Mayor Kim Ecklund is pictured delivering her 2026 budget proposal to the City Council in October. P-J file photo

Jamestown’s finances, emergency services work and housing and street projects are among Mayor Kim Ecklund’s priorities for the coming year.

Ecklund delivered her 2026 State of the City address to the City Council late Friday afternoon. The written document is available on the city’s website at www.jamestownny.gov..

Beginning with finances, Ecklund’s address briefly mentions labor negotiations and agreements reached in 2025, including for Civil Service Employees Association , the Jamestown Professional Firefighters Association, and the Kendall Club Police Benevolent Association. Negotiations with the Jamestown City Administrative Association, the Jamestown Urban Renewal Agency, and Local 418 American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees continued, with the goal of completing all remaining city union contracts in 2026.

Additionally, Ecklund said that the financial outlook for the city “continues to be shaped by rising fixed costs, constrained revenue growth, and the expiration of one time funding sources — conditions that significantly limit flexibility and increase long-term risk.”

In the recent city audit done by Drescher and Malecki for 2024, it was found that the city had an unassigned General Fund balance of $7,365,440, of which $2,839,869 was appropriated in the 2026 Budget, reducing the remaining balance to approximately $4,525,571.

“While the strategic use of fund balance has helped stabilize operations in the short term, continued reliance on reserves is not sustainable,” Ecklund said in her address. “The city is drawing down its financial safety net as recurring expenditures continue to outpace recurring revenues, accelerating structural imbalance.”

Ecklund also notes delays in the timelines for the 2022 and 2023 audits, along with the city being without a comptroller for a period of time, as factors also adding to city fiscal pressures. Temporary funding sources such as American Rescue Plan Act funding have now been used up, and state aid from programs like the Aid and Incentives for Municipalities Program remain flat.

Ecklund also briefly discussed fixed obligations, Emergency Medical Services revenue, no CHIPS funded work or capital improvements being included in the city’s 2026 budget, and other fiscal conditions causing financial challenges for the city.

“Despite these challenges, the city has made measurable progress strengthening financial oversight and reporting under Comptroller Ericka Thomas,” Ecklund said. “Restoring audit timelines, improving financial clarity, and rebuilding internal controls have enhanced transparency and accountability. Reestablishing accuracy, discipline, and timely reporting remains a top priority for the Administration, recognizing that long-term fiscal stability depends on reliable data, informed decision-making, and sustained fiscal discipline.”

Emergency services including the Police and Fire departments also take up a significant portion of Ecklund’s 2026 State of the City, including the fact that both Police Chief Timothy Jackson and Fire Chief Matthew Coon have retired in the past year. Police Department statistics are included in the address for the past year, such as; Part I crimes declined by 2.35%, and overall calls for service decreased by 3.8%. Gunshot complaint calls were down 7.84% from 2024 and 20.34% compared to the five-year average.

Ecklund also mentions grant funded programs for the police department, including the Gun Involved Violence Elimination program and Statewide Targeted Reductions in Intimate Partner Violence.

In regards to the Fire Department, Ecklund notes that the department handled a total call volume 9.35% higher than the previous year, reaching the highest level seen in a decade. Ambulance transports increased 33.4%, reflecting the full-year deployment of a second ambulance and providing important data for evaluating staffing, resources, and long-term operational planning. The department also investigated 37 fires through the Fire Investigation Team, reopened and fully staffed Station Five following renovations, and distributed approximately 335 carbon monoxide and smoke detectors through the Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Prevention Grant Program.

The city also reached a new agreement with Alstar EMS in November for Emergency Medical Services.

“The agreement maintains the city’s two-tiered emergency response system, with Alstar responding to more than 5,000 calls annually, while ensuring uninterrupted service at no additional cost to taxpayers,” Ecklund said. “It also supports ongoing training for Jamestown Fire Department personnel through access to the Alstar Emergency Medical Services Training Center, strengthening emergency preparedness and patient care. This partnership underscores the city’s commitment to a coordinated, dependable emergency response system that balances public safety, operational continuity, and fiscal responsibility.”

Streets and housing were another big focus of the 2026 State of the City, outlining multiple street projects that occurred throughout 2025 and the city’s focus on demolition work in areas such as Cross Street and Fulton Street. Multiple housing and supporting services projects are continuing in the city including Gateway Lofts, Blooming Gardens, and the UCAN and St Susan’s takeover of the former Jamestown Business College. The address also mentions the city’s Infill Housing Pilot Program.

“Jamestown is taking deliberate steps to improve housing quality, revitalize neighborhoods, and expand opportunities for residents across the city,” Ecklund said. “Through a collaborative partnership with the Chautauqua County Land Bank, the city has targeted properties and neighborhoods where strategic intervention can have the greatest impact, allowing resources to be focused where they strengthen neighborhoods and improve overall quality of life.”

It is noted that through this project and strategic demolitions in the neighborhoods like Fulton Street and Cross Street, safety and appearance have improved and new opportunities are being created for infill housing in those neighborhoods.

“By coordinating demolition, property targeting, and planning for future housing construction, the city is establishing a framework that supports safer streets, encourages reinvestment, and expands housing options for current and future residents,” Ecklund said. “These efforts, combined with the pursuit of state grant funding for new home construction, reinforce Jamestown’s commitment to neighborhood stability, homeownership opportunities, and sustainable community growth.”

The entirety of Ecklund’s 2026 State of the City is available for public viewership on the city’s website, jamestownny.gov.