Jamestown Community College repurposes $60,000 state allocation to HVAC upgrades; county share $15,000

Jamestown Community College asked the Chautauqua County Administrative Services Committee to reallocate $60,000 in 2026 capital funds — originally intended for painting dormitories — toward HVAC upgrades for the Hamilton Collegiate Center after officials discovered the dormitories are owned by the JCC Development Corporation and therefore ineligible for state-funded renovations.

Kathleen Dennis, a consultant to Jamestown Community College, explained that the dorms are legally owned by the JCC Development Corporation and that "the state does not own the dormitories," so the college cannot use the award to renovate them. Dennis asked that the county's 25% share of the originally requested $60,000 (equaling $15,000) be repurposed to install variable air volume boxes and to upgrade digital direct-digital-control systems in the administrative wing because existing systems are obsolete.

Committee members asked clarifying questions about ownership and administration of the development corporation; Dennis said the corporation is administered by the college and the ownership arrangement is a legal wrinkle discovered after the award. The committee approved the proposed amendment to the capital project accounts for Jamestown Community College by voice vote.