From left Marie Carrubba, Ward 4 councilwoman, and Matthew Coon, Jamestown Fire Department deputy fire chief, looking at one of the new pumper fire trucks Monday. During the Jamestown City Council meeting Monday, Coon discussed new software the fire department needs for its annual reporting. P-J photo by Dennis Phillips

An upgrade in how the Jamestown Fire Department handles its annual reporting could be happening this year.

On Monday during a Jamestown City Council work session meeting, Matthew Coon, Jamestown Fire Department deputy fire chief, presented a report on a new software program for the department. He said the department still does their annual reporting on paper. He added that department officials are looking to upgrade to a digital solution.

Coon said they are looking at New World software, which is the same software program the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office uses. Sheriff James Quattrone and Capt. Rich Telford of the Sheriff’s Office attended the meeting to answer any questions members of the council had about the software. Telford said the Sheriff’s Office has been using the software program between 30-35 years and every law enforcement agency in the county, except the state police, uses New World.

Coon said the software is a legacy program and won’t be obsolete in a year or two.

“This provides us with interoperability with the County 911 system the CAD software the dispatchers use,” Coon said. “It’ll also be a little bit interoperable with the law enforcement portion of it. So as far as our fire investigations go, our actual fire reporting and doing our electronic patient care reports will be convenient to that as well.”

Coon said the fire department’s records would be located at the Sheriff’s Office. He said fire department officials, even though they use the same software program as the Sheriff’s Office, wouldn’t have access to law enforcement records.

In other business:

¯ The council’s Public Safety Committee approved the special event application for the Juneteenth celebration that will be held Saturday from 7 am. to 9 p.m. at Jackson-Taylor Park. This year’s Juneteenth Celebration is being dedicated to the late Councilwoman Vickye James.

According to a letter from Sundquist to the council’s Public Safety Committee, the mayor asked the committee to wave the special event permit fee. However, Brent Sheldon, Ward 1 councilman and Public Safety Committee chairman, said Grant Olson, Ward 5 councilman, has volunteered for his business, Axiom Office Imaging, to pay the special event permit fee.

“The city should accept Councilman Olson’s kind offer,” Sheldon said.

¯ The Public Safety Committee approved the parklet permit for, Margaret Kaltenmeier, Forte owner. The parklet will not be constructed on the parking spaces in front of the restaurant, located at 114 E. Third St., Jamestown. Instead the parklet will be located on the sidewalk in front of the establishment. Even though the parklet will be on the sidewalk, there will still be six feet of walking space for pedestrians. The minimum pedestrian space to receive a parklet permit is five feet.

Kaltenmeier said, once she has State Liquor Authority approval, it will take her four to six weeks to install the parklet. She also said the restaurant might return to normal restaurant operations in four weeks.

“Even if it’s at reduced capacity, we’ve been out of the practice for about year now, so we’re going to take it slow the first couple of weeks,” she said. “But this outside dining will almost increase our occupancy for diners by 50%.”

Jeff Russell, At-Large councilman, said he believes the additional outdoor seating at Forte is a great idea.

“It will be a nice touch for the downtown,” he said.

¯ The council also discussed the proposal from Kurt Johnson, Shawbucks owner, to purchase city property to construct a three-story deck for outdoor seating at his restaurant, located at 212 W. Second St., Jamestown.

According to a letter from Johnson to city officials, he would like to purchase 16 feet by 61 feet of city property along West Second Street for the proposed three-story deck. He said the deck would be used for additional outdoor seating for the restaurant and for when downtown events are being held. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, several block parties happened along West Second Street near the restaurant, like during the Lucille Ball Comedy Festival.

Johnson said he is planning to develop space inside the restaurant on the second floor for large parties, wedding receptions and for live entertainment. He is also planning to develop the third floor of the building for smaller gatherings like corporate meetings. He added with the outside deck and new developments inside the restaurant, he would be creating 15 additional jobs.

Tom Nelson, Ward 6 councilman, said he thinks the proposal is a great idea. Jeff Lehman, city public works director, said city staff is reviewing the proposal and he should have a report on the proposition at the council’s next work session meeting Monday, June 21.