By RICK MILLER
Olean Star
LITTLE VALLEY — Cattaraugus County Legislature committees will review three resolutions Wednesday dealing with providing police services on the Seneca Nation’s Allegany Territory.
The murders of three Seneca residents since August — two on the Cattaraugus Territory and one in Salamanca on the Allegany Territory — plus the sale and use of narcotics is of great concern to Seneca officials including President J. Conrad Seneca.
Last year the Seneca Nation contracted with the Cattaraugus County Sheriff’s Office to provide a K-9 and training with a deputy to help Seneca Marshals deal with drugs on the Allegany Territory.
One of the resolutions county lawmakers in the County Operations/Public Safety Committee and Finance Committee will review is a memorandum of understanding with the Seneca Nation to pay $849,003.91 for police services and equipment. The funds for enhanced law enforcement include $288,329 in salaries and $129,820 for vehicles.
In addition, the Senecas will pay $30,000 for purchase and training for a K-9 and vehicle upgrades.
A separate resolution authorizes the hiring of four new deputies at $30.58 an hour.
A Seneca Nation Tip Line is also created under another resolution. The county will receive $51,100 a year to staff the tip line 24 hours a day. Another $3,500 will go for training and travel and $400 for supplies.
Sheriff Eric Butler is expected to attend the County Operations/Public Safety Committee meeting Wednesday afternoon to discuss the resolutions.
Sponsors of the resolutions are Legislature Chairman Andrew Burr, R-Gowanda, and Legislator Joseph BoBerg, R-Machias.
The three-year agreement would run from Jan. 1, 2026 to Dec. 31, 2028.
Also on the agenda for Wednesday’s legislature committees is a resolution to seek up to $386,630 from the state Division of Criminal Justice Services for expenses related to discovery and bail reforms from April 1, 2024 to March 31, 2025.
Another resolution would seek a grant of $320,699 from the Division of Criminal Justice Services from the Aid to Prosecution Program.
Cattaraugus Community Action would receive $423,000 for services related to Child Abuse Prevention, Alternative Home Visitation Services, Family Group Conferences and Third Party Rewviewer Services.
Committee meetings start at 4 p.m. Wednesday with the Labor Relations Committee.
