HANOVER — Outgoing Supervisor Todd Johnson sent a clear message with his criticism at a recent Town Board meeting regarding the lack of an agreement with the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office for enhanced police protection. Those comments did not sit well with Sheriff Jim Quattrone.

In an email directed to Johnson, Quattrone responded, “While there seems to be a lot of blaming others, there doesn’t appear to be any acceptance of your role in this matter. You have not had the common courtesy to respond to any of our emails or correspondence over the last year.”

This is not the first time the Sheriff’s Office has had an issue with the town regarding contract negotiations.

Quattrone continued, “This lack of signing the contract in a timely manner has been the norm since I have been in office. Last year, the town signed the contract for 2023 on December 12, 2022 – which seems to be the norm. The Sheriff’s Office requested at the end of 2022 that we begin talks for the 2024 agreement that seemed to go unanswered. It appears that your approach is to approve your budget based on what you expect to pay for services and then attempt to force that decision upon the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office and the county as an entirety. We cannot expect the other towns, villages and cities to take on the burden of providing enhanced police protection in the town of Hanover.”

The town of Hanover and the village of Silver Creek share responsibility for the enhanced police protection contract once it is agreed upon. The contract presented by the Sheriff’s Office for 2024 included a $60,000 increase in cost to be shared evenly between Hanover and Silver Creek. The village has not yet approved the contract because it is waiting for Hanover to approve its portion.

Quattrone responded to the increase in his email to Johnson, stating, “Over three years ago, the Sheriff’s Office provided the Town of Hanover the costs of providing Enhanced Police Protection and the expected increases for a four-year period. We again provided the information earlier this year and we heard nothing from you or the Town Board regarding the proposed contractual costs. We in turn supplied a proposed contract for 2024 and you replied stating that the board had not had discussions and would not be signing the contract. On October 10, 2023, I did inform you and the Board that we would need to make a decision on the contract after your November board meeting and no later than December 1, 2023.”

Town Councilman Bernie Feldmann, Jr., and Town Supervisor-elect Lou Pelletter recently had a meeting with the Sheriff’s Department to ask for considerations on the increase, along with other concerns. Pelletter visited a recent Silver Creek Village Board meeting to inform the village he hopes a special meeting will be called to address the lack of a contract prior to the regular December meeting of the Hanover Town Board on Dec. 11.

With the Dec. 1 deadline approaching, the Sheriff’s Office will soon begin the process of ending the longtime partnership with the town of Hanover and the village of Silver Creek regarding Enhanced Police Protection. The Sheriff’s Office will still provide law enforcement services through its designated Zone 4 police car, as it does for the other 26 Townships in Chautauqua County. However, a police car would no longer be specifically dedicated to Hanover and Silver Creek.

“We would also do our best to coordinate with the New York State Police,” Quattrone stated. “However, their assignments are beyond our control.”

Quattrone is not the first to criticize Johnson before his time as Hanover Supervisor comes to an end. Johnson was also recently criticized for his attendance record at Town Board meetings and his lack of response to multiple agencies over his time as Town Supervisor by Shawn J. Smith, Town of Hanover Republican Chairman.

“The list of people who couldn’t get a return phone call from the current supervisor is long but distinguished. Representatives from federal, state, and county government, along with people from the business community, have all complained about the lack of responsiveness on the part of Supervisor Johnson,” Smith said.

Johnson is the outgoing Hanover Town Supervisor, a role he has held for the past 12 years. He was recently defeated in the race for Hanover Town Clerk by Elizabeth VanCheri. Lou Pelletter, a former Silver Creek Police Chief, will begin as Town Supervisor in 2024.