Housing Task Force Formed
Mayville, NY -- After months of due diligence, Chautauqua County Executive Gregory J. Edwards signed a resolution earlier this week to appoint members to the Chautauqua County Housing and Neighborhood Revitalization Task Force. The resolution was signed Monday, August 3rd and forwarded to the Legislature Office.
Edwards stressed that the process of selecting people to serve on the task force needed to follow a strict protocol in order to find the most qualified candidates.
"I have worked hard over the past several months to recruit the people that would be the most effective in these roles, including the leaders of Chautauqua County's three major, not-for-profit housing organizations," Edwards said. "I am pleased that the leaders of these groups have agreed to serve. They will bring a certain skill set to the task force that will be crucial in moving it forward."
Pending legislative approval, the Chautauqua County Housing and Neighborhood Revitalization Task Force will include: John Murphy with the Chautauqua Home Rehabilitation and Improvement Corporation (CHRIC), Roberta Keller with Chautauqua Opportunities Inc. (COI), Donald Bloomquist with Citizens Opportunity for Development & Equality (CODE), Stephen Sorg, Julie Ortendahl, George Holt, Don Harrington, Rick Johnson and Harold Whitford.
The legislature's previous attempt to create a similar group did not meet with Edwards' approval because it was not designated how the money would be raised or how it would be loaned out.
Edwards applauded the current group for showing the interest in investing themselves in this task force, and said that they all bring unique and impressive skills.
"Stephen Sorg, Julie Ortendahl and George Holt all bring an expertise from the world of realty to the group. They understand that having quality homes available for purchase positively impacts the market," Edwards said. "Harold Whitford, who is a property manager, deals directly with hundreds of people who own or rent homes locally, and architect Don Harrington understands what goes into building a quality home."
Rick Johnson, the ninth member of the group, is a Certified Public Accountant. Edwards said Johnson's key contribution will be the ability to analyze the economics and financing aspects that will apply to the people who will be looking to benefit from some of the resources available.
"This is a group that I will be pleased to work with to attempt to raise $750,000 to match the $250,000 that I pledged from the county to fund the loan program that this group will administer," Edwards said.
No politicians were selected to serve on this committee, Edwards said, because he felt that would be counterproductive.
"This task force will be a key component in the future rehabilitation and development of our housing stock in Chautauqua County, so politics has no place within the group," Edwards said.
Edwards concluded by saying that the nine task force members will be spending a great deal of time using their capacities and abilities towards obtaining the 3-1 match that was part of the legislation which created the Chautauqua County Housing and Neighborhood Revitalization Task Force.
Emailed from Joel Keefer, executive assistant to Greg Edwards
Edwards stressed that the process of selecting people to serve on the task force needed to follow a strict protocol in order to find the most qualified candidates.
"I have worked hard over the past several months to recruit the people that would be the most effective in these roles, including the leaders of Chautauqua County's three major, not-for-profit housing organizations," Edwards said. "I am pleased that the leaders of these groups have agreed to serve. They will bring a certain skill set to the task force that will be crucial in moving it forward."
Pending legislative approval, the Chautauqua County Housing and Neighborhood Revitalization Task Force will include: John Murphy with the Chautauqua Home Rehabilitation and Improvement Corporation (CHRIC), Roberta Keller with Chautauqua Opportunities Inc. (COI), Donald Bloomquist with Citizens Opportunity for Development & Equality (CODE), Stephen Sorg, Julie Ortendahl, George Holt, Don Harrington, Rick Johnson and Harold Whitford.
The legislature's previous attempt to create a similar group did not meet with Edwards' approval because it was not designated how the money would be raised or how it would be loaned out.
Edwards applauded the current group for showing the interest in investing themselves in this task force, and said that they all bring unique and impressive skills.
"Stephen Sorg, Julie Ortendahl and George Holt all bring an expertise from the world of realty to the group. They understand that having quality homes available for purchase positively impacts the market," Edwards said. "Harold Whitford, who is a property manager, deals directly with hundreds of people who own or rent homes locally, and architect Don Harrington understands what goes into building a quality home."
Rick Johnson, the ninth member of the group, is a Certified Public Accountant. Edwards said Johnson's key contribution will be the ability to analyze the economics and financing aspects that will apply to the people who will be looking to benefit from some of the resources available.
"This is a group that I will be pleased to work with to attempt to raise $750,000 to match the $250,000 that I pledged from the county to fund the loan program that this group will administer," Edwards said.
No politicians were selected to serve on this committee, Edwards said, because he felt that would be counterproductive.
"This task force will be a key component in the future rehabilitation and development of our housing stock in Chautauqua County, so politics has no place within the group," Edwards said.
Edwards concluded by saying that the nine task force members will be spending a great deal of time using their capacities and abilities towards obtaining the 3-1 match that was part of the legislation which created the Chautauqua County Housing and Neighborhood Revitalization Task Force.
Emailed from Joel Keefer, executive assistant to Greg Edwards
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