In depth with the Mayor

Two weeks ago, I attended the Nate McMurray 145th District State Assembly campaign kickoff and wrote about what his acolytes had to say without filtering their words. It gained great traction and was widely shared.

Some time later, Assemblyman Angelo Morinello reached out to say he was being treated unfairly by McMurray and his big gang of meanies (my words, not Angelo’s). I met with Angelo, listened to his words, and reflected them for readers like you (for whom I am thankful). I tried to give voice to his opinions, without a filter. It gained great traction and was widely shared. At the time, I already had an appointment on the books with Niagara Falls Mayor Bob Restaino but I didn’t know how I was going to handle it. A few things were on my mind. 1) The mayor can be cantankerous. As my Sicilian friends say when I ask about his “that’s just Bobby being Bobby.” I was afraid to ask hard questions. For example, “how come the residency requirement doesn’t apply to every city employee?” or “what is going on at Hyde Park Arena?” He has snapped on journalists in the past and likely will again (not me again, yet.) 2) If I took the same approach I did with McMurray and Morinello, how could I go back a month from now and ask the mayor hard questions all over again and would I be welcome?

I am happy to report that A) The mayor was pleasant, polite and professional. He answered all my questions and gave me the full hour. B) He agreed to meet again.

Draw your own conclusions, but being civil, and approachable and talking about his successes might be the best hope for him finding a third term (whether you want that, or not). If what follows offends you, be civil but tell me why. We are in this together.

Journalists who write credibly should live here and work for locally-owned publications like this one. Living in the Town of Tonawanda, Elmwood Village or Newfane makes you an imposter. Mark Scheer is one of us.

Journalists should also be supported by the community because our work is valuable. Paywalls are not. Everyone should have access as long as they have the internet or can make it to the library. As the Niagara Falls Reporter used to say when it still mattered, “afflict the comfortable, comfort the afflicted.”

If you read and appreciate my work, please visit www.niagaraexpress.town.news and donate. $15 a month is awesome. $5 or $10 monthly is terrific, but subscribing is free because when you choose to visit, and read, and tell a friend, we are working for the betterment of our community. You can also donate one time if that’s your thing or send a check in the mail because you don’t trust the internet.

Also, this approach to speaking to our elected and community leaders is one I will continue to take, in long form, whenever possible. Whether I agree with what Nate, Angelo, or Bob has to say does not matter.

As this series evolves I have ideas for who else I should talk to. Becky Wydysh? Sure. Ditto Francine DelMonte, Austin Tylec, James Diodati? Sure. Ezra Scott Sr., Arlene Jackson Doss, Mark Laurrie, George Maziarz, Dave Wedekendt or Anne Welch? Why not? What about John Faso or Frank Soda? I am open to suggestions.

The next subject has already agreed to an interview. You will know when it happens (and will be surprised, hopefully shocked.) If you have a suggestion for whom I should talk to, or how I should shape this series, please message me on Facebook or email joegenco@gmail.com. If I can repeat the series 40 times or so without me, or readers losing interest, who knows, maybe it is a history book that will give an answer to “how was it Niagara Falls turned around and who was believing in it while it happened?” Anyway, here goes. Don’t flame too hard. And in my assessment, Restaino was way more boring than Angelo or Nate.

In depth with the Mayor

Two weeks ago, I attended the Nate McMurray 145th District State Assembly campaign kickoff and wrote about what his acolytes had to say without filtering their words. It gained great traction and was widely shared.

Some time later, Assemblyman Angelo Morinello reached out to say he was being treated unfairly by McMurray and his big gang of meanies (my words, not Angelo’s). I met with Angelo, listened to his words, and reflected them for readers like you (for whom I am thankful). I tried to give voice to his opinions, without a filter. It gained great traction and was widely shared. At the time, I already had an appointment on the books with Niagara Falls Mayor Bob Restaino but I didn’t know how I was going to handle it. A few things were on my mind. 1) The mayor can be cantankerous. As my Sicilian friends say when I ask about his “that’s just Bobby being Bobby.” I was afraid to ask hard questions. For example, “how come the residency requirement doesn’t apply to every city employee?” or “what is going on at Hyde Park Arena?” He has snapped on journalists in the past and likely will again (not me again, yet.) 2) If I took the same approach I did with McMurray and Morinello, how could I go back a month from now and ask the mayor hard questions all over again and would I be welcome?

I am happy to report that A) The mayor was pleasant, polite and professional. He answered all my questions and gave me the full hour. B) He agreed to meet again.

Draw your own conclusions, but being civil, and approachable and talking about his successes might be the best hope for him finding a third term (whether you want that, or not). If what follows offends you, be civil but tell me why. We are in this together.

