Becky Robbins introduced Kim Ecklund, the Republican-endorsed candidate for Mayor of the City of Jamestown,
In elected office, she has served as City Council Member at Large in Jamestown since 2004. She is the Finance Committee Chair and a member of the Jamestown Local Development Corporation. She is a member of the Parks, Recreation and Conservation Commission, the Public Works Commission, and the Riverfront Management Commission, among other committees. She worked as a member of the Task Force on Efficiency and Cost Reduction.
Kim has worked for 34 years at eSolutions Furniture (formerly Bush Industries) in various finance positions.
Personally, Kim is Vice President and Public Relations Division Director of the Jamestown Babe Ruth World Series Committee. She is an 18-year mentor through Chautauqua Striders and a planning member of the annual Buddy Walk.
A lifelong Jamestown resident, Kim graduated from Jamestown High School, Jamestown Community College and SUNY College at Fredonia. Kim is married to her husband Keith.
Kim Ecklund, running for Mayor of the City of Jamestown against Eddie Sundquist answered the question, “Why Run for Mayor?”
Kim’s first answer was regarding finances – her concern for what is going to happen when the ARPA funding runs out? What will happen to those projects in the future? She expressed great concern for the homeless and their housing needs and what the city will be able to do about those problems in the future. Most of the homeless have significant concern for being separated from their partners and families and local agencies are hard at work to solve these concerns.
Ecklund also expressed great concern for the four members of the Police Dept. and the four Fire Dept. hires in the future when the money for their salaries is used up.
Kim expressed great concern for the City’s lack of a permanent city controller, which is currently being filled part time by the very capable former comptroller Joe Bellitto. Kim has stepped in as well to fulfill some of the financial obligations because of her role as Chairman of the Finance Committee. The city has not yet closed the books on 2022 and then must work on 2023. She was questioned regarding the reason no one has been hired to which she answered a candidate must have both budget and government financial experience AND be a city resident to be considered for the position.
Ecklund explained that the city is continuing to apply for grants to help ease its financial situation.
An attendee commented to the candidate on their observation that our community is collapsing; there seems to be no vision for the future. A second attendee asked if the city had a Vision Committee. Ecklund replied that there was no official Vision Committee, but her campaign slogan is “People Over Politics,” which includes neighborhood table talks – small discussion groups in the neighborhoods to help solve local problems.
Audience members continued to ask how we get Jamestown to thrive? What is our niche? Ecklund answered we must get people to come downtown and support small businesses.
Another question from the audience was where does she stand regarding the building of a new YMCA? She replied, where is this city going to come up with $30 million and importantly, what is going to happen to the huge building presently housing the YMCA downtown?
Ecklund addressed the issue of dilapidated housing stating that new fines have been instituted that should remedy landlords ignoring the upkeep of their properties both inside and outside. She reminded the audience that blight and crime is present in every city neighborhood. Ecklund also noted that the city has a new nuisance officer who is hard at work working on noise and firework complaints that would otherwise take police officers away from more pressing problem solving.
The last question was do we have a dedicated Drug Task Force and the candidate answered that our police are working with local police agencies, as well as county and state agencies.
Please tune in to the ZOOM recording here to hear the entire presentation.
