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The OBSERVER’s View

Have IDA take on city’s development efforts

Since Vince DeJoy was hired as Dunkirk’s Director of Planning and Development, the landscape of the city has changed greatly. One of DeJoy’s greatest successes in the role was New York state’s awarding of $10 million in funding for the Downtown Revitalization Initiative. That money remains an important piece to the downtown puzzle, but Dunkirk is treading water. Due to years of poor financial planning and thievery, government is on the brink. DeJoy, the current administration and council had no part in putting the city on this path. But at the moment, things just do not seem to ...

Have IDA take on city’s development efforts

Since Vince DeJoy was hired as Dunkirk’s Director of Planning and Development, the landscape of the city has changed greatly. One of DeJoy’s greatest successes in the role was New York state’s awarding of $10 million in funding for the Downtown Revitalization Initiative. That money remains an important piece to the downtown puzzle, but Dunkirk is treading water. Due to years of poor financial planning and thievery, the government is on the brink. DeJoy, the current administration and council had no part in putting the city on this path. But at the moment, things just do not ...

Seeing the long-term savings in Silver Creek

For the second year in a row, the village of Silver Creek has made its disdain known for its contract with Hanover and Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Department. Village Mayor Kathy Tampio says the 50-50 split with the town for the more than $632,000 agreement is unfair. During a meeting this month, Tampio said two-thirds of the responses from the Sheriff's Office are in the Town of Hanover, not the village. She further stated 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 – ...

Voting options change with the times

How did the first Tuesday of November become the traditional Election Day? According to a Campaign Legal Center online article from 2021, Congress in 1845 selected the most convenient day to hold a vote for the greatest number of voters at the time — farmers. Saturdays and Sundays were religious days and Wednesdays were market days. Since farmers may have needed Monday to travel to a polling location, the first Tuesday after the fall harvest proved to be the most convenient day for most voters. Times have obviously changed, which led to early voting beginning in New York state in ...

The OBSERVER’s View: ‘No’ votes prove lack of understanding

Last week’s narrow decision to increase water rates once again shows the lack of understanding by Dunkirk Common Council regarding the poor fiscal shape the city is in. By a 3-2 vote, members did approve the hike though it should have been unanimous. Those who opposed the increase — Natalie Luczkowiak and Michael Civiletto — were deciding with their hearts, not wanting to pass on the costs to residents. But that type of leadership in recent years is part of what put Dunkirk on the brink at the present moment. Department of Public Works Director Randy Woodbury claims the city ...

County GOP proving spending addiction

Republicans in Chautauqua County may have made a decision that we will all regret — perhaps not tomorrow, but at some point down the road — by agreeing to mandatory yearly cost-of-living raises for the salary ranges for county managers at the top and bottom of the salary scale. It’s the sort of decision a county can make when it has a fat pile of cash in its savings account. And it’s the sort of decision that can come back to bite you when that pile of cash isn’t quite as plush. In 2013, Chautauqua County's unappropriated fund balance was $12,600,000. Do you know what you ...