NWS previews Winter storm, and big temperature drop later in week...
A major winter storm is forecast for the Eastern U.S. over Christmas... and the Jamestown area will see a number of potential hazzards. Meteorologist Phillilp Pandolfo at the National Weather Service in Buffalo says a big drop in temperatures will be the first step on Friday when a large cold front moves in. Pandolfo says highs will drop from the 40's on Friday to the single digits on Saturday, creating the potential for icy conditions in a 'flash freeze' and then some snow. He says that gusty winds up to 40 mph or more, could also be a factor heading into the weekend.
City council approves local laws for video conferencing and new ward boundary lines...
City lawmakers in Jamestown have approved two local laws... one setting new ward boundary lines... and the other allowing all city-related meetings to be video conferenced. The City Council approved both measures at last night's voting session 9-0. Council President Tony Dolce says the Redistricting panel tried to make as few changes as possible from the current maps. Dolce, who represents the second-ward, noted a conversation he had with first-ward Councilman Brent Sheldon, joking about him giving Sheldon "back" two streets that were put into the second-ward 10 years ago. Dolce says the video conferencing law allows city government meetings to be live-streamed... something New York state allowed during the COVID-19 Pandemic. He says the local law "codifies" what the city has been doing since that time. Mayor Eddie Sundquist will hold a public hearing on both local laws a week from this Wednesday... on Dec. 28. The law regarding video conferencing will be held in council chambers at 4:45 p.m., and the one regarding redistricting will take place at 5 p.m.
City lawmakers approve Maycock as Acting Comptroller...
The city of Jamestown is losing it's second comptroller within just a few months. The city council last night approved the mayor's appointment of Deputy Comptroller Catie Maycock as Jamestown's Acting Comptroller with John Sellstrom leaving the position. Mayor Eddie Sundquist says Maycock now has the public and private sector experience to handle the post temporarily. Sundquist says she came to city government from the private sector just over three months ago... and, will help with the transition to a new tax year in 2023. Maycock is not able to fill the City Comptroller's position full-time because she's not a city resident. Sellstrom had been Financial Advisor for the Jamestown Urban Renewal Agency when he was brought on to replace Ryan Thompson... who left about mid-year for a position in the private sector.
Salary Review Commission recommends increases for both mayor and city council positions in Jamestown...
The Jamestown City Council will consider a local law in early 2023 that would increase the mayor's and council salaries at the beginning of the next term. During last week's work session... Salary Review Commission members Tage Hall and Patrick Smeraldo presented their recommendations... and, background on how they got there. Hall, who served as chairman, says panel members agreed unanimously to the increases they came up with... noting that they are sensitive "to the fact that raising salaries is never really popular..." but, some kind of increase is "long overdue." Those increases would take the mayor's salary from $72,000 a year to a range of $80,000 to $90,000 a year. Members said the Council President's salary would go from $6,000 to $9,000... and, individual council members would increase from $5,000 to $7,500.
NYS Climate Action Scoping Plan approved by climate council....
New York's Climate Action Council has approved the state's final scoping plan... which leaders say creates a "roadmap" to meet climate leadership and Community Protection Act requirements. Co-Chairmen, Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Basil Seggos and New York State Energy Research and Development Authority President and CEO Doreen Harris, Monday announced the panel approved the document, 19-3. They say the document... which was developed through hearings the past three-years... outlines recommended policies and actions to help meet the goals and requirements of the nation-leading Climate Act. The co-chairs say the scoping plan is now available to the public... and, will be submitted to the Governor and the state legislature by next Jan. 1. Local State Senator George Borrello blasted the move... saying the state "has taken another step away from the affordable and reliable sources of energy that power homes, businesses and automobiles across our state and towards an energy future clouded by unknown costs and questionable benefits."
Wendel says Ferrero Group talked a lot about "prospects for expansion" in acquiring Wells Enterprises...
What does the recent announcement of the Ferrero Group's acquisition of Wells Enterprises mean for the city of Dunkirk and Chautauqua County? County Executive P.J. Wendel says county officials reached out to company officials recently to get more information about the acquisition... and, had a meeting just last week with them, and officials from U.S. Senator Charles Schumer's Office. Wendel also indicated that a future expansion of the plant is not being ruled out... and, says Ferrero kept reiterating there were "prospects for expansion." The Ferrero Group's acquistion was announced late this Fall. Back in July... Wells Enterprises announced a scaling-back operations at the Dunkirk facility in 2023. The announcement statef that the plan would have five production lines in operation next year. At that time... Wendel said he would be reaching out to company officials in Iowa to see how the county can assist.
