JAMESTOWN – Jamestown’s next mayor has announced his transition team.
Mayor-Elect Eddie Sundquist (D) says the voluntary committee designed to create a community conversation on issues, evaluate current city operations, and provide suggestions and recommendations for immediate and long term goals.
The group will focus on three top priorities: creating a city for the future; strengthening housing initiatives and supporting our neighborhoods; and tackling financial burdens.
Sundquist says the team is made up of non-partisan members in four subcommittees and includes representatives from a variety of community organizations and businesses.
The Economic and Business Development Subcommittee includes Rich Dixon, Chief Financial Officer with the County of Chautauqua Industrial Development Agency; Greg Edwards, Chief Executive Officer of the Gebbie Foundation; Tory Irgang, Executive Director of the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation; and Ricky Turner, President of Blackstone Advanced Technologies.
The Housing and Public Safety Subcommittee includes Len Faulk, Professor Emeritus at SUNY Fredonia; Rev. Luke Fodor, Rector at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church; Dr. Lillian Ney, former City Council Chair, and former Medical Director and VP of Medical Affairs and Cardiology at WCA Hospital; and Taylor Scott, real estate agent with ERA Team VP Realty.
The Financial Stability Subcommittee includes Tom Benson, Managing Director of Vineyard Group, LLC; Maria Kindberg, Dean of Arts Humanities, & Health Sciences at Jamestown Community College; Todd Tranum, President and CEO of the Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce and Executive Director of the Manufacturers Association of the Southern Tier; and Kristy Zabrodsky, shareholder of Buffamante Whipple Buttafaro, P.C.
The City Operations and Human Resources Subcommittee is made up of Andy Johnson, Senior HR Advisor at TitanX Engine Cooling; Peggy Kaltenmeyer, owner of Forté the Restaurant; George Panebianco, President of Lewis & Lewis; and Patrick Smeraldo, Teacher/Education Consultant at Jamestown Public Schools/Chautauqua Connections Inc.
Serving as Communications and Public Relations Liaison for the Transition Team is Sheila Webster, Director of Marketing, Communications, and Governmental Affairs for the Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce.
Public meetings have been scheduled for December to get input and recommendations from the community. They will be held from 6:30-8:30pm as follows:
Economic and Business Development Subcommittee, Thursday, December 5, at Jefferson Middle School
Housing and Public Safety Subcommittee, Tuesday, December 10, at Washington Middle School
Financial Stability Subcommittee, Wednesday, December 11, at Persell Middle School
City Operations and Human Resources Subcommittee, Tuesday, December 17, at Jamestown High School.
The mayor-elect encourage all community members, business owners, residents, and youth to attend the meetings and speak their minds so the team can get quality feedback.
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