Conversation for Jamestown’s city council is once again turning towards looking for an increase in state aid or AIM Funding.

On the agenda for Monday’s work session is a resolution requesting the state commit to sustaining the $50 million increase in unrestricted state aid that was seen in the 2024-2025 Adopted State Budget. For the past 15 years municipalities in the state have not seen an increase in this state aid, resulting in significant challenges to deliver essential services to residents. The $50 million increase in last year’s state budget was meant to help meet these challenges, and Monday’s resolution asks for the state to sustain this increase in the 2025-2026 state budget and beyond.

The resolution from the city also urges the state to develop a comprehensive, long-term strategy to ensure regular, predictable increases in financial support for municipalities, aligning with inflationary pressures and the growing needs of New York communities. Jamestown is one of many municipalities that are joining with the New York Conference of Mayors to call for an increase in state funding. It is also noted in the agenda that while supporting the resolution has no fiscal impact on the city, not supporting it may jeopardize the possibility of securing additional funding from the state. If the council approves the resolution, copies will then be sent to Governor Kathy Hochul, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stweart-Cousins, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, State Senator George Borrello, State Assemblyman Andrew Goodell, State Assemblyman Elect Andrew Molitor, and NYCOM.

Also on Monday’s agenda is a resolution for a project on the Culvert Replacement, Water Street over Minnow Creek, which is eligible for reimbursement from Bridge NY Funding. The resolution asks for $350,100 to be appropriated from the General Fund for the project in order to cover the cost of participation and that the city will be responsible for all costs, including those that exceed the amount able to be reimbursed by the state Bridge NY Funding.

Other resolutions for Monday’s work session include amendments to the Department of Development’s Annual Action Plan, the submission of the FY 2023 CAPER, and scoping evaluations of parking garages in the city.

The council’s Housing Committee meets at 6:30 p.m. in the police training room in city hall. The Finance Committee meets at 7 p.m. in the fourth floor mayor’s conference room, the Public Safety Committee meets in the police training room and the Public Works Committee meets in the Development Department conference room.