OBSERVER Photo by Gregory Bacon Falconer Mayor Jim Jaroszynski is pictured speaking at the September Chautauqua County Legislature meeting. He has been at the last three legislature meetings, expressing his concern regarding the county’s decision to use the Budget Inn for transitional housing.

For the last three months, Falconer Mayor Jim Jaroszynski has appeared at county board meetings, pleading his concern about the Department of Social Services using the Budget Inn to house people who are dealing with homelessness.

Although no changes have been made, Jaroszynski believes his concerns are being heard.

During last week’s county Legislature meeting, Jaroszynski discussed transitional housing taking place in Falconer. He said communication with the county has improved.

“Since the last legislature meeting, at least three or four legislators visited Falconer and one has even called me personally to talk about the problem,” he said.

Jaroszynski added that representatives with the county’s Department of Social Services met with village leaders, police and fire departments.

“There was discussion on both sides of the issue, with DSS discussing how and why people are placed at the motel in Falconer. Village officials gave updated statistics on responses to the motel, along with other reasons they would like the county to look at alternative sites outside of Falconer,” he said.

According to Jaroszynski, the meeting ended with the promise of future discussions, as well as plans for DSS officials to attend a Falconer Neighborhood Watch meeting.

During the legislature’s Human Services Committee meeting, Diane Anderson, the director of Temporary Assistance, was asked about the Budget Motel controversy. “We understand their frustration. We have limited space to put people, though. We are always looking for other options for people. Of course we want people to be in a shelter environment instead of the hotel, but those are longer term initiatives,” she said.

Anderson noted how Chautauqua Opportunities is in the process of opening a women’s shelter in Jamestown. DSS also utilizes UCAN City Mission in Jamestown when possible, but there’s still not enough room. “It’s difficult to find enough housing to house this number of people, so we kind of have to go wherever we can find availability,” Anderson said.

Legislator Elisabeth Rankin, R-Jamestown, asked if there were other options for those with mental health issues, to which Anderson said there isn’t.

Anderson said they’re working to provide on-site mental health services. “Those are fairly new discussions, but hopefully something will come of that, because we recognize that a hotel is not the best place to put someone that’s having issues with their mental illness or even substance abuse,” she said.

Even though Anderson did not have any immediate solutions, Jaroszynski thanked the Human Services Committee for discussing the topic.

He also said he met with the county executive and county attorney on transitional and homeless housing, and will be meeting with the owner of Budget Inn as well.

Jaroszynski thanked both the legislature and County Executive PJ Wendel for engaging with the village over the concern of the motel and the clientele there. “I hope it (conversations) continues, because … we are not going away,” he said.

According to Jaroszynski, police and fire officials have responded to the motel around 200 times this year alone.

Other village residents have complained about people staying at the motel exposing themselves, stealing property, and knocking on doors in the community, asking for money.