JAMESTOWN – Mayor Sam Teresi gave his yearly State of the City Address during the City Council meeting Monday evening. In addition to the Mayor’s speech, controversy arose over a recent bylaw change to the Jamestown Local Development Corporation, also known as the JLDC.
The JLDC was established in the early 1980s to provide low interest loans for projects in the City of Jamestown, all part of an effort to spur economic development. The new changes to the bylaws allow Mayor Sam Teresi to appoint members to the board.
Jamestown City Councilman Tony Dolce says this new process is a natural one.
“There was always kind of a pool of names we went though,” said Dolce. “By changing this, it puts it in line just like every other board or commission where the mayor has specific groups he has to pick from.”
“If a specific person is not appointed by the mayor that wants to be on there, they can beat the drum.”
Jamestown Mayor Sam Teresi said the whole point of this change is to bring power back to the City of Jamestown.
“Three entities had a power granted to somebody who legally couldn’t serve on the LDC Board, being granted the power to appoint somebody to the LDC Board,” Teresi said.
Teresi said this change is in line with standard practice in the City of Jamestown government.
The JLDC board’s original bylaws stated that the board would be filled by the presidents of various community organizations, like the Jamestown Chamber of Commerce. Now, the mayor is charged with filling vacancies.
Also during Monday’s city council meeting, Mayor Sam Teresi gave his yearly State of the City Address. Like years past, Teresi did not go into great detail.
He, instead, referred council members and city residents to read his multi-page report.
However, Teresi did speak for around twelve minutes. We have a link to his full speech on our YouTube page.
You can also read his full report on the city’s website.
