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JLDC Approves Loan For New Manufacturing Business

The new business Falcon Conveyor will be started at 111 Chenely St., Jamestown. The Jamestown Local Development Corp. approved a loan for the business owner, Scott Clark, during its meeting Wednesday. P-J photo by Dennis Phillips

A new steel belt conveyors manufacturer will be starting operating in the city and creating more than 20 new jobs.

On Wednesday, the Jamestown Local Development Corp. approved a $93,750 loan for Scott Clark, the owner of Falcon Conveyor and 111 Chenely St., Jamestown, where the business will be located. The loan will be for 10 years with a 4.25% interest rate.

Along with the JLDC, the Chautauqua County Industrial Development Agency will also be loaning Clark $154,000 and the Zone Capital Corporation will be lending $50,000 toward the project. Stephanie Wright, city economic development coordinator, said Clark has more than 30 years of experience in material handling, with the last 27 in conveyor manufacturing.

Along with the manufacturing space, Clark will also be leasing sections of the five-story building to other businesses. Wright said the building was assessed at $400,000, with Clark purchasing the building for $385,000.

In other business:

¯ The JLDC approved a $3,403 Fund for Downtown Programming grant to Pat Smeraldo of Collaborative Children’s Solutions for the Jamestown Holiday Parade. Smeraldo said the parade planning is going well, with a special event race known as the “Mistletoe Mile” being planned between Veterans Park and the Jamestown Municipal Building along Third Street. He said there will be a fireworks show at 8 p.m., which is being funded by five local credit unions. He added that The Resource Center and The Chautauqua Center are also assisting Collaborative Children’s Solutions with planning the parade.

“We’re doing it on Saturday this year, which is a little different than in the past,” he said.

Smeraldo said the grant will “put us over the top to break even” on planning the parade.

Smeraldo also thanked the Jamestown Chamber of Commerce for their help with signing up participants. He said 35 groups have signed up, including the Jamestown High School Marching Band. Those interested in participating in the parade can sign up on the chamber’s website at jtny.events. The parade is scheduled to start at 6 p.m.

¯ The JLDC approved a $35,000 Fund for Downtown Programming grant to the National Comedy Center for their NCC Riverside Saturdays events held this past summer. NCC officials had applied for a grant of $136,000 funding. However, board members felt that was too much to provide to one organization because it would be half of the remaining funding the JLDC has it its Fund for Downtown Programming. Also, because the events were already held, it concerned some members to provide funding after the fact. There was also concern about NCC officials receiving too much of the Fund for Downtown Programming money because they had already received $50,000 in the past for the John Mulaney performance during the 2019 Lucille Ball Comedy Festival.

“(The Fund for Downtown Programming) is supposed to spur multiple events downtown,” said Kimberly Ecklund, board member and At-Large councilwoman.

Anthony Dolce, board member and council president, said he isn’t opposed to pitching in some funding for the NCC Riverside Saturdays. Kristofor Sellstrom, board member, suggested that the JLDC could fund the purchasing of the dual projector-screens system, which cost $39,500. Ecklund suggested the JLDC grant the NCC $35,000, with the contingency city officials could use the equipment in the future to possibly show movies on Tracy Plaza.

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