Former Deer Management Group member Tom Nelson addresses Jamestown City Council (April 10, 2023)

A former member of the Jamestown Deer Management Group is questioning what the City of Jamestown is doing in regards to the city’s deer population.

Former Council member and current County Legislator Tom Nelson questioned council members about what’s been done, what’s going to get done, and if a committee has been formed regarding deer in the city, “I know many times you get people coming to council meetings complaining they don’t have a solution. I think many of you know I put forward a solution in September of 2021 which was rejected by many members of this council. So, my question to you is, you didn’t like that plan, what is your plan?”

Council had voted down a proposal 2 to 7 at the September 2021 voting session that would have allowed 8 bow hunters to receive licenses with the two sites for hunting limited to Jones Memorial Park and the wooded area behind the Allen Park Ice Rink. This was the proposal suggested by Council member at large Jeff Russell to replace an initial proposal to allow 15 licensed hunters to take down up to 4 antler-less deer between November 1st and December 31st in five designated areas of Jamestown.

Mayor Eddie Sundquist said he still supports efforts to reduce the deer population in the city, “Typically, some kind of hunt.. that is the recommendation from the DEC (State Department of Environmental Conservation). Can’t do sterilization because it has to be tied to a university and program, and other methods are just way too expensive or not going to be allowed by the state. So, whatever you guys want to do, let me know. I remain steadfast in supporting reducing the deer population as a resident of Ward 6 who sees a lot of it, and now we’re hearing from Ward 5 and others.”

Councilmembers Randy Daversa, Andrew Faulkner, Russell, and Brent Sheldon had mentioned at the October 3, 2022 City Council work session that they had met with each other to discuss the issue, but no follow-up meetings were ever announced.

Council member at large Kim Ecklund said on Monday that whatever that work group moved forward with should be a multi-pronged approach, “When Andy Liuzzo was on council, he was adamant about a deer program and actually worked with the town of Ellicott to issue more permits. I never heard the result of that. We never got a ‘Did it work? Did it not work?’ But, living on the edge of the town, there are more deer. There’s a lot of reasons why there is more deer and you can ask many hunters. There’s less people hunting. There’s more posted property for people to not be able to hunt on.”

At the October 2022 meeting, Council member Marie Carrubba said the deer group should include not just city council members but an attorney, people in favor of a hunt, as well as people with other options for handling the deer population.

Jamestown City Council

Council President Tony Dolce said the plan wasn’t ready yet, but agrees that something needs to be done to address growing deer herds and why that is happening, “It’s deer management. You need to thin the herds out. You need to do something to kind of control the number because they will starve, they will get hit by vehicles, they will die of diseases, and so we need to come up with a more comprehensive plan that hits on all those areas.”

Council Member At Large Kim Ecklund said she is not opposed to hunting but couldn’t support a resolution with so many open issues, “I have mentioned liability and I know Mr. Johnson has stated about one liability thing but that doesn’t cover everything. As a city, and as an elected official, we have to do our due diligence on the liability side of it. And even our Corporation Counsel presented to me the fact that we are liable and probably in some ways we have not uncovered yet.”

Ecklund said the town of Irondequoit deer program that’s been cited by members of Jamestown’s Ad Hoc Deer Management Committee has 52 items in their charter, and far exceeds what Jamestown’s pilot program proposes, “I had probably a 45 minute conversation again today with the officer who runs this program. He is pulled off the streets and given his total time to run this program while it exists. We have no oversight built into this. I’m concerned. I’m very concerned. I realize they call the Director of Parks and Recreation and tell them they are hunting, but who is checking?”

Council Members Grant Olson and Tom Nelson, who proposed the program, were the only yes votes on the resolution. Nelson was encouraged by council members to continue discussions on the issue.

Jamestown City Council

After a presentation at last Monday’s work session, the proposed resolution was amended to only allow 8 hunters to receive licenses with the two sites for hunting limited to Jones Memorial Park and the wooded area behind the Allen Park Ice Rink.

Council Member at Large Jeff Russell had suggested to Council member Tom Nelson that maybe the program could be limited to Ward 6, since most of the deer complaints had come from that Ward. Ward 5 Council member Grant Olson said he’d welcome deer hunting in his ward as well.

Under the resolution, hunters would be allowed to take down 4 antler-less deer between the hours of sunrise and sunset, seven days a week, between November 1st and December 31st.

Also under new business, Council will vote on a contract with the Civil Service Employees Association, or CSEA. The agreement runs from January 1, 2022 through December 31, 2024.

