Brush fire

While New York State’s annual statewide ban prohibiting residential brush burning ended May 14, the State DEC is still urging caution.

State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Basil Seggos said, “The risk of wildfires remains high this spring across New York State, so it’s absolutely essential New Yorkers are mindful of the risk when doing any kind of residential outdoor brush burning. To protect our communities and natural resources, we’re encouraging people to put safety first, don’t leave fires unattended, and ensure all fires are fully extinguished.”

In the City of Jamestown, recreational fires are banned year round. Fire Department Code Enforcement Officer Rob Smith said per the city charter the only fire allowed is cooking fires. He added that gas-fueled outdoor fire pits or fireplaces are considered legal in Jamestown.

Chautauqua Safety Village Executive Director Jessica Dayton and Jamestown Fire Prevention Officer Rob Smith

The Chautauqua Safety Village and the Jamestown Fire Department have received a $2,000 grant to help give away smoke and carbon monoxide alarms to county residents.

The money is coming from the Lake Shore Savings Bank Community Reinvestment Fund and will be used to purchase the alarms. The Jamestown Fire Department will distribute alarms to city residents with those living outside receiving their’s from the Chautauqua Safety Village.

Jamestown Fire Department Fire Prevention Officer Rob Smith said since December 2020, 138 smoke alarms and 16 carbon monoxide alarms have been distributed to 88 city residents.

To receive a free smoke and carbon monoxide alarm for your home, city residents may contact the Jamestown Fire Department at (716) 483-7597. Those who live outside the city may contact the Chautauqua Safety Village at (716) 338-0170.

Brush fire

As the annual statewide ban prohibiting residential brush burning is set to begin, Jamestown Fire Officials are reminding residents that recreational fires are illegal in the city.

The State Department of Environmental Conservation will prohibit brush burning in New York State between March 16 and May 14. Since 2009, the DEC has enforced the annual ban to prevent wildfires and protect communities during heightened conditions for wildfires each spring.

The regulations allow residential brush fires in towns with fewer than 20,000 residents during most of the year, but prohibit such burning in spring when most wildfires occur.

Backyard fire pits and campfires less than three feet in height and four feet in length, width, or diameter are allowed. Small cooking fires are allowed. Only charcoal or dry, clean, untreated, or unpainted wood can be burned. DEC officials said people should never leave these fires unattended and must extinguish them. Burning garbage or leaves is prohibited year-round.

Rob Smith

In the City of Jamestown, recreational fires are banned year round. Fire Department Code Enforcement Officer Rob Smith said per the city charter the only fire allowed is cooking fires, “And there are certain regulations there. So they have to be in approved containers. It has to be some kind of container that’s made to keep a fire in. You to be burning charcoal or wood. You have to keep that container at least ten feet away from any combustible structure which could be a house, it could be a garage, could be a fence. Things of that nature.”

Smith said the Jamestown Fire Department responded to 98 calls in 2021 for possible illegal burns with 44 of those deemed legal cooking fire when crews arrived on scene.

He said the reason for the recreational fire ban is most likely due to how close together housing is in the City, “Any kind of fire could be potentially dangerous if there’s not a responsible adult there that’s prepared to put the fire out and things of that nature. So, what we don’t want to see is somebody having a good time and having a recreational fire and some of the embers may go up in the air, they may end up in say a leaf pile in the neighbor’s backyard and catching their house on fire.”

Smith added that gas-fueled outdoor fire pits or fireplaces are considered legal in Jamestown.

He said while neither the city charter nor fire code addresses smoke from a fire as a nuisance, the DEC does have regulations and can address complaints residents may have.

Widmer said the management letter made some recommendations including implementing a fund balance policy, “And that would really help identify what the city believes to be an appropriate amount of that unassigned fund balance in the general funds. So currently that $4.6 million is a little over 12%. What is the level the city is comfortable maintaining? Because, it relates to the city’s ability to respond to emergencies in the event that something unbudgeted occurs.”

Another recommendation included updating payroll software to improve efficiencies and give Finance more tools for reports.

Sales tax receipts were up almost 47% for the second quarter compared to 2020 for the City of Jamestown. City Comptroller Ryan Thompson reported to City Council that the City received $2-million-161-thousand dollars for the 2021 second quarter payment. That’s $690-thousand-250 dollars more than in 2020 and a 27% increase from 2019’s second quarter receipts.

Thompson said this is great news, “I think a lot of things, obviously the online sales tax collections are driving that as well as the price of gas is up significantly over the last couple years.”

Thompson said the city’s 2021 adopted sales tax budget is $6-million-713-thousand-792-dollars. He said the city has already collected 56.8% of the budget after the second quarter, which compares to 46.9% at the same time last year. Sales tax receipts for 2021 second quarter are up significantly to previous years going back to 2016.

Jamestown City Council reviewed a $36-thousand-680-dollar grant from FEMA for fire prevention and safety training. Public Safety Committee Chair Brent Sheldon said 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.

Mayor Eddie Sundquist thanked Deputy Fire Chief Matt Coon and Fire Prevention Officer Rob Smith for their work with the Chautauqua County Safety Village, “And applying for that FEMA grant, it’s a really big thing. They’ve been trying to be much more active in the community, they’re already pretty active, but to be able to go out and use the media and to partner with the Safety Village in doing that great work is a really huge thing. So I just want to thank the Deputy Fire Chief and his staff.”

The grant allows for an ad campaign in conjunction with the Safety Village to promote the classes, fire prevention and safety more broadly.