Latest news with #CommonCouncil
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Preview: Buffalo mayoral candidates to face off in debate Tuesday night
BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — Five Democratic candidates for Buffalo mayor are set to take the stage on Tuesday night at D'Youville University's Kavinoky Theatre ahead of the primary election on June 24. The mayoral debate begins at 7 p.m. Tuesday live on WIVB, and WIVB+, our free connected TV app. Beginning at 8 p.m., the debate will shift to WIVB+ and as a town hall format. The candidates taking part in the event are Acting Buffalo Mayor Chris Scanlon, State Senator Sean Ryan, University District Buffalo Common Councilman Rasheed N.C. Wyatt, former Buffalo Fire Commissioner Garnell Whitfield, and Buffalo native Anthony Tyson-Thompson. Chris Scanlon took over as Buffalo's acting mayor on Oct. 15, 2024, following the resignation of former mayor Byron Brown. Scanlon, 43, has deep roots in South Buffalo, having served as the district's councilman beginning in 2012. He was promoted to Common Council president in January 2024. In Scanlon's time as acting mayor, he has focused on improving the lives of those who live in the city and who work in the city. Under his watch, the Common Council approved the city's $622 million budget for 2025-26 last week. About $30 million in cuts were made to the budget, including $10 million in departmental cuts, however, a key highlight of the budget is that no city employees are being laid off. 'I'm not downsizing the City of Buffalo,' he said. 'The City of Buffalo's going forward, we're gonna improve, we're gonna continue to invest in the City of Buffalo. We're gonna maintain our services, we're gonna maintain our workforce and we're gonna provide the services we need to the City of Buffalo.' Sean Ryan has been a member of the New York State Senate since 2021, serving the 61st district, which includes the Elmwood Village, Upper West Side and much of North Buffalo. Before serving in the State Senate, he spent over nine years in the New York State Assembly. Ryan, 60, earned the endorsement of the Erie County Democratic Committee in February. Erie County Democratic Chairman Jeremy Zellner cited his belief that a 'change in culture' is needed in city hall and believes Ryan can do that. 'We heard a lot about people wanting change,' Zellner said in February. 'We heard a lot about people saying we need to change the culture in city hall and I think they thought Senator Ryan was the one to do that. People are tired of the status quo and they want something different.' Ryan has suggested bonds in order to solve the city's budget issues and is aiming to reduce crime in the city. Rasheed Wyatt has represented the University District in the Buffalo Common Council since 2014. Wyatt has been a vocal critic of both Brown and Scanlon and was one of two council members to vote against the 2025-26 budget. He was the only member to vote against Brown's budget for 2024-25. In May, he called for cuts to police and fire overtime in order to help address the budget. 'I think the acting mayor is showing that he is Byron Brown 2.0, doing these types of antics that really don't help the residents of the City of Buffalo,' Wyatt said earlier this month in criticism of Scanlon. Garnell Whitfield became a member of the Buffalo Fire Department in 1984 and served in the department until he retired in 2017. He spent the final seven years in his tenure as fire commissioner. After Whitfield's mother, Ruth Whitfield, was killed in the Tops mass shooting on May 14, 2022, he has become an activist for gun control and has worked with policymakers to combat white supremacy and domestic terrorism. He has also spoken about 'irresponsible budgeting' and 'decades of broken promises' in criticisms of city government. His areas of focus include bettering the city's education, workforce and development of neighborhoods and local businesses without displacement. Anthony Tyson-Thompson served as an aide to State Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes and has experience with the Erie County Democratic Committee and the American Cancer Society, but has never held public office before. Thompson said he lives by the motto: 'We are stronger together.' Economic growth, access to good quality food and education, affordable housing and support for small businesses are at the forefront of his campaign. Tuesday night's debate is for the Democratic primary. There is only one Republican in the race. That is James Gardner, a former assistant district attorney and law clerk for Erie County Court Judge Kenneth Case. He unsuccessfully ran for Erie County District Attorney last year, losing to Mike Keane. Gardner has expressed concern with the 'devastating border crisis, rising crime, and reckless bail reform laws.' As the only Republican candidate, Gardner said he is giving city taxpayers a 'real choice' in the election. In November, Buffalo will elect a new mayor for the first time since 2005. Former mayor Byron Brown stepped down on Oct. 15, 2024, to become the CEO of Western Regional Off-Track Betting in Batavia. He served as Buffalo's mayor for nearly 19 years and won re-election four times. The primary election is on June 24. Early voting begins on June 14. The general election is on Nov. 4. Aidan Joly joined the News 4 staff in 2022. He is a graduate of Canisius College. You can see more of his work here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Lockport looking into new sites for fire headquarters
