Mayor Eddie Sundquist is looking to hire a new comptroller.

Ryan Thompson, the city’s current comptroller, was originally hired as deputy comptroller and then was selected to replace Joe Bellitto when Bellitto retired after 30 years in the office working for five different mayors.

Thompson has decided to take a position in the private sector.

In a related move, Sundquist is proposing to change a request for a project manager for federal stimulus money into a request for a deputy city comptroller. That position would be paid through American Rescue Plan Act Transparency and Tracking money.

“The city has been unable to find a project manager to assist in tracking American Rescue Plan Act projects,” a staff report included in the agenda packet for today’s City Council meeting states. “Upon consulting with the current comptroller, staff has decided that converting the Project Manager position to a Deputy Comptroller position will be more beneficial. This position will continue to be funded through ARPA.”

Resolutions for both positions will be discussed by the City Council during its meeting. Monday’s council work session and committee meetings will take place at Ring Elementary School starting with the Housing Committee at 6:30 p.m., followed by the Finance, Public Safety and Public Works committees at 7 p.m. and the work session at 7:30 p.m. The Housing and Public Safety committees as well as the full council will meet in the school auditorium while the Finance Committee will meet in the school library and the Public Works Committee will meet in the school faculty room. Today’s meeting will be the first in a series of meetings held at sites around the city as part of a desire from Tony Dolce, R-Ward 2 and council president, to host meetings throughout the city rather than simply at City Hall.

The council is also being asked to approve $4,902 for a citywide alert system. Sundquist discussed the proposal last week after Marie Carrubba, D-Ward 4, said the city needs to do a better job alerting people when streets are closed for maintenance or reconstruction.

Sundquist said he will likely bring a request to the council next week to create a text alert system similar to the one used by the Jamestown Public Schools District to alert parents of district issues. He said city residents would be able to opt into the system and choose to receive alerts on topics that interest them from the fire, police and public works departments as well as the Board of Public Utilities.

“It’s actually very cheap, very reasonable and it’s something we want to be able to push out more information to the public,” Sundquist said. “Obviously you can sign up for it, you can choose which alerts you would like. But as we start to see more street closures or maybe if there is a police action and we want people to stay out of the area, we want to provide that information. We will be asking for some funding on that at the next work session.”

The money will be charged under the Mayor’s Office maintenance agreement budget. The bid from AlertMedia is the lowest of three bids received.

The council is also being asked to support a grant application to the state Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation for a front porch stabilization project proposed by St. Luke’s Episcopal Church. The city’s approval of the grant request is required for St. Luke’s to apply.

Also on the agenda for Monday’s meeting are:

¯ Using $17,760 in federal stimulus money earmarked for water, sewer or broadband work to treat the Tree of Heaven infestation between Panzarella Park and the Buffalo Street bridge along the Chadakoin River. Approving the funding will allow removal work to begin quickly as proposed last week by Twan Leenders of the Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy.

¯ Committee approval of a plan to partner with the Jamestown Public Schools District to plow sidewalk routes to schools. Under the proposed agreement, the city will pay for labor to handle the additional plowing while the school district will purchase the two new sidewalk plows. The total cost to the city will be $689,672 for 2022 through 2026.

¯ Special event applications for the Scandanavian Folk Festival on Saturday, July 16, in downtown Jamestown; the St. James Roman Catholic Church Italian Festival on Saturday, July 23, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.; and the Reg Lenna Summer Block Party from 3 to 7 p.m. Friday, July 29. They will be reviewed by the Public Safety Committee.