Common Council of the city of buffalo

David A. Franczyk, Council President David A. Rivera, President Pro Tempore Richard A. Fontana, Majority Leader FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: James Pajak, Chief of Staff (716) 851-4047

MEETING SUMMARY for

SEPTEMBER 20, 2011

ENACT RETURN TO PRUDENT BANKING ACT OF 2011 The Council adopted a resolution sponsored by Masten District Council Member Demone A. Smith urging the United States Congress to enact the Return to Prudent Banking Act of 2011 (H.R. 1489) as quickly as possible. In 1933, Congress passed the Glass-Steagall Act which prohibited commercial banks from collaborating with full service brokerage firms or participating in investment activities. The purpose of this act was to protect bank depositors from risks associated with securities transactions. Many economists believe that the repeal of the Glass-Steagall Act in 1999 was a major cause of the 2007-2011 financial crisis. H.R. 1489 would re-establish a separation between commercial banking and security businesses, in the manner provided by the Glass-Steagall Act. The Council maintains that H.R. 1489 should be enacted as expeditiously as possible in order to revive the struggling economy. 1

SUPPORT FOR BUFFALO ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY GRANT APPLICATION The Council approved a resolution sponsored by Council Members Michael J. LoCurto and David A. Franczyk approving and endorsing the application of the Zoological Society of Buffalo for a grant under the Environmental Protection Fund for a park project known as the Arctic Edge. The Zoological Society of Buffalo, Inc. is applying to the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP) for the grant to fund a park project to be located at the Buffalo Zoo. As a requirement of the grant, the Zoological Society must obtain the approval and endorsement of the Common Council. Should the Zoological Society be unable to maintain the property, the Council resolves that it will forever be maintained by the City as a municipal park. REINSTATE FUNDING FOR CHILDRENS CENTER AT BUFFALO CITY COURT The Council adopted a resolution sponsored by Ellicott District Council Member Darius G. Pridgen requesting that the New York State (NYS) Governor, Legislature, and Division of Alternative Dispute Resolution and Court Improvements pursue all possible avenues for renewing funding for the Childrens Center at Buffalo City Court. The Childrens Center at Buffalo City Court has been operated by the YWCA of Western New York (WNY) through grant funding obtained from the NYS Division of Alternative Dispute Resolution and Court Improvements. Without this funding, the YWCA of WNY lacks the resources necessary to operate the Childrens Center. The Childrens Center has provided safe and supervised drop-in daycare, free of charge, to approximately eight to nine children each day whose caregivers were appearing in connection with City Court matters. By providing these free services, the Childrens Center helped to ensure the efficient administration of justice by providing parents, witnesses and jurors lacking other childcare alternatives with a means to appear and participate in City Court proceedings without subjecting their young children to the sometimes hostile and inappropriate environment of the judicial system. Although NYS will be continuing to fund a child care center in the Buffalo Family Court building, parents and guardians appearing in City Court will not be able to use these facilities. The Council is requesting the assistance of the local WNY State legislative and judicial delegations to persuade the NYS Division of Alternative Dispute Resolution and Court Improvements to revisit and reverse the decision to discontinue funding for the Childrens Center at Buffalo City Court. WAIVER OF FEES The Council approved a resolution sponsored by South District Council Member Michael P. Kearns requesting that the City of Buffalo Departments of Public Works, Permit and Inspection Services, Law and all other involved City Departments waive all fees associated with the use by Western New York United Against Drug & Alcohol Abuse, Inc. of a Band Shell for its Red Ribbon Week event being held in Cazenovia Park. Each year as part of Red Ribbon Week, WNY United hosts a contest for students to create banners that show a positive drug prevention message, which students then parade around their community and in front of judges. This year, students from four Buffalo Public Schools located in South Buffalo will be walking the banners they have created from their school buildings to Cazenovia Park where the Red Ribbon Rally and judging will take place. The Council maintains that by waiving the band shell fee, the City of Buffalo 2

would be demonstrating its support for youth drug prevention efforts and enable WNY United to utilize their limited funding for other drug prevention programming for local youths. BANNERS TO BE HUNG IN THE CITY OF BUFFALO The Council adopted a resolution sponsored by Masten District Council Member Demone A. Smith granting permission to Sisters of Charity Hospital to install banners along Kensington Avenue. The banners will celebrate the hospitals anniversary celebration and promote its new Emergency Department and will be displayed from October 24, 2011 through October 24, 2012.

