Jamestown City Council work session (January 23, 2023)

Jamestown City Council is proposing to increase both Council and the Mayor’s salaries with some caveats following recommendations by the Jamestown Salary Review Commission.

Finance Chair Kim Ecklund said the consensus from Council members is to raise the City Council member’s salary to $7,000; the Council President’s salary to $8,000; and the Mayor’s salary to $82,000.

The current salaries are $5,000 for Council members, $6,000 for Council President, and $72,000 for the Mayor.

Council Member at Large Jeff Russell proposed adding language to the local law that states the Mayor’s position is a full-time job, “Meaning, he or she that holds the office going forward should forgo any other paying employment or engagements unless City Council grants approval on a case by case basis, by request from the City Council.”

Russell said when employed by the Jamestown Police Department, he had to make a written request to the Police Chief to get approval if he wanted to take on secondary employment.

Council member Marie Carrubba agreed with the proposal, saying the practice is common for a lot of non-profits where the executive director needs permission from the board for outside employment, “Because again, as you state, they consider it a full-time job and that they want all your attention focused on that job and that job alone. It also eliminates conflicts of interest with outside employment for any number of reasons. I would support that. I tend to agree. I think as government and problems become more complicated, it really requires full time and attention.”

Mayor Eddie Sundquist said the proposed change would require a Charter change. The current Charter simply says the Mayor’s position is full-time with no language about outside employment.

Currently, in addition to being Mayor, Sundquist is a Court Examiner for the County, still maintains a practice at Raimondo & Sundquist LLP; and according to the Jamestown Post-Journal, is an adjunct professor at St. Bonaventure University. Sundquist announced earlier this month he is running for re-election this November.

If approved, the salary increases would not go into effect until January 1, 2024.

Eddie Sundquist

Jamestown Mayor Eddie Sundquist has been named the Chautauqua County Court Examiner by the State Fourth Appellate Division.

In New York State, a judge will appoint a guardian under Article 81 to manage the personal finances or personal needs of an individual when they are considered incapacitated to the point where they are not able to do so themselves.

Sundquist said that court examiners ensure there is no fraud with the guardian and that they are following through on their duties.

He stated in an interview that he currently oversees around 60 active cases that fluctuate over the course of a year. He said he oversees the annual accounting by guardians to the court and then also will appear in court if there is an issue that comes up with a guardian.

Sundquist was first named as the County’s Court Examiner in 2021 following the death of Bob Schnizler in 2020. Court examiners are appointed on an annual basis.

The position has no connection to Sundquist’s role as mayor of Jamestown, and is instead given to practicing attorneys in each of the state’s 62 counties. According to the State Comptroller’s website, Sundquist has been paid $2,800 since being appointed and holds the position as a practicing attorney with Raimondo & Sundquist LLP, located at 8 East Fourth Street in Jamestown.