The race for Ward 1 on the Jamestown City Council includes incumbent Brent P. Sheldon and his opponent, Democrat Travis Knight.

Knight, a teacher at Fletcher Elementary School, did not respond directly to questions from The Post-Journal, but has said he wants to ensure city residents are educated about and have access to funding opportunities, administered by the city or community based organizations, to assist with home repair and improvement projects; that the city remains a key partner in the Healthy at Home CHQ (formerly known as the Lead Taskforce) cross-sector county coalition working toward lead poisoning prevention and addressing other household hazards and that city government looks at proactive solutions and new programs to promote safe and affordable housing.

Sheldon is retired from the Chautauqua County Health Department and has served on the council since 2013 as well as a two-year stint from 1993 to 1995. He currently chairs the council’s Public Safety Committee, serves on the Housing Committee and is a member of the city Riverfront Management Council and Property Rehabilitation and Conservation Board of Appeals.

¯ Is there one recurring theme you’re hearing from voters as you go door-to-door? How do you think the council can best address those voters’ issues?

Sheldon: The number one issue going door to door for Ward 1 residents is neighborhood housing concerns. These include absentee landlords neglecting their rental properties, tenants not picking up their refuse and trash around the property and porches, unregistered vehicles on the lawns, condemned houses not being renovated or demolished, and many others. The Department of Development has been short staffed, and the City Housing Court has not held landlords accountable for correcting these city code violations. As your Councilman, I have authorized $1,000,000 to be spent on the demolition of derelict properties. I voted for the ability of code enforcement officers to write appearance tickets to landlords and tenants who violate our housing standards. I will continue to work with the Department of Development in these matters and give them the tools they need to improve our housing stock and neighborhoods.

¯ Housing: Homelessness, affordable housing and code enforcement have long been identified as growing problems in the city. What actions do you think the city and the council should take to address these problems?

Sheldon: My previous answer addresses many of these issues. The city is experiencing homelessness in almost every Ward in the City. In order to effectively deal with the homeless, we need to know why they are homeless. Do they lack funds to secure adequate housing, are they having drug/alcohol and/or mental health issues? These are circumstances that need to be dealt with by those that have expertise in these areas such as Chautauqua County Mental Hygiene, Social Services, and Adult Protective Services. We should also look to the Veteran’s Service Agency, as some of those who may be homeless may have veteran status and be eligible for specific services. The Not for Profits organizations may not be constrained by some of the same rules and regulations that the County departments have and may provide some relief in a different and sometimes more expedient manner. I voted to give Chautauqua Opportunities, Inc. $181,393 towards the development of an 18-bed homeless shelter for single women. No such shelter currently exists in Chautauqua County. The City Council needs to work with the NFPs and the Chautauqua County Social Services on the homeless issue in the City. The city can apply for more grants to aid warming shelters. The city will be updating the zoning code in the near future to allow smaller homes on smaller lots that will help create more affordable housing.

3. Economic Development: Eight buildings were identified as key redevelopment opportunities in the Urban Design Plan. Three of those parcels have found new tenants, while five are largely unchanged — the Furniture Mart building, Viking Building, Key Bank Building, the former Craft World and Action Hobbies building on Third Street and storefronts in the Hotel Jamestown. Are you satisfied with the progress made in new futures for those buildings over the past five years and how can the council stimulate development in those areas?

Sheldon: I am not satisfied with the redevelopment of the 8 key buildings identified in the Urban Design Plan. Too many of these projects were started then halted or never really got underway. Many tax dollars had been allocated by the NYS Downtown Revitalization Initiative to assist in the redevelopment of these buildings. The former Grants building, now the Jamestown Brewery, was renovated and operated for a short period of time but has been vacant for over three years and is mired in litigation. The City Council needs to make sure the Department of Development is doing their due diligence to make sure the developers and investors will follow through with the renovations. This can create needed jobs for Jamestown contractors and residents. The city can also work with the Chautauqua County IDA to add other incentives and tax deferrals to some of these redevelopment projects.