Second Lundine Commission forum to focus on policing

Former Lieutenant Governor, County Sheriff, Professor Peter Sinden, others discuss efficiency and competitiveness of county police

Dr. Peter Sinden is author of the study, "Issues Associated with Local/Regional Policing in Chautauqua County," published in 2000. Download PDF of the report.

FREDONIA, N.Y. — February 2, 2009 — The second of four forums in the Lundine Series will be held on Wednesday, Feb. 18 from 8 to 9:30 a.m. at the Robert H. Jackson Center in Jamestown, N.Y. This event, which will explore the possibilities surrounding police consolidation, is being sponsored by SUNY Fredonia’s Center for Rural Regional Development and Governance (CRRDG) the Chautauqua Chamber of Commerce, and the Manufacturers Association of the Southern Tier (MAST).

The discussion will focus on the recommendations of the New York State Commission on Local Government Efficiency and Competitiveness, also known as the “Lundine Commission.” Established in 2006 and chaired by former New York Lieutenant Governor Stan Lundine, the commission is designed to “review ways that New York State’s over 4,200 local governments can save taxpayer dollars and become more efficient by sharing services and undertaking regional collaboration.”

The forum’s panelists include Lundine, Dr. Peter Sinden of SUNY Fredonia’s Department of Sociology, Chautauqua County Sheriff Joseph Gerace, Jamestown Police Chief Rex Rater and Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce CEO Todd Tranum. News Director Mark Goshgarian of Time Warner Cable 8 News will serve as the moderator for the discussion.

“Police consolidation is a very important topic, particularly with the ongoing discussions between the county and the City of Jamestown — an initiative that was noted in the final report of the Lundine Commission,” said Chuck Cornell, director of the CRRDG. “I believe this forum will continue the public dialogue on how we should best structure our government services to create greater efficiency and competitiveness.”

“We have the perfect storm brewing: taxes are too high, our communities are depleted of financial resources and New York State is broke,” said Todd Tranum, President of the Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce and Executive Director of the Manufacturers Association. "There is one way out and that is to take action and reduce the multiple layers of government that have been created, reduce taxes and grow the economy. We are at a defining moment in the history of this region, and we must ask ourselves, ‘Are we ready to meet the challenge?’ All levels of government must take immediate action on the Commission’s recommendations. We need to effectively reduce the layers of local government in order to lower the cost of government, lower property taxes and create a climate for business expansion and job growth in Chautauqua County.”

The Lundine Series is intended to generate significant public discussion about how to make local government more efficient, as well as support current and future initiatives aimed at increasing the competitiveness of Chautauqua County’s business environment.

Anyone interested in attending should contact Chuck Cornell at the Center for Rural Regional Development and Governance at cornell@fredonia.edu or 716-672-9804.