Pre-flushing in Falconer will start at 1 p.m. Friday, April 28, in the areas of Aldren, Mapleshade, Ralph and Valmeere. The entire Village of Falconer will be flushed from 8:00 p.m. Saturday, April 29, overnight into Sunday, April 30, until Falconer flushing is completed.

During the Falconer flushing of mains, water is expected to discolor in the Village and on the north side of Jamestown.

Flushing of the remainder of the BPU Water Division system will take place from 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday, May 1-5; and Monday-Wednesday, May 8-10.

The exception will be on Wednesday, May 3, when flushing will begin at 4:30 a.m. to accommodate downtown and Fairmount Avenue businesses and restaurants.

Residents on streets and neighborhoods located near West Third Street, Harding and Fairmount Avenue (Rte. 394) that day could experience discolored water, even though their own streets are not flushed that day.

The BPU flushes water lines twice a year to remove naturally-occurring sediment that may gather in pipes. As flushing occurs, employees also check on the condition of the hydrants and fix any problems that they may find.

The BPU said customers should check for discolored water before doing laundry and to avoid pulling discolored water into their hot water tanks. Thye also suggest putting aside water for cooking or drinking a day ahead of their flushing days.

To view a color-coded map showing which areas will be flushed on which days, visit jamestownbpu.com.

Customers with questions about flushing and their flushing dates may call the Flushing Hotline at (716) 661-1613 or BPU Customer Service at (716) 661-1660.

State Senator George Borrello, Fancher Chair CEO-Owner Gary Henry, and Assemblyman Andy Goodell

State Senator George Borrello and Assemblyman Andy Goodell visited Fancher Chair in Falconer Friday to announce the company’s incorporation into New York State’s Historic Business Preservation Registry.

The registry, launched this spring, includes businesses that have been in operation for at least 50 years and have contributed to their communities’ history.

Borrello said state senators were allowed to nominate businesses for the list, “The requirement is that they had to be in business for at least 50 years. Well, you guys blew that number away, obviously, at 215. They wanted to create this registry through Parks and Recreation that would recognize historic businesses here in New York State. There’s also a website where people can check it out and hopefully visit some of the locations but in recognizing the fact that there are amazing companies that have been in business a long time.”

Fancher Chair CEO-Owner Gary Henry discusses machinery with State Senator Borrello and Assemblyman Goodell

Fancher Chair’s origins trace back to August 1, 1807, when a man named Edward Work purchased 1,260 acres from the Holland Land Company and constructed the first sawmill in the heart of the Allegheny forest.

Always evolving, Fancher Chair has lived in many guises. In 1905, as the William T. Falconer Manufacturing Co., it made washing machines. As the American Manufacturing Co., in 1910, it specialized in toys.

From 1946-1973, the plant started making larger furniture items. In 1975, the company began making residential furniture. Over time, Fancher Chair Co. converted to making wooden chairs for furniture retailers, and when the residential market moved overseas, Fancher Chair produced commercial chairs for banks, libraries, schools and businesses.

Since 2010, several CNC woodworking machines have been installed to further produce fine furniture chairs, benches, stools and tables. Fancher Chair is one of the country’s oldest manufacturing companies and is likely the oldest manufacturer in continuous operation in New York State.

The Historic Business Preservation Registry program is coordinated through the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation and can be found at https://parks.ny.gov/historic-preservation/business-registry/default.aspx

On Saturday, The Blue Star Mothers, New York Chapter 4, will again host its annual Gold Star Memorial Remembrance. That ceremony will take place at 10 a.m. at Veterans Memorial Park on West Third and Logan streets in Jamestown.

On Sunday, town of Gerry will hold a Memorial Day Remembrance Ceremony at 2:00 p.m.

On Monday, the United Veterans Council of Jamestown will hold its Memorial Day Parade in the city. The parade line up will still begin at 9:00 a.m. on West Fourth Street beginning at Washington Street. The parade will step off promptly at 10:00 a.m. It will travel down Fourth Street to Prendergast Avenue, and continue to East Sixth Street to Lakeview Avenue, continuing down Lakeview to Buffalo Street.

In Falconer, their Memorial Day parade will take place at 10:15 a.m., Monday on West Main Street.

And in Lakewood, the Lakewood American Legion will hold a parade beginning at 10:45 a.m. that goes from Southwestern High School to Sunset Hill Cemetery. A service will be held at 11:00 a.m. in the cemetery.

