Category: PostEvents

You heard it right. The AKG Art Museum has been named as one of TIME Magazine’s “World’s Greatest Places” in 2024 (category – Places to Visit). What many Buffalonians already know, is now being spread far and wide. The AKG Art Museum is living up to all expectations, as the world takes notice. Buffalo is in good company, as you can tell by viewing the complete list.

“Today the Buffalo AKG Art Museum announced that the museum has been included in TIME’s 2024 World’s Greatest Places. Selection to the list is a distinct honor for the museum, which opened to the public in June 2023 after the completion of the largest campus development and expansion project in its 162-year history. In its first year of operations as the Buffalo AKG, the museum welcomed approximately 325,000 visitors, shattering a 50-year attendance record.” – AKG Art Museum

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It has been a year since we received funding to develop a watershed-wide restoration plan for Scajaquada Creek (learn more). 

In 2023, we began this work alongside local partner organizations to build a Community Advisory Group that is representative of the diverse and unique communities throughout the watershed to guide this project. Our goal is to raise public awareness of this local watershed and create a restoration plan for Scajaquada Creek that is driven by community input and uplifts the needs and concerns of those most impacted by the creek. 

We have some amazing individuals in the group who all have a passion for where they live and understand the importance of clean, healthy waterways. We met in February and June, and members provided feedback on our draft outreach plan and shared different challenges and opportunities in their neighborhoods. Meet our group members and learn more about the project by visiting our Community Driven Scajaquada Scajaquada Restoration Plan webpage.

This summer, we invite all community members to take our Scajaquada Creek Community Survey. If you live in the Scajaquada Watershed, help us spread the word with your neighbors and share the survey today! 

The post Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper: Scajaquada’s Community Discussions appeared first on Buffalo Rising.

Author: Brandon Kennedy, Lead Preservationist & Architectural Historian @ PBN

Preservation Buffalo Niagara is proud to announce the submission of local landmark nominations for the St. Thomas Aquinas R.C. Church Complex and the St. Rose of Lima R.C. Church Complex. These nominations are part of the ongoing Save Our Sacred Sites initiative, dedicated to preserving Buffalo’s historic religious sites.

St. Thomas Aquinas R.C. Church Complex

Nestled in the heart of South Buffalo, the St. Thomas Aquinas R.C. Church Complex stands as a testament to the community’s rich history and enduring faith. Established in 1920, this complex has grown and evolved alongside its parishioners. The centerpiece–St. Thomas Aquinas Church–was constructed between 1949 and 1951, drawing inspiration from the Umbrian style Basilica of Santa Maria in Cosmedin in Rome. This architectural gem, designed by Stickle, Kelly, & Stickle, blends old-world charm with modern functionality, creating a space that is both beautiful and practical.

The complex also includes the St. Thomas Aquinas School, built from 1922 to 1923 in the Italian Romanesque Revival style by George Dietel, with a later addition by William Trautman in 1956-1957. The school has been a cornerstone of education in the community, adapting to the needs of its students over the decades. The St. Thomas Aquinas Rectory, constructed in 1928, further enhances the complex’s architectural diversity, showcasing the Italian Romanesque Revival style.

St. Rose of Lima R.C. Church Complex

In the North Park neighborhood, the St. Rose of Lima R.C. Church Complex has been a pillar of faith and community since its establishment in 1925. The original church and school, built in 1926 in a Collegiate Gothic style by Bley & Lyman, served the growing needs of the North Park “streetcar suburb.” This dual-purpose building was a hub of activity, fostering both spiritual and educational growth.

As the community expanded, so did the need for a larger worship space. The new St. Rose of Lima Church, constructed from 1963-1965 in a striking New Formalist style by Leroy H. Welch, became the new heart of the parish. This modern architectural marvel, with its clean lines and innovative design, reflects the forward-thinking spirit of the mid-twentieth century. The complex also includes a rectory, convent, and garage, each contributing to the site’s historical and architectural significance.

Next Steps

A public hearing for these landmark nominations, along with those for the St. John Kanty R.C. Church Complex, St. Stanislaus R.C. Church Complex, and Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church, will take place on September 5th, 2024. This hearing is a crucial step in the preservation process, allowing community members to voice their support and share their memories of these historic sites. From here, Buffalo’s Preservation Board will forward the Landmark nominations–with or without recommendation–to the Common Council for review. The Common Council will then assess the landmark nominations and vote to approve or deny them, following the criteria outlined in the Preservation Standards, Chapter 337, of the City Code.

