Dr. Greg Rabb

Jamestown Community College will host a Constitution Day Discussion today led by newly-retired JCC Professor Dr. Greg Rabb.

The presentation will take place from 12:20 p.m to 1:20 p.m. in the Student Union of the Jamestown Campus. A question and answer session will follow the presentation, which is free and open to the public.

Rabb’s talk, “The U.S. Constitution, Love It or Lose It!” aims to deepen understanding and knowledge of the contents of our country’s most significant documents.

Constitution Day is an annual event held in honor of the creation and signing of the U.S. Constitution on September 17, 1787. It was established in 2004 with the passage of an amendment by Senator Robert Byrd.

John Sellstrom takes oath of office as City of Jamestown’s new Comptroller (July 25, 2022)

Jamestown City Council has approved the city moving forward with a pedestrian and traffic safety strategy.

Mayor Eddie Sundquist said the city is applying for a federal grant to help create the Vision Zero Plan for the city, “It is essentially an added amount, added bonus, to Complete Streets which the City already has and says ‘How do we educate the public? How do we also redesign not only our streets but other components of the city to provide zero fatalities over the course of ten years?’ So there’s a lot of things that have come up over the past several years with City Council, including stop-arm cameras for school buses which we’re moving forward with as well as school speed zone cameras.”

Sundquist said the plan would also be used in designing streets and sidewalks. As part of the approved resolution by Council, the city also would develop an annual progress report on the Vision Zero goals and outcomes that would be presented to City Council.

Council has approved the shared services agreement with Jamestown Public Schools regarding sidewalk plowing.

Sundquist said the approval was needed so the school district could purchase the sidewalk plows, and that the city was continuing to work on how staffing would be done of those plows, “We’re still working with the union to determine how we’re going to handle the personnel power for that. Whether that’s going to be a seasonal position, part-time position, or full-time position, there’s a lot of factors and as you probably know in this job market right now, we’re not quite sure what we’re going to get as we start to get closer.”

The shared services agreement initially proposed hiring two Parks employees using American Rescue Plan funds at an estimated cost through 2026 of $689,672.

The Jamestown School Board passed the agreement at its meeting earlier this month.

Council has approved funding to do a Zoning Code update.

Sundquist said the city’s zoning code was originally created in the 1960s, “We wanted to provide this opportunity and the funding for the zoning so we could do both the Strategic Plan, the Comprehensive Plan, at the same time as Zoning. It is actually cheaper for the city to do that. So we’re looking at about $200,000 to do both. $100,000 comes directly from the State. The other $100,000 will come from federal ARPA funding, Rescue Plan funding.”

Sundquist said a request for proposals to do the updates will go out in August.

Council also approved four appointments to a new Broadband Ad-Hoc Committee.

Sundquist said the ad-hoc committee will determine if the city should move forward with municipal broadband or a municipal fiber network, “In the meantime, we are also working on working with our federal partners to determine what grants are out there. We know that in talking with the State Broadband Office, the City of Jamestown is probably the furthest ahead of any city or municipality. So they’re very excited about our work and are currently creating the grants that they received from the Federal funding for us to apply for.”

Brendan Fagan, Phillip Zimmerman, Dan Swackhammer, and Bill Johnston are the citizen appointments with Sundquist adding the committee will also feature representatives from local foundations, the Jamestown Public Schools District, Jamestown Board of Public Utilities, and City Council.

Council also approved appointing John LaMancuso as chair of the Jamestown Planning Commission. He replaces Greg Rabb, who resigned in June. His term expires on December 31, 2022.

Greg Rabb

The Jamestown Planning Commission meeting on Tuesday was Greg Rabb‘s last as a member and as its Chair.

Rabb said one of the things he was proud of during his time on the Planning Commission was passing the city’s award winning Urban Design Plan in 2006, “It’s part of the city’s Comprehensive Plan. It’s basically an amendment to it. And the other thing I’m very proud of is that I was part of the process to create the Comprehensive Neighborhood Plan and Policy which, again, is a supplement to the Comprehensive Plan. And both of those are unique to Jamestown.”

Rabb had also previously served on the Jamestown City Council, including serving as City Council President, and served on the Jamestown Board of Public Utilities, including chairing that board.

Rabb, having recently retired from Jamestown Community College, will be moving to Buffalo for a new position at Buffalo State College.

Tom Nelson, Tamu Graham-Reinhardt

Jamestown City Council has approved the appointment of two familiar faces to the Jamestown Board of Public Utilities.

