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The duties and responsibilities of the County Administrator are as follows: Act 269-85 notes that “County Administrator…. should coordinate the daily operations of the County…be directly responsible to the Legislature and perform the functions of a chief administrative officer on behalf of the Legislature, with the Legislature retaining final administrative authority”. Further the same Act specifies additional duties listed on the County Administrator page.

The Cattaraugus County Department of the Aging provides or assures the provision of needed services to county residents who are age 60 or older.

Functions of the County Attorney are as follows: Is the legal advisor to County Legislature, County Departments and every officer whose compensation is paid from County funds in all matters involving an official act of a civil nature; Prosecutes and defends all civil actions and proceedings brought by or against the County, the County Legislature and any officer whose compensation is paid from County funds for any official act; Employs and supervises counsel when needed for any civil action or proceeding brought by or against the County or any County officer in his or her official capacity; Is counsel to the Cattaraugus County Soil and Water Conservation District; Prepares and reviews resolutions to be submitted to the County Legislature and is present at Legislature meetings as parliamentarian and for consultations and Acts as prosecutor for juvenile delinquents who commit offenses that would be crimes if committed by adults; Prosecutes family offenses, child support matters, termination of parental rights and custody cases, and other matters in Family Court.

The Board of Elections is responsible for the maintenance of over 54,000 voter registration files. You should apply to register if you are not currently registered, have moved to a new address or have not voted in an election since 2020.

Responsibilities include overseeing the maintenance and repair of county facilities and grounds, and to maintain efficient and economical operation

Signatures on the RP-5217

As you probably know, deed theft is a growing concern in New York State and across the country. We try to be as vigilant as possible in this fight and use every tool at our disposal to be the first line of defense. Part of tightening up our process is to ensure that we are following all applicable laws.

As such, we will no longer accept RP-5217s signed by anyone other than the principle parties unless we are presented with a signed Power of Attorney document.

 Instructions for completing the RP5217 state: 

 

“The Law requires the signature of BOTH the buyer and the seller and NOT agents to the transfer. Exceptions include:

· If the buyer or seller is unable to sign the form, the signature of a person who has been granted a “Power of Attorney” is acceptable. A copy should be presented with the RP-5217 form at the time the deed is filed."

Thank you for adjusting your process, as necessary.

The Cattaraugus County Department of Community Services (formerly the Department of Mental Health) has two primary responsibilities. The first primary function of the Department is directly providing mental health services to Cattaraugus County citizens. The second responsibility is the planning of services for all three disabilities: Mental Health, Drug and Alcohol, and Developmental Disabilities.

The New York State trial courts for Cattaraugus County include Supreme Court, County Court, Family Court and Surrogate Court. There are two multi-bench county court judges who preside in County, Family and Surrogate Court and are assigned as acting supreme court justices.

The County Legislature is the governing body of the County. As of 2024, it consists of 15 members elected from 5 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 Cattaraugus County Department of Economic Development, Planning & Tourism (CCEDPT) may help your project develop in the Enchanted Mountains of Western New York State

Our primary responsibilities include emergency planning and management, fire service and emergency medical services coordination, and training first responders.

Health Department Services: Childhood Development Services; Environmental Health Services; Home Care Services; Laboratory Services; Preventive Services; Reproductive Services and WIC Services

The Museum & Library are county owned and operated, specializing in the history of Cattaraugus County, NY.

The Office provides support to both the County Civil Service and to the County of Cattaraugus as a Personnel and Labor Relations office. Under the New York State Civil Service System, competitive job vacancies are filled from eligible lists established as a result of Civil Service Examinations.

The mission of Information Services  is to provide strategic IT vision, leadership, and enterprise solutions to the staff so they can meet their goals, deliver results, and enhance Cattaraugus County’s position in local government standings.

NY Connects provides Cattaraugus County residents free, easy and local access to information and assistance for you and your family who are exploring available options for long term care ... regardless of age or income.

Cattaraugus County One Stop Career Center's goal is to provide constructive, convenient information to employers, businesses, workers and job seekers in Cattaraugus County. We are part of a nationwide workforce development system designed to help capable employees find and train for better jobs and to help employers find and train qualified employees." Most services are offered at NO COST to the Job Seeker. Job seekers can receive referrals to employers, go through career assessment, attend various useful workshops, Basic Skills and HSED preparation, computer and software training, learn job retention skills and much more!

Located on the 12,000 acre Allegheny Reservoir, the Marina is just north of the Allegheny National Forest and west of Allegany State Park.

