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Chautauqua County's Office for the Aging Mayville staff are looking to relocate to Jamestown.
In October, the county Legislature approved an agreement for the Office for the Aging and the Veterans Service Agency to relocate from 610 W. Third St. Jamestown to the south county Chautauqua Center building.
During Thursday's Audit and Control Committee meeting, Office for the Aging director MaryAnn Spanos said the Veterans Service Agency no longer wants to relocate to the Chautauqua Center and instead is moving to the Jamestown VA Clinic on Hazeltine Avenue.
The lease that was approved in October at the Chautauqua Center was for 2,500 square feet -- 1,900 for the Office for the Aging staff and 600 feet for the Veterans Services Agency staff.
Spanos said she spoke with the county executive about various options including renegotiating a lease for only 1,900 square feet or using the additional 600 feet for more Office for the Aging staff.
She noted the majority of their staff is in Mayville, while the majority of their clients are in Jamestown. "It makes more sense for us to have more of our staff in Jamestown where our clients are," she said.
Spanos said if they do move their Mayville office to Jamestown, the county's Health and Human Services would take over the Office for the Aging's office space.
The legislature had approved $21,000 increase in rent, with about $9,000 being paid for by the Veterans Service Agency and the Office for the Agency paying for $13,000. With the new arrangement, the Office for the Agency would be responsible for the full $21,000 rent increase.
Spanos said she has a member in her department that is retiring and will be able to save $10,000 when that person's replacement is hired, so she has the money in her budget. She added that although the Office for the Aging is spending more on rent, they are likely helping the Health and Human Services Department from needing to find more space to rent.
After the discussion, the Audit and Control agreed to the change. The full legislature will need to give its approval next week.