Government

Cattaraugus County is a municipal corporation with a population of approximately 80,317. The County was formed for the purpose of exercising the powers and discharging such duties of local government and the administration of public affairs as may be imposed or conferred upon it by law.

Cattaraugus County Legislature

The County Legislature is the governing body of the County. It consists of 17 members elected from 8 legislative districts for four-year terms.

It is the specific duty of the County Legislature to conduct the peoples' business as a vital unit of local government, assuming responsibility for planning, financing and operating municipal services County-wide. In addition, the Legislature must provide adequate employees to carry out those duties. Cattaraugus County utilizes a County Administrator, appointed by the Legislature, in order to coordinate the daily operations of County Government.

The County Legislature works under a committee system, which comprises all the areas of responsibility. These committees include: Finance, Public Works, Strategic Planning, County Operations, Public Safety, Human Services, Development & Agriculture, Senior Services and Labor Relations.

Goal of the Cattaraugus County Government

The goal of County government and the County Legislature is to provide the traditional role as an arm of State government, while also taking a more non-traditional role which seeks to establish the County as an agency that analyzes service needs, sorts them in an orderly manner, and realigns and consolidates services so they may be performed most effectively and financed most economically.