Mayor elect Eddie Sundquist discusses his transition strategy during a press conference on Friday, Nov. 22.

[UPDATE (DEC 31, 2019 – 1:40 p.m.)] – The Jamestown City Council reorganization meeting is Wednesday, Jan. 1 at noon at Jamestown Community College’s Scharmann Theater. New Jamestown Mayor Eddie Sundquist will be sworn into office, along with the new members of the Jamestown City Council.

JAMESTOWN – When Jamestown mayor-elect Eddie Sundquist is sworn into office on Jan. 1, his first official duty as mayor will be to fill several administrative positions as well as make appointments (or reappointments) to more than three dozen seats on various city boards and commissions (including three citizen representative seats and one city council representative seat on the Jamestown Board of Public Utilities).

As written in the city charter, the mayor is tasked with making appointments to a variety of director positions, along with various boards, commissions and city officers. However, the city council is given the power of consent, meaning any appointment by the mayor must be approved by at least a simple majority of the Jamestown City Council.

“Obviously there is a very limited amount of time for us to find everyone – again 38 spots along with department positions. So if we are able to and after we receive approval from the council – the council will receive the list about a week or two before the (appointment) vote – if we have approval to release it we will do so,” Sundquist said during his transition strategy announcement on Friday.

It should be noted that there is no requirement in the city charter that the mayor first provide a list his prospective appointees to the city council before making it public, let alone that the council must give the mayor persmission to provide the list prior to its review.

ADMINISTRATIVE POSITIONS UP FOR APPOINTMENT ON JAN. 1

Among the administrative appointments Sundquist must make are for the following positions:

• Director of Administrative Services/City Clerk (currently held by acting clerk Jim Olson through Dec. 31, 2019)
• City Comptroller (currently held by Joe Bellitto through Dec. 31, 2019)
• Director of Development (vacated Nov. 12 by Vince DeJoy)
• Director of Public Works (currently held by Jeff Lehman through Dec. 31, 2019)
• Corporation Counsel/HR Director (currently held by Peter Larson through Dec. 31, 2019)

Both current city clerk Jim Olson and current city comptroller Joe Bellitto plan to retire in the near future, though in Bellitto’s case he has stated he would be willing to stay on in 2020 to help transition a new comptroller.

In the case of the director of development, currently city principal planner Crystal Surdyk is coordinating the department through the remainder of this year.

Public works director Jeff Lehman is the longest-serving department head, having been in his position since 1994 and serving under two different mayors (Republican Richard Kimball and current mayor and Democrat Sam Teresi). Lehman has not indicated any plans to step down from his position and it will be up to Sundquist to determine if he should be reappointed for another four years or go with someone else.

Larson was appointed city attorney this past March to fill out the remainder of the term of former corporation counsel Marylin Fiore-Lehman, who announced her departure to take a position with the Chautauqua County District Attorney’s Office. He has also continued to work for the private practice of Bly, Sheffield, Bargar & Pillittieri since his appointment.

The position of Jamestown Public Safety Director / Police Chief is also an appointed position, which is currently held by chief Harry Snellings. However, the term of that position will not end until Dec. 31, 2021.

THREE BPU SEATS HIGHLIGHT BOARD AND COMMISSION APPOINTMENTS

According to information provided to WRFA by the city clerk’s office, there are 38 different city board and commission seats up for appointment or reappointment on Jan. 1.  Among them are four seats on the Jamestown BPU.

For the BPU, both citizen board members Martha Zenns and Terrance Horner are in the final year of their four-year term. In addition, citizen board member Ralph Wallace is in the final year of his two-year term on the board. Sundquist will also have to appoint a city council representative to the BPU. Currently Maria Jones is serving as the city council’s BPU member, but she lost reelection on Nov. 5 and as a result, another member of the new city council will have to be appointed to her seat. Rounding out the BPU citizen members are currently BPU chair Gregory Rabb  along with Jim Olson (both terms end on Dec. 31, 2021).  The remaining three BPU members will be Eddie Sundquist, who serves as board president by way of his position as mayor, along with the public works director (currently Jeff Lehman) and the president of the city council (currently Marie Carrubba).

(Note: Because Carrubba is a Democrat and the Republican party will take control of the council on Jan. 1, it’s expected a new city council president will be named and, as a result, that person will then assume that seat on the BPU. Speculation is that councilman Tony Dolce will be voted Council president on Jan. 1.)

– OTHER BOARDS/COMMISSIONS –

There are ten other board and commission seats and officer positions that will also need appointment are reappointment come Jan. 1. They include:

Jamestown Local Development Corporation  (4 year term)

• Two seats currently held by George Spitale and Mark Morton plus one city council representative seat, currently held by Kim Ecklund (2 year term)

Jamestown Urban Renewal Agency (4 year term)

• One seat currently held by Martha Zenns

Zonning Board of Appeals (3 year term)

• Three seats currently held by Ellen DiTonto (current chair), Sally Martinez, and Judith Sandson.

Planning Commission (5 year term)

• One seat currently held by Paul Whitford.

Property, Rehabilitation and Conservation Board of Appeals (3 year terms)

• Seven seats currently held by Nanzy Griswold, Mary Maxwell, Sharon McKotch, Gary Sorenson,  and three vacancies.

Parks, Recreation and Conseration Commission (5 year term)

• Two seats currently held by Russell E. Diethrick, Jr. and John Bauer

Riverfront Management Council (3 or 5 year terms)

• One Vacancy; Two designated Parks, Rec. and Con. Commission Member (Currently Russell Diethrick Jr. and John Bauer); One Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy Representative; One Roger Tory Peterson Institute Representative; One Jamestown Audubon Society representatives; One Jamestown High School represenative; and three JHS Student representatives (all 5 year terms).

Veterans Memorial Commission (3 year terms)

• Three seats currently held by Charles Telford (chair), Daniel Kell, and Theresa Baginski.

Board of Electrical Examiners (2 year term)

• Two seats currently held by James McTavish and Steve Nowel.

Constable (4 year term)

• Three positions  up for reappointment: Marie Hill (holdover), Camille Krawczyk (holdover), and Michael Berg.

Marriage officer (4 year term)

• Three officers up for reappoinment: Gregory Rabb, Paul Whitford, and Lillian Ney.

“These can be voted on collectively on January 1 or tabled until the next regularly scheduled meeting, probably January 27,” explained city clerk Jim Olson when providing the list to WRFA.

• MOBILE APP USERS: LISTEN HERE

Originally airing Thursday, Sept. 12, 2018

WRFA public affairs Director Jason Sample talks with Jamestown Mayor Sam Teresi about the upcoming city budget, a pending constable appointment, the possibility of relocating of the downtown CARTS Bus Hub, and the $600,000 downtown entertainment fund.

Sam Teresi

The Jamestown City Council during its meeting on Aug. 28, 2018

JAMESTOWN – Mayor Sam Teresi has yet to make an appointment to fill a long-vacant city constable position, but says one could be forthcoming next month.

For the past several months a group of landlords and representatives in the city have asked the mayor to fill a vacancy in it three constable positions to help serve eviction paperwork and other legal documents with tenants.

The city charter says there shall be three constables appointed by the mayor but currently only two individuals are on the list.

During the Jamestown city council meeting on Monday night, Real Estate Investors Association of Jamestown president Harold Whitford appeared before the council for the third consecutive month, voicing his frustration for there not being an appointment from the mayor.

Following the voting session, Teresi said that he is still vetting candidates, but has kept the city council updated on the process.

He added that an appointment could be made in September.

During last night’s voting session, the city council approved the sale of 37.5 acres of land Jamestown Community College owns at 2835 Curtis St. Extension in the town of Ellicott. JCC wants to sell the property for no less than $285,000 but must first receive approval from its community partners, which include the city and Chautauqua and Cattaraugus counties.

The council also approved an agreement with the Jamestown Public Schools to provide three school resource officers in the amount of $98,000 per officer for the school year.

The mayor and council members also spent several minutes thanking various members of the community and the city workforce for helping with several recent events, including the playground build at Chadakoin Park, the Babe Ruth World Series, and the Lucille ball Comedy Festival, as well as for helping to ready the city for the Labor Day Celebration at Bergman Park.

And the city announced that it would be holding its September voting session at a special location – inside the pavilion at Chadakoin Park, as a way to promote better outreach within the community. That meeting will take place at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, September 24.

The Jamestown City Council during it’s June 2018 voting session.

JAMESTOWN – The Jamestown City Council will be holding its monthly voting session Monday night at City Hall.

Among the items on the agenda is assigning three school resource officers to work at Jamestown Public Schools during the 2018-19 school year, along with approving the sale of a piece of property owned by Jamestown Community College.

However, absent from the agenda is the appointment of a person to fill a long-vacant city constable position.

For the past several months a group of landlords in the city have asked the mayor to fill a vacancy in it three constable positions. The city charter says there shall be three constables appointed by the mayor but currently only two individuals are on the list.

“I would call upon the mayor to fill that position in accordance with the code, because currently the city is in violation of its own code, which says ‘there SHALL be three constables.’ It does not say ‘there may be’ or ‘should be’ three constables, but it says ‘shall.’  So I look to you to carry out that and provide us with a third constable so that we can continue to serve the city and keep properties up to par by getting rid of tenants who are creating problems,” local attorney Charles Hall said during the council’s June voting session.

Hall and some landlords within the city say the constables are needed because landlords in the city will often need to serve papers to tenants and the two current constables — Camille Krawczyk and Marie Hill — are unable to keep pace with the number of notices needed to be served.

Real Estate Investors Association of Jamestown president Harold Whitford during the city council’s June voting session. Whitford returned to the council in July to get an update on the constable situation.

Last month, after the call for a new constable was once again brought forward to the council, Mayor Sam Teresi explained that since the discussion about constables came forward, two other individuals had also submitted applications. Teresi said his plan was to review and vet all applications and come forward with an update on the process during the council’s August 20 work session. No public discussion on the matter took place during that meeting, although the city council did go into executive session to discuss personnel matters.

