DeMarte makes presentation, asks for City Council support for revised JCC/YMCA Wellness Center project...
The Jamestown City Council will vote later this month to support Jamestown Community College's effort to get it's part of a $45-million capital project with the YMCA included in the state's 2026-27 budget. JCC President Daniel DeMarte went before lawmakers at Monday night's work session to detail the plans... which have been agreed to by the Chautauqua County Legislature. DeMarte says Phase-One -- the main one for the college -- is developing two new turf fields. He says the YMCA will continue it's fund-raising process for their part of the project. Dr. DeMarte says... if the State University of New York approves it's approximately $6-million part of the project... they hope to have the fields ready by next Fall. As for the Jamestown YMCA... DeMarte says it's still fund-raising for a new 70,000 square foot facility next to the current JCC Physical Education Complex. He says renovations to the JCC complex would await the conclusion of that fund-raising effort. JCC will be making renovations to it's facility... and, both would be connected. The City Council would have to act on the resolution because... while the city would not be funding any part of the project... it's still a sponsor of the college and needs to sign-off.
Common Council approves 2026 Dunkirk budget with some changes...
Dunkirk city lawmakers have adopted a budget for 2026 that makes some changes to the one proposed by Mayor Kate Wdowiasz... but, it stays within the state's 2% property tax cap. The Common Council Tuesday voted 3-2 in favor of the revised budget, which does not change the Mayor's proposed 67-cent-per-$1,000 property tax hike. Councilman at Large Nick Weiser says most of the council's adjustments were done to align with guidance provided by the State Comptroller's Office. Weiser noted that the council has found more than $335,000 in additional revenue in the city's General Fund. He says that will help boost their contingency fund to just over $550,000. Weiser says the changes include "fringe" numbers related to personnel services and the elimination of proposed raises for many department heads. He adds that council members were able to create more "headroom" by paying for the city's new computer software this year... saving about $150,000. The council also approved a pair of resolutions to consolidate the city's Garage and Refuse Fund, and its Boardwalk Fund into the General Fund, beginning next Jan. 1. Second Ward Councilwoman Abby Zatorski and Fourth Ward Councilwoman Nancy Nichols voted against the revised budget.
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Mayor Wdowiasz has 10 days to decide whether she will veto some or all of the council's proposed changes, which she had just learned about earlier in the day. Wdowiasz says she will do a full analysis before making a decision on whether to veto anything. She says that's why the panel's next meeting will be held on Dec. 15 -- the day a final budget is due. The proposed budget contains a property tax rate of $34.69 per $1,000.
With Cyber Monday having come and gone... BBB official says still be wary of on-line shopping scams...
Shoppers scoured for deals everything from electronics to clothing on Cyber Monday, delivering strong sales for on-line retailers and capping a five-day spending spree that kicked off on Thanksgiving. However... and, official with the Better Business Bureau of Upstate New York reminds people to be wary of scams. Adobe Analytics reported that as of 6:30 p.m. Monday... U.S. consumers had already spent $9.1 billion online for Cyber Monday. That's up 4.5% from the same day a year ago. The BBB's Kat Schmeider says you should pay with a credit card if you can... because they have policies in place... most credit card companies have policies that protect you in case you believer you've been scammed. Adobe Analytics expects that when the final tally is in, consumers will spend between $13.9 billion and $14.2 billion for the day, making Cyber Monday the biggest online shopping day of the year - and of all time.
City man arrested for violating "stay-away" order after being convicted of doing it previously...
A man from Jamestown previous convicted of violating a stay-away order of protection has been arrested again for the same offense. City police were called to a westside address about 11 a.m. last Saturday for a reported domestic incident. Officers say they found 50 year-old Robert Brown near the residence... and, further investigation revealed the order of protection. Police also found that Brown had been convicted of first-degree criminal contempt within the past five years... making this a Felony charge. He was taken into custody for Felony first-degree criminal contempt... and, was taken to the city jail pending arraignment.
Disorderly man arrested for fourth-time at UPMC Chautauqua Hospital...
A man from Jamestown has been arrested for a fourth-time after becoming disorderly and refusing to leave UPMC Chautauqua Hospital early Tuesday morning. City police say they were called to the Foote Avenue location shortly before 6 a.m. for an "unwanted person." Officers say they made contact with 34 year-old Gabriel Specht... who was refusing to leave the hospital, and threatening staff members. They say Specht failed to obey officers commands to leave the property... and, they assisted him off the hospital bed he was on. Police say he then tried to kick an officer... and, he was quickly arrested for second-degree obstruction... and, jailed pending arraignment.
