Police, Fire Budgets On Council Agenda | News, Sports, Jobs | #citycouncil


Jamestown City Council members will discuss a local law authorizing videoconferencing for public meetings.

The council will meet Monday for a budget hearing, committee meetings and a work session. A budget presentation for the city police and fire departments will be held at 6:30 p.m. in the police training room, with council committee meetings following the presentation. The full work session is expected to begin at 7:30 p.m. in the police training room.

City officials are asking for the local law authorizing videoconferencing after using video during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to allowing additional public viewing of meetings, videoconferencing can provide another way for members of city boards and commissions to attend meetings.

“City staff has developed and implemented a videoconferencing process, due to the COVID pandemic, and has found that members of the public benefit from the continued availability of public meetings online,” the staff memorandum recommending the local law states.

In other business, the council is being asked to spend $52,534 from its contingency fund to buy a new fleet maintenance truck for the city Public Works Department. The new truck would replace one damaged in an accident on West Sixth and Murray streets on Oct. 26. According to a staff memo, there were no injuries in the accident but the city truck’s frame was damaged and couldn’t get into a body shop until January, which would leave the city without a vehicle for service field calls until at least then. Plus, the damaged vehicle was to replace a 20-year-old service truck that needs to be removed from service.

Other items on the council agenda have also come under scrutiny in recent weeks: a 19-a homeownership program, $1 million for the Chautauqua County Land Bank’s Post-Pandemic Housing Initiative, $750,000 for a Business Expansion and Building Acquisition program and $1,500,000 for a Non-Profit Assistance Program. Those programs are slated to be discussed by the Finance Committee. The status of the resolutions was the source of disagreement during the last council work session, with Tony Dolce, R-Ward 2 and council president, telling The Post-Journal recently he expects a resolution on the long-tabled items soon.

“Those four need to be vetted out a little further, but one way or the other, it’s something we’ll get done within the next few weeks,” he said.

Today’s breaking news and more in your inbox






Click Here For This Articles Original Source.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *