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SILVER CREEK -- Before the Town of Hanover adopts its budget for 2027, Village of Silver Creek Mayor Kathy Tampio has made one budget item clear: the Village objects to an even split of the enhanced police protection contract with the Chautauqua County Sheriff's Office.
Tampio recently sent a letter to Hanover Supervisor Lou Pelletter and the Town Council reiterating her stance that the Village should not pay a 50-50 split of the enhanced police protection contract with the Sheriff’s Office. Tampio did the same a year ago, but the Town said the amount was already budgeted for, so no adjustment was made. This year, Tampio provided plenty of notice to the Town that the Village did not intend to pay an even split.
Tampio said that an even split is not fair to the Village, as roughly two-thirds of the responses from the Sheriff's Office are in the Town of Hanover, not the Village. Tampio stated in her letter that the monthly incidents in the Town are around 400, while around 200 are in the Village. She further stated that the Silver Creek population served by the Sheriff's patrol is approximately 2,600 residents, while the Town population – including the Village in its total – is roughly 6,800, which increases in the summer due to tourism.
Tampio stated with the incident reports in the Village around 33% of the total and the population served around 38% of the total, the Village should not be paying 50% of the cost of the contract. Instead, Tampio committed to 40% of the total cost, which she said is "in fairness to our village residents and taxpayers."
For the year 2026, the contract was approved by both municipalities at a total cost of $632,382, with quarterly payments of $158,095.50 split evenly between the Town of Hanover and the Village of Silver Creek.
Last year, when the dispute between the Town and Village regarding enhanced police protection costs began, the Village eventually agreed to pay a 50% share, but only for one year of the contract, rather than two years as proposed. This year, if the Town holds firm on its stance again, the Village could choose not to approve the agreement.
Tampio offered an alternative to a 60-40 split if the Town prefers. Rather than sharing the cost as it does now – with the Town paying the entire amount, then the Village paying the Town 50% of the total cost – Tampio suggested the entire cost be covered in the Town Budget, with tax revenue from the Town covering the entire amount. Village residents pay a town-wide tax each year.
The Town Budget will be presented on Tuesday at a public hearing during the regular Town Board meeting. Fire protection contracts with the Forestville Fire Department will also be discussed at the meeting, which was moved back a day because of Columbus Day.