Jamestown City Council discusses resolution to hire eight fire fighters (April 24, 2023)

Jamestown City Council once again tabled a resolution to hire eight new firefighters at its voting session.

Council member at large Jeff Russell made the motion, citing extenuating circumstances, following a lengthy discussion before a packed council chambers that included most of the members of the Jamestown Fire Department.

Council member at large Kim Ecklund cited financial concerns with the three-year $1.8 million SAFER grant, saying that costs presented to council for those three years is $2.1 million which didn’t include overtime costs, working out of title, and comp time.

She said in 2022, personnel expenses in the Fire Department were $250,000 over budget, “Talking financially, this grant will not provide all those previously mentioned items I just talked about as well as training, estimated at $46,000, uniforms estimated at $46,000, and other incidental expenses. While people don’t want to hear this, we as a council have to remain fiscally responsible and understanding the needs of our departments and empathetic to the future of Jamestown.”

Ecklund said based on these numbers, the city could be faced with a $450 to $500,000 total shortfall over the three years of the grant. She said the American Rescue Plan funds used to hire four firefighters in 2022 runs out the the last year of the SAFER grant, which leaves another $382,000 for the city to fund.

Crowd for the Jamestown City Council meeting (April 24, 2023)

Ecklund said a second ambulance would bring in more revenue but running the two ambulances would not bring in the $750 to $900,000 needed. Deputy Fire Chief Matt Coon had informed Council previously that the estimated revenue from running two ambulances is about $400,000 total a year.

Council member Marie Carrubba commented that former City Comptrollers Joe Bellitto and Ryan Thompson had both previously stated that the hiring of the four ARPA funded firefighters would “stretch the city’s budget to its limit,” “The idea that we’d hire an additional eight would be unsustainable and we have to look at that. And I don’t always agree with Mr. Champ, but I think you said it very well tonight. We have to be concerned not only with the present, but the future and the financial condition of the city when we are reaching our constitutional taxing limit, when we’re not able to raise taxes, my question to all of the citizens are what do you want us to cut?”

Ecklund asked Mayor Eddie Sundquist if the SAFER grant would allow the city to hire less than the eight firefighters proposed.

Sundquist responded that if Council provides him a number, he can ask the Federal Emergency Management Agency about that. None of the previous discussions by the city administration until Monday’s voting session indicated that the grant allowed the city to hire less than eight fire fighters under the grant.

The motion to table the resolution until May passed with just Council member Regina Brackman voting no.

In a related resolution, Council did approve purchasing a second ambulance for the fire department with $250,000 in American Rescue Plan funds.

Doug Champ

The Jamestown Board of Public Utilities is working on getting its Board meetings livestreamed, but not quick enough for some folks.

Citizen Doug Champ, speaking at Jamestown City Council‘s Privilege of the Floor, said he was told by the BPU that they’re testing out a new system. He said he doesn’t understand why they need to test anything and accused Mayor Eddie Sundquist, who sits on the BPU Board, and the rest of the board of refusing to accept the need to stream meetings.

Champ said ratepayers deserve to know how the BPU is spending its money, “The Jamestown BPU must be fully prepared and its ratepayers must be fully informed and engaged to know the impacts and all the associated costs from these New York State driven programs, both now and into the future. Our utility ratepayers need an opportunity to learn and understand what the Jamestown Board of Public Utilities is doing about these issues and how it will impact their electric costs.”

Council member at large Jeff Russell, who is on the BPU board, rebutted Champ’s comments, “Mr. Champ wants to sound as if there’s something nefarious going on with the BPU Board, that we don’t want to share information or we’re not transparent. That can’t be further from the truth. I think what it is is that Mr. Champ.. things aren’t happening fast enough for Mr. Champ regarding the televising or livestreaming the board meetings. They are happening and that happened this evening. They are being tested.”

Russell said he’s heard no opposition to streaming the meetings from the board. He said the board wants to make sure the streaming is done correctly with good quality as opposed to simply using a tablet or cell phone to stream.

Jamestown City Council (August 29, 2022)

Jamestown City Council has approved allocating another $3 million to home improvement and business improvement programs funded through the American Rescue Plan Act monies.

The Roof, Private Sewer Lateral, Private Water Line Repair/Replacement Program received an additional $2 million with the Building & Property Infrastructure Improvements program receiving an additional $1 million.

