The World According to Bob

(Editor's note: Mayor Rober Restaino posts a weekly epistle via Youtube letting citizens know what his adminstration is up to. The Express watches so you don't have to.)

Students help

Thanks to the Niagara Falls High School students for being  there every weeks to record the mayor's musings.

Parking attendants are ready to launch

Starting in May, parking attendants will be on duty downtown. Street parking should be properly utilized. Parking attendants help locals and guests and are another set of eyes on the street.

(Editor’s note: The city has not enforced parking rules downtown since the Gencos moved to the Falls in 2001. The editor has never seen a parking ticket on a windshield and has advised numerous visitors the city does not enforce parking regulations. I am glad that is changing.)

Save-a-Lot bails

Save-a-Lot has criticized the neighborhood and asked for a subsidy from the city. None is coming.

“The last word from them is to indicate that they are going to close and it is going to be unannounced so none of us are going to know. They are going to sneak out in the dead of the night I guess.

"It is both unprofessional and really kind of rude with regard to the environment, the people and the community but that is their choice. It is how they choose to operate their business and we are already in the process of looking for replacements for them so I will give you more on that as I learn more.”

Street lighting program progresses

On time and under budget. Current anticipated annual savings is $1 million per year. The city is working with police, fire and DPW to determine the value of investing some of the savings on technology attached to the new lighting system.

Eminent domain

As the Milstein Group continues to fight, other groups have begun to come to the realization that the event center is a good thing for downtown. 

“The data center is not now nor has it ever been a real project. We anticipate being able to announce that in short order what I am really anticipating is the ground breaking. I think we are expecting some visitors from Albany probably over the spring or summer to come and take a lookout at where we are looking to construct the facility."

Casino conversations continue

There has not been a lot of conversation because the state has been tied up in budget talks.

There is not yet substantive progress.

July anniverasy

This July marks the 250th  anniversary of the first shots in Lexington and Concord at the start of the revolution.

Niagara Falls will be an iconic location to celebrate the start of the Revolutionary War.

Weather is changing

We are going to keep getting warmer. Please watch for police. Stop at the stop sign. Park appropriately. Be sure to be safe, enjoy yourself see you after the holiday. See you next week.