Pictured are some police officers and municipal leaders in Chautauqua County giving their support to Sheriff James Quattrone and his efforts to address on Executive Order 203 – Police Reform and Reinvention Collaborative.

Editor’s Note: Today, the OBSERVER continues its look back at the top stories of 2020 and the way they will shape the coming year. Today, 20 for 2020 looks at the municipal matters that were among the most-read stories in the newspaper this year.

The Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office is working on its New York State Police Reform and Reinvention Collaborative plan due to the state by April 1.

OBSERVER readers, however, were drawn to Sheriff James Quattrone’s early July commentary in which he criticized Gov. Andrew Cuomo for being late to the table when it comes to police reform efforts in the wake of the death of George Floyd in Minnesota.

“Many of you are aware that the governor has recently issued his 203rd Executive Order, this time directing all counties to reform their police agency — the Sheriff’s Office — or lose all state funding for all county programs,” Quattrone wrote. “The Governor’s Order implies that all police agencies and all police officers are racist and abusive of the public. Speaking for the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office, I can state unequivocally that the governor is wrong in that suggestion. And the Governor is wrong to threaten our county with financial ruin to get us to make improvements in police operations, which is something we work on every day, without his misinformed bullying. I would like to point out a few things about the Governor’s order that you should consider.”

Quattrone has participated in forums and attended rallies held throughout the summer. And, as the calendar turns to 2021, Quattrone is leading an effort to get public comment before drafting the New York State Police Reform and Reinvention Collaborative plan. The plan must include the appropriate role of the police, but allow the police to do their jobs to protect the public. The Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office is working with various stakeholder groups to help draft the plan. Various members of the stakeholder groups have completed an online survey and we are now seeking members of the community to complete the survey. The survey can be found at surveymonkey.com/r/PoliceReformSurvey.

Public comment forums will be held online throughout January. To participate, email quattrone@sheriff.us or call 753-4900. To submit a comment in writing, send it to Sheriff James Quattrone, 15 E. Chautauqua Ave., PO Box 128, Mayville, NY 14757 or email it to quattrone@sheriff.us.

In issuing his diktat the governor cites his duties under the Constitution. Perhaps he should have read a little further along in the Constitution, where he would have discovered that sheriffs, too, are Constitutional officers. We do not answer to the governor. We answer to the People. On behalf of the People we have been working at improving policing in New York for a long time. The governor is arriving late to the table.

VETERANS CONCERNED OVER VA CLINIC CHANGES

In early July, a group of veterans from throughout Chautauqua County expressed concern over changes proposed at the Jamestown VA Clinic, including the clinic’s move from Third Street to Hazeltine Avenue in Jamestown.

Despite the new facility being 3,000 square feet larger than the current one, the move will include a cut from two full-time equivalent health care providers — a full-time physician and a full-time nurse practitioner to 1.6 — a full-time physician and a part-time nurse practitioner.

“Why cut primary care especially at a time like this?” asked Rolland Kidder, a Stow resident and former state Assemblyman. “The office has been growing, there have been some problems of turnover there if you read the background and stuff, but it’s been a lot more solid recently. If somebody gets sick as a veteran, it’s going to cost the federal government a lot more than if we keep primary care where it should be.”

Michael Swartz, executive director of the VA Western New York Healthcare System, explained in an email to The Post-Journal the full-time equivalency was determined based on how many veterans the clinic serves.

“Currently, the Jamestown VA clinic serves 1,500 veterans annually with the capacity to serve more veterans,” Swartz said, noting that VA panel guidelines mandate a full-time physician for 1,200 patients and a full-time nurse practitioner for 900 patients.

“Staffing is adjusted based on enrollment whether it increases or decreases,” he added, further explaining that this decision is “not a downsizing initiative.”

In addition to the move into a new building, Dr. Rudy Mueller, who had been the clinic’s medical director, has not been retained and moved to The Chautauqua Center practice in Jamestown.

“The current doctor here is very well respected and has been in the community,” added Mike Lyons, who also was in attendance at Kidder’s office. “It’s amazing to me that he left private practice to go to the VA. He would tell you that he came because he wanted to help veterans. He’s terrific and every doctor around here will tell you that. Then all of a sudden to shake it up from the outside without having him participate is absolutely wrong and for the whole community, it is wrong.”

RESIDENTS DEMAND REMOVAL OF TWO BOARD MEMBERS

The Gowanda Central School Board of Education will be looking for two new members in the coming year after two members resigned amid outcry from the public.

Tensions were high among Gowanda school board members during their early April meeting, as discussion of staff lay-offs eventually culminated in a contentious vote, which prompted over 650 district residents to sign a petition for the removal of board members David Barnes and Janet Vogtli.

After a lengthy discussion over layoffs of non-essential staff failed, Barnes angrily muttered about “pissing money away,” and “talking about (expletive) leadership…”

Vogtli, meanwhile, had a tense discussion over the work curriculum coordinator Dr. Sandra Cimbricz was doing during the pandemic.

The petition, which was created on MoveOn.org shortly after the meeting, is well on its way to its goal of 800 signatures. The petition, created by Jennifer Gernatt, states, “In reviewing the Code of Conduct set forth by NYS School Boards Association board members are to act as ‘role model to our students.’ We believe that some board members have gone far beyond not following rules of order.”

