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 ON SOUNDCLOUD 

CORRECTION: An earlier report indicated this year’s race would be the first open-seat race since 1993. This is technically incorrect because the mayor at that time, Carolyn Seymour (D), did run for reelection but was defeated in the Democratic Primary, thus removing her name from the general election ballot. She still campaigned as a write-in candidate. 

Jamestown Mayor Sam Teresi (seated) announced Monday night he won’t be seeking a sixth term in office with his wife Becky and one of their two sons Joe standing behind him.

JAMESTOWN – Mayor Sam Teresi (D) won’t be seeking a sixth term in office.

During the Jamestown City Council work session on Monday night Teresi announced that he has opted not to run for reelection.

“I Shall not seek, nor shall I accept, the nomination of my party to serve a sixth term as the mayor of this wonderful city,” Teresi said.

The announcement makes the 2019 race for mayor an open contest, guaranteeing the general election ballot in November will feature the names of individuals who are currently not holding the office. That hasn’t happened since 1993 when then-mayor Carolyn Seymour failed to get her party’s endorsement and as a result didn’t appear on that year’s ballot.

Teresi said that he wrestled with the decision for several weeks, but after talking with friends and family he came to the conclusion the time was right to step away from a position he’s held since January 2000.

“I’ve been giving this a lot of thought. My family does not want it and if my wife Beckly could tell the truth, while she’s been very supportive over the years, I don’t think she would have wanted me to run in the first place,” Teresi said. “But it’s been a passion. I think it’s been a calling. And I think it’s been the best thing that could have ever happened to me personally and hopefully at the end of this year we will have left things a little better than we found them. It’s been a true honor and pleasure.”

Upon learning the news, several council members thanked the mayor for his years of service, including fellow Democrat and current city council president Marie Carrubba (Ward IV).

“I’ve personally seen up close, before I was on council, how hard you’ve worked and everything you’ve done. Whether you’ve been in the department of development as the director or as the mayor, you really have done a lot to turn things around<” Carrubba said. “I can remember some of the days when things were very dark and not looking to promising, but you have shown a light on this city. I have never heard anyone speak as passionately about the city of Jamestown and the best it has to offer, the goodness of the people and everything that’s right about this city as you have.”

Ranking council member and Republican Tony Dolce (Ward II) also thanked Teresi for his years of service to the city, saying he will be difficult to replace.

“It’s been an hour to work with. Politics aside – there have been differences and we’ve had our differences – but it’s a bittersweet moment and I know it’s a difficult moment for you,” Dolce said.

Mayor Sam Teresi with his wife Becky and son Joe

Teresi said that he’s not certain what the future may hold after he leaves office, other than being able to spend more time with his family. In the meantime he said he plans to work each and every remaining day of his final year in office.

“I am planning on finishing out this term, right until noon or thereabouts on January 1, 2020,” Teresi said. “We have a lot of work to do and we’re going to continue doing it like we’ve always done it, together with the best management team and public workforce that you’re going to find anywhere in this country.”

Teresi defeated Republican incumbent Richard “Dick” Kimball in the 1999 mayoral election. Four years later Kimball ran as a challenger but lost yet again to Teresi. In 2007 Teresi ran against and defeated former city clerk and Republican Shirley Sanfilippo. He ran uncontested in both the 2011 and 2015 elections.

When he took office in 2000 he inherited a city government that was dealing with a multi million dollar budget deficit. During his first term in office he worked to eliminate the deficit by making significant cuts to the city’s labor force, including reductions to in city administration, public safety, and public works departments. Teresi has also rolled out several cost-cutting measures and shared service initiatives to battle an ever-challenging city budget that’s seen continued growth in expenses while revenues remain mostly stagnant, with the exception of an ever-increasing property tax rate. In his final term in office the city saw its property tax levy reach its constitutional limit, meaning it couldn’t be increased any further unless there is a significant spike in taxable property value.

Prior to running for mayor in 1999 Teresi worked as the city development director.

POSSIBLE CANDIDATES FOR MAYOR? 

With Teresi choosing not to run for another term in office, the stage is now set for the first open seat mayoral race the city has seen in nearly 80 years and the first time a sitting mayor has not appeared on the general election ballot since 1993.

