Jamestown Local Development Corporation meeting (May 17, 2023)

A second round of $35,000 in downtown business grants were approved by the Jamestown Local Development Corporation board on Wednesday.

Grants Manager Tim O’Dell said the awards came from the Downtown Small Business Evolution fund.

He said Nouveau Beauty Aesthetics has been awarded $8,000 toward a $27,000 project to purchase new equipment that the businesses said will help sales increase by 20% based on the new services that will be available to customers.

Lisciandro’s Restaurant will receive $5,000 toward a $15,548 project to put in new floors and booths.

Sandees Bakery will use the $10,000 grant for the $19,760 purchase of a new meatball machine which will help with catering needs.

The Beer Snob has been granted $7,000 toward a $14,900 purchase of a three-door fridge to improve to-go purchases of beverages.

Art Cloth and Craft has received $5,000 toward the $8,000 purchase of sewing machines to use to create goods for the store in addition to use the machines for classes.

The JLDC board also approved three Fund for Downtown Programming requests.

The Reg Lenna Center for the Arts received $21,160 for three summer concert events that include a block party. The concerts receiving support include Lez Zeppelin on June 17, Vixen on July 9, and the block party with Uncle Ben’s Remedy on July 27.

Ballgame Heroes were approved up to $29,500 for a Trading Card Buffalo Bills Signing Show with Andre Reed. The event would include a VIP party on September 15 followed by a signing event on September 16. Owner Starr Ryder said the funds would be used toward Mr. Reed’s talent fee as well as to purchase merchandise that attendees could buy to have signed.

Collaborative Children’s Solutions also was approved $15,000 for a Winterfest event that will take place from 12:00 to 6:00 p.m., Saturday, December 2 ahead of the annual Christmas parade. Organizer Pat Smeraldo said he’s working out details still but the event could include an outdoor synthetic ice rink, live music, Christmas village, ice sculptures, and more.

Jamestown Local Development Corporation Board meeting

The Jamestown Local Development Corporation board has approved downtown programming funds for several events, including the four proposed by Collaborative Children’s Solutions.

CCS Director Patrick Smeraldo requested $40,000 for four events that would span seven days.

The events that would take place include a children’s carnival downtown followed by a Tarp Skunks game at Diethrick Stadium on June 24; a Christmas in July event downtown on July 22 and possibly a three-on-three basketball tournament downtown followed by a Tarp Skunks game on July 23; a beer tasting event downtown on September 3 and the Labor Day Fest at Bergman Park on September 4; and an event around a scheduled hockey tournament at the Northwest Arena on December 2 with the downtown holiday parade on December 3. All four events would include fireworks.

Smeraldo said the events are designed to be for kids and families and that he’s not trying to make a profit on them, “I mean, we can put on these events for kids and then take the funds that are raised through grants and things like that or agencies coming in and then put on a Chris Heron, who came here and spoke to the kids at Jamestown High School. That’s the intent. To feed the money back into the kids and see how we can draw and create opportunities for them.”

Mayor Eddie Sundquist informed the JLDC board members that Smeraldo has been working with city staff to ensure the proposed events are in compliance.

The Board of Public Utilities had requested $50,000 in programming funds for a Climate Technology Conference. This conference is being funded in part by a NYSERDA grant received by the BPU that had a required match by the City of Jamestown. The two-day event is scheduled to take place October 18 and 19, 2022 and would tentatively utilize the Northwest Arena, Doubletree Hotel, and several other ancillary spaces downtown. JLDC approved the request contingent on approval by Corporation Counsel on the legality of a city entity using the program funds as the match.

The third proposal approved was a $6,000 request by Doug Sitler for a 10,000 Maniacs concert. The event had previously been awarded $25,000 in downtown programming funds but hadn’t included a request for sound and lighting. The total now approved for the event is $31,000.

Collaborative Children’s Solutions’ Pat Smeraldo address Public Safety Committee

A local organization is hoping to bring four events to Jamestown this year.

Collaborative Children’s Solutions‘ Pat Smeraldo made a presentation to the City Council Public Safety Committee about the activities he has begun working on.

CCS was the organization that took on organizing the downtown holiday parade this past December.

Smeraldo said it’s his mission to collaborate with the city, local agencies, and schools to create events that are family friendly, “To create seven days and evenings within the city starting from June 2022 to Christmas time, to go back and run four separate events. And actually since I met with the Mayor and his team last week, I’ve been approached about a couple other things.”

The four events include two with the Jamestown Tarp Skunks, events on Saturday and Sunday of Labor Day that include the traditional Sunday festival in Bergman Park, and the downtown holiday parade in December. All four events would include fireworks.

Council member Marie Carrubba requested that Smeraldo look into the possibility of the use of “low noise fireworks” for the four shows due to concerns about how fireworks affect pets and people with PTSD.

Public Safety Committee Chair Brent Sheldon said Smeraldo is working with the city on all of the events and has his own sponsorships. He is expected to be filing the special event application permits and insurance certificates needed in the near future.

Jamestown Police Officers Jakki Ahlbin and Mark Conklin

The Jamestown Holiday Parade that takes place tomorrow will feature Jamestown Police Officers Mark Conklin and Jakki Martin-Ahlbin as Grand Marshalls.