Following months of tension, Barnes and Vogtli resigned their positions earlier this month.

During the Dec. 2 board meeting, member Jim Hotnich proposed a one-year extension of Gowanda Superintendent, Dr. Robert Anderson. The motion to extend Dr. Anderson was not on the agenda for the meeting, causing Vogtli to fight against the extension, which inevitably passed. Dr. Anderson’s extension was a primary reason for both Barnes and Vogtli’s resignation.

“We’re reactive, not proactive,” Vogtli said in her resignation letter. “We are expected to just go along, smile, vote the same way, and rubber-stamp what the superintendent wants, without meaningful discussion or recommendations. I feel my fiduciary responsibility to the district is ignored regarding spending and budgeting money wisely and does not allow me to be an effective board member.”

“I am disheartened by our board that makes a decision after much deliberation and discussion, and then chooses to act contrary to what was discussed,” Barnes said in his resignation letter.

On May 14, Barnes and Vogtli were charged with official misconduct pursuant to state Education Law 1709 (18). Vogtli had been on the Gowanda Board of Education since 2018, while Barnes had been a member since June 2019. These resignations follow the resignation of former board president Ron Cook, who stepped down on Nov. 21.

MEETING WITHOUT THE MAYOR

Readers found, with particular interest, coverage of an early June Dunkirk Common Council meeting during which Councilman-at-large Paul VanDenVouver asked Dunkirk Mayor Wilfred Rosas to leave the council’s following two arguments.

The first disagreement took place between First Ward Councilman Don Williams and Rosas when Williams was addressing City Attorney Richard Morrisroe about a paralegal position. According to Williams, the position may have not been put through the council prior to it being filled as per charter language. The two went back and forth a bit before VanDenVouver interjected, telling the mayor that it’s “a council meeting, do not do that again or I’ll ask you to leave.”

The meeting went on for roughly another 15 minutes before another argument broke out, this time between Rosas and Fourth Ward Councilwoman Nancy Nichols, this time in regards to overtime pay for Festivals Chairman Hector Rosas.

“He put in two hours of overtime, how can that be justified?” Nichols asked.

Rosas defended the union contract and that there had been some talks about bringing some home workers back on the job due to shortages, he was upset however that Hector was singled out.

VanDenVouver jumped in again to curb the disagreement, which lead to the two arguing and VanDenVouver once again saying that if anyone interrupts a council meeting, no matter who they are they can leave. The fight continued when a cousin of the mayor was found to have been hired for the clerk’s office and then marriage license issues. Rosas interjected again, and VanDenVouver yelled out that he “didn’t ask him,” then promptly asked Rosas to leave, which he did.

Rosas was removed from a second council meeting earlier this month after a heated discussion over the city’s garbage and refuse budget.

Treasurer Mark Woods chimed in trying to help the city fiscal affairs office find which department they were looking in when VanDenVouver gave everyone a warning saying, “If I see you raise your hand and I don’t call on you, you speak without having me notice you, you’re out. That goes for the council and everyone.”

“But the council wants to know,” Rosas jumped in. “The council wants to know the information and the city treasurer is trying to provide the information!”

Things escalated from there with VanDenVouver saying that if the mayor spoke out of turn again he’d be removed.

“Why don’t you ask the city treasurer? He’s asking to speak. He’s asking to speak and I’m asking to speak,” Rosas said. “You’re not going to allow me to speak? You’re not going to allow the city treasurer to speak?”

“The council member has the floor!” VanDenVouver edged in. He then asked Police Chief Dave Ortolano to remove Rosas from the meeting.

Shortly after the December meeting, VanDenVouver told the OBSERVER he is banning Rosas from attending all the Common Council meetings in 2021.

“Willie is banned from every council meeting for the year 2021,” VanDenVouver wrote to the OBSERVER. “I just made the decision.”

FATE OF LAKESHORE HOSPITAL

News that the Behavioral Health Services Advisory Council had approved keeping the Lake Shore Hospital behavioral health unit and emergency room open for the earlier this year was news of interest to OBSERVER readers.

Of course, the reprieve was short-lived.

The hospital closed on Feb. 1, affecting nearly 200 full- and part-time employees. In recent months, members of the Hanover Town Board have been questioning what the future of the site will be since there has been no activity on the grounds for nine months. Brooks-TLC closed the campus after reporting nearly $20 million in fiscal losses in 2019.

What’s the future for a former health care facility in northern Chautauqua County? No one is quite sure, but the Brooks-TLC Hospital System has put the campus up for sale.

On Monday, the board of directors of Brooks-TLC announced it has engaged Pyramid Brokerage Co. of Buffalo, Inc. to act as broker for the sale of the former TLC campus and Lake Shore Hospital at 845 Main Road. Last December, the same board announced plans to close the facility, which eliminated some 200 jobs. The facility’s final day of operation was Feb. 2.

“Pyramid was selected following a search for commercial real estate brokers with experience in the sale or lease of health care facilities, not only with a significant local presence, but also with a national reach,” said Chris Lanski, Brooks-TLC board president. “Hospital leadership will work with Pyramid to help identify the best potential buyer and reuse of the facility.”