One candidate has already announced his intention to run. On Saturday first term Jamestown City Councilman Andrew Liuzzo (At Large), a Republican, announced his campaign for mayor. But while Liuzzo was the first city Republican to put his hat in the ring, it’s not a given that he would receive the Jamestown Republican Committee’s endorsement.

City Republican Party chairman and fellow city council member Brent Sheldon (Ward I)  said the committee will meet on Feb. 13 to discuss who they will endorse for mayor.

Among the names being floated around is ranking city councilman Tony Dolce, who’s also currently teaching in the Jamestown Public School district. WRFA asked him Monday night following Teresi’s announcement if he planned to make a run for mayor and while Dolce did acknowledge it’s something he’ll seriously consider, he wasn’t ready to commit one way or the other.

“I’ve always thought about it. I still have my job at Jamestown High School. So there’s a lot of things that have to come into play and it’s a decision that would have to come from the committee and I have some soul-searching to do in thinking about it as well. [Teresi’s announcement] obviously took my by surprise. We’ll go from here and again we’ll look at all different options and then move forward,” Dolce said.

In addition to the Republicans searching for a candidate to run for mayor, the Democrats will also work to identify a candidate. WRFA was unable to make contact with Democratic Party chairman Jim Walton on Monday night to get his reaction on Teresi’s announcement as well as what the party’s strategy will be in the coming weeks.

WRFA did ask former city councilman and current city development director Vince DeJoy if he planned to seek the Democratic party’s nomination. He said as of Monday night it’s something he would think about but hadn’t put much thought into it, saying he was unaware Teresi wasn’t going to run again until he made the announcement at the city council work session.

Due to new election laws in New York State, candidates must begin circulating petitions to get their name on a ballot this month, with a deadline to hand in the required number of signatures set for the first week of April. If more than one candidate runs for a party’s nomination they will then have to square off in a primary in June.

David George

JAMESTOWN – A Jamestown resident who was making plans to run for mayor of Jamestown says he’s withdrawing from the race.

Retired JCC professor David George informed WRFA of his decision on Wednesday afternoon, saying he’s been unable to find the support he needs to get his name on the ballet.

“I’m withdrawing from the race for mayor,” George said in a voice message to WRFA. “I’ve had a pretty hard time collecting signatures and the support system is not there. So I’m not submitting my nomination.”

George had not been endorsed by any of the established political parties. As a result, he was trying to start his own independent political party, the Patriots Party, so he could get his name on the November ballot. A total of 300 signatures from registered voters in Jamestown needed to be collected by Aug. 19 and submitted to the county Board of Elections in order to qualify George as a candidate on the ballot.

Current Jamestown Mayor Sam Teresi, a Democrat, has already announced his intention to run for a fifth consecutive term.

Teresi was first elected in 1999 when he defeated then-mayor Richard Kimball. 2003 saw a rematch between the two candidates, with Teresi again coming out on top. In 2007 he defeated Republican challenger Shirley Sanfilippo and in 2011 he ran unopposed.

No other candidate has come forward to challenge Teresi, other than George, in the 2015 race.

Jamestown Mayor Sam Teresi

JAMESTOWN – Mayor Sam Teresi will be running unopposed for the second time in a row.

The Chautauqua county Board of Elections is reporting that the Jamestown Democrat is the only person to file a petition to run for mayor.

If elected, it will be Teresi’s fifth consecutive four-year term in office. He was first elected as mayor in 1999, defeating then-incumbent Richard Kimball. 2003 saw a rematch between Teresi and Kimball, with Teresi winning reelection. In 2007, Teresi defeated Republican challenger Shirley Sanfilippo. In 2011 Teresi ran unopposed.

While the race for mayor will be uncontested, there will still be reason enough for most Jamestown voters to head to the polls on Election Day.

Five of the six Ward Council Seats will be contested, although all three of the current at-large council members will run unopposed for reelection. The uncontested at-large races include City council president and Democrat Greg Rabb, Democrat George Spitale and Republican Kim Ecklund.

A complete listing of all candidates for all races in Chautauqua County can be found at VoteChautauqua.com. The 2015 general election is Tuesday, Nov. 3.