Mayor Eddie Sundquist said these two officers have been heroes in the department this year, “One rescuing a family from a burning fire, another providing CPR to a baby and we really want to support those individuals, those essential workers, who have gone throughout this Pandemic doing such incredible work.”

The parade, organized by Collaborative Children’s Solutions and the City of Jamestown, takes place tomorrow night on Third Street starting at 6:00pm. It will include a Christmas Tree lighting on Tracy Plaza and conclude with fireworks.

Last year in Chautauqua County, toys were given to a record 4,365 children – about 1,000 children more than in the previous year. Organizers said they expect the need could be even greater this year.

A drive-through toy donation event will take place from noon to 2pm, Saturday, November 27th at the Chautauqua Mall in Lakewood.

Fundraising events are also scheduled from 5 to 8pm, December 3rd at the Empty Bottle at Southern Tier Distilling Company and at the Holiday Shopping Extravaganza on December 4th from 10am to 4pm at Fluvanna Community Church.

Spectators at the Jamestown Holiday Parade on December 4th are encouraged to bring a new, unwrapped toy to donate as Toys for Tots passes by.

Children age 17 and younger whose families meet household income guidelines are eligible for assistance through Toys for Tots. Applications for assistance must be submitted online at jamestown-ny.toysfortots.org. Families have until December 13th to apply. Human service organizations are asked to register the families they support by December 6th.

Area residents also can support the Toys for Tots drive by placing new, unwrapped toys in any of the collection boxes located throughout Chautauqua County.  Toys will be accepted until Friday, December 17th at the following locations:

4th Ward Deli
Auto Credit of Jamestown
Bemus Elementary School
Bemus Point Inn
Big Lots – Jamestown
Blackstone
Busti Tap House
Chautauqua Mall
Dollar General – most Chautauqua County locations
Dunkirk City Hall
Edward Jones Financial
ERA Real Estate – Mayville
Fancher Chair
Fredonia Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep-Ram
Go Retailers
Jamestown Area Federal Credit Union – Jamestown and Lakewood
Jamestown Elks Club
Keller Group – Lockwood Agency
Kia of Jamestown
Kirk’s Jewelers & Gifts Inc
Larson-Timko Funeral home
Matco Tool
Nestle Purina
Northwest Arena
Ollie’s Bargain Outlet – Dunkirk and Lakewood
Panama School
Regal Services – Jamestown and Ripley
The Resource Center – all locations
Robo – Bemus Point
Roots Salon
SERVPRO
Shults Auto Group – all Chautauqua County locations
Silver Creek Chiropractic
Southern Tier Distilling Company
Twin Docks
Visions of Elegance
Water Street Brass
Wegmans
Windstream

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.

Parks Manager Dan Stone said the 40-foot tall Blue Spruce came from 265 Prospect Street, “This year’s tree was donated by Lindsay DeLong and her family up there on Prospect Street. We had Lakeshore Paving give us another truck and trailer again this year. It’s been going on probably over 20 years now that they’ve been donating their equipment and time for us. And as you see, we’ve got the BPU crane and a couple of their guys along with the Parks Department guys getting ready to set it in place and tie it down for the season.”

Stone also thanked Jamestown Police for helping escort the tree safely downtown.

The tree will be decorated with almost 4,000 LED lights along with a new star that was constructed by one of the Public Works mechanics.

The ceremonial lighting of the Christmas Tree will take place during the Jamestown Holiday Parade on Saturday, December 4th.

Photo courtesy of discoverjamestown.com

Jamestown City Council‘s Public Safety Committee partially approved the special event permit for the Jamestown Holiday Parade.

The parade portion of the event has been given the okay, but the fireworks portion is waiting on the receipt of insurance as well as discussions on whether fireworks can be set off from the Spring Street ramp due to construction project issues on the top deck.

The parade is scheduled for 6pm, Saturday, December 4th and is being co-sponsored by the City of Jamestown and Collaborative Children’s Solutions.

The Jamestown Local Development Corporation will vote on Wednesday on approving an allocation of funds for Downtown Programming for that event.

Jamestown City Council

A Mistletoe One-Mile Fun Run is scheduled to take place at 4pm for adults and children.
The parade is then set to start at 6pm on Third Street between Porter Avenue and City Hall, with the Christmas tree lighting scheduled to take place on Tracy Plaza at 8pm, followed immediately by a fireworks show.

The Jamestown Local Development Corporation will vote on Wednesday on approving an allocation of funds for Downtown Programming for that event.

The public safety committee also will hold a discussion on the food truck ordinance.

In other city council committee business, the housing committee will discuss the COVID 19 Emergency Eviction and Foreclosure Prevention Act of 2020. The Finance committee will discuss the 2022 Parks Department budget and the Public Works committee will discuss the UPMC crosswalk.

The Housing Committee meets at 6:45pm with other committees meeting at 7pm. The full City Council work session begins at 7:30pm and is open to the public.

Photo courtesy of discoverjamestown.com

The Jamestown Holiday Parade is back on.

The City of Jamestown put out a brief announcement that they are partnering with Collaborative Children’s Solution (CCS) to organize the annual holiday event.

Businesses or organizations interested in supporting or being in the parade should contact CCS CEO Patrick Smeraldo at 716-499-4065 or ccsolutions716@gmail.com.