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In Our Opinion

Persell Guardrail Talk Has Gone On Long Enough

We have no doubt that, from an engineering perspective, there is no need for a guardrail between Baker Street and Hazeltine Avenue in front of Persell Middle School. The road reconfiguring project last summer should have eliminated the need for a guardrail. But engineering reports don’t take into account a couple of factors that make reinstalling the guardrail in front of the school useful when things move from pen and paper to real life. First, as much as drivers should have to slow down to turn onto Hazeltine Avenue, we live in Western New York and in a high-poverty area. Do we ...

Kudos To Fire Department For Carbon Monoxide Grant

Last year Jamestown officials partnered with the American Red Cross to distribute hundreds of free smoke detectors throughout the city. The program’s success showed two things - that there is a need amongst many city residents for smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors, and city officials needed to find a way to help provide detectors to those who can’t afford them. Kudos, then, to Matt Coon, city deputy fire chief, and city officials for their successful application to the U.S. Consumer Protection Agency for grant money that will help the city create a Carbon Monoxide ...

Area Plan For Chautauqua Mall Makes A Lot Of Sense

Given what’s happening to old malls around the country, we can’t argue with Ellen Barnes’ desire to create an area plan for the area around the Chautauqua Mall. It would be nice if more information was forthcoming to the Lakewood Village Board member to support her effort to be proactive rather than reactive. That is, after all, what we typically beg for from an elected official. It’s frustrating to see Barnes’ efforts stymied. What to do as anchor tenants in shopping malls declare bankruptcy and eventually close has been a problem for years. We’ve seen it in the ...

Three Year Mistake Continues To Cost City Taxpayers

For three years, many city employees saw no increase in their contribution for their health insurance. It was a great deal for employees - albeit one given at taxpayer expense. That is not, of course, the fault of city police officers, firefighters and retirees. The blame falls on former Mayor Eddie Sundquist for not increasing those premiums as part of his budget proposals and the City Council for not catching the fact that premiums weren’t increasing on a yearly basis. Any worker from any walk of life isn’t going to kick that gift horse in the mouth. The status quo is not ...

The word “transparency” is now big among Americans. Especially on the governmental front — local, state as well as national — anger pours forth when the public learns about secrecy having prevailed, especially regarding an important, controversial issue that impacts them directly, such as one that causes an increase in certain fees or their taxes. Sometimes the lowest levels of government end up sparking the biggest, noisiest outcrys and furors, as a result of people not having been accorded an early heads-up regarding relevant goings-on about which they deserved expeditious ...

New Economic Development Coordinator Has A Lot To Do

Jamestown has hired Aili Makuch as its new economic development coordinator. The question now is what will the city do with it. It’s a valid question. In the past, the economic development coordinator has done a lot of behind-the-scenes work. The position’s work mostly shows up during Jamestown Local Development Corporation and Jamestown Urban Renewal Agency meetings. The economic development coordinator didn’t report to the City Council, at least not publicly. When the public complains about a lack of economic development activity in the city, they’re speaking about what ...