Former Council-Member-at-Large Tamu Graham-Reinhardt and former Ward 6 Council Member Tom Nelson were both put forward by Mayor Eddie Sundquist to serve on the BPU Board.

Council President Tony Dolce said both appointees obviously have experience in City Government, “Both of them have working knowledge, obviously, of the BPU since we’ve been dealing with that for several years on Council. I think people felt comfortable with knowing who they were and knowing that they have some level of experience and that they’re people that we know that are easily accessible with us to communicate with us.”

Graham-Reinhardt and Nelson will replace former BPU Chair Greg Rabb and Jim Olson on the board.

Justin Hubbard, Missy Paterniti

Jamestown City Council voted down Mayor Eddie Sundquist‘s citizen appointments to the Board of Public Utilities as well as the reappointment of Justin Hubbard to the Human Rights Commission.

City Clerk Jennifer Williams read a letter from the Human Rights Commission advocating for Hubbard’s reappointment, “We feel it is our duty to try to convey to our elected representatives how much we value Mr. Hubbard and the ideas, thoughtfulness, and passion that he brings to our group. As a teacher, he brings a point of view regarding education that helps us better understand and address human rights issues in our schools.”

Resident Missy Paterniti spoke out against Hubbard being reappointed, saying he publicly attacked her at an HRC meeting by calling her a racist and a bigot in response to her creating a petition to the school district to keep the “Red Raiders” name, “I contacted Elliot Raimondo [City Corporation Counsel] and nothing happened. I wrote to the mayor. And I’m just asking you, as the city council, that have the ability to remove this gentleman from the commission, please do so because he doesn’t belong there.”

Hubbard, speaking at privilege of the floor, said he was approached by Mayor Sundquist following rallies he helped organize after George Floyd‘s death in 2020 about serving on a reinstated Human Rights Commission. Hubbard said while on the HRC, he was approached by members of the community regarding issues on discrimination in relation to religion, race, and sexuality, “Even though I knew that some of these complaints were about members of council and that would make some members of this council unhappy with me for bringing them to the table, I knew that it was my duty to do so. I also believe that the passion I brought to this position made it so that people could feel free to contact me when dealing with very stressful issues.”

Council voted 2 to 6 not to reappoint Hubbard with Brent Sheldon, Marie Carrubba, Andrew Faulkner, Kim Ecklund, Randy Daversa, and Jeff Russell voting no.

The appointment of Sean Conner and Sabrina Gustafson to the BPU Board to replace Jim Olson and Greg Rabb failed 4 to 4 with Brent Sheldon, Andrew Faulkner, Kim Ecklund, and Randy Daversa voting no.

Council President Tony Dolce said while he supported the appointments to the BPU board, he doesn’t know why other council members did not but he guessed it may have come down to qualifications, “In the past, there’s always been a kind of.. not going to say controversy but discussion over replacing long time members that have experience with newcomers. And this mayor wanted to put his people in just like the previous mayor did as well. And so I don’t know specifically why those two individuals were voted down by specific council people.”

Jim Olson and Greg Rabb will remain on the BPU board as holdovers until new appointments can be made.

Jamestown City Council

The funding for the equipment comes from American Rescue Plan lost revenue monies. Following last week’s work session discussion, a resolution to also purchase a sidewalk plow for $153,259 was added. This plow would replace a 1979 Bombardier.

Under new business, Council will vote on a contract with the Jamestown Professional Firefighters Association Local 137. This contract runs from January 1, 2021 to December 31, 2024. Four new firefighters would be hired in June under the contract to man new EMS vehicles. The contract also includes wage increases of 2.5% for 2021 through 2023, and a 2.75% increase in 2024. There also are prescription pay increases, increases to health insurance plans, and health insurance for new hires ends at the Federal Medicare eligible age.

Also under new business is a contract with the Kendall Club Police Benevolent Association. The contract covers January 1, 2021 through December 31, 2024. The contract also includes wage increases of 2.5% for 2021 through 2023, and a 2.75% increase in 2024. There also are increases for prescription costs and health insurance plans

Council also will be voting on appointments to city boards and commissions that were tabled at the organizational meeting held on January 3rd. On that list included new appointments to the Jamestown Board of Public Utilities that replaced long-time board members Greg Rabb and Jim Olson, Council member Marie Carrubba, and former Council member Grant Olson.

At the start of the meeting, a presentation will be given honoring the former City Historian, B. Delores Thompson for her work in preserving the history of the City of Jamestown.

WRFA’s Julia Ciesla-Hanley spoke with Jamestown Planning Commission Chair Greg Rabb about the Chadakoin River Strategic Business Plan that’s been awaiting approval by the City and his concerns about the plan.

