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The dystopian reality that has become Niagara Falls City Council meetings took another turn toward the gutter Wednesday night.
First, there are the continual challenges of Councilperson Donta Myles who questions why Acting Corporation Counsel Tom DeBoy has come to have an outsized role in the meetings.
Council Chair Jim Perry, is 7 months into a tenure granted to him when Myles, as the senior member of the majority party should have traditionally received the role.
Perry, with years of experience in the military, and as a human resources administrator in the public and private sector should know Robert’s Rules of order but continuously halts council meetings to consult with DeBoy, the only member of the administration of Mayor Robert Restaino forced to attend and speak at the meetings.
Myles’ battle with the administration, and Perry, continued Wednesday when he read into the record from his phone a trio of information requests.
1) He requested a comprehensive accounting of all legal fees paid to Hodgson Russ and related to Restaino’s Centennial Park eminent domain proceeding. (By the Express estimate, it is an unverified $1.1 million. It should also be noted, so for the Urbacon Data Center proposed for the same site does not appear to be under consideration by the planning or zoning board. As the mayor has said repeatedly, usually if someone is serious about building something, that is the first step.)
2) A complete accounting of the communications, negotiations and contract with the Pit Chic, the Grand Island Animal shelter granted an emergency contract to provide care for stray dogs in Niagara Falls more than two years after the Niagara County SPCA informed the administration it was getting out of the municipal animal shelter business.
3) A complete accounting of the expenditure of American Rescue Plan funds. The city received more than $57 million in federal funding. Mayor Restaino held public hearings on expenditure of the funds. Those meeting mostly consisted of Black residents suggesting things like better parks and playground or a youth center and the mayor telling them he would not spend on anything that created legacy costs. Instead, it appears the funding was spent on new LED street lights as well as desperately needed equipment upgrades for police and fire. The mayor enjoys broad support among public safety employees but seems to be much less popular in the Black community.
Myles was challenged by DeBoy because his request did not strictly fit Roberts Rules of Order but Perry allowed him to finish. No one has confirmed it but the requests, which Myles said he would email to DeBoy, seemed to be professionally written. A good guess would be they were the work of Paul Wolf, an Erie County attorney who is president of the New York State Coalition for Open Government.
Wolf has helped multiple media outlets attempt to prise information from the Restaino administration with no success. Freedom of Information requests to the city seldom receive a response despite. Campaign promises mispelled “opacity” as “transparency,” an easy mistake since who doesn’t occasionally mess up “black” and “white” or “wet” and “dry.”
After the Myles information request, the council worked through its agenda, selling off vacant parcels of land, approving the budget for Community Development and even continuing to accept GIVE funds for the police department's gun involved violence initiative. A year ago, Myles voted no. This year he said he discussed the program with retired Police Chief John Faso and turned to a yes.
Several speakers as well addressed problems with The Atmosphere Bar, Grill and Lounge at 1414 Main St. across from Niagara Falls Library that has been hosting late-night parties.
The establishment was shut down for a time in June by a “cease-and-desist” order but returned and was as out-of-control as ever on Independence Day weekend.
Karen Mock addressed the council with a text message from an AirBnb guest who vacated premises because of fears the neighborhood was unsafe. At least two homes have been hit with gunfire.
She said she called police and the response was “‘the only thing we can do is traffic control.’ ”
She questioned that. “What would the answer be in Amherst?”
In the midst of the For the Good of the Community segment being dominated by waterboard retirees and complaints about a lack of law enforcement, the dog fights continued.
Janine Gallo, formerly affiliated with Pit Chic Kelly Swagel, is leading an effort to form a new animal shelter at 1700 Cayuga Drive Extension in Wheatfield near Niagara Falls Airport.
Gallo, Tanya Barone, Vincent Cauley and supporters have been regular speakers at council meetings. At one point Perry suspended Gallo and Barone from speaking for two months because of incivility.
When the suspension was lifted, the circus returned.
Swagel’s reps have been there as well. Wednesday, it was endless debate about an emaciated dog named Stella. As a Swagel supporter prattled on and waxed into personal attacks on Gallo, Gallo allegedly made faces. Perry warned her and then had Gallo escorted from the room.
Multiple speakers from both sides came to the podium to speak about Stella. Perry judged it to be “for the Good of the Community” so he allowed it.
Perry did admonish the gallery, with a warning “we are not putting up with any more of the Jerry Springer Show at the Niagara Falls Council.”
The meeting ended with Myles again questioning the outsized role of DeBoy in controlling meetings and whether Perry was fit to lead. For his part, Perry said he had been elected by the council and Myles was welcome to lead a motion to remove him.
