MINA - Governance in New York state is broken, according to Ron Vahl, Chautauqua County Legislature candidate and Clymer resident.

Expressing his opinions and concerns regarding government restructuring and consolidation, Vahl said a Constitutional Convention should be held.

In favor of "appropriate consolidations," Vahl said government must reduce its costs to the taxpayers. Chautauqua County, he said, has a shrinking population with fewer people to share the burden of increasing material and payroll costs.

If elected, Vahl said he will vote to reduce the size of the County Legislature if it will save money and not put legislators out of easy reach by the public.

"I haven't seen stats of what officials of larger counties with fewer elected officials are paid," Vahl said.

School district consolidation, Vahl said, is a "no brainer."

"We must work for consolidations, with enrollments dropping and costs increasing," Vahl said. "The need for our kids to learn advancing technologies to prepare them to compete in the market place is imperative. Everyone in every school district should tour the Chautauqua Lake Central School District's high school to see what their children are missing. While New York state hasn't mandated consolidation, it does provide financial incentives."

MUNICIPAL MERGERS

Vahl said he doesn't think any town supervisor or village mayor wouldn't work for consolidation if convinced that their community would be better served by it.

During his time as the mayor of Sinclairville, Vahl said there was call for the village to dissolve itself and let the town assume the functions of the village. In an informal poll conducted by the Village Board, it was concluded that the majority of the residents were opposed to this idea and that they were willing to pay village taxes to have local control and the ability to talk with accessible officials if they had a problem.

Regarding highway department consolidations, Vahl said he is convinced that the same thoughts apply. Collaboration is already in place, with municipalities working together on projects and sharing both equipment and manpower.

Anticipating law enforcement consolidations, Vahl said "it can work," but that there are many tough issues that must first be resolved - with salaries being the number one.

"Sinclairville and Sheriff John Bently entered into an agreement where the sheriff established a substation in the village office," Vahl said. "The village eliminated its part-time police department and deputies living in the area operated from the village office, saving them travel time to and from Mayville - which saved fuel and allowed more patrol time. It worked."

Consolidation of volunteer fire departments is not a real option, according to Vahl. Members are volunteers who donate their time to their community, responding to hazardous situations.

If for any reason they ceased to exist, Vahl said, it would be a catastrophe to their community and the county as ambulance and emergency services such as fire protection would disappear.

"Insurance rates would go through the roof," Vahl said. "With more state-mandated regulations being imposed, volunteer departments are often understaffed - resulting in mutual aid calls, particularly during the day when members are at work."

Vahl said that he would favor retirement benefits for volunteers paid for by the communities in their fire district and by the county, based on the volunteer's service, rather than tax exemptions as incentive for retaining and securing new members.

Vahl has been a resident of Mina for more than 25 years. He was an active member of the Sinclairville Volunteer Fire Department for many years prior to his moving to Mina. A hip replacement prohibits him from continuing in the department.

He is a past president of the Jamestown Jaycees, a 50-year member of Mt. Moriah Lodge F&AM, a member of the Independent Order of Vikings and served on the Greater Chautauqua Federal Credit Union's Supervisory Committee for 10 years. A former Mina Town Councilman, Vahl was also a four-term mayor of Sinclairville and president of the Chautauqua County Mayor's Conference and the Western New York Association of Villages.

Vahl is running for the County Legislature's District 21 seat in the Nov. 3 election.