Jamestown City Council approves routine resolutions including trainings, appointment and SEQR negative declaration

Jamestown — The Jamestown City Council on an evening meeting approved a set of routine resolutions authorizing employee training, a professional appointment and a State Environmental Quality Review (SEQR) negative declaration for a targeted infill development.

Council members approved travel and training authorizations, including a group of Jamestown Police Department personnel to attend the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services Public Safety Symposium and a public works staff member to attend an October training. The council also recorded a resolution issuing a SEQR negative declaration for a proposed targeted infill development and approved an appointment to city office.

The actions are procedural but enable city staff training and advance a proposed infill project through the state environmental review process. Several items were introduced by the finance and public safety committees and received little extended debate during the meeting.

On the floor, the clerk called the roll for multiple items and members recorded “aye” votes. The council approved: payment of regular line items; authorization for Deputy Chief Scott Forrester, GIM coordinator Sydney Robinson, crime analyst Holly Kada and one additional officer to attend the NYS Division of Criminal Justice Services Public Safety Symposium (scheduled September 15–18, 2025); authorization for Margaret Zurich Jr. to attend the Nikon Public Works Training School in October 2025; a SEQR negative declaration for a proposed targeted infill development and the appointment of Heather DeJesus to a city position. Recorded roll-call affirmations during those votes included Council members Sheldon, Brackman, Panerdini, Ron Figlio, Vanessa and President Wilson, among others.

Votes at a glance

- Resolution authorizing payment of regular line items — outcome: approved (roll call: Sheldon, Brackman, Panerdini, Ron Figlio, Vanessa, President Wilson, recorded as “aye”).

- Resolution authorizing attendance at the NYS Division of Criminal Justice Services Public Safety Symposium (Sept. 15–18, 2025) for Deputy Chief Scott Forrester, GIM coordinator Sydney Robinson, crime analyst Holly Kada and one additional officer — outcome: approved (roll call includes Councilman Sheldon, Brackman, Kyle Dimini, Reynolds, Faulkner, Octavio, Deversa, Russell, President Wilson; recorded as “aye”).

- Resolution authorizing Margaret Zurich Jr. to attend the Nikon Public Works Training School (October 2025) — outcome: approved (roll call includes Sheldon, Brackman, Paul Kern, Russell; recorded as “aye”).

- Resolution issuing a negative declaration under SEQR for the proposed targeted infill development and authorizing filing with the state — outcome: approved (roll call recorded as “aye” by multiple members including Rackman [sic], Reynolds, Matt Fidio, Versailles, Russell, President Wilson).

- Resolution appointing Heather DeJesus — outcome: approved (roll call recorded as “aye”).

Most of the items were introduced by committee chairs and carried with unanimous or near-unanimous voice/roll-call affirmation. Council members asked few substantive questions on the floor; where questions were raised they were limited to clarification about previous contracting agents and design for a building tied to other resolutions.

The council also previewed other items on the agenda, including an ordinance establishing pilot residential districts on publicly owned properties and zoning-map amendments contingent on completion of a Local Waterfront Revitalization Program consistency review; those items were introduced and had support from the plan commission but were not the subject of extended debate during this session.

The actions will permit the named trainings to proceed and clear the targeted infill proposal to the next administrative filing step.