Council, mayor fumble park plans

The Niagara Falls City Council met Wednesday in chaotic fashion and declined to approve advancement for a much-needed new park on Beech Avenue, voting down a resolution brought forth by Donta Myles 3-2.

Councileprsons Myles and Brian Archie were in favor while David Zajac and Traci Bax were against as was Chairperson James Perry.

Almost $200,000 has already been spent on designing the park which advocates like Myles and Niagara United Vision’s Arlene Jackson Doss have claimed is mandated by federal law as replacement for park facilities taken for construction of public housing.

Perry, Zajac and Bax all said they support the project but the window for funding it is too short given that half of the $4 million. Myles suggested reallocating would come from the American Rescue Plan which is 90 days from a deadline after which funds are clawed back to the federal government as well as pulling Greenway Comission funding.

Doss put her faith in Mayor Rober Restaino for funding the park only to find later the mayor decided to change course on his support instead spending the funds on desperately needed repairs necessitated by deferred maintenance and neglect at Jayne, Gluck and Hyde Parks.

Myles, Zajac and Bax were all on the council through the American Rescue Plan allocation process which including 5 separate public hearings hosted by Restaino. Two of those hearings attended by this writer featured mostly African American residents advocating for public parks and community centers and the Mayor explaining only certain things could be funded bit he wasn't yet sure what. In the end, most of the money was spent on equipment for public safety and new vehicles.

While Doss tried to work diplomatic channels with Restaino to move the project forward and delivered more than 1,100 petition signatures in support, Myles declined to work with the Mayor on the project because there is a long history of distrust and he does not trust the mayor who he said would just "lie to me some more."

During the discussion on Myles’ resolution, Doss rose from her seat to challenge Perry for misrepresenting her stance, accusing him of gaslighting her.

Myles said the loss of the 13th Street and Center Court community centers and YMCA has never been addressed by the last several mayors.

Archie, spoke as a council member who has lived most of his life in the north end.

“There has been consistent disinvestment in the area,” Archie said. “We need to uplift and create a vibrant community.”

Bax expressed concern the only thing she knew about the project was what she learned in an emailed resolution from Myles.

Myles, sensing defeat, became emotional.

“The stuff every week . . .” he said, pausing to wipe a tear. “We vote about these things and we need to think about the kids. At the end of the day, all kids matter.”

Meanwhile in North Tonawanda, Democratic Mayor Austin Tylec, who consistently battles with Republicans on his council, continues to get things done.

Friday he announced funding for a $4 million replacement o Memorial Pool on Payne Avenue, with funding from U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Congressman Tim Kennedy announced the federal funding is from the National Park Service’s Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF).

Schumer allowed the biggest infrastructure bill in history to pass without funding a new wastewater treatment plant for Niagara Falls. He comes here every couple years to express grievances surrounding the Canadian border but never brings gifts even if local politicians show up and genuflect.

The city’s assembly district, held by long-time Republican City Judge Angelo Morinello, receives less member-item funding than any district in the state.

Sen. Robert Ortt is also regularly absent from advocating for or funding improvements.

Any projects funded by the state seem to come directly from the office of Gov. Kathy Hochul.

Here’s a link to a story from Channel 7 about Tylec’s latest win in his city which is undergoing a renaissance. https://www.wkbw.com/news/local-news/4-million-in-federal-funding-to-he…