| Date: | November 1, 2024 |
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By PPG Staff
Each week, PPG summarizes important takeaways from the major Buffalo Common Council meetings. We also include information from council meetings related to our Community Agenda items. If you want to learn more about how the council meetings work and how you can get involved, check out our guide. As a reminder: anyone can attend these meetings. They are on the 13th floor of City Hall, and all the agendas can be found on the council’s meeting website.
This week, the council had their Caucus and Regular meetings, as well as an Education Committee meeting.
In the Caucus meeting, the council members were interested in a letter that the comptroller’s office had sent to corporation counsel (the city’s lawyers). The letter asked the lawyers for an opinion on how much Interim Mayor Chris Scanlon should be paid since it isn’t spelled out in the city charter. The representative from the comptroller’s office was not prepared to speak on the topic. However, it sounds like both the comptroller and a representative from corporation counsel will be at the next Finance Committee to discuss.
A representative from the Office of Strategic Planning (OSP) came to explain what’s happening with the city’s Mohawk Ramp. The city is selling the ramp to Douglas Development, which will be redeveloping the parking ramp into a mix of commercial and residential space. The resolution in front of the council would designate this property as part of an “Urban Development Action Area” (UDAA). Doing this allows a developer to receive tax breaks when redeveloping a property in a designated UDAA. However, the OSP rep explained that Douglas Development was waiving its rights to pursue tax breaks on this project. According to the rep, this means that the city can use tax dollars collected on this project to re-invest in the surrounding area.
A representative from the Dept of Public Works explained that the city will likely still be waiting on six newly-purchased snowplows when the first snow comes. However, the dept anticipates that the snowplows will be delivered sometime during the winter.
In the Regular meeting, the council adopted the resolution to designate the Mohawk Parking Ramp part of an Urban Development Action Area.
The council also approved the use of $300,000 in American Rescue Plan funds for the Olivencia Center, a community center located on Swan Street. The money will be used to construct a new patio space, which is meant to make the center more inviting to residents.
Council member Wyatt submitted a letter to the Buffalo Urban Renewal Agency (BURA) asking them to attend the next Finance Committee meeting to talk about Braymiller Market. In 2023, the council approved a $561,000 forgivable loan to Braymiller Market, with the hopes that it could stabilize the downtown grocer. Braymiller is in the news again, however, because it has continued to struggle financially. CM Wyatt asked BURA to come talk to council about Braymiller’s current financial status, how the $561k was spent, the justification for any additional financial support from the city, and future plans for monitoring the business’ financial health.
The council also approved several short-term rental (e.g. Airbnb) licenses.
In the Education Committee, Council Woman Everhart invited local community orgs to come speak about programming and resources they have that are intended to decrease bullying. Those groups included: UB’s Alberti Center for Bullying Abuse Prevention, the National Federation for Just Communities of WNY, Every Person Influences Children (EPIC), Child and Family Services, GLYS WNY, Mental Health Advocates of WNY, and Erie County Restorative Justice Coalition. Please check out the council’s recording of the meeting if you’d like to hear more about what each of these groups has available for our youth and families.