LITTLE VALLEY — Cattaraugus County lawmakers approved a $824,500 bid from Jamestown Roofing Inc., Wednesday to replace the roofs on the County Center and adjoining County Jail in Little Valley.
The project will be done this summer, weather permitting. It is being paid for out of a multi-million Public Works capital projects bond approved last year by county lawmakers.
Public Works Committee vice chairman Richard Helmich (R-Delevan), noted it was being presented for immediate consideration and had not been reviewed by the Public Works Committee. He said he considered asking it be referred to committee, but didn’t want to lose the time for the contractor to schedule the County Center and County Jail roofs. The roofs are expected to be completed by Sept. 30.
Public Works Commissioner Joseph Pillittere said he would fully brief the committee on the roof bids at the next meeting.
Also under immediate consideration rules, a resolution accepting $159,954 in New York State Homeland Security funding was approved by legislators. Introduced by Public Works/County Operations Committee Chairman Richard Klancer (R-Gowanda), the funding will be divided between the Office of Emergency Services ($119,965) and the Sheriff’s Office ($39,989). The funds are for anti-terrorism training and preparations for catastrophic events.
Legislators were also unanimous in their support of a resolution urging the state Assembly to approve a bill designed to pay the state-mandated increase in salary for district attorneys.
County lawmakers also voted as a block in support of a resolution asking the state assembly to approve a bill to fund the increase in district attorney salaries in counties across the state. In the past, the state has funded salary increases for district attorneys. It was not included in the 2017-18 state budget.
Under state law, district attorneys make the same as county judges, 95 percent of the salary of state judges, which is currently $193,000 and will increase by $10,000 in 2018. Counties will each pay about $30,000 more of the district attorneys’ salaries next year.
Legislators also appointed Assistant County Attorney Nicholas DiCerbo Sr., administrator of assigned counsel for legal representation of the indigent.
Contracts were approved for school resource officers for five school districts: Salamanca, West Valley, Pioneer, Cattaraugus-Little Valley and Allegany-Limestone which would share an SRO with Cattaraugus/ Allegany BOCES.
(Contact reporter Rick Miller at rmiller@oleantimesherald.com. Follow him on Twitter, @RMillerOTH)