A map highlights the BPU Substation property proposed for annexation, with the red line illustrating Tiffany Avenue, the border between the city and the town of Ellicott/Village of Falconer.

The Fourth State Appellate Court has ruled in favor of the City of Jamestown in regards to appeals filed by the Town of Ellicott in the Jamestown Board of Public Utilities’ annexation case.

Attorneys for the town of Ellicott argued in Appellate Court on January 4 that the city property assessor’s certificate for the Dow Street substation property did not satisfy state law for annexation. They argued that the property isn’t adjacent to the city line because a road separates the property from adjoining to the city boundary. Under state law, municipalities can only annex properties that are adjacent to their own boundaries.

This was an appeal of the ruling in Chautauqua County Supreme Court by Judge Lynn Keane in November 2020 that the property did meet state law requirements.

Jamestown Mayor Eddie Sundquist said the Fourth Appellate Court dismissed all the appeals on the matter and is now sending the case back to State Supreme Court, “And we are hopeful that once that happens a referee panel will be picked and the case will continue in its normal manner.”

Sundquist said the referee panel will hear the entire case for annexation.

City officials have argued that by annexing the property into the city limits, the Board of Public Utilities would save an estimated $160,000 each year in property taxes, thus saving money for all utility customers in the service area. They also claim such a move is in the overall public interest due to the city having a professional public safety department that could better respond to any safety emergencies that occur on the property.

Ellicott, Falconer, and the Falconer School District are all opposed to the annexation.

The vacant lot at 29 W. Main Street in the village of Falconer is one of several properties that will likely be addressed in the village’s comprehensive plan.

UPDATE: Due to the impending weather, the Village of Falconer has postponed tonight’s Comprehensive Plan Open House.  It has been rescheduled for Saturday, December 8^th from 10 am-noon at the Falconer Fire Hall. 

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FALCONER  – Officials with the Village of Falconer will join representatives from Ingall’s Planning & Design are hosting a community open house today as part of their new Comprehensive Plan development.

The open-house format will allow the community to stop in at their convenience anytime from 5 to 7pm, to learn about the planning process, identify what they feel are the village’s issues, opportunities and assets are and to share their vision for the future of their community.

In March 2017 an arson fire destroyed a major piece of downtown property on W. Main St. and less than a year later in January 2018 another fire broke out on the same block at the Falconer Vac Shop, destroying that building as well.

As of 7 a.m. Tuesday morning the open house was still scheduled to take place, even with the winter weather forcast.

For more information, contact the Village Clerk’s office at 665-4400.

Senator Catherine Young (R-Olean)

FALCONER – State Senator Cathy Young (R-Olean) will be joined by state and local officials at 10 a.m. Friday to cut the ribbon on a new traffic signal at the intersection of East Avenue and E. Main Street (Route 394) in Falconer.

Following an accident in 2016 that involved two Falconer Middle – High School students being struck by a car as they walked near the school, Senator Young helped lead efforts to get a traffic signal installed at the accident plagued intersection.

The three-color signal was installed and operational for the start of the school year on September 4.

The top portion of a campaign flyer critical of candidates Michael Laurin and Andrew Liuzzo, distributed on Saturday, Nov. 4 in Jamestown.

JAMESTOWN – The final weekend before the 2017 Local Election saw some increased excitement on social media as two Republican candidates for Jamestown City Council found themselves to be the target of a campaign flyer encouraging voters to not support them on Tuesday.

The flyer (posted below) was reportedly passed out Saturday door-to-door in various neighborhoods of the city and pointed out that Jamestown city council at large candidates Michael Laurin and Andrew Liuzzo have been critical of the city’s recent effort to Annex the Jamestown Board of Public Utilities’ multi-million dollar Dow St. substation property from the Village of Falconer and Town of Ellicott.

The flyer does not indicate what individual(s) or group was behind writing it was written by the Jamestown Democratic Committee and was intended to be distributed as a mailer, but some copies were also included with a newsletter that was being delivered by dozens of volunteers. Two of those volunteers were Jamestown Mayor Sam Teresi (a Democrat who’s office is not up for election this year) and city development director and former Democratic councilman Vince DeJoy.

The annexation, which was approved unanimously by the city council in September, would reduce annual property tax payments the city makes to those two municipalities, along with the Falconer School District and Chautauqua County.  Ellicott, Falconer, and Falconer School officials are all against it because of the loss of revenue, which totals nearly 360,000 annually. The matter will now be settle in state appellate court.

