Maybe the mayor is telling the truth

The Express has neither covered nor commented on “Treegate.”

To wit: Mayor Robert Restaino, and his neighbor, benefitted from city-owned trees in the right-of-way being taken down over the summer as part of a $20,000 change order approved by the city council.

I don’t support the mayor but I ever criticize him unjustifiably. He’s not my friend. I don’t feel I really know him beyond sharing anecdotes of my negative interaction with him with some of my old Italian friends and hearing “that’s just Bobby being Bobby.” He runs hot and cold in unpredictable ways.

I have friends from high school with whom I don’t agree. I still consider them friends even when they say nonsensical things or support tyranny.

My friend Mark Scheer wakes up in the morning, sucks on a lemon and wonders why Niagara Falls is so sour. I don’t think the removal of two trees on College Avenue is a big deal.

Which brings us back to the mayor allegedly currying favor to get troubled trees taken down. He took the bait and issue a special Thursday sermon posted via Facebook taking Scheer and Matt Winterhalter to task. Here is a link. The Express watched but did not have time to transcribe.

Winterhalter, a Town of Tonawanda resident, is rarely seen in the community but he's the guy who has to return the call or answer to Cheryl Phillips when the mayor calls to complain.

What Scheer should really be investigating is how it is that a “temporary” operator at Hyde Park Rink feels comfortable enough in his position to commit to spending $50,000 to $75,000 of his own money on sprucing the place up. That does not sound “temporary.” The rink is, however, cleaner than it has been in years and seems freshened up.