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JAMESTOWN – Jamestown Mayor Eddie Sundquist officially announced Ward III resident Regina Brackman as his nomination to replace the late Councilwoman Vickye James for the rest of the 2021 year.
Brackman and Sundquist held a joint press conference Monday afternoon in the lobby of Jamestown City Hall. During the conference, WNY News Now asked Brackman what it meant for her to have the confidence of the Mayor and several residents in Ward III.
Brackman, who was a longtime friend of James, explains that she knows she needs to ensure that she lives up to the expectations of those who are supporting her nomination.
“That gives me a lot of confidence. It also makes me know that I have to live up to what people are saying about me,” Brackman said. “I don’t know who he (the Mayor) talked to. I know of one person, but the support, and if they’re going to recognize me in that way that they would suggest me to fulfil this position, then I’m highly honored and I know there’s a lot of work that I need to do to uphold those comments that were made.”
The Mayor spoke with WNY News Now Monday morning on the nomination process. He tells us that he was looking for someone highly respected as a go-to person.
“We needed someone who is really a pillar of the community,” Sundquist said. “Someone that folks know and understand and feel comfortable going to.”
He says that he looked through multiple lists of potential candidates and also talked with several people in the Ward to see who they believed would best served the zone.
“After a lot of deliberation and thought and meeting with folks, we ultimately came to a decision of one individual who I think will represent Ward III incredibly so,” Sundquist said.
Sundquist says that he will be speaking with the City Council in an effort to organize a vote to confirm Brackman’s appointment.
Brackman, a Democrat, confirmed that she is on the ballot for the 2021 year. She will run against Republican Robert Reedy for the seat. Previously, Brackman narrowly lost to Republican Tamara Dickey in 2013 for the Ward III seat.
Qiana James, the daughter of Vickye James and Goddaughter of Brackman, was also in attendance for the press conference.
Brackman, a lifelong Jamestown resident, works for Truck Lite.
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