During their campaigns, both Laurin and Liuzzo have spoken out against the annexation, saying they disagreed with the way the process played out due to a lack of communication with the neighboring municipalities.

A map depicting the BPU substation property (in red) that sits adjacent to the border between Jamestown and Village of Falconer/Town of Ellicott.

Based on their comments of being critical of the process, a flyer was purportedly distributed by area Democrats saying, “City council candidates Michael Laurin and Andrew Liuzzo think the city of Jamestown should continue needlessly paying hundreds of thousands of your tax dollars to underwrite the operations of Ellicott, Falconer, and the falconer School District.”

The flyer also accused the two candidates of routinely attacking city officials over the annexation effort.

“Laurin and Liuzzo routinely attack the city Council…starting with their ‘fellow’ Republicans…for trying to lower the City’s suburban tax bill,” the flyer reads.

The flyer closed by asking, “Exactly who will Laurin and Liuzzo would represent…their out-of-town friends, relatives, and business partners…or you???”

It also details the amount of tax revenue currently paid by the city to its neighboring municipalities, showing that it is the largest tax payer for both Ellicott and Falconer.

Copies of the flyer were reportedly distributed on Saturday, with both Laurin and Liuzzo responding on Facebook through their own campaign pages and on the Jamestown, NY group page.

Liuzzo said that both Jamestown Mayor Sam Teresi and city development director and former city councilman Vince DeJoy were reportedly going door-to-door talking with residents and handing out the flyers.

“When you have little accomplished and less to offer you stoop this low. It is always about being good neighbors. These two aren’t. I want to thank them both for showing the city how arrogant they are,” Liuzzo wrote.

He later clarified his views to WRFA.

“My position was always about the unneighborly way the city of Jamestown approached the annexation process,” Liuzzo explained in a message to WRFA. “Of course I do not support raising city taxes to supplement neighboring towns and villages. This should have been negotiated. The way the city conducted itself sets a bad precedent for neighboring areas where the BPU maintains a presence. Given the opportunity, I would recommend that we withdraw this frivolous lawsuit (which the current administration has a propensity to pursue) and return to the negotiating table with our village neighbors. Otherwise, the city’s tax dollars are contributing to court and legal fees for a case that might very well be ruled in Falconer and the town of Ellicott’s favor due to the hardship it would cause them. I’d like to see a city that promotes its residents’ interests without ostracizing its neighbors. If our objective is to pursue shared services, offending our neighbors with strong-armed tactics is not a step in the right direction.”

Laurin also responded to the flyers on Facebook, calling them political propaganda that inaccurately describes his thoughts regarding the annexation.

“Jamestown residents are paying court and lawyer costs associated with the annexation. If Jamestown does not win in court, valuable time and money would have been wasted; future cost saving collaborations with Ellicott may also be at risk,” Laurin wrote. “The challenges that Jamestown has are enormous. Through greater collaboration, perhaps there is a solution that could be mutually beneficial. Controversially taking legal action to take our neighbors’ property is not a path I agree with; especially when that property has been secured and well-maintained by the Town of Ellicott.”

ANNEXATION LEGAL FEES VS. PROJECTED SAVINGS

So far, the Jamestown BPU has earmarked $60,000 toward the legal battle involving the annexation. If the city were to win in court, the BPU would save nearly $160,000 annually in property tax payments. That’s after it makes a required annual tax equivalency payment of nearly $80,000 to both the city and the Jamestown Public School District.

The State Appellate Court in Rochester has yet to set a date on its calendar for when arguments in the case will be presented.

Meanwhile, there are six candidates running for the three Jamestown City Council at Large seats. Those candidates are: Incumbent Republican Kimberly Ecklund, Laurin and Liuzzo – both running under the Republican ballot, Incumbent Democrat and current Council President Gregory Rabb, and Democrats Vanessa Weinert and Robert Whitney.

Interviews with all those candidates are available at WRFA’s Election 2017 web page. Election Day is Tuesday Nov. 7.

COPY OF THE FLYER THAT WAS DISTRIBUTED ON SATURDAY, NOV. 4

The front of the election flyer critical of candidates Michael Laurin and Andrew Liuzzo, distributed on Saturday, Nov. 4 in Jamestown.

The back of the election flyer critical of candidates Michael Laurin and Andrew Liuzzo, distributed on Saturday, Nov. 4 in Jamestown.

A map produced by WRFA depicting the BPU substation property (in red) that sits adjacent to the border between Jamestown and Village of Falconer/Town of Ellicott.