Greg Rabb

Greg Rabb

The Jamestown Planning Commission Chair is expressing concerns about the Chadakoin River Strategic Business Plan that has been awaiting approval by the City.

Chair Greg Rabb said he has procedural issues with how the plan has come to the city for approval as well as issues with what’s in the plan.

His first concern was that the Chair of the Planning Commission was never involved in discussions on the development of the plan, “And also, you know, there are some things in this plan where in fact I underline it where the BPU went along with this plan. And it’s true that our staff and our General Manager were very supportive in helping to put this together but I have no recollection of this ever coming before the board of the BPU and I’m chairman of that board.”

Rabb believes the plan will come before the Planning Commission again for discussion later this month. You can hear the full interview with Greg Rabb on this story tonight at 5pm on Community Matters on WRFA.

Public Safety Chair Brent Sheldon said the committee met last week with Organizer Jose Sanchez and Police Chief Tim Jackson to discuss 10 proposed amendments by Council Member At Large Jeff Russell.

He said there was give and take on those amendments, with nine being settled on in the end, “Amendment Number One – The hours of operation will be 9am to 7pm. Originally it was going to end at 8pm. Number two – The total number of vehicles will be limited to 900 cars. This includes spectators and competitors. Depending on the weather and the condition of the fields, the park will be closed to vehicle traffic when capacity is met.”

Another amendment included the Car Club paying for two of the six Jamestown Police Officers at the event with the City of Jamestown picking up the costs for the other four officers.

Resident and former City Council Member At Large Greg Rabb expressed concern that by the City paying for the four officers, it could turn the event into a city-sponsored event thus exposing the city to liability. He added that if the officers are paid for and the event remains a private one that the city would be in violation of the state constitution, “And the gifts provision section that we were very careful I think the entire time I was [Council] President to make sure we did not do that. And that we’re potentially opening ourselves up to an audit by the State Comptroller that could tell us we can’t do that and that we could get into serious trouble.”

Other amendments include music not being allowed to be played from vehicles that are spectating at the event. Competition vehicles are not allowed to randomly test their stereo or exhaust equipment throughout the day.

Snow fencing and barricades will be used to direct traffic away from residential neighborhoods at the conclusion of the event. No parking signs and barricades will be erected by the Parks and DPW Departments as seen fit.

Jamestown Police officers will assist with traffic control at the conclusion of the event. The Two-Step, car limbo, and dance contests will be added to the event with the Jamestown Fire Department being present for the Two-Step competition.

No person shall ride or cling to the outside of the vehicle during the car limbo competition. And the final amendment gives the Chief of Police or his designee the authority to terminate the event at any time. The promoter of the event still bears all costs and responsibilities previously agreed upon.

Council Member At Large Jeff Russell acknowledged that the event has been contentious and that he’s tried to listen to all concerns from members of the community. He said that Bergman Park is not the perfect venue but you can’t please everyone, “I talked to [Parks Manager] Dan Stone about the Jones and Gifford Park. He said that was not feasible because it had been so wet, in his words, that he wasn’t even able to get a mower on that field. He also stated the Jackson-Taylor Park was in a similar situation. That it was too wet and it wasn’t really conducive for this event.”

Ward Four Council Member Marie Carrubba continued to express concern over the noise and traffic that will come with the event, “I am clearly disappointed that more consideration was not given to Ward Four residents in amending the permit application. And I speak on behalf of the Ward Four residents who have concerns about the noise and believe that the type of competition, which is a loud event, is not what should be held in a neighborhood park or any park in the city.”

Councilmember At Large Tamu Graham-Reinhardt thanked Los Contrincantes Car Club President and Event Organizer Jose Sanchez for his work, “When Mr. Sanchez proposed this, he had the best of intentions at heart. He was looking at the fact that this would bring in hotels, this would bring in a little bit of money to the city. He was interested in doing something to support the city. He’s a lifetime resident. And it was just something a little different than what we’ve done on a regular basis.”
Graham-Reinhardt added that Sanchez has done everything the City has asked of him.

The Public Safety Committee also recommended that the Special Event Permit Application be changed to reflect some of the requirements being set forth for the September 18th event.

We hear more from Jamestown Planning Commission Chairman Greg Rabb on his thoughts on how the City of Jamestown should best allocate monies received in the American Rescue Plan.

Former Jamestown City Council President Gregory Rabb, who was unanimously elected chair of the Jamestown Board of Public Utilities on Jan. 22, 2018.