City officials are in the early stages of possibly providing a new home for the Lockport Fire Department. The city published a request for proposals last week for an engineering feasibility study to evaluate a building for purchase as headquarters for the fire department. Fire Chief Luca Quagliano said he has identified a centrally located building in the city that could also provide space for another department. Quagliano said city hall was not designed to house a fire department, and the current location on two floors with limited garage and storage space impacts nearly every aspect of the fire department's routine operations. 'Chief Quagliano is looking for other options,' said Mayor John Lombardi III. 'Let's see what it would cost to build a facility out. We can see if we could move forward from there.' Common Council President Kathryn Fogle, who represents the 4th Ward, said was in favor of the RFP but is concerned about the costs of purchasing an additional city building. Fogle said she is waiting to see what additional information can be provided by the mayor's team. The fire department's current location has five garage bays, but Quagliano said only one bay can fit two ambulances back to back, and none can fit two fire trucks. That has left the fire department keeping its reserve engine, an ambulance, extra equipment and supplies at Outwater Park. This includes the department's oxygen generator that provides the oxygen supply to the ambulance. Quagliano said staff need to go to the park three times a week to refill the onboard oxygen. 'Whenever there's a fire that goes to a second alarm, we have to go over there,' he said. Over time, ambulances and fire engines have become larger, Quagliano said. Now, 'you can't open the doors on the fire trucks without hitting a column.' The city hall location also offers limited pavement space to perform maintenance on vehicles, he said. 'The ramp down to the road beats the hell out of the trucks because it twists the chassis.' Staff spaces are also problematic, Quagliano said. Currently, responders' living quarters are on the second floor above the garage. 'There should be a formal separation between living quarters and apparatus, but now there's an open stairway,' he said. This allows diesel fumes to reach firefighters for extended periods. According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer, diesel exhaust is a cause of cancer in humans. The department has a vent system, Quagliano said. 'It's done by hoses and if the hose rips, you expel diesel particulate throughout the building.' Firefighters are also exposed to cancer-causing substances when fighting fires. Modern buildings contain PVC, foam, and treated fabrics. According to the website FireRescue1, 'Fires now release carcinogenic compounds like benzene, hydrogen cyanide and formaldehyde.' To address this, firefighters need to decontaminate by removing soot, smoke particles, and toxins from themselves and their gear after a fire or incident with hazardous materials. City hall does not accommodate this need, Quagliano said. 'There's no decon rooms — that's another push in the industry with all the cancer awareness.' A new building would also solve the problem of no women's restroom or living quarters at the current building. 'They have to lock themselves in the existing bathroom after they knock,' he said. Margaret Lupo, 5th Ward alderman, had heard Quagliano's concerns during a presentation to the council. 'City hall is kind of outdated,' Lupo said. 'But I want the big picture scenario from the mayor, which we don't have.' Lupo said space vacated by the fire department could be used by court personnel. 'We need room for the courts,' she said. 'The mayor should have a plan for what the future looks like — like who moves where. It's the very beginning phase.'
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Buffalo Common Council asks for amendments to proposed budget
BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — The Buffalo Common Council is asking for six amendments to acting Mayor Chris Scanlon's 2025-26 proposed budget. Council members said the amendments focus on making affordability a priority while 'reining in' increasing overtime costs and maintaining public services. Scanlon announced his $622 million budget in April, which includes a hotel occupancy tax, selling city-owned parking ramps, a proposed property tax increase and more. His proposal has been met with critiques from local leaders about its ability to fill the $70 million budget hole. Scanlon announces $622M city budget, proposes 8% property tax increase One of the amendments asks for formal agreements to be made between the city and venues or organizers who use the city's police, fire and sanitation services for events. More specifically, the council is asking for reimbursements from the entities for 'city-related expenses' through a memorandum of understanding. A property tax circuit breaker program was also proposed, citing concerns of effects of the proposed tax increase on low-income homeowners. The council said it would provide 'targeted relief' to people whose tax liabilities are higher than a 'defined percentage' of their yearly income. The council wants representation on the Buffalo Parking Authority — which has received approval in the state's budget and would pave the way for city-owned parking ramps to be sold off to the authority — to 'promote transparency' to the public. Caps to departmental overtime, particularly in police and fire services, was listed as an amendment, along with switching to one annual bulk trash pickup model. Any reduction in trash services would be returned to residents through fee reductions. The council requested the restoration of funding for art programs that was cut in December 2024 and $403,000 in funding for cultural and anti-violence initiatives. The amendments follow concerns from local leaders since the announcement of the proposed budget. Buffalo Comptroller Barbara Miller-Williams previously called the budget 'technically balanced,' but took issue with the city relying on nonrecurring revenue sources. New York State Senator Baskin, along with Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz and Buffalo mayoral candidate and State Senator Sean Ryan, questioned the proposed sale of parking ramps and whether it will fill the budget gap. Poloncarz concerned by 'serious issues' in proposed Buffalo budget Scanlon has previously said that his proposals are not one-time revenue sources and that the Buffalo Parking Authority, would bring around $40 to $50 million in cash, as well as $2.5 million in revenue every year. 'It's not a gimmick, it's money that would come in — a large sum of money — that we could use over the course of several years while we fix the budget,' Scanlon told WIVB News 4 on Friday. 'If you look at the four-year plan, it's laid out, how we would do that, but also, it would provide a yearly revenue as well and again, alleviate the City of Buffalo of any maintenance and capital costs associated with those.' The council will vote on the budget amendments on Tuesday, May 27. Katie Skoog joined the News 4 team in April 2024. She is a graduate from the University at Buffalo. You can view more of her work here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