JAMESTOWN – A date has been set for the public hearing involving the proposed annexation of a piece of property by the city of Jamestown from the Town of Ellicott and Village of Falconer.

The Post-Journal is reporting that the joint hearing will be held at Falconer Central School at 7 p.m. on Monday, June 12.

It will give members of the public an opportunity to learn more about the proposal, why the city is pursuing it, and also give them an opportunity to speak for or against the annexation.

Meanwhile, Falconer Village Mayor James Rensel attended the Jamestown City Council work session on Monday night, reiterating his stance from last month that he is against the annexation and requesting members of the city council not vote in favor of it when the time comes.

The Jamestown Board of Public Utilities proposed having the city look into the annexation because of cost savings, with the BPU projected to save an estimated $160,000 each year should the annexation move forward, because it would no longer have to pay property taxes to the Town of Ellicott, Village of Falconer, Falconer School District, and Chautauqua County. The city of Jamestown would also receive an estimated $160,000 tax equivalency payment, which would serve as additional revenue for the annual city budget, something that is desperately needed with the city reaching its constitutional taxing limit (the amount of money allowed to be raised through property taxes) this budget year.

Officials from Falconer and Ellicott have already come out against the idea because of the loss of revenue it would have on their budgets.

City Attorney Marylin Fiore-Lehman (standing) gives details on the annexation timeline to members of the Jamestown City Council during its April 17 meeting.

JAMESTOWN – The effort by the city of Jamestown to annex a piece of property from the Town of Ellicott will be moving forward later this month.

During Monday night’s Jamestown City Council work session, city attorney Marilyn Fiore-Lehman updated council members on the annexation effort for the Jamestown Board of Public Utilities’ electric division substation on Dow St. in Falconer, which sits on a four acre piece of property owned by the BPU and which is adjacent to the city border.

Earlier this year BPU and city officials announced that the property was eligible for annexation and if it were to take place, it which would lead to an annual savings of more than $160,000 for the BPU. That’s because by making the property part of the city, the BPU would no longer have to pay property taxes to Ellicott, Falconer, Chautauqua County, or the Falconer School District. Instead it would make a tax equivalency payment to the city of Jamestown.

During Monday’s meeting, Fiore-Lehman told council members that a petition for annexation has been prepared, and the city council will act on it, along with an environmental assessment. That action would then allow the mayor to sign the petition and have it served to both the Falconer Village Board and the Ellicott Town Board.

A map depicting the BPU substation property (in red) that sits adjacent to the border between Jamestown and Village of Falconer/Town of Ellicott.

“Within 20 days of service of the petition on the Village of Falconer and the Town of Ellicott, the Post-Journal will publish notice of the annexation and will set forth in that notice a date for a joint public hearing before the city council, the town board, and the village board,” Fiore-Lehman said, adding, “The public hearing, pursuant to state law, will be held not less than 20 days and not more than 40 days after the notice is published in the Post-Journal.”

In addition to the petition, the council will also adopt an annexation resolution to move forward with the process, and will adopt a SEQR resolution associated with annexation, making the city the lead agent in the environmental review of the property.

Fiore-Lehman also said that once a public hearing takes place, the city, village, and town will be required to act on the annexation, which is likely to be voted down by Falconer and Ellicott officials.

“Within 90 days of the public hearing, the governing board of Jamestown, Ellicott and Falconer will determine by a majority vote whether the petition complies with the law and whether it is in the overall public interest to approve the annexation. Anticipating that one of the governing board, either the Town of Ellicott or the Village of Falconer or both – will determine that the annexation is not in the public interest, then the city of Jamestown will apply to the [New York State 4th Appellate Division] for adjudication and determination of whether the proposed annexation is in the public interest.”

Currently The BPU pays $322,000 a year in taxes for the property to the county, town of Ellicott, village of Falconer and the Falconer Central School District, which means that an annexation would result in those municipalities losing a significant portion of annual tax revenue. As a result, it’s likely they would be opposed to the annexation from moving forward.

The council will act on three related annexation resolutions during the April 24 board meeting.

ROSS MILLS – The Chautauqua County Department of Public Facilities is announcing that Ross Mills Rd. in the Town of Ellicott, between Falconer-Kimbell Stand Rd. (County Road 81) and Gerry-Levant Rd. (County Route 65), will be closed to traffic due to a bridge replacement starting Monday, April 3. A detour will be posted.

The closure will remain in effect until the detour signs are removed.’