Jamestown City Council voting session (December 18, 2023)
Jamestown City Council approved several amendments to the 2024 budget, including fixing a $1.59 million hole in the CHIPS line.
City Council Finance Chair and Mayor-Elect Kim Ecklund said there were three budget amendments approved, “Some of the other movement that we feel we’re probably short in is retirement and health insurance. We’re going to address that after the first of the year. So, the main goal to get the tax bills, the tax levy, was to address the $1.59 million (gap) in CHIPS which we knew was very accurate and very real.”
Council filled the gap through several cuts including eliminating the $500,000 budgeted for housing demolitions, the $150,000 budgeted for a sidewalk repair program, and reducing the Public Works’ capital line by $200,000 which will mean less equipment purchases in 2024 for that department. $504,000 will be used from the general fund balance as well.
Former Comptroller Joe Bellitto found the issue with the Consolidated Highway Improvement Program (CHIPS) budget line in a review of the 2023 and 2024 budgets. In a report to the city, he cited a possible $2.5 million shortfall in the coming year’s budget.
Council also cut a Parks Administrative position that had been added to the department in 2023, but the position was never filled. Between a $12,000 cut that happened during the budget vote on November 27 and the $28,000 cut Monday night, the total savings is $40,000.
Ecklund said unrelated to the city budget, numbers received from Chautauqua County indicate a $0.34 increase in the county tax rate for the city of Jamestown which she believes is due to equalization rate, “And to be honest with you, I called the County Executive before we came in here because this was all eleventh hour today, as you know, trying to get this done. And he is going to work with Joe Bellitto and address that first thing in the morning.”
This statue honors the anonymous fugitives who touched Jamestown in the pursuit of freedom along the underground railroad.
Another item under new business approved by council was the allocation of $30,000 to the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation for a replacement statue at the Underground Railroad Tableau in Dow Park.
The statue that honored fugitives went missing in May 2021. Council member Bill Reynolds said the estimated cost to replace it is $90,000 to $100,000. The funding from the city will come from the Earnings and Investments revenue line, which has come in $372,661 higher than budgeted.
Council also approved the purchase of splash pad equipment for Jackson-Taylor Park at a cost of $169,676. American Rescue Plan funds are being used for the purchase. The project had been previously approved by Council. Council members Bill Reynolds and Randy Daversa both voted no, with the resolution passing 6 to 2. Council member at Large Jeff Russell was absent at Monday’s voting session.
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