Council President Tony Dolce said both programs had originally been funded with $750,000, “When we first passed this several months ago, we weren’t sure how much we would need. This just increases the amount to cover some of the need that’s been out there that people have requested. So, it’s really good for the city, for the citizens, for the businesses in the community.”

Dolce said for the roof and sewer program, homeowners who had received letters saying they were approved pending more funding will now receive that funding. He said the application process will not be reopened for either the housing nor business program.

Council approved an agreement with Zambelli Fireworks in the amount of $19,500 for the Labor Day Fest fireworks show on Sunday, September 4.

Citizen Doug Champ spoke out against the funding of the fireworks show, saying the money would be better used to support or enhance the Parks Department, “You could buy 50 recycled park benches for $385. You can create a tree and shrubbery specimen botanical garden for people to look and observe various species that can grow in our zone with potential use in their property. You can buy 19 full-sized picnic tables at a thousand dollars a pop.”

Champ also cited negative environmental impact caused by fireworks as additional reasons for not funding the program.

Dolce said he understands that fireworks are expensive but it’s not something the city does on a regular basis, “People enjoy it. They’ve come to expect it, especially on Labor Day. A lot of people, that’s the highlight of the day for them. They go up and picnic. Again, I understand his concerns but I just think it’s one of things where the community.. it’s been three years since they’ve really had a chance to celebrate. And it’s not something we do every day and we try to do the best we can to make it as safe as possible.”

Dolce said the funding is coming from the city budget’s Parks Festival line.

Council tabled a resolution to fund the 19A Homeownership program with $750,000 of ARPA monies. Dolce said the Finance Committee had questions that were not answered prior to the voting session and that the resolution will likely be on the September agenda for reconsideration.

Council also approved appointments by Mayor Eddie Sundquist to the Salary Review Commission. Former City Comptrollers Joe Bellitto and Ryan Thompson were named to the advisory group as well as Heather Greenfield, who is the Financial Coordinator for the Jamestown Urban Renewal Agency.

Dolce said he, as Council President, as will have three appointments that he hopes to bring forward in September, “The City Charter requires that we put together a Salary Review Commission every four years to review the salaries of all elected officials. That would be the City Council as well as the Mayor. And then they make a recommendation back to the City Council as to what they think the salaries should be, should they be changed, added, whatever, and then the Council gets to vote on it.”

Any salary changes would not go into effect until January 1, 2024. Dolce added that the Mayor’s salary is $72,000 which hasn’t had an increase since 2008, “If you look at the list of salaried employees in the city, the chief executive officer (mayor) is way down at the bottom below firemen, policemen, and other city workers, so maybe it’s time to look at that. The City Council, it’s been 38 years since there has been an adjustment.”

Council members receive a $5,000 salary with the Council President receiving an additional $1,000 stipend.

Dolce also announced details have been finalized for a city-wide public forum. The event will be held at Christ First United Methodist Church located at 663 Lakeview Avenue at 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, September 14. Dolce said Jamestown Police Chief Tim Jackson will be on hand to discuss and answer questions about public safety with Director of Development Crystal Surdyk also attending to discuss housing concerns. The forum is open to the public.

Jamestown Board of Public Utilities board meeting

The Board of the Jamestown Board of Public Utilities has voted to eliminate the Energy Efficiency Program Coordinator position.

The civil service position was created in 2009 for the purpose of development, implementation and administration of energy efficiency incentives and rebate programs in the BPU territory. Dan Reynolds had held that position since 2009.

General Manager Dave Leathers said work under the title has changed significantly over the last 13 years with the workload changing to system enhancements versus customer rebate programs, “The system level improvements are LED street lights that are put throughout the community, advanced metering infrastructure projects, anything that we’ll work on related to the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, so the difficulty with a utility position similar to city positions is this is a civil service position that has minimum qualifications.”

Leathers said due to those qualifications they can’t just place the current employee in another job. He also addressed a concern raised by citizen Doug Champ about the elimination of the title ahead of New York State trying to “electrify everything,” “If we’re looking at electrification of buildings and we need to help people with electric services, that’s likely an electrical engineer, not the individual that’s qualified for the Energy Efficiency Coordinator position with an Environmental Sciences degree. So it’s a very difficult decision that’s been made but it’s necessary decision for the utility.”

The BPU board also approved the purchase of two new garbage trucks at a cost of $449,650. These vehicles will replace a 2015 and a 2017 garbage truck which will be sold. Leathers said they do not expect delivery of the new trucks until 2023.

Leathers added the City Riverwalk Lighting project has begun with light units being installed on the BPU’s silo. He thanked the Jamestown Fire Department for their assistance in hosing down the silo in order to clean the surface.

Jamestown resident Doug Champ said he has a problem with the Jamestown Police Department only receiving $177,206 dollars for one police car and new radios under American Rescue Plan lost recovery funds, “If I haven’t seen a budget that wants to defund the Police Department, this is the budget that does that. And my question is why? Why when the ARP fund is supposed to be for public safety, public health, and economic recovery and we have these auxiliary projects as I mentioned before like a dog park and frisbee golf and whatever else you want to call this quote ‘possible projects.”

Kendall Club PBA President Sam Piazza spoke, mentioning how Police Chief Tim Jackson was asked to submit a wish list for capital projects that included five cars, virtual reality training, updating the shooting range, trauma kits, and how almost none of it was funded, “My question is, without these funds from the American Rescue Plan were we not going to budget anything for the Police Department? And you know, Doug kind of.. you know nobody came out and said we’re going to defund the Police Department but where is the funding for the Police Department? The guys and girls that come to work every day downstairs need the equipment to make sure they do their job safely.”

Jamestown resident and former City Council member Tamara Dickey said she is thankful for the Jamestown Police Department following an incident that had happened on 10th Street this summer, “We’ve got to give the Police officers the resources, both human and capital and system resources, that they need to make sure that they have the intelligence and they have the equipment and the weapons that they need.”

Doug Champ also made a recommendation that Council consider changing the City Charter so that the public hearing on the budget always occurs on the Monday before Thanksgiving so that it’s on the same day that council typically meets and is easier for the public to attend.

Finance Chair and Council Member at Large Kim Ecklund said council members are working with the city’s Finance department on separating out the general fund and American Rescue Plan monies. She said the plan is for Council to just vote on the general fund budget on Monday, November 29th.

Council President Tony Dolce said Council will be looking at public safety concerns more under the American Rescue Plan funding, “You know there have also been people that have asked us about where those funds are going to go and when we’re going to put that out there. We will be shortly after the budget is done putting out a vote on the actual categories, the amount, and then as different projects come up or equipment purchases whatever then we would be voting on them piece by piece, a la carte.”

Dolce said at this point City Council will have to bring amendments to the floor to be voted on next Monday.

WRFA’s Julia Ciesla-Hanley spoke with Jamestown resident Doug Champ on the City Budget and the Board of Public Utilities.

Doug Champ

Doug Champ spoke before the City Council’s Public Safety Committee and at last night’s work session, saying Chautauqua County had designated 4% of their ARP money toward public safety, “Such things as new hand guns, personal ballistic vests, body and mail scanners; communications upgrades, message boards, EOC upgrades.. whatever that is, replace a dive boat, EMC equipment, and additional money for the District Attorney’s office. $985,000 for those. We’re doing nothing for our Police and Fire Departments.”

Champ said public safety and public health are supposed to be the number one addressed items in the use of ARP funds.

Champ asked the condition of police vehicles to which Jamestown Police Chief Tim Jackson said aside from one new car, the vehicles were in poor condition with each having mileage of around 100 to 150-thousand miles.

Councilmember At Large Jeff Russell, who is a retired police officer, asked Chief Jackson about the state of handheld radios used by officers. Jackson responded, “A lot of the officers have to share because the radios are broke and they can’t be repaired. The batteries are bad. We need new radios.”

Russell, “Can they not be repaired because they’re outdated?”

Jackson, “They’re outdated and the batteries are very expensive.”

Russell, “Would you agree with me that a police officer’s lifeline is their radio that they’re carrying with them out on the street?”

Jackson, “Yes, communication is what it all rests on.”

Jackson also said 32 of the bulletproof vests officers use are outdated and not covered by the manufacturer any longer. Councilmember Brent Sheldon asked if JPD had been asked to submit any requests for use of American Rescue Plan funds to which Jackson said every department had submitted a wish list.

Councilmember At Large Kim Ecklund said the Finance Committee chose not to act on the resolution regarding the American Rescue Plan master plan in anticipation of additional conversations over the coming weeks.

In other business, Councilmember Brent Sheldon said he’s noted a lot of neighboring communities have voted to opt-out of allowing cannabis dispensaries and on-site consumption locations. He said the state has not come out with promised regulations yet which makes it difficult for municipalities to decide what to do, “Also, with part of the law if you don’t opt out now, you’re opting in and you can’t opt out later and that just does not make sense to me. If you have problems in the future, you should be able to opt out. So I think this is something we need to discuss as a full body, as a full council, look into it more, see if there’s things happening at the state level. The new Governor has appointed several people to the Commission but the rules still have not been promulgated at this point.”

