Center, Tory Irgang, Chautauqua Region Community Foundation executive director, discussing the report foundation officials wrote on the public input sessions the city’s hosted on its plan to spend $28 million in federal stimulus funding. P-J photo by Dennis Phillips

More than 100 people attended meetings on how Jamestown officials should spend $28 million in federal stimulus funding.

On Monday, Tory Irgang, Chautauqua Region Community Foundation executive director, and Elizabeth Jones, Chautauqua Region Community Foundation community impact officer, presented a report to the Jamestown City Council that foundation officials wrote on the feedback received during the four public input sessions held earlier this summer.

Irgang said the transcripts of what people said during the four public meetings was 20 pages long, with 118 residents attending these sessions, as well as eight responses received via email or phone call.

Jones said the classifications receiving the most support included housing stability and neighborhood revitalization; economic and workforce development; resident health and well-being; and recreation and youth activities.

Jones said the No. 1 cross-cutting theme through all four public input sessions was equity.

“Equity should be the primary focus when considering how proposed programs or projects would impact all populations of our community, especially populations that have been historically underserved or marginalized,” she said.

Other themes included prioritizing community needs and sustainability.

Irgang said the foundation proposed six recommendations that included investing in capacity and oversight to track the unprecedented amount of money the city will be spending in the upcoming years.

Another recommendation included spending money to encourage new small businesses in under-resourced sectors and increase the number of Minority/Women-owned Business Enterprises.

An additional option was to create ad hoc committees comprised of elected officials and community members to keep city residents involved in how the money is being spent.

One more suggestion was to apply an equity lens to all aspects of this funding. Irgang said city officials need to consider how all city residents will benefit from how the stimulus funding is spent.

The report by the foundation will be made available for the public to review on the city’s website at jamestownny.gov. The city’s draft plan on how the stimulus funding might be spent is currently on the city’s website.