Jamestown City Council member-at-large Jeff Russell is looking at ways to increase fines for those who set off illegal fireworks in the city. Russell said he had met with Police Chief Tim Jackson and discussed items such as doubling the fines as well as changing the city statute to mirror state penal law to include possession of illegal fireworks, “Cause what the issue is now, when officers respond to some of these calls and often the officers get there and fireworks are over, but people could still be in possession of them. If there was a street check done by an officer and someone was found in possession of them then they could be charged either under the local law if that language was changed or the New York State penal law.”
Russell also asked the Police Chief to request officers be vigilant to remind parents that if children are around while setting off illegal fireworks that they could be charged with endangering the welfare of a child.
City Corporation Counsel Elliot Raimondo emphasized that the fireworks being sold in the city limits are legal items, such as sparkling devices, and that the fireworks causing the issues are coming from Pennsylvania and Ohio.
Jamestown City Council will vote next week on a shared services agreement between the City and County Sheriff’s Office to move the Fire Department to a new reporting system. The fire reporting and management software under the County E-9-1-1 and emergency management comes at a cost of $154-thousand-675 dollars.
Officials say the new software is needed due to State requirements that all fire departments meet national reporting standards as set forth by the United States Fire Administration. The current software used by the Jamestown Fire Department does not meet these standards.
Jamestown City Council also heard a presentation on syringe drop kiosks from Prevention Works-Hope Chautauqua. Outreach Specialist Keri Huels said the kiosk systems are free and New York State would pay for a year of syringe removal. She had toured several park facilities, including the Riverwalk, with Parks Manager Dan Stone to determine possible kiosk locations.
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