Council vote on a resolution to contract with Stark Tech Group for $918-thousand-173 dollars to illuminate the Washington and South Main Street bridges and the BPU Coal Silo. Downtown Revitalization Initiative funds will be used for the project.

Other resolutions on the docket include an agreement to allow Medicare-eligible city retirees to voluntarily move to a Medicare Advantage plan. Council Member at Large Jeff Russell said the potential savings to the city could be up to five-figures a year.

And a $36,680 grant from FEMA for fire prevention and safety training will be voted on. The grant will allow children from around the county to be educated on fire safety and that free smoke alarms will be provided to children as well. The grant allows for an ad campaign in conjunction with the Chautauqua Children’s Safety Village to promote the classes, fire prevention and safety more broadly.

Jamestown City Council

The proposed resolution would allow 15 licensed hunters to take down up to 4 antler-less deer between November 1st and December 31st in five designated areas of Jamestown. Those designated areas include Jones Memorial Park on Jones & Gifford Avenue, Jackson-Taylor Park including the bike path, the BPU’s Storm Water Management pond property on Buffalo Street, the wooded areas at the back of Bergman Park, and the woods behind the former Allen Park Ice Rink.

Nelson said he’d like to see the two months of hunting operate as a pilot program, “I think it’s necessary. I think it’s the best option after talking to other people and other communities who have done it. It worked there. They haven’t had problems with it. I think it’s worth a try. I’d like to see after these first two months, evaluate it, take a look at it, and then decide if we want to continue something like this in the future.”

Council member at large Kim Ecklund said she’s been inundated with calls on the issue, “I’ve been inundated with people on Willow who do not want people hunting in that back county area. They do not want people hunting in their backyard. I don’t care if it’s close enough or not close enough. Don’t feel it’s what they want on their property or bordering their property.”

Council member at large Jeff Russell suggested maybe limiting the pilot to just Ward 6, since the bulk of complaints had come from that area. Council is expected to vote on this resolution, with possible amendments, at its meeting next Monday.

The staff report states plan was developed over the last eight months by a City Health Insurance Committee made up of representatives from City Council, City Administration, and active and retired employees.

The committee determined an optional Medicare Pilot Program from Highmark Western New York would help lower healthcare costs for all participants. The proposed agreement would have the City pay all healthcare premiums for five years for Medicare-eligible participants, with the option for the participants to return to the City’s self-funded plan within one year should they choose.

The potential savings to the city are dependent upon the total number of enrollees. The city could potentially save $1,580 per participant per year, and on average could save up to $1,800 per year per participant in the initial five years.

In his 2021 Executive Budget proposal, Mayor Eddie Sundquist had proposed switching retirees over the age of 65 from the City’s self-funded healthcare program to a medicare supplemental plan, which Sundquist said would result in $1.1 million in savings. City Council pulled the proposal last year after current and retired union members spoke against the proposal and picketed in front of City Hall. The proposal had also drawn concern from city council members.

The difference in the proposal appearing before Council tonight is that it’s an optional program for retirees.

The Chautauqua Region Community Foundation will be reporting out to Jamestown City Council tonight on feedback received at public input sessions about the City’s American Rescue Plan Master Plan.

Four public input sessions were held this summer on the plan to spend $28 million received in recovery monies from the Federal government. The CRCF compiled comments at those sessions as well as private sessions held with local organizations and businesses.

City Council is expected to act on a resolution this month to accept the master plan ahead of the Mayor’s Executive Budget being released on Friday, October 8th.

City Council also will hear a presentation by the Deer Management Ad Hoc Committee. The committee, led by Council member Tom Nelson, has proposed a resolution to allow bow hunting in designated areas of the city between November and December in order to reduce the number of deer.

The Public Safety Committee will revisit a special event permit application by Shults Management Group for the company’s 50th Anniversary event on Saturday, September 25th. The application had been tabled last Monday due to questions about the insurance certificate, a request for police payment and permit payment not received in the Clerk’s office.

Nelson said the hunters chosen will have a valid New York State hunting license and will only be allowed to shoot at a distance of 20 yards or less, “The program will be limited to antler-less deer only. Each hunter limited to four deer each. The idea is that you can keep two and donate the other two to the food pantry.”

Deer must be taken to a designated processor site with the processing fee covered by the Venison Coalition.

The five locations chosen as hunting areas in Jamestown are Jones Memorial Park, Jackson-Taylor Park, the Storm Water Management Pond area on Buffalo Street, Bergman Park, and Allen Park. The City will be responsible for posting that the hunting areas are closed to the general public.

City Council is expected to first review the resolution at its work session on Monday, September 20th.