LITTLE VALLEY — Cattaraugus County lawmakers held their first virtual public hearing of the year Wednesday.
It was a routine local law, amending one first adopted in 2008 that opted the county out of a state exemption of solar and wind power projects under Section 487 of the Real Property Tax Law.
Audio of the meeting was live-streamed via WebEx. The public has not been invited to the legislature chambers since last March due to the coronavirus pandemic.
No one spoke before Local Law #1 of 2021 was unanimously adopted without comment by a 17-0 roll call vote.
If a county, municipality or school district does not opt out of provisions of Section 487, the local government would not be able to receive revenue from any payment in lieu of taxes agreement for a wind, solar project or farm waste system.
County officials were advised to approve the amended local law due to recent changes that will go into effect later this year. County officials are advising other municipalities to review their options.
The updated local law adds: micro-hydroelectric energy system, fuel cell electric generating system, micro-combined heat and power generating equipment system, or electric energy storage equipment or electric energy storage system.
In other business, legislators approved contracts with a Buffalo healthcare employment agency and one from Rockwell, Tex., for registered and licensed practical nurses and certified nursing assistants for the Pines Healthcare and Rehabilitation Centers at Olean and Machias. Rates at Med-Cor Staffing Inc., Buffalo are $55 for licensed practical nurses and $35 for certified nursing assistants. The contract with Signature Staff Resources, LLC, Rockwell, Tex., calls for $70 an hour for registered nurses, $54 for licensed practical nurses and $41 for certified nursing assistants. The county would use the services when it cannot recruit nursing staff or when there are short-term vacancies.
County lawmakers approved a resolution to spend $81,511, for powered air-purifying respirator units for county nursing homes and the Office of Emergency Services, which is coordinating the county’s COVID-19 response.
Funds for the respirators and face shields are coming from the 2020 federal CARES Act. They are being purchased from Airgas USA in Olean.
The entire legislature agreed to sponsor receipt of a $50,000 grant from the 2020 Stop Violence Against Women Program from the state Division of Criminal Justice Services. It is the first of a five-year grant.
Legislators also approved a $300,000 application to the Community Development Block Grant program for the county’s Microenterprise Assistance Program for small businesses.
Also approved was a resolution authorizing the Cattaraugus County Industrial Development Agency to approve tax benefits for a retail business in Ellicottville, Ava Grace Eco Fashions.
