Council to vote on 35% of ARP funds

Next Wednesday’s Niagara Falls Council meeting is the most extensive I have seen in my almost 4-years of paying attention.

The whole darn thing is linked but:

The conflagration will start with a presentation on Paws in the Falls from Nicole Dyer.

Also included spending a total of $19.4 million (almost 35% of the $56 million) in American Rescue Plan funds that needed to be allocated by year end including:

1. $4.18 million to build out the new dog shelter in Hyde Park.
2. $1.15 million for Duck Island restoration.
3. $1.18 million for HVAC improvements at the John Duke Senior Center.
4. $451,000 for renovations at the Hyde Park Golf Dome Annex.
5. $8.03 million for construction of a new building at the DPW.
6. $1.048 million to pay Trautman and Associates for engineering on all of the above but the dog park.
7. $2.21 million to extend an agreement with Axon Enterprises for police body cams over the next 3 years.

Not one of the above 5 expenditures of ARP funds was brought to the city in public forums on the expenditure of federal moneys, nor is any item located in the 4th Legislative District or DeVeaux.

Also on the agenda is extension of the dog sheltering agreement with the Grand Island-based Pit Chic.

If the meeting ends before 10 p.m. it will be shocking.