Journalists who write credibly should live here and work for locally-owned publications like this one. Living in the Town of Tonawanda, Elmwood Village or Newfane makes you an imposter. Mark Scheer is one of us.

Journalists should also be supported by the community because our work is valuable. Paywalls are not. Everyone should have access as long as they have the internet or can make it to the library. As the Niagara Falls Reporter used to say when it still mattered, “afflict the comfortable, comfort the afflicted.”

If you read and appreciate my work, please visit www.niagaraexpress.town.news and donate. $15 a month is awesome. $5 or $10 monthly is terrific, but subscribing is free because when you choose to visit, and read, and tell a friend, we are working for the betterment of our community. You can also donate one time if that’s your thing or send a check in the mail because you don’t trust the internet.

Also, this approach to speaking to our elected and community leaders is one I will continue to take, in long form, whenever possible. Whether I agree with what Nate, Angelo, or Bob has to say does not matter.

As this series evolves I have ideas for who else I should talk to. Becky Wydysh? Sure. Ditto Francine DelMonte, Austin Tylec, James Diodati? Sure. Ezra Scott Sr., Arlene Jackson Doss, Mark Laurrie, George Maziarz, Dave Wedekendt or Anne Welch? Why not? What about John Faso or Frank Soda? I am open to suggestions.

The next subject has already agreed to an interview. You will know when it happens (and will be surprised, hopefully shocked.) If you have a suggestion for whom I should talk to, or how I should shape this series, please message me on Facebook or email joegenco@gmail.com. If I can repeat the series 40 times or so without me, or readers losing interest, who knows, maybe it is a history book that will give an answer to “how was it Niagara Falls turned around and who was believing in it while it happened?” Anyway, here goes. Don’t flame too hard. And in my assessment, Restaino was way more boring than Angelo or Nate.

Sitting with the Mayor

The speed of government does not only annoy you

I showed up 10 minutes early for a 9:30 a.m. appointment because it is a habit. Early is on time. On time is late. After clearing the security check – the guard had the Mayor’s schedule on a clipboard, Coleen the secretary emerged from the chambers and welcomed me to the conference room.Morinl

Against the north wall, along the floor, rests a multipanel architect’s rendering of a John Daly Boulevard extension. I took a few photos of it with my phone. It has been there for about two decades, a hopeful reference for what might happen but yet a picture of me from when I was younger, to steal a line from Mitch Hedberg. Every map is a drawing of what used to be or hoped to be. Every picture of me is from when I was younger.

Anyway, the mayor came in, and shook my hand, and we chatted briefly about the rendering. The Mayor said the plan started about 30 years ago and is not dead but the state needs some additional property to move it forward because that is the speed of government.

I told the mayor I wrote about McMurray and Morinello and published it from their viewpoint and intended to do the same for him. I came loaded with questions, saving the hard ones for the second half in case I never got there. My precaution was unneeded.

The format for this article will be the author’s questions in quotes followed by the Mayor’s answers paraphrased.

City Market

“So when the city market reopens after it is rebuilt, how are you going to honor Sheri Senek? Where does the market revitalization project stand?”

When the market is revitalized, we will honor the pioneers and the vendors who helped it sustain and Field & Fork for running it.

With the help of Empire State Development, 6 or 7 proposals were received and the best 4 are now being scored. After a firm is chosen for design and architecture, there will be meetings for community input and we will see construction in 2027. It is a $19 million projects.

Rapids Theater redevelopment

“Where does the Rapids Theater rebirth stand?”

There are competing interested parties for the Main Street theater and they are finalizing proposals.

We all like dreamers but as a community, we have had a lot of dreamers. The question becomes do you have the capacity to move forward.

If you had told the mayor in March of last year that the Jenss building and the Rapids would be this far toward work being completed, he would like some of what you have been drinking.

Who replaces Kevin Forma?

“You lost your community development director. How are you doing on finding a replacement?”

Forma departed on good terms but is now working for the State. He still has a soft spot for Niagara Falls and is an advocate for the city working on development issues for the state.

A potential replacement has been identified and an offer is out.

Forma leaving was akin to a AAA player being called up to the big leagues. It was a promotion for him but he will make a difference when he can.

Good news from Albany?

“Gov. Kathy Hochul announced $6 million in new aid for Niagara Falls. Are there strings attached?”

The city is hoping it is ongoing aid, not just a single shot because State aid has not kept pace with rising costs or inflation.

The mayor was in Albany to pitch Centennial Park. This aid is not connected to that.

