Councilman William Reynolds could not comprehend it, however he simply branded Jamestown free of charge and, in our opinion, saved taxpayers $300,000.

Reynolds was attempting to persuade his fellow council members to spend federal ARPA funding on further branding work.

Reynolds mentioned the town’s low electrical charges, entry to water, parks, instructional alternatives, the Nationwide Comedy Heart, the proximity to the Chautauqua Establishment and Chautauqua Lake, the town’s police division and hearth division and the housing market are elements that needs to be promoted to encourage individuals and companies to relocate to Jamestown.

We don’t disagree with Reynolds. Every of these elements is a cause for somebody to think about Jamestown as a spot to reside, elevate a household or begin a enterprise. These are Jamestown’s positives — and nobody needed to be paid for the trouble.

“If that’s properly spent, I believe we might reap the advantages of high quality advertising and high quality rebranding,” Reynolds mentioned. “I’d wish to see the positives be accentuated. There’s extra constructive than destructive to our great metropolis.”

The one drawback with a branding effort is Reynolds’ qualification that the cash be “properly spent.” In our opinion, earlier branding efforts haven’t been cash properly spent. Our inhabitants continued to say no. Our enterprise group hasn’t attracted many individuals who didn’t already reside right here or have ties right here. The Uncover Downtown jingle or Jamestown Up Shut movies didn’t create a rush of individuals shopping for properties in Jamestown. And nothing within the effort we’ve seen up to now convinces us the present proposal might be cash properly spent both. Branding must have a dedication far past this $300,000 request to have any impact on anybody who doesn’t already reside right here.

Finace Committee members made the appropriate name voting in opposition to further funding for rebranding.