The Chautauqua County Law Department is looking to relocate to 95 E. Chautauqua St., Mayville in the former Family Health Medical Services. P-J photo by Gregory Bacon

MAYVILLE – Citing a need for more space for multiple departments, Chautauqua County is looking to move some of its attorneys to a former medical building outside of the county’s main complex.

During a legislature committee meeting, Public Facilities Director Tim Card said the Law Department is looking to relocate to 95 E. Chautauqua St., Mayville, about a half mile from the county’s complex in Mayville.

Should they relocate, they will be joined with the attorneys from the Department of Social Services. Once that happens, the county’s Office for the Aging would be moved and the county’s Public Defender’s Office will expand. “In this whole domino effect, this is the first step,” Card said.

The building on East Chautauqua Street is the former Family Health Medical Services, where Dr. Robert Burke had operated out of in the past.

According to the resolution, the rent of the old medical building would be $8,750 a month. The lease would be for 10 years.

The resolution was first introduced in February, but was tabled. At that time, no reason was provided for the tabling.

At the March committee meetings, it was revealed that the owner of the building, Jamestown’s Rental Properties, LLC was behind in its taxes and apparently the legislature did not want to authorize a contract to a landlord who owed property taxes.

County Attorney Anna Morgan said Lake Shore Savings Bank is providing the LLC a loan which will be used to pay off all of the company’s outstanding taxes owed. “He owns multiple properties and owes taxes on multiple properties. Those will be covered immediately when the loan is distributed to him,” she said.

Morgan added that the expectation is that the owners will remain up to date with their taxes as well as do the necessary remodeling required for the law offices to relocate. “The contract is relatively specific. We need him to do a lot of work so that we can move in and be reasonable and pleasant tenants for the next 10 years. Both parties need to meet their obligations for us to get there,” she said.

Morgan believes the new location will be good for her department because of its size. “Trying to house about 25 employees is almost impossible in the current facilities. Additionally, because we are a law office, we are bound by strict rules of confidentiality. We cannot share offices with other people,” she said.

Morgan noted the Social Services Law Department needs more room as well so it can store all of its information in its digital databases in a strict and secure environment.

The resolution authorizing the lease was approved by multiple legislature committees. The full legislature will vote on the resolution for final approval at its next meeting on Wednesday.