Jamestown council approves HUD plan, lifts hiring freezes and OKs street-reconstruction contracts

The Jamestown City Council took a series of administrative and budgetary actions, approving resolutions to submit federal housing plans, lift hiring freezes and award street-reconstruction contracts while discussing a local tax‑levy law for later consideration.

Councilwoman Sheldon introduced a resolution authorizing the mayor to submit the fiscal-year 2026 annual action plan, including specific CDBG and HOME activities, to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development; the clerk called the roll and members responded in the affirmative.

The council approved resolutions to lift the hiring freeze to permit recruitment for two positions vacated by retirement or transfer — a senior account clerk in finance and an account clerk in the clerk‑treasurer’s office. The clerk called the roll for these personnel items and members recorded affirmative votes.

Public Works items presented by Councilman Gonzales included: authorization to use a brick-pavement contract and a separate resolution to contract for brick-pavement relay and pavement work; and an authorization for street reconstruction work. The council authorized an agreement with a bidder listed in the packet as 's Havana construction company' for reconstruction on Barrow Street, Willow Street and Tlynn Alley for a total bid of $195,605, and another agreement with Esteban Construction Company Incorporated for reconstruction from Hall Avenue to Front Street to Palmer Street for $158,872.50. The first project was noted as funded through CHIPS funding; both were approved subject to corporation‑counsel review.

The council also approved a resolution authorizing the mayor or her authorized representative and the fire chief to enter affiliate agreements with Chautauqua County Emergency Medical Services and Jamestown Community College to place student emergency medical technicians in clinical experience slots, again subject to corporation‑counsel review.

Councilors moved to remove Local Law Number 2 of 2026 from the table. A council member explained the local law’s scope: it would allow the city the option to adopt a property-tax levy in excess of the limit established in General Municipal Law 3‑c, but the member stressed that the motion and law would not automatically increase taxes. “This only gives us the opportunity to do it if we have to,” the councilor said, adding that the administration would scrutinize the budget during budget season to avoid tax increases where possible. The transcript records discussion and explanation of the measure; no final adoption of that local law is recorded in the transcript.

Other administrative items included a resolution adopting a revised permit‑fee schedule for commercial roofing, effective June 1, 2026, and a resolution authorizing the director of public works to enter an undertaking agreement with the New York State Department of Transportation to continue permitting activities on state‑controlled right of way, both of which proceeded with roll-call affirmation and were presented as subject to corporation‑counsel approval.

Votes at a glance: HUD annual action plan — approved (roll call); lift hiring freezes for finance and clerk positions — approved (roll call); street-reconstruction contracts ($195,605 and $158,872.50) — approved (roll calls) and noted as subject to corporation-counsel review; affiliate EMS/EMT training agreements — approved (roll call); permit-fee schedule (commercial roofing) effective 06/01/2026 — approved; NYSDOT undertaking agreement — approved; Local Law No. 2 of 2026 — motion made to remove from the table and discussed; no final adoption recorded in the transcript.

The council proceeded to municipal announcements and adjourned the meeting’s business items.