Jamestown resident Doug Champ said he has a problem with the Jamestown Police Department only receiving $177,206 dollars for one police car and new radios under American Rescue Plan lost recovery funds, “If I haven’t seen a budget that wants to defund the Police Department, this is the budget that does that. And my question is why? Why when the ARP fund is supposed to be for public safety, public health, and economic recovery and we have these auxiliary projects as I mentioned before like a dog park and frisbee golf and whatever else you want to call this quote ‘possible projects.”

Kendall Club PBA President Sam Piazza spoke, mentioning how Police Chief Tim Jackson was asked to submit a wish list for capital projects that included five cars, virtual reality training, updating the shooting range, trauma kits, and how almost none of it was funded, “My question is, without these funds from the American Rescue Plan were we not going to budget anything for the Police Department? And you know, Doug kind of.. you know nobody came out and said we’re going to defund the Police Department but where is the funding for the Police Department? The guys and girls that come to work every day downstairs need the equipment to make sure they do their job safely.”

Jamestown resident and former City Council member Tamara Dickey said she is thankful for the Jamestown Police Department following an incident that had happened on 10th Street this summer, “We’ve got to give the Police officers the resources, both human and capital and system resources, that they need to make sure that they have the intelligence and they have the equipment and the weapons that they need.”

Doug Champ also made a recommendation that Council consider changing the City Charter so that the public hearing on the budget always occurs on the Monday before Thanksgiving so that it’s on the same day that council typically meets and is easier for the public to attend.

Finance Chair and Council Member at Large Kim Ecklund said council members are working with the city’s Finance department on separating out the general fund and American Rescue Plan monies. She said the plan is for Council to just vote on the general fund budget on Monday, November 29th.

Council President Tony Dolce said Council will be looking at public safety concerns more under the American Rescue Plan funding, “You know there have also been people that have asked us about where those funds are going to go and when we’re going to put that out there. We will be shortly after the budget is done putting out a vote on the actual categories, the amount, and then as different projects come up or equipment purchases whatever then we would be voting on them piece by piece, a la carte.”

Dolce said at this point City Council will have to bring amendments to the floor to be voted on next Monday.

Regina Brackman (left) and the late Vickye James

Jamestown Democrats appear to have found a replacement candidate for the late City Council woman Vickye James.

The Chautauqua County Board of elections has updated its 2021 candidates list with the inclusion of Regina Brackman as Ward 3 city council candidate for the Democratic Party.

Brackman will replace James’s name on the ballot. Prior to her untimely death on March 27, James had intended to run for releection for a fourth term on the council.

Mayor Eddie Sundquist is required to appoint a replacment for James to fill out the remainder of the current term and he told WRFA earlier this week that ideally, he wanted his appointment to be the same person who would replace James on the ballot. But as of this morning, there hasn’t been an announcement from the mayor’s office that she will indeed be his choice.

Back in the 2013 election, Brackman ran for the open Ward 3 city council seat, but lost in a very close race to Republican Tamara Dickey.

On Monday night the city council approved the appointment of Rev. Alfonso Pagan to the city council to finish the term of outgoing council woman Tamara Dickey, who announced earlier this month she was stepping down do to work obligations. The current term for the seat runs until the end of 2015.

Pagan is the Pastor of the Nueva Vida Covenant Church in Jamestown and also serves as a board member of the Eastside YMCA. He was previously a board member of the Joint Neighborhood Project.

Jamestown Mayor Sam Teresi said he was happy to appoint Pagan to the council.

“I’ve known Mr. Pagan for a number of years, he’s somebody who cares deeply about this community and has worked on different projects and ventures with us,” Teresi said following the council’s approval of his appointment. “When I saw his name on the registration list, it kind of jumped off the page. When I also consulted with other associates of mine and members of the city council and received their input and encouragement. It made it a fairly easy appointment to bring him on board and fill this vacancy as soon as possible.”

Following his appointment, Pagan said he looks forward to serving the residents of the city, including the growing Hispanic population.

“I think that’s one of the biggest accomplishments – to allow that community to have a voice here, on the city council and in city government. I think that’s going to be a real big plus for the community as a whole, to understand the Hispanic community and culture.” Pagan said following Monday’s meeting. “I have a lot of connections that can be used, since I’m the pastor of a Hispanic church, so we do have quite an open communication channel with the community where if anything comes up I can be that bridge for the community.”

