The Jamestown Local Development Corporation met Wednesday to approve the distribution of American Rescue Plan Act funding previously allocated by the City Council. Pictured, from left, are City Council President Anthony Dolce, R-Ward II, councilman Jeff Russell, R-At Large, the Rev. Luke Fodor and ARPA grant manager Tim Odell. Screenshot by Timothy Frudd

The Jamestown Local Development Corporation approved the distribution of funding for three American Rescue Plan Act programs this week.

During Wednesday’s meeting, Mayor Eddie Sundquist introduced Tim Odell as the new ARPA grant manager.

Odell recently graduated with a degree in urban planning from the University at Buffalo. Prior to being hired by the city of Jamestown, Odell worked with Chautauqua County’s planning department.

“I hope to make a very positive impact on the Jamestown community,” he said.

Odell provided the JLDC with an overview of the Business Building and Infrastructure Improvement program, which previously received $1.5 million in allocated funding from the City Council.

“This is essentially our program that is helping local businesses here in Jamestown get infrastructural repairs,” he said.

Odell said the program will not only help local businesses thrive, but will also provide safer working conditions for employees, attract visitors to the area and improve the city’s economy. He added that the grant funding will provide noticeable improvements in the community.

“Projects will improve day-to-day operations, which will help businesses provide better services,” he said. “The improvement of infrastructure is going to free up a lot of cap space for businesses that they would have to purchase on their own.”

Mayor Eddie Sundquist said the city received 17 applications for the program and his administration recommended 10 applications be approved, since the total amount of requests the city received was roughly $2.6 million, exceeding the $1.5 million limitation of the program.

“They’ll be getting just a little bit less than what they requested so that we can hit that $1.5 million mark without going over and make it equitable across the board for all those getting awarded,” Crystal Surdyk, director of development, said.

Each of the businesses awarded through the program are required to match at least 25% of the project cost and are limited to under $200,000 in funding from the city. Sundquist explained any application exceeding $100,000 would be sent to the City Council for final approval.

The JLDC unanimously approved the 10 applications, allowing the city to move forward with the distribution of ARPA funding for projects under $100,000 and sending projects over $100,000 to the City Council for ratification. Funding is expected to be distributed starting Nov. 1.

Odell also shared details regarding the Information Technology Upgrades program.

“Essentially what we are doing is helping businesses fund their IT programs,” he said. “Their new software will help them provide better services, which means they’ll get more customers, they’ll get greater revenue and it will help the city grow in the downtown area.”

Sundquist said the funding requested totaled $300,000, with grant application awards proposed for seven local businesses. The JLDC unanimously approved the distribution of funds for the program.

The final ARPA program funding distribution discussed at the JLDC’s meeting was the Downtown Business Evolution program.

“This focuses to help businesses come up with a new business strategy that is fresh and new,” Odell said. “This will help attract people back to the downtown but add some more versatility to the businesses.”

The Downtown Business Evolution program was allocated $200,000 in ARPA funding. After receiving 11 applications totaling $165,000, the program still has funding left over. JLDC unanimously approved the distribution of funding to the 11 applicants.