Garbage tax stays static

There will be no increase in the garbage tax in Niagara Falls for 2027 after the city council voted 5-0 to amend the proposed agenda item to keep the fee at $181 annually.

Councilperson David Zajac moved to amend the resolution to change the amount to be raised by garbage fee to keep it the same as 2026. It has not increased since put in place in 2017.

It’s interesting to note the fee paid to the city for Casella’s services applies to all properties, including those like churches and non profits not on the tax rolls.

The Niagara Falls garbage tax is less than 50% of what other Western New York communities pay.

In other action, the meeting was chaos-as-per-usual with Council Chairperson engaging hecklers from the gallery and numerous votes to postpone action because councilmembers did not have enough information or the time to do appropriate research.

Leading the charge on seeking to stop everything they don’t understand are councilpersons Vincent Cauley and Bridgette Myles.

Speakers on agenda items at the meeting, which started at 6 p.m., rambled 5 minutes at a time until 7:08 p.m.

Even adoption of the agenda was chaotic as Cauley tried to walk on an item securing outside counsel for the council at the behest of Acting Corporation Counsel Tom DeBoy.

The council recessed so Cauley could make copies of the resolution. During the recess, Archie gathered with Cauley and Myles in an illegal meeting.

Ultimately, the resolution passed despite DeBoy contending only the mayor can sign a contract, meaning an invoice presented to the city controller would be rejected as not legit. DeBoy also argued that the resolution called on the council to be able to seek counsel when there is a conflict of interest. As an attorney, licensed in New York, DeBoy said he would recuse himself in the instance of a conflict of interest, meaning either because he is required to do so.

Moving on to regular items, a change order from the administration to reallocate $544,000 to Trautman Associates to fund professional design services was postponed by a 5-0 vote. Zajac moved. Archie seconded.

Cauley tried and failed to repostpone a resolution to spend $63,000 with Azar design for rehab design, bidding and supervision of alley repairs. His motion failed. The resolution passed with Myles joining Cauley in voting no.

Next up was spending $30,000 to support the Niagara Orleans Land Improvement Corporation, a county-run entity which, in the last few years has facilitated $1.4 million in work in Niagara Falls to return derelict properties to the tax roll.

Andrea Klyczek, the county leader in charge of business development, addressed the city’s Urban Renewal Agency last week, explained how NORLIC operates and answered questions from URA members. Cauley, Perry and Archie were present. Myles was absent.

Cauley stayed after the URA meeting to ask questions about the Rapids Theater, how grant processes work and NORLIC.

On Wednesday, Myles moved to postpone. Cauley seconded. The motion to postpone failed. The motion to fund NORLIC passed 3-2.

Laura Pennington of Housing Visions was present to discuss the proposed redevelopment of multiple 7th Street parcels into low and moderate income housing, in part to address the homeless problem in the city. The path to this project began publicly in July, 2024 and also included a previous presentation to the council.

Cauley moved to postpone because he didn’t know enough. Myles seconded. Cauley’s motion failed. The transfer of properties passed 3-2. Here is a link to Express coverage from 2024. https://niagaraexpress.town.news/g/niagara-falls-ny/n/266590/pinnacle-community-services-proposes-housing-development

A motion to lease train station space to Customs and Border Patrol, in part for the NEXUS office passed 3-2, with a discussion of postponement failing because federal funding for the work is endangered by the expected outcome of the midterm elections.

A motion to rehire a retired worker in the payroll office to train her replacement was postponed by a 4-1 vote with Perry opposed. Councilmembers questioned why the training was needed if the retirement was scheduled, whether there was other free training involved, and how it is payroll is getting done if staff needs training. DeBoy, in the discussion, eluded to problems with reporting to the state retirement system which could lead to legal issues but he was reticent to speak truth about pending litigation in a public meeting.

Most of the city’s computer system, AS400 dates to the 1980s and is at best, wonky. It is in the process of being replaced in a complicated, painstaking process.

A committee was formed to study charter revision by a 5-0 vote but details are still to come.