The City Council discussed a $50,000 grant from the Chautauqua County Partnership for Economic Growth that will help the city with its unfinished marketing and branding campaign. Pictured is Elliot Raimondo, corporation counsel, during Monday’s City Council Finance Committee meeting. P-J photo by Timothy Frudd

The City Council is expected to vote next week to approve a $50,000 grant from the Chautauqua County Partnership for Economic Growth to Jamestown.

The $50,000 grant from Chautauqua County is intended to help the city with the implementation of a marketing and branding campaign.

Surdyk told City Council members that prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the city had started a marketing and branding campaign. Due to the pandemic, Surdyk said the city had to “halt” the marketing and branding campaign to focus on other city issues.

“I think there were some unresolved issues with it,” she said. “It’s been a long time since we’ve talked about it, but this will help us kind of bring that over the hump.”

According to Surdyk, the $50,000 grant from Chautauqua County will provide funding that will allow the city to “wrap up” the branding campaign and “roll out” the first wave of the marketing campaign.

“Funding is coming from Chautauqua County Partnership for Economic Growth, as well as and the Chautauqua Region Economic Development Corporation,” Surdyk said. “Both county agencies both went in for $25,000 for a total of $50,000.”

According to the plan outlined by the city, the Block Club will continue working with team partners to create traditional and digital adds, an events section on the city website, new brand ambassador signs and new city flags, as well as distribute maps and guides of the city.

During the Finance Committee meeting, Chairwoman Kim Ecklund, R-At Large, asked if the grant agreement had been reviewed by Corporation Counsel Elliot Raimondo. While Raimondo said he had not yet reviewed the grant agreement, he said he was “under the impression” the grant agreement just involved the city accepting a grant from Chautauqua County to help fund the city’s marketing and branding campaign.

“It was an easy yes for me,” he said.

Surdyk added that the city administration would probably want the corporation counsel to look at the grant agreement with the county just make sure “everything was good” prior to the City Council voting on the resolution next week.

Asked if the grant agreement would require any matching funding from the city, Surdyk explained that the grant funding did not require any matching city funding.

“It’s a combination of the county’s funding,” she said.