Jamestown Local Development Corporation Meeting. (Standing on Right) CCS’ Pat Smeraldo
The Jamestown Local Development Corporation approved $3400 in downtown programming funds for the Jamestown Holiday Parade that’s scheduled for Saturday, December 4th.
Collaborative Children’s Solutions‘ Pat Smeraldo said this funding will help the event break even between five credit unions funding the fireworks show along with support from The Resource Center and Chautauqua Connections.
Smeraldo also thanked the Jamestown Chamber of Commerce for their help with signing up participants. He said 35 groups have signed up including the Jamestown High School Marching Band. Those interested in participating in the parade can sign up on the Chamber’s website at jtny.events.
Smeraldo said it was important to get kids involved and some students created posters for the event, “One little girl, I complimented her today, never would have thought of it, she made a Spanish version. So good for you, never would have thought of that. We have Western New York News Now will be streaming the parade from City Hall with Justin Gould and his team. And there will be some high school kids shadowing them. I’m actually speaking with an accounting class next week to talk about budget process. With the company that I have it’s really important to me to get kids involved in real time projects.”
The JLDC also approved $35,000 in downtown programming funds to the National Comedy Center for the Riverside Saturdays program that was held this summer.
The NCC had applied in May for $136,000 in funding. The board discussed the concern over the amount of the request with Council member Kim Ecklund adding she didn’t think the downtown programming fund was supposed to go toward repeating events, “And, or, already had. So in other words, like the Babe Ruth World Series did not come forward asking for money because it’s an on-going, repetitive event. This wasn’t the first year of the funding of the downtown movies. A little different of a program. However, we had them the year prior.”
The board approved the lesser amount that would cover the purchase of the dual projector-screens system contingent on a written agreement that the City would also have use of that equipment.
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