Jamestown City Council voting session (July 31, 2023)
A new Communications Coordinator has been contracted with for the city of Jamestown.
City Council approved a two-year contract with Stephen Neilans of Ashville, New York as part of the $150,000 Federal Communications Commission Affordable Connectivity Program Outreach grant.
Mayor Eddie Sundquist said Neilans will be both a Digital Equity Coordinator and Communications Coordinator, “So, same role but there are two roles. One, to be able to expand broadband access across the city using the Affordable Connectivity Program and, two, to help streamline communications across all of our city departments, really like a Public Information Officer for the city.”
Sundquist said Neilans previously did public relations work for the National Comedy Center and more recently for a PR group in New York City.
The FCC grant also will cover the cost of materials to advertise the Affordable Connectivity Program, which provides a discount on Internet every month to eligible households. It will also cover the cost of tablets that are part of the program. The two-year grant and contract will run June 30, 2023 through June 30, 2025.
Council also approved purchasing a second ambulance in the amount of $217,741 for the Jamestown Fire Department as well as using grant funds to purchase 40 portable radios and 72 rope bailout systems for the department.
Under new business, Council approved a Consolidated Funding Application requesting $50,000 in Non-Agriculture Nonpoint Source Planning Grant funding to do a master plan for the Chadakoin River.
Director of Development Crystal Surdyk said the city is working with the Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy on the application as a follow-up to work being done on the river that includes bank stabilization, river clean-up, and more, “So, this would really develop a master plan for the entirety of the river within the city of Jamestown borders to kind of continue all those efforts and puts together a master plan that prioritizes where those efforts need to continue and where the most important areas for intervention are.
Surdyk said there isn’t currently a master plan for the Chadakoin.
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