MAYVILLE – Chautauqua County is buying a new vehicle to transport individuals who have died.

During the recent legislature meeting, county lawmakers agreed to spend $75,000 from its American Rescue Plan Act funds from the federal government to buy a vehicle for the county coroner to use.

Chautauqua County Chief Medical Officer Dr. Michael Faulk said in the long run this purchase will save the county money.

During a committee meeting, Faulk said the county’s coroner responds to around 115 deaths per year, of which the decedents must be transported to the Erie County Medical Office in Buffalo. “We anticipate that we will probably be able to handle about 40% of those transports ourselves, saving those contracted costs,” he said.

They will also be able to transport decedents to funeral homes or to a morgue.

According to Faulk, a typical transport to Buffalo costs the county $475. He estimates that they will save about $20,000 annually in transportation costs.

He said the vehicle will be able to carry all the equipment needed as well as two decedents at a time.

Faulk said even though they have this vehicle, weekends or evenings the county will likely still use contractors for transportation. That’s because during the day, the new county coroner can do the transportations, while off hours part-time coroners would be needed.

The exact vehicle type has not yet been selected.

In other business:

– The county agreed to spend $30,000 to help Dunkirk with its dredging of the Dunkirk Harbor. According to the resolution, the money will be used for engineering design and environmental studies for permitting required. The money will come from the county’s 2% occupancy tax, which is generated from renters of hotels, motels and short-term rentals.

– Matthew Stafford of Jamestown was appointed to the county Fire Advisory Board.

– The county has declared the county Food Policy Council dormant. It was originally established to sustain and strengthen the local food system, and was utilized during the COVID-19 pandemic.