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Jamestown should know by the end of this month whether it will receive a grant to cover the purchase and installation of cameras and lighting upgrades for the city's parking garages. Nonetheless, Mayor Kim Ecklund said the cameras are necessary and will need to be funded.
Two resolutions on the safety equipment are being reviewed by the City Council. The cost, totaling nearly $250,000, would cover the camera equipment and labor for the city's parking garages on Cherry and Spring streets.
If approved, the city would contract with SHI International Corp. and Nest Wireless Global for the purchases.
Of the 44 cameras being sought, 26 would be installed in the Spring Street parking ramps and 18 in the Cherry Street ramps.
The upgrades were first discussed by the City Council in December; the resolutions were again on the agenda for the council's work session Monday.
Paula Pichon, city grants coordinator, told the Finance Committee that Jamestown should know by the end of January whether a state grant will be received to cover the lionshare of the $250,000 price tag. For the time being, Ecklund said the city can use its general fund and seek a reimbursement later if the grant comes through.
"This has to be done regardless," Ecklund said Monday. "It's a safety issue."
Concerns over safety inside the city's parking ramps were raised over the summer. One county employee reported that her vehicle had been vandalized while parked in the garage next to City Hall. At a Public Safety Committee meeting later that month, Carol Wright with the county Department of Mental Hygiene said some of her employees were hesitant to come to work.
"We're hoping we'll hear about the grant before the end of the month," Ecklund said, later adding, "We're crossing our fingers."