Strike allegations lead to heated board meeting
The gavel had to be used more than 10 times at a vocal and heated meeting. The union said that the town's disciplinary actions against its own police force are a tipping point, so much so that Andy Thompson, president of the Town of Tonawanda Police Club, made his first public comments since the situation began.
'What's happening inside of our department should alarm every person in this room, and every family in this town,' Thompson said.
Much like prior meetings, Monday's was packed with those in support of the police and those critical of the officers' alleged actions.
In March, the town wrapped up its investigation into the department's alleged strike, sending its findings to the state's Public Employment Relations Board. Town leaders said no terminations will come from this, but discipline – like loss of pay and fines – will be in play if PERB upholds the charges.
Since the beginning, police union leaders have denied that there was any type of strike, saying, 'The PERB charges are based on a flawed investigation with fabricated information disguised as facts.'
'The whole police community in New York State … this isn't a Tonawanda issue. We're all watching this and we're all disgusted by it,' said Michael O'Meara, president of the Police Conference of New York.
Numbers reported by the town showed close to 90% fewer tickets in a three-week period compared to prior years. Thompson called those numbers 'bogus,' claiming the town is only doing this because of their frustration over Town of Tonawanda Police Chief James Stauffiger's leadership.
The union recently created a website stating that Stauffiger should step down. On Monday, the union issued its first-ever unanimous vote of no confidence in Stauffiger.
William Krier of the the Town of Tonawanda Criminal Investigations Bureau said that the alleged actions could not be ignored.
'When an officer is found to be dishonest in their official duties, it cannot be ignored,' Krier said. 'The police club clearly feels differently as they have attempted to influence discipline for that dishonesty through a job action, a job action that has ultimately failed and backfired.'
The Public Employment Relations Board will be holding a hearing on the charges before issuing its decision within the next 30-45 days.
Dillon Morello is a reporter from Pittsburgh who has been part of the News 4 team since September of 2023. See more of his work here and follow him on Twitter.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Politico
26 minutes ago
- Politico
Appeals court panel clears way for Trump admin to end TPS for Hondurans, Nepalis and Nicaraguans
'The thing we had in the Supreme Court had nothing to do with these at all,' Arulanantham told the judges. Arulanantham, co-director of the UCLA Center for Immigration Law and Policy, decried the 9th Circuit ruling Wednesday, particularly the judges' lack of explanation for their conclusion. 'The court's failure to provide any reasoning for its decision, including why this was an 'emergency,' falls far short of what due process requires, and our clients deserve,' Arulanantham said. 'The decision simply sanctions the government's power grab, exposing tens of thousands of people to illegal detention and deportation. They deserve better than what this court has done today.' Spokespeople for the Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to requests for comment. TPS status for Nepalis was set to expire Aug. 5, so they could be required to leave the country immediately. Protections for Hondurans and Nicaraguans are now set to end Sept. 8, barring further court action. However, not all of the roughly 63,000 immigrants covered by the ruling Wednesday face the prospect of immediate deportation. Some have pending claims for asylum or withholding of deportation, which could allow them to remain in the U.S. In its emergency stay request, the Trump administration asked the panel to halt further action in the lawsuit pending in the district court and said the government planned to make a rare request to remove Thompson from the matter, citing her use of 'extreme rhetoric with no bearing on this case.' The 9th Circuit panel declined to put a hold on the proceedings before Thompson, saying such a move wasn't justified simply because DOJ might move to disqualify her in the future.
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Yahoo
Scajaquada project at risk of losing $100 million
BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) – The future of Route 198 — the Scajaquada Expressway — remains unknown. New York State Senator Sean Ryan and State Assemblymember Jonathan Rivera wrote a letter to the Buffalo Niagara Regional Transportation Council, urging the council to delay its vote on the 2026-2030 Transportation Improvement Plan to January of 2026, since the current plan suggests cutting $100 million from the project. 'To have New York State, with no interaction with the community, just say 'Yeah, we're going to take this $100 million dollars away…' yeah that's not gonna fly,' said Senator Sean Ryan. They say losing that funding could erase years of work, and leave neighborhoods across Buffalo behind. 'This project is transformative to Blackrock, Riverside, West Side, Hamlin Park and the Trinidad neighborhoods,' Senator Ryan said. 'The primary purpose of the letter was to say do not remove the $100 million, and if we need to delay it until you agree to put it back, then so be it.' Justin Booth, the co-chair of the Scajaquada Corridor Coalition, said this funding is needed. 'It was about community development and quality of life, and there had been an entrenched battle for the last 20 years about what that future plan would look like,' Boorth said. 'And now it seems that the Department of Transportation has just pulled the rug out underneath our community and just said 'okay, you did your plan…we're taking the money because it's not what we want to do.'' 'It's disheartening that these decisions are being made in Albany, opposed to our elected leaders and the people that live in our community here in Buffalo,' he added. 'While I recognize the importance of the Scajaquada Corridor, and it remains a priority of my administration, we cannot allow one project to hold up the entire 2026–2030 Transportation Improvement Plan,' acting Mayor Chris Scanlon said in a statement. 'Delaying this vote would stall critical infrastructure improvements citywide and throughout Western New York. We need to keep the plan moving forward to deliver results for all of our residents.' 'The last thing we want City Hall messaging to New York State is that it's okay to take money from us…that's not an okay message,' Senator Ryan said. 'We all want to keep the plan moving forward, but the priority should be to not be cheated.' At this time, it's unclear when state leaders could get answers from the Transportation Council. WIVB has reached out to the council for a statement, but have not yet heard back. Angelica Gallagher is a Lancaster native who joined the News 4 team in 2025. See more of her work here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Yahoo
Cambria farmers speak out against proposed zoning changes
CAMBRIA, N.Y. (WIVB) — Local small farmers in the Town of Cambria raised concerns to the town board on Thursday night after they said a series of proposed zoning changes could affect their operations. Over 20 residents spoke at the Cambria Volunteer Fire Hall, and over 100 showed up, with many claiming municipal leaders are trying to undermine their agricultural and tourism communities by packing 65 amendments into two new laws that they say 'attack small farms.' A concern for the residents in the proposed zoning changes is the increase of minimum acreage needed to be considered a farm — jumping from five acres to seven. WIVB News 4 reached out to the town's supervisor. We did not hear back, but last week the supervisor released a statement saying, 'The proposed change is going to bring the town current with the standards of the New York State Agriculture and Markets Law.' However, residents say the state has no such recommendation. 'It's about an agricultural tax exemption. It's not about land use,' said Abraham Platt, a Town of Cambria attorney. 'If you were to leave it at five acres, nothing would change. If you were to set it at a million acres, nothing would change because the exception that it's referring to is set by state law.' 'Farms of any size can qualify under New York State law,' one resident said. 'In fact, four other towns in Niagara County do not provide an acreage requirement in their definition, and another town has a definition of only three acres. New York State is not telling you to change the Town of Cambria's definition.' These laws, to the cheers of all in the audience, were unanimously tabled by the board Thursday night. Residents were asking for that delay, and they're also asking for a board or committee to be made with local farmers and also lawmakers to hopefully put the best foot forward for the community. Latest Local News Chief of Narcotics admits to reckless driving after multiple crashes last April Man sentenced for string of burglaries on Elmwood Avenue Father faces assault charges after death of infant, bail set at $1 million 74-year-old woman suffers serious injuries in head-on collision in Amherst Cambria farmers speak out against proposed zoning changes Dillon Morello is a reporter from Pittsburgh who has been part of the News 4 team since September of 2023. See more of his work here and follow him on Twitter. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
