JAMESTOWN – The Jamestown City Council has approved a resolution to continue repair work to the Jamestown Police Station after it was flooded and damaged during a heavy rain storm last year.
Monday night the council approved the city entering an agreement with Empire Development of Mayville for Phase II Emergency Repair work at the Jamestown Police Department. The cost of the work is to not exceed $470,900.
The main entrance of the Jamestown Police Station on E. Second St. has been closed to the public since the flooding that occurred last fall when the contractors for the Tracy Plaza renovation project didn’t properly secure the area, allowing rainwater to pour into the station.
Jamestown police chief Harry Snellings said he doesn’t want to give a specific date on when the public will once again be able to enter the JPD.
“That’s going to be determined by what the work plan is,” Snellings told WRFA following Monday’s voting session. “Right now what I do know for fact is that the locker room is going to be the first area that they work on because they have to tear down the entire ceiling. So it’s going to create a lot of work. My understanding from there, the initial plan is to work from that hallway on the Prendergast Ave. side, moving forward to my office, and then out the back of the police department. I’m hesitant to open it up to the public because the exterior walls of all the offices will have to be torn down so until those are back up we’re probably going to hold off on opening to the public.
The cost of the repair work is being covered by the city’s insurance, although city officials have said the city and insurance company will likely sue the contractor hired to do the Tracy Plaza work so it can be reimbursed for the cost.
DEER POPULATION CONCERNS ALSO ADDRESSED
Meanwhile, Chief Snellings last night also provided a brief update on addressing the city’s growing deer population.
Snellings said he is working on setting up a public meeting with a representative from the state Department of Conservation to discuss the options for controlling deer.
Last week city councilman Andrew Liuzzo brought the issue forward during the council’s work session, saying he’d like to see the city introduce permits for bow hunting to certified hunters in order to address the deer issue. The council agreed that the number of deer in the city is becoming a concern, but first wanted to hear about all options available before proceeding with one solution.
Snellings said a representative from the DEC will likely host a presentation for the council during one of its upcoming work sessions.
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