The Jamestown City Council has approved an ordinance as part of an effort to curtail the feral and stray cat population.

The council on Monday approved the ordinance to create a trap, neuter, vaccinate and return program in cooperation with the Chautauqua County Humane Society. The council also approved a resolution to fund $5,000 to the Humane Society to create the new community cats program.

Earlier this month, Kellie Roberts, Chautauqua County Humane Society’s executive director, discussed the two-year pilot program that will help people who want to assist stray cats in their community. She said it’s unknown how many cats will be treated. She added Operation Pets in Buffalo will perform the spay and neutering, which is cheaper than doing it in-house at the Humane Society.

Roberts said anyone who has a community cat they would like to have participate in the program can bring the feline to the Humane Society, located at 2825 Struck Road, Jamestown. Humane Society officials will then transport the cat to Buffalo.

In other business:

¯ The council approved a resolution to send home rule legislation to state Sen. George Borrello, R-Sunset Bay, and Assemblyman Andy Goodell, R-Jamestown, for a speed camera program in school zones. Jamestown officials would like to hire Sensys Gatso to place speed cameras in the areas around Jamestown’s nine schools since approving a resolution to hire them in November 2020. Sensys Gatso would receive $18 for each ticket while the city would receive $32.

To operate the program, however, the state Legislature must give its approval.

The home rule legislation has been introduced by Borrello and Goodell before. In 2021, the legislation didn’t make it out of committee.

¯ The council approved two resolutions to use American Rescue Plan Act funds to purchase 75 new service duty pistols for $9,643 and $40,000 to purchase mobile data terminals for 12 police vehicles.