Mayor Kim Ecklund is pictured during a Jamestown City Council work session. Ecklund announced that Carol Malek, deputy comptroller, has resigned her position. P-J photo by Eric Tichy

The city’s deputy comptroller is resigning her position, Mayor Kim Ecklund announced Monday during a City Council work session.

Carol Malek, who has served since June 2023, will be leaving city government at the end of the week. Her position will not be filled at this time.

Ecklund announced that Ericka Thomas, the city’s new comptroller, has spent the majority of her first month training with Malek. The mayor said former Comptroller Joe Bellitto also will maintain an advisory role with the city as a contract employee.

A lot of Thomas’ training so far has included keeping tabs on the city’s $28 million allocation of American Rescue Plan Act funds from the federal government.

“Ericka has spent a lot of time just learning the process and the filing of ARPA,” Ecklund told City Council members.

Regarding ARPA money, City Council President Tony Dolce, R-Ward II, said he was curious to know “what we have left; what’s been allocated; what’s been spent.”

Ecklund hopes to have a list of ARPA-approved projects and where they stand by March.

“To be fair, with the transition, and with Ericka learning and things going on, and Carol’s departure, (Thomas) is working very hard on it but it may take a little longer than expected at this moment.”

Ecklund later provided an update on where the city stands with its ARPA funds and the projects that were approved. She said she asked the different department heads “to review their project list to see if there’s something that’s not going to happen.”

The mayor noted that at least one project, the renovation of the floor at fire station No. 5, came in $35,000 more than what was in the ARPA plan.

“Things are coming in a little bit all over the place,” Ecklund said. “To do it justice, we’re shooting for no later than the end of March for a real good feel and are very confident of where we’re at.”

Ecklund, who became mayor this month, said “a lot of things have happened in the first three weeks. I’ve done a lot of networking, both internally and externally.”

Ecklund said she’s met with numerous community stakeholders. Discussions, she said, have included homelessness and crime.

She also took part in a Jamestown Police Department update with the state on its participation with the Gun Involved Violence Elimination (GIVE) initiative.

“Some incredible statistics and some incredible work comes out of that department,” she said. “I’d be lying if I didn’t say we were facing a war on drugs, especially on the fentanyl side.”

Ecklund said she’s still settling into her new position.

“I’m confident and very happy to say that the entire staff, including the new hires and my direct office staff, has taken the bull by the horns if you will and is working very hard to try to create some cohesion, movement forward,” she said. “We’re just kind of getting our feet wet and getting in on things, but I think it’s a great start.”