DUNKIRK — The Chautauqua County Legislature is moving forward with plans of a new security gate upgrade at the Dunkirk airport.

During the legislature meeting, county lawmakers voted 15-2 to accept funds from the Federal Aviation Administration to pay for 95% of the costs to design upgraded security gates. Voting no were Legislators Bob Scudder, R-Fredonia, and Dan Pavlock, R-Ellington.

The total cost of the project is $50,538. Of that amount, the federal government will pay for $48,011, the state will pay $1,263 and the county must fund the remaining $1,264.

The resolution was not discussed during the full legislature meeting, but during a committee meeting the week before, Airports Manager John Machemer said they already designed the security gates, but didn’t get many bids as they had hoped and those that did come in were over budget.

Because of that, they’re going to redesign the security gates to see if they can get lower bids.

Scudder generally votes against receiving any airport funding resolutions, arguing that accepting federal funds requires the county to keep the airports in operation.

Pavlock usually votes in favor of airport resolutions. After the legislature meeting, he was asked why he voted against it.

“This is a study and it’s a lot of money for a study,” he replied. “It isn’t even putting the gates in. It’s telling us what we need to do and how we need to do it. It just seems like we should be able to hire a company to come and put that gate system in that is needed and required and it shouldn’t take an expensive study to do that.”

Even though the resolution doesn’t have the word “study” in it, Pavlock said that’s what the money is being used for.

Pavlock acknowledged that the majority of the money is coming from the federal government, but added, “I’m still trying to be a steward of our taxpayers’ money.”