Councilman Brent Sheldon, R-Ward 1 and chair of the finance committee, reads a resolution allowing for the purchase of critical equipment for multiple departments through the 2025 contingency fund. P-J photo by Sara Holthouse

Multiple Jamestown departments are finding themselves in need of critical computer equipment, something that is not currently budgeted for in the 2026 budget.

Because of this, during Monday’s city council work session the council looked at and discussed a resolution allowing for the purchase of equipment to be done using the contingency fund from 2025.

The list of equipment includes; for police, plotter, scanners, computers, mini-computers, replacement dock/computer for J4, and a copier for the total of $34,480. For IT, Computer/software for FOB system, router for Spring Street, battery backups for a total of $8,600. The department of public works is in need of a plotter for $8,000, and the mayor and corporation counsel’s office is in need of a copier for $3,313. Other equipment includes a mechanics laptop for $2,250 for the fleet, a computer for Clerk II for $1,800 for the assessor’s office, a computer for parking enforcement for the corporation counsel’s office for $1,500, and for the fire department Wi-Fi access points for $70. The total cost of all of these together is $60,643.

“We haven’t spent much from contingency, $24,000 approximately,” Councilman Brent Sheldon, R-Ward 1 and chair of the finance committee said.

City comptroller Erika Thomas said the city has used the contingency fund for two projects this year and Sheldon said there is around $350,000 left in contingency funds, saying they’ve held the line on that relatively well.

“We’ve done this in the past, rather than budget these particular items for next year we use some leftover money from the contingency fund,” Council president Tony Dolce said.

It was noted that the rest of the funds there have not been allocated and can be used for other things such as adding to the general fund, other equipment for next year, or to be used to help the budget for next year.

“It’s a good use of the money so we don’t have to budget for this in 2026,” Dolce said.