To The Reader’s Forum:

Sitting at the next table at a lunch restaurant here in Jamestown this week, sat a group of 6 young men.

These young men were from “out of town” working at a local school doing part of a larger renovation.

As a former development director for the County of Chautauqua, it reminded me of an event that I was faced with when I first took over as County Executive for a temporary period years ago.

The county planned to replace all the windows in the buildings on the campus in Mayville. I was responsible to issue the bids and, with the county attorney, award the work. To my surprise, sitting with the architect was the absence of Hopes Windows of Jamestown on the bid list. He explained his reasoning as “we would not get the best price from Hopes”. So, he had taken them out of the bid package. I asked him what the estimate was for the entire job and then told him to add back Hopes to the qualified bid list.

After we reviewed the final bids. Hopes was the lowest price and won the award. Currently, I am the

President of DAWSON Metal, DAWSON Doors and Spray Tech Inc., all local companies. On numerous occasions I have witnessed this same bias against using local companies and suppliers on significant construction projects in the county. Schools, hospitals, all sorts of public buildings, Chautauqua

Institution and other large commercial projects which often receive help from government to undertake their plans.

Among other things, DAWSON builds entrances for buildings. Additionally, so does Ellison Bronze and the aforementioned Hopes windows. There are countless other local resources like Bush Industries,

Colecraft, Fancher Chair and Artone just as examples of what can be made and provided locally.

I encourage those who find themselves in similar roles that I occupied many years ago; to figure out just how local resources can be included when renovations or new construction is planned.

David Dawson

Jamestown