There is a “spike” in the number of city of Jamestown employees who have tested positive for COVID-19.

On Monday during the Jamestown City Council work session meeting, Jamestown Mayor Eddie Sundquist discussed the increase in the number of city workers who have tested positive for COVID-19. He said the rise in the number of cases is across all city departments. He added as of Monday morning, there were three employees who had tested positive, with 14 in quarantine awaiting test results.

“It is hitting in every department,” he said.

Sundquist said the number of positive COVID-19 cases has been increasing in the city. According to the Chautauqua County Health Department there were 20 new cases and 119 active cases in the city of Jamestown Tuesday.

“As of right now, the city has more cases than Dunkirk and Fredonia,” Sundquist said. “We need to continue to be cautious as we continue though the holidays.”

Sundquist said city officials are discussing the possibility of making visits to city offices by appointment only for the week between Christmas and New Years. He said city offices will only be open for a couple days anyways next week.

“We’ve not made that decision yet,” he said. “Given the rise of COVID cases, we are a little nervous about keeping all offices open.”

In October, there was a COVID-19 outbreak among city of Jamestown Fire Department employees. There was a high of eight active cases at one point of the 55-member fire department.

In other business, the council discussed whether a pedestrian crosswalk should be installed in the middle of the block on Allen Street near UPMC Chautauqua. Jeff Lehman, city public works director, said hospital officials made the request for the pedestrian crosswalk because the staff parking lot is located across Allen Street from the medical facility. He said the proposed location would be 300 feet from the corner of Allen Street and Foote Avenue where there is a traffic light and a pedestrian crosswalk at the corner. He added that he doesn’t recommend for a crosswalk to be located in the middle of the block.

Tim Jackson, chief of the Jamestown Police Department, also didn’t recommend installing a crosswalk along Allen Street.

“I think (pedestrians) should go to the light,” he said. “I think it’s more dangerous to put (a pedestrian crosswalk) in the middle of the block.”

The recommendation to install an Allen Street crosswalk was not moved by any member of the city’s Public Works Committee, so the proposal died in committee. Lehman said he would send a correspondence to hospital officials informing them of the council’s decision.