Staffed by compassionate and dedicated professionals, both the Olean Campus and Machias Campus of The Pines are known for their expertise in delivering state-of-the-art Long-Term Care and Short-Term Rehabilitation services to the citizens of Cattaraugus County and neighboring communities.  Care is provided in a warm, home-like setting enhanced by the natural beauty of the towering pine. Visit our website at PinesCare.com.

Planning Land-use/Zoning issues, Agricultural Districts & Farmland Protection, 100-year Flood Plain map information.

The mission of the Cattaraugus County Probation Department is the creation and maintenance of safe and peaceful communities through the enforcement of criminal and juvenile justice sanctions, through the rehabilitation of offenders, through services to victims of crime, and through the provision of assistance to the courts.

The Cattaraugus County Public Defender's Office provides high quality legal representation to those who are unable to afford to hire an attorney.

We represent individuals charged with all levels of criminal offenses including:  Felonies, misdemeanors, and violations (excluding vehicle and traffic violations that are charged independently from other criminal offenses.)  We also represent people in family court proceedings including:  Neglect, abuse, custody, child support violations, and family offense matters.  Persons alleged to have violated terms of probation and/or parole are also eligible for legal representation through our office.

If you are in need of our assistance please feel free to come to our office located at 175 North Union Street, Olean, NY  14760 or contact us by phone at (716)-373-0004.  We have a simple eligibility form that we would ask you to complete so that we may qualify you for our assistance.  Our friendly clerical staff stands ready to assist you in the completion of this form if you have any questions.

The dedicated staff at The Cattaraugus County Public Defender's Office is committed to holistic representation.  To this end, we have a social worker, two investigators, clerical staff, and a team of talented and qualified attorneys prepared to zealously represent you with care.

In compliance with federal and state constitutions, the Cattaraugus County Public Defender's Office is a legal service component of Cattaraugus County Government which:

  • provides quality legal representation to its clients;
  • advocates for the protection of the constitutional rights of its clients;
  • contributes to the efficient and effective operation of the criminal justice system in Cattaraugus County;
  • where appropriate, advocates and works toward achieving results that have the greatest likelihood to help rehabilitate clients;

Public Works was created in 1985 by the Cattaraugus County Legislature to consolidate the operations of the Highway, Refuse, the Fairgrounds, and Buildings and Grounds divisions.

The Real Property Service Department was created by the Assessment Improvement Act of 1971, mandated by the State of New York. The Cattaraugus County Office of Real Property was started in June of 1972 and is currently staffed by five people including the director. Real Property Tax Service produces tax bills for towns, villages, cities, and school districts. There are 32 towns, 9 villages, 2 cities and 17 school districts in Cattaraugus County, with approximately 51,430 total parcels.

The Risk Management Department is involved in the continuous process of controlling potential loses to Cattaraugus County.

The mission of the law enforcement divisions of the Cattaraugus County Sheriff's Office is to provide for the peace and security of all residents of Cattaraugus County with particular emphasis on those areas where we are the primary law enforcement agency.

The Cattaraugus County Department of Social Services provides a variety of services and programs for needy individuals and families in Cattaraugus County and strives to promote self-sufficiency, safety and family stability.  Our highly skilled, professional staff work with community partners and various county departments to meet the needs of the community.  Annually, we fund programming and  collaborate to deliver innovative programming designed to reach our goals.

As federal and state programs continuously evolve, it is our strong desire to minimize the impact on the public-at-large while meeting our mandates and maintaining a fiscally responsible approach to programming.

Promoting, advertising and marketing for Cattaraugus County to visitors is handled by the Department of Economic Development, Planning & Tourism. The tourism website, EnchantedMountains.com, promotes events and invites visitors to learn more about all that the Enchanted Mountains of Western New York has to offer.

The duties and responsibilities of the Cattaraugus County Treasurer's Office are to receive, deposit and safeguard all County funds or funds in which the County may have an interest.

The Treasurer's Office is answerable for bank accounts; accounting records; investment of funds; payment of all authorized bills and debts of the County government, its departments and agencies.

County Veterans Service Officers provide an unsurpassed personalized service to veterans and their dependents. There is no comparable advocacy service for that special group of New York citizens. All services are provided without charge. Strictly controlled confidentiality is maintained under penalty of law. Service Officers are required to be knowledgeable in federal, state and local laws pertaining to veterans.

Weights & Measures is one of the oldest and most important functions of government. The necessity for weights and measures standards, and the need for the government to apply those standards to day-to-day commercial transactions was recognized by early civilizations, and the economic impact to buyers and sellers continues today. 

Youth Bureau's mission is ALL youth in Cattaraugus County will have the opportunity to become healthy, productive, responsible, caring and committed community members.