The Dow Street Substation that is located along the border of the city in the town of Ellicott and in the village of Falconer. P-J photo by Dennis Phillips

The Jamestown City Council has approved a resolution stating the annexation of the Jamestown Board of Public Utilities Dow Street substation is in the best interest of the public, again.

On Monday, the council approved the resolution for the second time in less than three years. In 2017 during the city’s first annexation attempt, the council approved a resolution stating that the annexation was in the best interest of the public while the town of Ellicott and village of Falconer voted that it wasn’t. The disagreement on annexation led to the Fourth Department Appellate Division Court ruling on the case. In August 2019, the Appellate Division Court dismissed the city’s annexation petition on a technicality, stating that the city’s original proceeding was untimely.

Prior to the annexation vote during Monday’s meeting, Eddie Sundquist, Jamestown mayor, and Anthony Dolce, council president, said there have been meetings between city officials and town of Ellicott, village of Falconer and Falconer Central Schools officials in order to reach an agreement that would benefit all municipalities. Sundquist said, however, on the eve of the latest scheduled meeting, officials from Ellicott, Falconer and FCS canceled and stated they no longer wish to negotiate.

Sundquist said he believes there is a “middle ground” for all municipalities. The new mayor is willing, ready and able to met with Ellicott, Falconer and school officials again if they select to restart negotiations. He added that he hopes that officials from the three entities opposing the annexation will rethink their position and restart negotiations with city officials.

Dolce said during the negotiation meetings several offers were made, which included a partial annexation or a phased in annexation.

“We offered several proposals,” he said.

Dolce said city officials could have voted on approving a resolution stating the annexation is in the best interest of the public before Monday’s meeting. However, he was willing to give negotiations with Ellicott, Falconer and FCS officials a chance first. But with the cancellation of the last negotiations meeting, he said it was time for the council to vote on the annexation resolution.

“Since they decided to end discussions, it’s no longer a time to wait,” Dolce said.

The vote by the council was 7-2, with two new members, Grant Olson, Ward 5 councilman, and Jeff Russell, At-Large councilman, voting against the annexation proposal. Prior to the vote, Olson stated that he feels the previous administration pushed through the annexation even before he became a member of the council Jan. 1.

On December 30, 2019, a public hearing on the annexation was held. Also, in November the former council approved initial resolutions for the annexation dealing with the State Environmental Quality Review and calling for the public hearing to be held involving the entities in the process.

No officials from Ellicott, Falconer or FCS attended Monday’s council meeting. In November, former Falconer Village Mayor James Rensel; new Falconer Mayor James Jaroszynski; Ellicott Town Supervisor Pat McLaughlin; Ellicott Town Councilman Daniel Heitzenrater; Falconer Central Schools Superintendent Stephen Penhollow; and Falconer Central Schools Board of Education President Todd Beckerink all spoke against the annexation.

The first attempt at the annexation was originally started in January 2017. BPU officials have publicly stated that they are looking to save money in property tax payments being made to four entities for the Dow Street substation. The BPU’s property tax payment to each of the four entities includes $153,262 to the Falconer Central School District; $73,305 to Chautauqua County; $72,641 to the village of Falconer and $34,681 to the town of Ellicott, which is a total of $333,889.

If the annexation is approved, the city of Jamestown and Jamestown Public School District each would start to receive an additional tax equivalency payment of around $78,600 a year from the BPU, which totals $157,200. The BPU would save around $177,000 a year if the annexation was approved.

In other business, the council approved entering into an agreement with DFT Communications for the purchase of eight PTZ security cameras and two Cisco switches in the amount of $47,899.

In January, Harry Snellings, Jamestown Police Department chief and city public safety director, discussed the installation of new security cameras downtown with the council. He said two cameras — located at Second and Washington streets and Third and Washington streets — are more than 10 years old and will be replaced. He also said four cameras will be installed at new locations. The proposed locations include Eighth and Washington streets, Third and North Main streets, Second and Buffalo streets, and Forest and Newland avenues.

The council also approved a resolution to authorize the comptroller to decrease the contingency account by $24,000. The remaining amount of money for the new cameras, $23,899, will be paid for using local drug seizure proceeds.

The council also approve a resolution to loan Dave Warren of Warren Property Holdings, located at 1001 Washington St. and 2001 Washington St., a $350,000 loan. According to the resolution, the Jamestown Local Development Corporation board met Feb. 18 to give preliminary approval for the $350,000 loan at 5.5% rate of interest for 10 years. Warren has applied for the loan from the JLDC as part of a$1.75 million buyout of out-of-state partners involving the purchasing of real estate at 1001 Washington St. and 2001 Washington St., which is where Dave Warren Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram is located.