Jamestown Interim Public Works Director Mark Roetzer presents on Public Works and Parks budgets to Jamestown City Council (October 27, 2025)
Increases in electric rates and the cost of road salt are affecting the Jamestown Departments of Public Works and Parks’ budgets.
Interim Director of Public Works Mark Roetzer shared with City Council that the departments are facing a 9.75% increase in electric in 2026. This number is based on information provided by the Jamestown Board of Public Utilities who are in the process of requesting a rate increase from the State Public Service Commission.
Roetzer said road salt prices are also rising 41% from $49 to $69 per ton. He said this is the price that all municipalities in Chautauqua County are paying in 2026.
When it comes to the capital budget, the DPW and Parks have a combined $7.6 million in equipment that is past needing replacement. Roetzer said they’ve been fortunate enough to be able to use leftover CHIPS funding to replace some equipment in DPW but the city cannot use those funds for equipment replacement in Parks.
He said the DPW and Parks building needs to upgrade their HVAC control system due to the computer system running them no longer being supported. Roetzer said the cost of that upgrade is $330,000. He said they will work on trying to get that number down.
Council will hear budget presentations next from the Assessor, Clerk, Corporation Counsel, Information Technology, and Department of Development. The Fenton History Center and the Mayor’s Office also will report out on their budgets at the November 3 work session.
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