The city is still hopeful the state will fulfill promises made when it took the convention center in part to settle the Seneca Nation suit that resulted in the casino being built.

Redevelopment money remains in coffers

“In 2018, the city received $10 million in Downtown Redevelopment Initiative funding. 8 years later we have some murals to show for it. Where did it go?”

Most of the money is still there. It will be spent on streetscapes and improvements along Main Street but in a methodical way because there may be infrastructure improvements involved and it is better to do it right, and take time, like 72st Street or Grand Avenue than to create improvements that need to be disrupted later.

The State Department of Transportation is working on a transportation improvement project that will include Main Street and will coordinate with DRI expenditures.

State, County and local officials were meeting Friday to discuss the project.

About that hockey rink?

“What agreement is in place with the guy running Hyde Park Rink? Is there any thought of going after the $1 million allegedly owed by the previous operator? Does the bidder who didn’t get the arena contract have legal recourse?”

The Mayor will be meeting at the end of the month to formalize some sort of agreement with Jerry Puleo. Yes, he paid for some the improvements out-of-pocket. So far, he has been using revenue to pay for staff but there will be real discussions about revenue and expense.

As for the $1 million, it is likely more than that but it is hard to move forward on collecting because of murky records, changing administrations and the statute of limitations on collection.

As for the firm that submitted the low bid, there were some discussions and back-and-forth but they stepped aside.

Are dorms really coming

“We have now had two delays of the implementation of the student housing zoning law. New dorms are needed before it can be implemented. Is it going to be delayed again? Where is the dorm project?”

There is no timeline set but there is a location chosen on Main between Cleveland and Niagara. The zoning law is likely to be delayed again.

Granicus sucks

“Four different short-term rental operators told me the Granicus Website didn’t work when they tried to renew and there is no staff in code enforcement so why advance it?”

David Pikul has been hired as the new director of code enforcement. He worked for the city and came back. Yes, Granicus can be problematic but they are the only available vendor so we have to accept the system despite its flaws.

About residency

“Under what circumstances in the city charter is it OK for an employee like the city administrator to not comply with the residency requirement?”

The deputy corporation counsel is employed on an acting basis, so that is one work around. The city administrator, Anthony Restaino, the mayor’s brother, is grandfathered in because he worked for the city in the parks department prior to 1984.

The law was tested in court by a city employee years ago and the precedent remains on the books and has never been overturned.

$24 million forgotten dollars?

“What are State Tourism Route funds and how can they be spent?”

Yes, there is $24 million waiting to be spent and more is coming. Representatives met with the State DOT recently and to talk about how the money can be spent. Other funding called CHIPS can also be spent but in both circumstances, the money is reimbursable and comes with strings attached. It is not as simple as repaving Buffalo Avenue. Also, the STR funding may be able to be spent on alleys. Alleys in the city have been long-neglected and many are concrete, making them expensive and difficult to fix. Many have not been touched in 50 years.

Live here? Why?

“Why should a new person moving to Western New York consider moving to Niagara Falls?”

Housing is affordable and available. As people are taking things in and looking around, there is a lot of change beginning to take shape. It takes persistence and patience but things are headed in the right direction.

What happened with the aeronautical museum?

“A few years ago, the Niagara Aerospace Museum was all set to move into the Rainbow Mall and the state was even going to pay for it. Why didn’t it happen?

The Mayor said he didn’t kill it and he loves the museum because of its role as part of our heritage but he questions whether the Rainbow Mall was the most appropriate space because the museum appeals to old guys like him, not young families. He wants something more exciting to occupy that space.

Centennial Park

“We keep hearing murmurs about the proposed event center. Is there real progress?”

The mayor has been meeting with legislators and staff. More meetings are scheduled.

Settlement of the eminent domain claim is close. There is also hope for a two-project solution with both Centennial Park and the Urbacon Date Center.

While some users of the new sports arena will come straight down John Daly Boulevard and leave quickly, others will stay downtown. That should bring long-awaited development along Niagara Street.

Another term?

Do you plan to run for reelection?

As I sit here, that’s the intention. There are projects I would like to continue to work through to completion with planning, business and economic development.

Some things are near, like the dog shelter, which will soon be the subject of an RFP. Construction is continuing as well on the new building at the Department of Public Works. Both those projects, and more were paid for with American Rescue Plan funds.

Red Door follow up

“Late last year, the city agreed to sell 10 properties for cheap to Red Door Real Estate. Where does that project stand?”

Funny you should ask. The transfer closed last week and they are moving forward.

What about potholes?

(There are craters in our streets. What are you doing about it?)

As much as we can. Asphalt plants aren’t open. Crews are out cold patching. More work will happen as the weather changes.