MAYVILLE, NY — On Tuesday, December 2, 2025, Chautauqua County Executive PJ Wendel hosted a virtual meeting with elected officials from towns, villages, and cities across Chautauqua County to provide an update on the County’s Government Reduction Initiative (GRI), scheduled to launch during the first quarter of 2026.
In October 2025, Wendel proposed an amendment to the GRI, originally adopted in May 2017. The initial resolution authorized the County to provide up to $50,000 to a town if two or more towns consolidated, or if a village dissolved into the town in which it was located.
Wendel’s amendment — which received overwhelming support from local municipal leaders and the Chautauqua County Legislature — significantly expands the program. The updated initiative authorizes the County to provide up to $100,000 per year to any local government entity or school district that is considering, planning, or implementing one of the following:
- Dissolution, consolidation, or merger
- Consolidation of public services or facilities
- Intermunicipal collaborations that improve service delivery
County Executive Wendel first introduced his Government Efficiency platform during his 2025 State of the County Address. His proposal includes the use of up to $500,000 from the County’s general fund balance in 2026 to help municipalities, special districts, and school districts with the upfront costs of consolidations, mergers, dissolutions, or expanded shared services. This investment is designed to remove financial barriers that often prevent local entities from exploring projects that could generate long-term savings and improved services.
“We know that every dollar spent by government comes from our hardworking residents, and that’s a responsibility we take very seriously,” said Wendel. “Throughout my tenure, we’ve made it a priority to make county government more effective and efficient. With the rising cost of property taxes across the county, I am proud that we were able to expand our Government Reduction Initiative to create long-term solutions that will help lower taxes for our residents. Efficient government isn’t just good policy—it’s good stewardship.”
The amended Government Reduction Initiative will allow the County to use general fund balance resources each year for projects that demonstrate significant long-term property tax savings for Chautauqua County residents. The application process is expected to open in the first quarter of 2026.
Local municipalities, special districts, and school districts are encouraged to begin discussing potential projects now and to contact the County Executive’s Office at Exec@chqgov.com for more information.
