MAYVILLE — The Chautauqua County Legislature has approved a local law changing how the vacancy of the county executive is appointed.

On Wednesday, the legislature approved the law unanimously after making a motion to change the original law that had been presented to county committees last week. The change in the law states that if there is a county executive vacancy, the replacement should be from the same political party and should be nominated by the county committee of said party. If the legislature has not filled the vacancy within 45 days, the legislature can fill the position without the requirement that the person should be nominated by the county committee of said political party.

Prior to the vote, George Borrello, county executive, read a message of necessity detailing the need for the change.

Last week, Stephen Abdella, county attorney, presented an example that could currently lead to the position of the county executive being vacant. Borrello is running for the 57th State Senate seat that was vacated earlier this year by former state Sen. Cathy Young, R-Olean. If Borrello was to be elected to the position in November, there would still be two years and almost two months left on his original term as county executive.

Abdella said if this was to happen, the legislature would appoint someone to replace Borrello, a Republican, as county executive, who would then be in that position until the next general election in November 2020. At that point, county residents would elect a county executive to finish Borrello’s original term that ends at the end of 2021.

According to the law, if the county executive’s position was to become vacant after Aug. 1 during the last year of the term, the acting county executive would perform the duties of the position for the rest of the term. Abdella said this is to prevent a possible candidate for county executive from being selected by the legislature near the November general election, which might be considered an advantage. Abdella said twice the county executive’s position has been vacated early, but only for a short time.

In other legislature business, the resolution that was tabled last month to accept state funding for the renovation of hangar C at the Chautauqua County-Jamestown Airport was passed, with Bob Scudder, R-Fredonia, being the only “No” vote.

Prior to the resolution being approved, Chuck Nazzarro, D-Jamestown, motioned to amend the original resolution by substitution.

Last week, legislature committees heard from Brad Bentley, county public facilities director, about the new proposal to renovate the hangar. He said how the county would pay for its local share of $171,960 has changed since last month. He said the original proposal had the county using $171,960 from the capital reserve fund to pay for all of the local share. He added that a new proposal would only use $50,000 from the capital reserve fund.

Bentley said the additional local share would include $48,000 through in-kind services, $65,000 from the sale of timber at the airport, $1,000 from salvaging pieces of the old hanger and $7,960 from the sale of airport property.

Nazzaro said prior to voting was that one of his issues with the original proposal was the use of $171,960 from the capital reserves. He said after a discussion with Pierre Chagnon, county Audit and Control Committee chairman, they decided the use of $50,000 from the capital reserves would be an acceptable amount.

Nazzaro said after discussing the proposal last month he toured the airport and the hangar. He said the hangar is in poor condition and something needs to be done with it.