City Council Moves Forward With Second Annexation Attempt

JAMESTOWN – The Jamestown City Council moved forward with a second attempt to annex the BPU’s Substation in the Town of Ellicott on Monday night.

The council voted 7 to 1 in favor of the motion, with one member recused.

Jamestown Mayor-Elect Eddie Sundquist asked the council to table the move to allow his new administration time to review details of the case.

Tamu Graham-Reinhardt recused herself from the vote, citing a conflict of interest because of her employment at Falconer Schools.

Councilman Andrew Liuzzo motioned to table the resolution. Council did not accept. Liuzzo voted against the resolution.

Furthermore, several area residents and officials spoke out against the second attempt to annex.

Falconer Central School Superintendent Stephen Penhollow petitioned the lawmakers to work with their neighbors rather than fight them in the courts.

The Board of Public Utilities unanimously voted to make the second attempt to annex last week.

Outgoing Mayor Sam Teresi said Monday’s vote was the first step to move the process forward into “the first of the year.” The process then would be up to the new city council and mayor in 2020.

Furthermore, Teresi spoke for over 20 minutes to the many services the city offers the nearby town and village.

The pervious attempt to annex failed after Rochester’s Supreme Court Fourth Department Appellate Division denied the City of Jamestown’s petition to annex.

BPU officials say the proposed annexation would save the utility approximately $173,000 in property tax payments to the Town, Village and School District annually.

The City and the Jamestown Public School District each would have received tax equivalency payments of around $80,000 a year from the utility, officials said.

The substation sits on property in the Town of Ellicott and the Village of Falconer on Dow Street between Tiffany Avenue and south of East Second Street.

Teresi said the new mayor and city council will have the ability either move forward to annex or stop the process.

Next, the city council is required hold a public hearing on the annexation. Council scheduled the hearing for December 18 at SUNY JCC. Officials said that date may change.