all have a veto.
REACTION TO PLAN
Both Mayville Mayor Rick Syper and Bemus Point Mayor Jeff Molinar were at the February legislature meeting and expressed their initial support for the plan, especially for the idea to form an organization of lakeside municipal leaders made up of mayors and supervisors.
Additionally, Molinar wants to see the county use some ARPA funds to help the lake, but did not specify at the meeting how he wants to see it spent.
After the meeting, Legislature Chairman Pierre Chagnon, who is an Ellery resident, said he is interested in the proposal. “Personally, I think it is exciting, the concept of getting all the towns and villages around the lake agreeing on what should be done and working together to help the lake,” he said.
At this point, Chagnon said he is letting the county executive take the lead.
County Executive PJ Wendel said he appreciates the proposed plan and added that he will be laying out his plan for the lake next month when he gives his State of the County address. “Several of these proposals have already been talked about. … I’ve talked for about year now utilizing the outside nine elected officials – the town supervisors and village mayors around the lake,” he said.
Wendel said he plans on meeting with the mayors and supervisors around the lake sometime in March to discuss his plan, what Ellery has proposed, and see what others’ opinions are. He also wants to get the Chautauqua Lake Association, the Chautauqua Lake Partnership, the Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy, and Chautauqua Institution involved and have a scientific roundtable with the Jefferson Project at Lake George. “Those things are moving forward. We’re going to continue to get those discussions going,” he said.
Earlier this month, Chautauqua Town Supervisor Don Emhardt expressed his support for boat fees. Although the state would have a final say about that, Wendel said that is something he talked to Emhardt about and generally supports the concept.
Wendel did seem skeptical about using the ARPA funds for Chautauqua Lake. “The $7 million they’re asking for, what do you want it for? The county cannot give municipalities $7 million. We have several initiatives coming. I do have several proposals that I’ve been working on with our finance chairs. These will be laid out when I give my State of the County,” he said.
The State of the County address is expected to be given on March 22.
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