Boil Water Order issued in Fredonia after disruption at water treatment plant...
A new boil water order has been issued for customers of the village of Fredonia's water system due to a disruption at the water treatment plant. The Chautauqua County Health Department issued the order Tuesday morning for all village customers... and, properties outside the village limits that get their water from the Fredonia system. The Health Department says due to the disruption... the system's water could contain harmful microbes... and, boiling the water kills bacteria and other microbes that could be present. Officials say all Fredonia water customers must boil water used for drinking, cooking, making ice, brushing teeth and making coffee until further notice. Water must be brought to a rolling boil for one minute then cooled prior to use. They add that boiled or bottled water must be used to wash dishes by hand; dishes should be allowed to completely air dry after washing. Home dishwashers that reach a temperature of 170°F and have a full dry cycle can be used in place of boiled water. The water may be used for bathing as long as it is not consumed. The water is safe for laundry. For more information... residents can call the village office at 679-2307... or the county Health Department at (716) 753-4481. Once the treatment process has been fully restored to normal... the village will collect water samples on consecutive days to make sure the water is safe. Notifications and press releases will be used to inform the public when the boil water order is lifted.
Missing Frewsburg teen found safe...
A missing Frewsburg teenager reported missing in mid-November has now been located safe and sound. Sheriff's officers say 14 year-old Mhyah Goon had last been seen walking on Riverside Road about 9 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 16. Deputies say Goon... who has run away from home for extended periods in the past... was located late Tuesday morning at a Warren Road address.
Schmidt announces sentencing for Jamestown man convicted of Felony drug possession...
A city man will spend the next 10 years in state prison for his conviction on a third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance charge. Chautauqua County District Attorney Jason Schmidt says 60 year-old Kevin Raymond received the sentence... along with three years post-release supervision... Monday morning from County Court Judge David Foley. Schmidt says this past March... members of the Southern Tier Regional Drug Task Force executed a search warrant and arrested Raymond for second- and third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance... along with fourth-degree criminal possession of stolen property... and, second-degree criminal use of drug paraphernalia. He was later indicted by the grand jury for second-and-third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance. Last September... Raymond pleaded guilty to the third-degree criminal possession charge... and, was to receive 5-years in prison. However... while out of jail in October... he was again arrested for second and third-degree criminal possession... and, second-degree criminal possession of a weapon. Schmidt says that case is still pending.
City lawmakers receive final, 2024 third-party audit that shows spending outpaced revenues the past two years...
The city of Jamestown had to dip even more into it's "rainy day" fund in 2024 than had been budgeted... and, that leaves it short of minimum standards for the undesignated fund balance. That from third-party Auditor Carl Widmer from Drescher and Malacki of Orchard Park... who reported to City Council Monday night on Jamestown's final, 2024 audit. Widmer says the city had to dip further into it's "rainy day" monies to offset a $944,000 gap between revenues and spending. He says the adopted 2024 budget used $589,000 in undesignated fund balance towards spending... and, that left a gap of between $300,000 and $400,000. Widmer says that leaves the city with just under $5-million in it's fund balance... and, adds that leaves the city well under the amount of rainy day funding it should have, according to the Government Finance Officers Association's recommendation of having two months worth of operating budget available in reserve. He says the city is only at just under 11% of that amount... when it should be about 16.7%. Widmer also reminded lawmakers that they are using another $825,000 from undesignated fund balance for the current year's budget. Mayor Kim Ecklund recently announced news of a $1.3-million grant the city had received that will be put back into fund balance because that amount had been taken out of the fund balance previously.
City announces it's reached a new agreement for EMS with Alstar...
The city of Jamestown has announced it's finalized a new agreement with Alstar EMS to ensure "continuous emergency care" for local residents. Mayor Kim Ecklund says the agreement "continues a partnership that has supported Jamestown for decades." She adds that Alstar has been the City’s primary Emergency Medical Services Response Agency since 1988... and, provides ambulance transportation and on-scene medical care in close coordination with the Jamestown Police and Fire Departments. Ecklund says the agreement "keeps essential emergency medical services in place for Jamestown. Alstar has been a trusted partner for decades, and this agreement ensures these critical services continue without any cost to taxpayers and without interruption." She says Alstar EMS responds to more than 5,000 calls a year in Jamestown.
