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In Our Opinion

Brackman Has Earned Another Two Years In Ward 3

Voters in Jamestown’s Ward 3 have a choice between incumbent Democrat Regina Brackman and newcomer Seth States, the Republican candidate. States wants to increase housing demolitions, clean up condemned homes, and do more to market Jamestown as a place to open new businesses with plenty of community events for families. Brackman similarly wants to do more to improve housing, pointing to the need for more code enforcement staff in the city Development Department, saying the staffing issues for code enforcement are just as acute as staffing needs in the police and fire departments. ...

Statewide Proposition Has Environmental Backing

When considering the only New York state proposition on the ballot this year, we look to the conservation groups for the best answer. The proposal amends the State Constitution and permits new Nordic ski and biathlon trails in the North Country. Development there requires Constitutional permission because the facility is in the Adirondack forest preserve and part of an Olympic Sports Complex in North Elba near Lake Placid in Essex County. The project touches up to 323 acres and the facility covers 1,039 acres. It also requires 2,500 new acres being added to the forest preserve. The ...

Shared Superintendents Need To Be The Norm, Not The Exception

The rumors were flying fast and furious in advance of last week’s Bemus Point and Chautauqua Lake school board meetings taking place on opposite shores of Chautauqua Lake. Public meeting notices were pretty clear what would be taking place - one district’s superintendent was leaving, and the school boards were interested in a shared services agreement to share the position. But that didn’t stop the public rumor mill from running rampant that the districts were looking at a tuitioning agreement from Bemus Point to Chautauqua Lake or a complete merger of the districts. Of course, ...

Municipal Water Planning In South County Needs County’s Leadership

Southern Chautauqua County has been blessed not to have issues with dependable water like our counterparts in the north county - but that doesn’t mean all is perfect. Using wells and reservoirs mean times like the late summer and early fall drought that finally gave way to some rain this week can be a real pain if you live in a rural area that isn’t served by municipal water. That’s why towns like North Harmony periodically flirt with extending municipal water to populated areas like Ashville or why the town of Ellery is considering extending water service to Bemus Point and ...

Don’t Count On EMS Being A Big Boost For City Budget

Almost a year ago, we raised doubts about Jamestown’s EMS program meeting its projected revenue goals. It turns out those doubts were well-founded. Mayor Kim Ecklund’s 2026 budget proposal notes that the second city ambulance still isn’t reaching the original 2024 revenue projections. It’s the second year in a row that ambulance revenue has left a hole in the budget. Its late delivery in 2024 meant the city had no chance to meet ambulance revenue included in former Mayor Eddie Sundquist’s last budget. And, the same trends that led the village of Fredonia’s EMS system ...

Housing Help Shouldn’t Mean Lack Of Consequences

Falconer school officials are raising concerns over the effects housing the homeless at the Quality Inn is having on Falconer Elementary School and other school grounds. The complaints raised by Falconer school officials aren’t necessarily a “get off my lawn” moment. Having someone being housed with county taxpayer dollars near a school enter a school bus and threaten the bus driver with elementary-age school children on the bus simply can’t happen. Todd Beckerink, Falconer Central School safety officer, made note of countless instances of homeless individuals trespassing on ...