Like Dickey, Pagan is a registered Republican. According to the city charter, the mayor has to appoint a new council member to fill a vacated seat, but that person must be the member of the same party of the council member who stepped down.

Tamara Dickey

JAMESTOWN – A member of the Jamestown city council has also announced that she will be resigning from her position, effective immediately.

According to recent reports, Ward 3 Republican Tamara Dickey said a new job that requires extensive travel will preventing her from fulfilling her obligation as an elected official on the city council. Dickey is one of two republican elected to the council during last year’s election – the other being Brent Sheldon (Ward 1).

Dickey’s replacement will be selected by Jamestown Mayor Sam Teresi. The appointment requirements include the individual must be a U.S. citizen who resides in Ward 3 who is 18 years or older and be in the same political party as Dickey, who is a registered Republican.

The mayor said he could name a replacement for Dickey after her official resignation date, which is Friday.

An Ariel view showing the Weitsman Scrap Metal business and its close proximity to residential housing as well as the Chadakoin River. The Outlet Ave. paper street, which was abandoned by the city Monday night, runs along the western edge of the business’s property, next to the Chadakoin River. (Image from Google Maps)

JAMESTOWN – Several residents from the north side of Jamestown are making their concerns known about the abandonment of a city street that would help in the expansion effort of a local scrap metal business.

On Monday night, the Jamestown City Council held a public hearing on the abandonment of city-owned property known as Outlet Ave., a paper street located between Eight Street and Isabella Ave and which is located next to the Chadakoin River. The abandonment was being considered in order to accommodate an expansion effort by the Upstate Shredding – Ben Weitsman Company.

More than half a dozen city residents spoke during the hearing, most expressing concerns they had regarding the noise that comes from the building, along with the impact the business could have on public health and the environment. However, city planning director William Price also spoke, explaining that the abandonment of the property would actually help in the remediation of some of those issues.

Following the hearing, the council voted 7 to 2 in favor of abandoning the street. Both Tamara Dickey – who represents Ward III where the property is located – along with councilman at large George Spitale voting against the measure.

Local resident Rhonda Swanson told WRFA following the meeting that she was disappointed with the vote and that she and the other residents will continue to monitor the business.

“[We’re] very disappointed of course,” Swanson explained. “It’s not something we expected but we should have been here last year, we could have probably turned things around. I wasn’t aware of how quickly things were moving. But I’m here now and my neighborhood is here now and we are on the record as opposing this and we’ll see what happens. Hopefully we are proven wrong. That would be the best outcome possible.”

City Council president Greg Rabb said that he understands the concerns from the residents, but feels the business is an asset for the city, adding that he’s hopeful it will do what it can to alleviate any concerns brought forward by residents…

“We’ve got growth next to residents and I think the residents are somewhat  frustrated because they felt they haven’t been heard,” Rabb said. “I do feel and sympathize with them. I would ask Weitsman again, let’s have a neighborhood meeting. Let’s bring the neighborhood down to the facility – let [the business] hear what we just heard tonight and let’s talk about how we can have both, we can have a neighborhood get better… and we have a business that is trying to grow.”

The Weistman scrap metal business has seen an increase in business the past couple of years, as more and more people are turning in scrap metal for cash. As a result, the company – located on W. 8th Street – plans to install an automated shredding machine to handle the increased volume coming into the facility. City officials says the street abandonment is necessary to accommodate the expansion.

Jamestown City Council President Gregory Rabb

JAMESTOWN – City Councilman Greg Rabb (At Large) will continue to serve as the president of the Jamestown City Council. That after city officials braved the cold weather Monday night to attend the swearing in ceremony of the new council as well as vote on the council president for the new term.

Rabb said that there are a few things he plans to focus on during his latest term on the council.

“My list is always finding ways to increase revenues and hold down costs,” Rabb explained. “My second priority is continuing to work with the Jamestown Renaissance Corporation. I’m on their board. We’ve been doing some good work downtown by now its come to the point where we need to attract some new businesses. We have the hotel project which is critical downtown. And of course my third priority, and I don’t know if this is necessarily in order, is the neighborhood projects through the Jamestown Renaissance Corporation.”