The Public Safety Committee did approve a motion to set trick-or-treating hours for Halloween in the City of Jamestown for 6pm to 8pm. The City will again not hold a Halloween Fun Fest this year due to it not being funded in the city’s budget.

Only several people spoke at the presentation, including resident Doug Champ, who expressed concern over long-term maintenance for proposed park projects like a splash pad, “I think that goes for anything you do in public facilities. It’s nice to spend the money down and they will come and use it, but what happens when the money’s all gone. Are we going to have the ability to keep it? That’s the question that should be on every single public facility project you do – ‘What are we going to do when the money runs out?'”

Mayor Eddie Sundquist said while the city cannot set aside money for an endowment for projects, it can build into the cost of building a project the funding needed to maintain new structures.

Resident Ellen Ditonto, who also is running for City-Council-At-Large, said she believes more than $1.4 million dollars should be dedicated to housing improvements, “Without a plan to commit major assistance to our local property owners, we will continue to face the degradation of our neighborhoods. Painting programs, incentives for external repairs, and a commitment to rigorous enforcement of code violations can all make a difference in the overall appearance and upkeep of our neighborhoods.”
She also said the city should focus economic development funding on creating more shovel-ready sites for companies looking to relocate or expand.

Pete Miraglia thought some funding should be used toward bringing four-year degree and advanced degree educational programs to the city, “Because that would directly support local industry and businesses. And if this was something the city would want to pursue, obviously you’d have to get out there and start talking to these businesses and industries, you know, Cummins, SKF. And the problem and issue has just been highlighted by the loss of Truck-Lite recently. I mean, they moved over to Pennsylvania, to Erie, to take advantage of the electronics programs that are offered there.”

Mayor Sundquist said while they don’t have an exact timeline for when the plan will be finalized and submitted to City Council for approval but it would definitely be before the executive budget is presented on October 8th.

People may still submit comments on the plan at three public input sessions scheduled for 10am tomorrow at the James Prendergast Library, 7pm, Tuesday, July 27th at The Chautauqua Center, and 7pm, Thursday, July 29th at Emmanuel Baptist Church.

The plan can be viewed on the City’s website at jamestownny.gov/rescueplan.

Jamestown City Council

Dolce said it was great to not have to worry about people being muted, or being frozen on screen.
Mayor Eddie Sundquist and Council members recognized the Jamestown High School Mock Trial team at the meeting with a certificate for their undefeated season in the 2020-21 New York State Mock Trial program.

City Council approved a request for home rule legislation to add school speed zone cameras in the city. Resident Doug Champ said he supports the cameras, but that council needs to address the variations in speed limits around schools, especially on Buffalo Street, “The camera sequence will not work under that kind of condition, I mean the metrics, the evaluation of a car speeding from one of those district zones to another, it’s going to be very difficult to measure. So, I’m suggesting that that whole district, that whole zone be a school district zone and set the speed limit at 20 miles per hour throughout.”

Champ also called for the addition of flashing lights in school zones.

Council President Dolce said while there were issues with how Buffalo had done the school speed zone cameras, the city should have those resolved, “We have the ability to control a little bit more with the timing and the calibration of the speed. So when that comes back to us then we will formally be able to pass it and we can have a further debate about it. I know there have been some people concerned about that and we’ve had feedback both ways.”

Dolce says the State Legislature may be able to take up the resolution before the end of its session in June with the City looking at possibly implementing the cameras in the next school year.

City Council has approved home rule legislation to make the second full-time City Court Judge position an elected position rather than an appointment by the Mayor. Council President Dolce said other municipalities who opted to add an extra full time judge had already made that position an elected position, “Judge Larson, I believe, will be retiring at the end of this year. But what’s going to happen, we have to get the ball rolling. There’s not enough time to get someone elected and put on the ballot to get elected for next year, so it will be temporarily appointed until the next general election after that.”

Judge John LaMancuso currently holds the elected City Court Judge position

Jamestown resident and community advocate Doug Champ stops by the WRFA studio to share his thoughts on city business and how he tries to remain an active participant in local government, despite COVID-19 restrictions.

City resident Doug Champ during the Nov. 19 public hearing on the 2019 Jamestown City Budget.