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Three city residents are asking the city to find a way to memorialize Tony Dolce, including one suggestion to place Dolce's name on city hall.
The city residents' hearts are in the right place. Dolce made a big impact on Jamestown during his decades of public service, and some type of lasting memorial seems fitting after his unexpected passing in July. Between his service as a teacher at Jamestown High School, his three decades on the City Council and his work at Ss. Peter and Paul Roman Catholic Church, he more than earned the recognition.
But, while we're in the process of memorializing community leaders, we think the city should also consider memorializing Vickye James, the former Ward 3 councilwoman who passed away unexpectedly in 2021. There is a memorial to James inside Jackson-Taylor Park that was unveiled during the Juneteenth holiday, a festival that James was heavily involved in organizing and at a location in her neighborhood.
Dolce had a longer tenure on the City Council, but both Dolce and James left impacts on Jamestown that outweigh their time on the council and, in James' case, on the Chautauqua County Legislature. James led efforts to improve the playground at Jackson-Taylor Park as well as efforts to rename the park, helped plan Juneteenth celebrations and Martin Luther King Jr. events in the city, and was devoted to improving the lives of children both in her work as the city's director of youth services and outside of city hall.
The question really isn't if we should find a meaningful way to honor Dolce and James, but how. In our opinion a plaque inside City Hall is a good short-term solution. It would allow space for similar honors, or even a place to honor those who have made similar contributions over the years but haven't been recognized formally. A plaque or display inside City Hall doesn't have to be all that is done, but it could be a good start.
A plaque or display would also allow the city to act quickly. It won't take long before the day-to-day drumbeat of both government and the busy lives that we all lead these days drives the well-meaning thoughts expressed to the council last week from our collective memories.
We have an opportunity to memorialize two difference makers in our community. Let's do it now before the moment passes.