When the agenda for the August voting session was posted last week on the city website and also sent out to local media, there was no item that includes action involving the appointment of a new constable. However, that issue could be added under “new business” prior to the start of Monday’s meeting.

The city council will act on an agreement to assign three police officers to the Jamestown Public Schools as school resource officers.  Under the agreement, which is similar to past years, the JPD would place an officer inside Jamestown High School, at the Tech Academy on Fourth Street, and also have one officer rotating between the three junior high schools. The salaries would be paid by the Jamestown Public Schools.

The Jamestown City Council will also be voting to approve the sale of 37.5 acres of land JCCC owns at 2835 Curtis St. Extension in the town of Ellicott. JCC officials are selling the property for no less than $285,000. As one of the college’s community partners, along with Chautauqua and Cattaraugus counties, city officials need to approve the sale.

The city council will meet at 7 p.m. Monday in the mayor’s conference room to finalize the voting session, with the actual voting session to begin at 7:30 p.m. both meetings are open to the public.

Harold Whitford during the city council’s June voting session. Whitford returned to the council in July to get an update on the constable situation.

JAMESTOWN – The call for Jamestown Mayor Sam Teresi to appoint a third constable for the city was once again made during Monday night’s city council voting session.

Frewsburg Resident and city landlord Harold Whitford appeared before the city council to call on the mayor to nominate a new constable for the open position, so that the city council could act on the appointment.

Whitford and other landlords have been pressing Teresi to appoint a new constable because of the need to serve eviction notices to tenants in the city.

“Having to rely solely on the Sheriff’s Department would be an absolute nightmare for Jamestown. I don’t know how they could possibly handle 21, 36, 14 more eviction notices tomorrow in the city when they have only one deputy for the north county and one deputy for the south county.  Ask the mayor to get this thing through, please,” Whitford said.

Whitford and several others, including long-time local attorney Charles Hall, informed the city council last month that a qualified resident – Dan Hill – had submitted an application to serve as constable months ago. Yet that application has not been acted on by mayor or put to the city council for a vote.

Following Monday’s meeting, Teresi explained that since the discussion about constables came forward, two other individuals have also submitted applications. He said his plan is to review and vet all applications and come forward with an update on the process during the council’s August 20 work session.

The city charter states that the mayor shall appoint three constables to serve within the city. Currently there are two people serving as constable with one vacancy.

Jamestown attorney Charles Hall addresses the city council during its June voting session.

JAMESTOWN – Landlords in Jamestown are calling on Mayor Sam Teresi to appoint someone to the city’s vacant constable position.

During Monday night’s Jamestown City Council voting session, more than 25 people showed up with many of them there to show their support for a call to fill a long-vacant constable position in the city.

Attorney Charles Hall said the city charter says there shall be 3 constables appointed by mayor but currently, only two individuals are on the list.

“I would call upon the mayor to fill that position in accordance with the code, because currently the city is in violation of its own code, which says ‘there SHALL be three constables.’ It does not say there may be  or should be three constables, but it says ‘shall.’  So I look to you to carry out that and provide us with a third constable so that we can continue to serve the city and keep properties up to par by getting rid of tenants who are creating problems,” Hall said.

Hall said the constables are needed because landlords in the city will often need to serve papers to tenants and the two current constables — Camille Krawczyk and Marie Hill — are unable to keep pace with the number of notices needed to be served.

Real Estate Investors Association of Jamestown president Harold Whitford was also on hand, and said that while the county sheriff’s office can also help with serving papers, it can take several days for a request to be handled.

The Jamestown City Council during it’s June 2018 voting session.

“The city needs this position,” Whitford said. “The residents of our city will suffer from evictions that are not carried out in a timely manner. If the sheriff’s office – it’s already over-burdened – if they start doing the city evictions, we’re going to be burdened with bad tenants over a longer period of time, causing more damage, less income, and it’s just not going to be good.”

Whitford said there is currently an application from Dan Hill to be a constable in the mayor’s office but so far he has not been appointed.

Following the meeting Teresi said he is currently in the process of vetting Hill’s application.

“[Hill] had expressed interest in the position back in 2014. Despite an indication that his personal residence was in the city on Forest Ave., it turned out that he was not a city resident. He has reapplied and his recent application has indicates again that he is a resident of Jamestown,” Teresi said. “The team that looks into and vets and reviews potential appointments for me is in the process of doing that. As soon as they get a report back to me, as with any appointment, that will be reviewed, discussed, and the determination will be made. The matter will then be brought forward to the city council for its consideration and approval.”

Teresi also said that while the city charter calls for three constables, it’s sometimes hard to keep all three positions filled due to lack of interest or qualifications from prospective residents.

The constable position comes at no cost to the city. The individuals are appointed and work out payment agreements with the landlords or attorneys that request for papers to be served. They are required to meet some qualifications, including taking classes prior to starting, having their own insurance, and being a city resident.