Jamestown City Council will hold a work session to review resolutions allocating $4 million in American Rescue Plan funds as well a resolution to accept a grant to start a Citizens Police Academy.
One of the resolutions using ARP funds would use $1.5 million to create a Non-Profit Assistance Program.
The staff report said the program would provide competitive grant funding designed to assist Jamestown non-profit organizations recover from the pandemic and corresponding economic crisis.
Awards would be structured as 50% grant and 50% forgivable loan. The loan portion of the award would be forgiven if measurables as stated by the applicant are met by December 31, 2026. Awards would assist with up to 75% of the total project costs in amounts not to exceed $200,000. A minimum of 25% of the total project costs will be the responsibility of the applicant. Awards over $200,000 would be considered on a case-by-case basis and will require a PILOT agreement with the City of Jamestown.
Council also will review a request to give $1 million in ARP funds to the Chautauqua County Land Bank program. The funding would be used to create a First Time Homebuyer’s Assistance Rebate Program, to support the expansion of the Hands On Neighborhoods Program, and to assist in the Land Bank’s purchase of an information management platform that will complement the “City’s use of Building Blocks to facilitate strategic initiatives, workflows and vendor communications.”
The 19A Homeownership Program also is on the agenda again with proposed funding of $750,000 in ARP funds.
The last resolution involving ARP funds is the use of $750,000 to create a Business Expansion & Building Acquisition program.
Under the program, businesses could use the funding for essential building systems including roof repairs, elevator repairs, property renovations to improve traffic patterns, drainage solutions and repairs, and other repairs deemed necessary to support expanded services.
The program also structures awards as 50% grant and 50% forgivable loan. The loan portion of the award will be forgiven if measurables as stated by the applicant are met by December 31, 2026.
Awards would assist with up to 75% of the total project costs in amounts not to exceed $200,000. A minimum of 25% of the total project costs will be the responsibility of the applicant.
Council also will review a $4,000 donation to the Police Department by Rand Precision Machining to fund a Citizens Police Academy.
According to the staff report, Chief Tim Jackson plans to revive the academy that was held several years ago. It would be a three-hour session held once a week for 10 weeks and would focus on arrest procedures, juvenile procedures, vehicle and traffic law, crime scene investigations, emergency response teams, drug enforcement, DWI, community policing, range procedures, and defensive tactics.
Council Committee meetings start at 6:30 p.m. with the Housing Committee, followed by other committees meeting at 7:00 p.m. The full work session begins at 7:30 p.m. in the Fourth Floor Police Training Room in City Hall. All meetings are open to the public with the full work session being streamed on jamestownny.gov.
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