Jamestown City Council approves police contract, multiple bonds and contracts and names new city historian

Jamestown City Council on April 28 approved a tentative collective bargaining agreement with the Kendall Club police union covering Jan. 1, 2025, through Dec. 31, 2028, and voted to authorize several bond, contract and grant actions, council officials said during the regular session.

The council ratified the police labor agreement after several members recused themselves from the vote; the mayor and council also approved bonds and contracts for public‑works projects, a $350,000 local development loan, federal‑funded street‑safety consulting work, and equipment purchases funded by grants.

The police contract and other votes matter to Jamestown taxpayers and municipal operations: the contract sets terms for the city’s largest public‑safety bargaining unit; the bond and contract approvals fund infrastructure and public‑safety equipment; and the loan and grant awards affect local economic development and operating budgets.

The council meeting opened with a mayoral proclamation honoring Jamestown High School swimmer Connor Dean for state championships and records. Mayor Kimberly A. Eklund then presented a slate of appointments the council approved, including the confirmation of Mike Rowland as Jamestown city historian.

During the public‑comment period, resident Paul Wolf urged the council to “enact some sort of local ordinances that give our officers the ability to do their job” while complying with state and federal law. Wolf said the community should “empower our police force” and explore officer discretion and enforcement tools.

Key council actions and votes (summarized from the meeting record):

- Police collective bargaining agreement: The council…