The World According to Bob

(Editor’s note: Each week, Niagara Falls Mayor Robert Restaino ministers to the plebiscites with a lecture on city business. The Express transcribes for the benefit of those who would rather read than listen.)

Albany thoughts

I was in Albany last week and sat with other mayors, among other things explaining our event center project here to our state legislators for their consideration to support that economic development project but in addition, all of us talked about the aid to municipalities that is typically given to communities across New York State and how, over many years, the amount hasn’t changed despite inflation, despite rising costs, and all of those things.

With that in mind, Thursday, the governor announced on Thursday in a budget amendment, she has 30 days to amend her budget, additional funding for cities and Niagara Falls is included in that list so our visit their last week have already proved some benefit so we appreciate the governor’s consideration of our need and we hope that the state legislature will agree that these proposed increases will be appropriate for all of the communities. The City of Niagara Falls is proposed to receive an additional $6 million in aid so those kinds of resources really help in a lot of different ways in terms of the expenses the city incurs throughout its fiscal year so we appreciate that consideration. And again, I believe that our efforts last week have already yielded some benefits.

Market work progresses

We are hoping by the beginning of next week to have the design and architecture firm selected with our philanthropic and state partners for the redesign of the city market. Some weeks ago, several companies responded to the request for proposals submitted by Empire State Development for the project. Once we reviewed those initial submissions, companies were whittled down to four. Those made presentations.

The committee is now going to base their determinations on those presentations, providing a score sheet and determination on who would be selected as the design and architecture firm for the city market. As always, like most of you, we anticipate these things to move a little bit faster than they do; however, we now know the design and architecture phase of this will roll through this year, getting to the point where there is a fixed design for the redesign of the city market and then moving on to construction. I was anticipating a quicker timeline but I think all of these things take process so to let everyone know, the process is moving forward.

Potholes are upon us

I think the other thing too, and this is sort of stating the obvious, pothole season is upon us very early and it has really come upon us with a vengeance. Some of that can be attributed, as I think I have said in another few communications, you know the intense cold we experienced toward the latter end of January into the early part of February really helped to bring forward the kind of road disruption that we are all seeing. We all, all of us, whether you work in city government, don’t work in city government, any resident of this community knows the condition of these roads is very, very difficult right now. We have crews, when they aren’t out doing specific tasks, are out doing cold patch. The hot asphalt plants don’t open for another few months so that is the real repair when you have the material. Cold patch, that material when you fill those potholes, that is what you hear when you drive over it. It does not adhere to anything. It is cold. It is not really designed to be a permanent repair. So I guess all of us just need to be mindful that there is limited relief during these months. So a couple of things, and I know this is just stating the obvious. Please be careful as you are driving. Drive slowly. These breakages in the road, they are really almost everywhere. The roads have been impacted by the weather change and what that has caused regarding the freeze and thaw. Be careful. Be attentive to the fact that in the short run, there is not much any of us can do to repair them so be careful as you are driving. Slow down.

A two project solution back on the table?

This coming week I am expecting to have additional conversations with state elected officials and staff about our project to continue conveying information that they need to have with regard to support for our project.

I think I may have shared with you as well. We continue to go forward. We are in the final stages of having an agreement executed between the city and the landowner in order to resolve the issue and really get back to the issue, something that we had all proposed a few years back and that is truly the two-project solution that everybody talks about. We have always been a proponent of that. It was really a function of being able to have both projects proceed in areas that would be most beneficial. Whether or not, the project owner goes forward with the project as proposed, that is something they will be dealing with, but in terms of where the event center is positioned, clearly location matters and we are just happy that we are back to a place where we started and that is we have come to a place where the event center location is at a place that is most appropriate. As it moves forward, I have given council members some updates as they have come to me and talked about those things. I will keep you informed as I know more.

About the weather

What we expect for the weekend is more of the changeover weather moving away from deep winter to more of that transition period.

Congratulation to our US Women’s Hockey Team on winning Gold in a storybook ending. Remember, if you are out and about, drive slowly. Do something nice for someone. It makes our city a better place.