SALE OF CITY OWNED PROPERTYThe Council approved the sale of the following City owned properties: Fillmore District o 338 Moselle Street was sold to Mr. Augustus Donaldson for $1,900 o 96 and 100 Warren Street was sold to Broadway Oasis, LLC for $4,500 Masten District o 363 East Ferry Street was sold to Second Chance Ministries Community Development Corporation for $14,400 Lovejoy District o 1989 Broadway was sold to Mr. Kenneth Rozler for $5,589 APPOINTMENTS The Council appointed the following individual to the position of Assistant Legislative Aide II within the Masten District Common Council Office: o Nikita Fortune The Council approved the appointment of the following individuals to positions within various City of Buffalo Departments at steps above the base salary: o Department of Public Works Traffic Signal Specialist Jeremiah Adamczyk

o Department of Administration, Finance, & Urban Affairs Administrator of Treasury and Collections Mark Comerford Mail and Supply Clerk 3

Susan Dari Paul Desiderio

Superintendent of Automotive Supplies

The Council accepted the appointment of the following individual to a position within the Department of Community Services and Recreational Programming at the base salary: o Human Resources Planner Susan Lumadue

LICENSE AND PERMIT APPROVALSUpon the recommendation of the Department Permit & Inspection Services, the Council approved the following license and permit applications: Ellicott District o Food Store Licenses Georgia Deli located at 272 Georgia Street Virginia Food Market located at 224 Virginia Street Big Bad Wolf located at 234 Delaware Avenue

o Restaurant Dance Class IV License Masten District o Second Hand Dealer License Appliance Plus Outlet.com located at 1083 Kensington Avenue North District o Used Car Dealer License South District o Food Store License Al Kadi Market located at 2042 South Park Avenue University District o Used Car Dealer License Car Business LLC located at 19 Clyde Avenue Chase Asset Recovery Corp. located at 269 Hinman Avenue

CLAIMS, CONTRACTS, CHANGE ORDERS & AGREEMENTS Upon the request of the City of Buffalo Office of Strategic Planning (OSP), the Council:

o Authorized an easement agreement from National Grid in order to allow them to install a utility pole on a City-owned parking lot located at 573 Forest Avenue. The purpose for installing this utility pole is to place capacitors on the pole which will provide necessary reliability of power for the neighborhood. o Authorized an easement agreement for Niagara Mohawk for electrical upgrades to School No. 17 located at 1800 Main Street. Upon the request of the City of Buffalo Department of Parking, the Council: o Authorized the Division of Parking Enforcement to utilize two abandoned vehicles for use as enforcement vehicles. The two vehicles were available for conversion to official use and will not be take home vehicles. o Authorized the Department of Parking to enter into a 90 day trial agreement with The IPS Group, Inc. to install 50 single head meters in various locations throughout the City. These meters differ dramatically from the current single head meters in that they are easier to program, accept coin and credit card payments, and will give the department the ability to download parking information daily in order to track revenue and parking patterns. The goals of this trial are to assess the functionality, dependability, service, and ease of use of these meters for the public and City of Buffalo meter mechanics. Upon the request of the City of Buffalo Department of Public Works (DPW), the Council: o Authorized DPW to hire Nussbaumer & Clarke, Inc. for architectural and engineering services needed for the Broderick Park Master Plan Project. The costs for these services are estimated not to exceed $63,000. o Authorized DPW to hire Wendel Companies for architectural and engineering services needed for Citywide Park Pools, Splash Pad and Facilities Projects. The costs for these services are estimated not to exceed $200,000. o Authorized DPW to hire the following companies for emergency reconstruction of the Merriweather Library due to an automobile accident which caused substantial damage to the outside and inside of the building: DiDonato Associates Structural Investigation for $4,850 Quackenbush Emergency Repairs, Isolation of the damaged AHU, and AHU replacement for $7,961; $6,210; and $108,285 respectively Morris Masonry Reconstruction of Masonry for $56,475

Upon the request of the City of Buffalo Department of Public Works, the Council approved the following reports of bids: o The Sheas Performing Arts Center Replacement of Boilers Project. Of the bids that were received, Parise Mechanical was the lowest with a bid of $177,800. o The Tosh Collins Community Center Toilet Room Reconstruction Project. Of the bids that were received, Joseph Carino Plumbing was the lowest with a bid of $25,830. 5

o The Tosh Collins Community Center New Showers in Team Rooms Project. Of the bids that were received, Joseph Carino Plumbing was the lowest with a bid of $26,965.
For any questions, concerns, or further information regarding the above, please contact your District Council Member, the Common Council Legislative Staff Office, or the respective City Department. To view the live streaming of Common Council meetings on a personal computing device with internet access, please insert the following address into the device web-browser: www.city-buffalo.com/Home/Leadership/CommonCouncil/Common_Council_Live_Coverage. To view replays of a Common Council Meeting please visit the City of Buffalo Government Television website at www.city-buffalo.com/Home/Government_TV. To view the final Common Council Meeting agenda and/or supporting communications, please visit the City of Buffalo website at www.city-buffalo.com/Home/Leadership/CommonCouncil.

BUFFALO COMMON COUNCIL David A. Franczyk Council President Fillmore District 1315 City Hall 851-4138 Michael J. LoCurto Delaware District 1405 City Hall 851-5155 Joseph Golombek, Jr. North District 1502 City Hall 851-5116 David A. Rivera President Pro Tempore Niagara District 1504 City Hall 851-5125 Darius G. Pridgen Ellicott District 1408 City Hall 851-4980 Michael P. Kearns South District 1401 City Hall 851-5169 Common Council Legislative Staff Office 1413 City Hall 851-5105 Richard A. Fontana Majority Leader Lovejoy District 1414 City Hall 851-5151 Demone A. Smith Masten District 1316-A City Hall 851-5145 Bonnie E. Russell University District 1508 City Hall 851-5165