The hesitation of Jamestown’s City Council to authorize the hiring of eight additional firefighters is not just a matter of public safety negligence, failure to represent the priorities of the community, or a public statement potentially showing a lack of support of our Fire Department. It is one of a series of examples from this body that illustrates a significant deficit in their ability to be proactive public servants.

From this City Council, we consistently see members whose commentary, analysis, and voting history, point to only dissent and criticism while rarely offering solutions or doing the work of lawmaking that proactively seeks out the funding, collaboration, and knowledge that is needed to ensure that Jamestown is a well-resourced city that can invest in the priorities, infrastructure, and programs that are important to their constituents.

Jamestown has received $1.8 million dollars to fund this hiring initiative through the FEMA, Staffing For Adequate Fire And Emergency Response (SAFER) grant. This grant will support a fully staffed fire department for three years. It is not unreasonable to question how these positions will be funded when this resource is depleted. However, it is unacceptable for elected representatives to take no proactive actions to find that funding.

It is the job of the City Council to make policy, and collaborate with county, state, and national departments to ensure that Jamestown has the necessary funding to never have an understaffed Fire Department again.

I want to be clear that, at this time, the Jamestown City Council as a collective group is making a statement that is counter to the support seen for our Fire Department. This community consensus is affirmed by the bright yellow, “Support A Safer Jamestown” signs seen at businesses and homes across the city. I am calling on each member of the City Council to look at this outcry from our neighbors as inspiration to do better and stand up against the reactive response of your fellow members.

That is the bare minimum of public service – to represent our priorities as a community. I challenge Jamestown’s City Council to go above and beyond and take action like contacting Senator Kirsten Gillibrand’s office for support. Her team has curated hundreds of pages of grant guides to support local officials who are seeking the funding that is needed to sustain and enhance our communities. The resources are available for our elected representatives to be able to invest in our community but they must take the initiative to request support.

Jamestown, we can no longer allow City Council to stand in the way of progress and public safety.

Alyssa Porter is chairwoman of the Jamestown Democratic Party.