This is Rabb’s fourth term on the council. He has served as council president since first being elected to office.  In addition to voting on the council president, two new council members were also sworn into office. They were Brent Sheldon, R-Ward 1, and Tamara Dickey, R-Ward 3.

Lawmakers will act on several measures, including a request to state officials allowing the city to establish an administrative tribunal to deal with parking infractions in the city. The request has been discussed throughout the year, and if approved by state lawmakers, would lighten to case load for the city courts by no longer having it deal with contested parking tickets.

Another item that may be considered tonight is the city requesting financial and operating assistance from the state. Earlier this year, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that the state would establish a Financial Restructuring Board for Local Governments. The board would provide recommendations for any municipality that requests help in finding ways to eliminate or reduce operating costs. Jamestown Mayor Sam Teresi calls it a no-strings-attached approach to having the state assist local governments. There is no local cost associated with the board and if the state gives the city permission, the board would make recommendations that the city is not required to follow.

If recommendations made by the board are accepted, up to $5 million per municipality will also be available. The board may also serve, upon joint request from a local government and municipal union, as an alternative binding arbitration panel.

Along with several other items on the agenda, tonight’s meeting will also be the final for two out going council members. Both Ward 1 councilman Stephen Szwejbka and Ward 3 councilman Michael Taylor will not be serving on the council in the new year as neither ran for reelection in November.  Starting in January, Brent Sheldon will be the new councilman for Ward 1 and Tamara Dickey will be the new councilwoman for Ward 3.

Tonight’s meeting begins at 7:30 p.m. and is open to the public.

Tamara Dickey

JAMESTOWN – Two new Republicans will be added to the Jamestown City Council in January, increasing the overall number to four.

On Friday, Absentee and affidavit ballots were counted for the final time in the race for the city council’s Ward 3 race. After the final tally, it was found that Republican Tamara Dickey collected 233 votes, which was 6 more than her opponent, Democrat Regina Brackman.  They two were running for the open seat currently held by democrat Michael Taylor.

The final result means Dickey will join Republican newcomer Brent Sheldon of Ward 1 on the City Council. Sheldon defeated democrat Tara Hall for the open Ward 1 seat currently held by Steve Szewjbka, an independent who did not seek re-eleciton.

There are two other Republicans on the council as well. They are Tony Dolce of Ward 2 and at-large council member Kim Ecklund. Both ran unopposed in this year’s election.

The five democrats on the council are Gregory Rabb – At-Large; Marie Carrubba – Ward IV; Maria Jones  – Ward V; Paul Whitford  – Ward VI; and George Spitale – At-Large. Of the five, only Carrubba ran opposed. She defeated Republican candidate Richard Elardo on election night.

As of Monday, Republican Tamara Dickey (left) leads Democrat Regina Brackman (right) by only four votes.

JAMESTOWN – After counting absentee and affidavit ballots for a city council election, the official outcome of the race has yet to be declared.

On Monday, members of the Chautauqua County Board of Elections hand counted absentee, affidavit and unscanned ballots for the Jamestown City Council Ward One and Ward Three races.

In the Ward One Race, it was confirmed that Republican Brent Sheldon defeated Democrat Tara Hall by a final tally of 356 to 344 – a margin of just 12 votes.

However, in the Ward Three Race, 14 ballots were objected to and set aside for three days.  The ballots will be counted again on Friday, barring any judicial action.  Currently in that race – following the counting of absentee and affidavit ballots – Republican Tamara Dickey leads Democrat Regina Brackman by just four votes – with a tally of 225-221.

The only other close race from Election night took place in the town of Gerry Highway Superintendent Race. There, Republican Brian Anderson, the election night leader, has been declared the unofficial winner over incumbent Highway Superintendent Mark Risley. The final vote tally was 331-308.

In the Ward One race on election night, Republican Brent Sheldon held a double-digit lead over Democrat Tara Hall. The Ward Three race was much closer, with Republican Tamara Dickey holding just a three-vote lead over Democrat Regina Brackman.

Election officials say there were a total of three General Elections within the margin of any outstanding absentee and/or affidavit ballots deciding the winner. The third race involved Gerry Highway Superintendent. Board of election officials will open the ballot for that race at 3 p.m. this afternoon.

Barring any court action, an unofficial winner will be declared and the Board of Elections will then proceed to its certification process of declaring an official winner.

Results will be added to the totals and posted on www.votechautauqua.com.