$5 million riverfront public plaza planned near Deer District. A Milwaukee panel approves
A $5 million plan to create a riverfront public plaza near downtown Milwaukee's Deer District has received an initial city approval. The Gary P. Grunau Memorial Plaza would be built on what's now a half-block of West Highland Avenue, between North King Drive and the Milwaukee River. That street would be replaced by a pedestrian plaza featuring places to sit, greenery and a walkway/ramp connecting to the pedestrian bridge and RiverWalk. The city would pay for 78% of the project's costs, or $3.9 million, under a development agreement being recommended for approval by the Common Council's Public Works Committee. That city funding is to come from a tax incremental financing district that uses property tax revenue generated by newer commercial developments near Fiserv Forum. The plaza's remaining $1.1 million costs are to be paid by the Downtown Riverwalk Business Improvement District No. 15, according to the agreement. That improvement district is funded through special assessments on downtown riverfront commercial properties. That agreement needs full council approval, which could come at its June 3 meeting. The Public Works Committee endorsed the agreement at its May 21 meeting. Work is to begin on the plaza in October. Its namesake, Gary Grunau, was a developer who died in 2019. He helped lead several large Milwaukee projects − including the RiverWalk. Tom Daykin can be emailed at tdaykin@ and followed on Instagram, Bluesky, X and article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: $5 million public plaza on Milwaukee River wins first city approval Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Milwaukee City Hall lockdown; leaders drill into communication chaos
The Brief Milwaukee City Hall and the Zeidler Municipal Building went on lockdown last week. It turned out to be a false alarm, but a number of communication issues unfolded. City leaders and employees drilled into that communication chaos on Thursday. MILWAUKEE - Milwaukee City Hall and the Zeidler Municipal Building went on lockdown last week. Now, city leaders are working to make sure the communication issues that unfolded in the process don't happen again. The backstory A city employee was in the process of getting fired on May 15. When that person left, police said the slamming of a door sounded like gunshots. It turned out to be a false alarm. MPD said there were no signs of gunshots, and the department is still investigating what happened. What they're saying Common Council members called Department of Public Works Commissioner Jerrel Kruschke and the city's emergency management director before the Public Health and Safety Committee on Thursday. "The announcement did not go off. The speakers were not working at that time," said Kruschke. Public Works Commissioner Jerrel Kruschke said the speakers were not working throughout the entire building. They have since been fixed. FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX LOCAL Mobile app for iOS or Android "We didn't know anything," said Common Council President José Pérez. For more than an hour, city leaders and employees drilled into the chaos surrounding the false alarm that locked down city hall. "What would have been the appropriate things that should have happened?" said Ald. Sharlen Moore. "We do have these floor evacuation team leaders, and I think sometimes it's hard to differentiate between that when there's an emergency, that they have actual commitment and responsibility to engage and to provide some sort of safety response," said Ryan Zollicoffer, the city's emergency management director. The initial call for a possible active shooter came just after 3:03 p.m. on May 15. A distress button was pressed on the fourth floor of the Zeidler Municipal Building at 3:06 p.m. The public address system announcement did not come until 3:30 p.m. "Is 20 minutes adequate time?" asked Ald. Peter Burgelis. "We don't need to put false information out there, I think that's where the delay happened," Kruschke said. "Was it too long? Yes." "Three officers on site in seconds. Nowhere else in any facilities I've been to where you'll have that rapid response," said Zollicoffer. "I don't want to gloss over how well our public safety team did." There were no text alerts, and an email didn't reach elected officials. Some said they only learned something was wrong when running into the mayor's security detail. Dig deeper FOX6 News asked Pérez if the city has a comprehensive plan in place and whether it is being correctly executed. "I don't believe so at all. You heard, we thought, some people thought there was a text messaging system in place. It's not in place," he said. What's next Pérez said he wants a concrete plan and employee training, so a situation like that does not happen again. "If a plan is going to collect dust and no one's gonna execute, how we understand it and do it, it makes no sense," he said. SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines, breaking news emails from FOX6 News Pérez intends on setting up a work group, including the clerk's office, to ensure everyone who should be getting important messages does. Also on Thursday, the city's emergency management and public works departments met with police, fire and other departments to go over the city's response. The Source Information in this report is from FOX6 News interviews, Thursday's Public Health and Safety Committee meeting and the Milwaukee Police Department.
