Jamestown City Council work session (September 12, 2022)

City officials and local organizations are continuing to meet to work on ways to address rising homelessness in Jamestown.

Jamestown Mayor Eddie Sundquist updated City Council on a meeting held Monday with organizations that are part of the county’s Homeless Coalition including the Salvation Army, UCAN Mission, Chautauqua Opportunities, Southern Tier Environments for Living, UPMC, and more, “What we’ve normally seen in the past is homelessness that includes folks that have been kicked out of shelters or have been sanctioned by the county or other providers for whatever violation of services they provided. We would normally see about 25 to 30, that’s what the last census was of homeless here in the city. We are finding encampments that can be up to 50 to 70 people. And we are trying to work to deal with it.”

Sundquist said part of the discussion included planning for winter given that individuals without housing often look for abandoned houses to break into in order to stay warm.

He said the city had a meeting scheduled with with local pastors Tuesday night to discuss homelessness and how the faith community can assist. A second Homeless Coalition meeting is scheduled for later this month.

The event will feature guest speakers Walt and Nancy Pickut of Jamestown. Ed McCarthy, planning and special project coordinator from the mayor’s office, will also be on hand to proclaim Dec. 21 as National Homeless Persons Memorial Day. Advocates, friends, community leaders and service providers hope to bring attention to the need for more resources and support. The National Homeless Persons Memorial Day is organized by the National Coalition for the Homeless and is sponsored by the local Homeless Coalition.

CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY – Thousands of National Grid and NYSEG customers found themselves without power for more than two hours last night. Customers from Busti to Randolph lost power around 5:55 p.m., with over 6,000 homes without service in the affected areas. The National Grid website said power was restored by around 8:30 p.m.

HOMELESS PERSON’S MEMORIAL DAY RECOGNIZED WEDNESDAY NIGHT

JAMESTOWN – A candlelight vigil was held at St. Susan Center in Jamestown last night to raise awareness about the homeless in our area.  The Chautauqua County Homeless Coalition, along with the National Coalition for the Homeless, held its third annual Longest Night Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day with several people on hand. The event is held on the longest night of the year to highlight the issue of homelessness, not just on a national level, but also in Chautauqua County.

Each night since 1990, on or near the first day of winter and the longest night of the year, the National Coalition for the Homeless has sponsored such vigils to bring attention to homelessness and to remember those homeless friends who have died while homeless.

BWB DONATES $12,500 TO WNY FOOD BANK WITH $5,000 GOING TO ST SUSAN’S

JAMESTOWN – The Buffamante Whipple and Buttafaro, accountig firm is making note of its 40th year in operation by giving back to its communities. This week the announced that it would be donating $12,500 to the Food Bank of Western New York, with $5000 of that money to be used to purchase food that will go directly to the St. Susan Center in Jamestown.

On Monday, members of the BWB branch in Jamestown stopped by the St. Susan Center to not only drop off their donation, but to also hand-deliver 30 bags of food that was collected during a recent food drive.

The St. Susan Center occupies part of the Gateway Center building on Water St. in Jamestown. The Center provides a nutritionally balanced meal seven days a week, including traditional holiday meals on Christmas, Thanksgiving and Easter. In recent years, the number of meals served has grown significantly. On average, St. Susan’s serves more than 300 meals each day in the Jamestown area.

For more information about the St. Susan Center in Jamestown, or to find out how you can help, call or visit St. Susan online at www.stsusancenter.org.

HIGGINS, DOT ANNOUNCE NEW PILOT FATIGUE RULES

BUFFALO – Representatives Brian Higgins joined other members of the Western New York congressional delectation yestersday to welcome the announcement by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) of the completion of landmark new rules to address pilot fatigue. Congressman Higgins said the new rule was long over-due, with the National Transportation Safety Board having identified pilot fatigue as a problem for over two decades.

Pilot fatigue was a contributing factor in the crash of Colgan Air Flight 3407, which took place in Clarence Center outside of Buffalo in February 2009.  After the tragedy, Western New York Representatives, along with the Flight 3407 families, led a fight for legislation to reform aviation safety.

GOODELL CALLS ON CONSTITUENTS TO COMPLETE 2011 SURVEY

JAMESTOWN – Area Assemblyman Andy Goodell is urging his constituents to fill out his 2011 Legislative Survey and return it to his district office either by mail, or in person. The poll was recently mailed to households in Chautauqua County in an effort to gain important feedback from Chautauqua County residents on important issues facing New York state.

The survey deals with critical issues, such as budget priorities, job creation, education, energy policy, and other key issues.  In addition to several questions, the survey contains several opportunities to provide additional comments and suggestions.  The survey responses will be used to help guide legislative policy next year.

Anyone who did not receive a copy of the survey in the mail can request a survey by contacting Assemblyman Goodell’s office at 664-7773, by e-mail at goodella@assembly.state.ny.us, or by stopping at his office at Fenton Building, 2 East 2^nd Street, Suite 320 in Jamestown.