The Save Our Sacred Sites initiative highlights the critical need to preserve our city’s historic religious architecture, ensuring these landmarks continue to inspire and serve future generations of Buffalonians. We encourage the community to join us in this endeavor and participate in the upcoming public hearing. If you are a parishioner of the mentioned churches, please let your voice be heard. Send your messages and letters to info@pbnsaves.org , and we will forward them to the Preservation Board and the appropriate Common Councilmembers.

Every donation brings us one step closer to protecting these churches. Due to rapid developments and time constraints, we were unable to apply for grant funding for this initiative. Therefore, community support is crucial at this time. Your contribution, no matter how large or small, makes a difference.

Let’s work together to preserve the past and save our sacred sites.

If the closures impact you or want to help preserve these historic sites, consider donating to our Sacred Sites fund today. Your contributions will support the local landmark application fees, research and documentation efforts, community hearings, communication, and needed preservation initiatives to get the landmark nomination approved. More information can be found by following this link.

You can read more about upcoming church closures here.

Learn more about the Save our Sacred Sites initiative here.

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Sometimes a name of a business really does sum it all up. In the case of a young entrepreneur by the name of Karina Krantz – a Ukrainian refugee who settled in Buffalo in 1995, along with her family – she wanted to be as direct as possible per to her penchant for living a healthy lifestyle, as well as her love for her hometown. That’s why she chose to call her freshly minted Eastern European boutique market ‘Filled with Love Buffalo Market.’

Karina’s most recent journey, which led her to opening the market, started with an artisan cupcake business called Filled with Love. She ran it out of her home kitchen, where she would core out the cupcakes and fill them with all sorts of delicious natural ingredients – hence, Filled with Love. Eventually the ‘wives of the Buffalo Bills’ discovered her on Instagram, and that’s when her business began to snowball.

The small enterprise was so successful that it led her to dream bigger. From peddling cupcakes to operating a market stocked with an array of organic foods, specialty European culinary delicacies, locally farmed goods, cut flowers, and fresh baked goods, Karina is quickly making a name for herself as a pioneering marketeer in the region.

When I asked Karina how she ended up opening her market in Pendleton, she said that due to competition elsewhere, and the price of commercial rents, she heeded people’s advice when they suggested that she look at the Niagara County. ‘Get out of your comfort zone,’ they told her.

And that’s exactly what she did. Although she lives in Williamsville with her husband, she decided that she would venture to Pendleton, to realize her dream of opening an organic market. After all, it was more about sharing her love of healthy products with the general public than it was about sticking close to home in a familiar setting. If anyone understood this, it’s Karina.

“I couldn’t believe how much processes foods that people were eating,” Karina told me, when I asked her about her zeal for using healthy ingredients. Now, with the market, I have a chance to order healthy products. Even the Turkish Delight that I sell – the rose colored one – has no Red 40 Dye. The product is vegan and all natural, with the rose color made from beets. Everything that I have is non-GMO… I’m very particular. Have you ever read the ingredients in everyday cereals? The labels are wild! Ingredients are bioengineered. There are carcinogens. I want to help the community get healthier. My products are filled with love. I also love this community.”

“I moved to Buffalo when I was five,” Karina told me. “Back home in the Ukraine, we were very poor, and there was no running water. I would have to fill up buckets with water and bring them home so that we could boil out the contaminants. When I got to Buffalo, I didn’t know how to speak English. Back then, it seemed like kids in Buffalo were just starting to learn about immigrants and refugees. I would get picked on and would end up crying in the bathroom at school. I think that kids are more open to different cultures these days.”

When I asked Karina about the organization that originally resettled her family, she had an interesting story to tell. “I had no idea that it was the International Institute of Buffalo (IIB) when I was young,” she said. “When I was older, I interned with them. That’s when a family member informed me that the IIB was the organization that helped us. They were the ones that took me to Lasertron. They were the ones that showed me where my school was. They helped me so much, and I was happy to help them. They are always looking for volunteers – I encourage anyone who is interested in helping immigrants and refugees to look into volunteering. And anyone that makes a purchase at the market can round up to the dollar, to help support the IIB.”

As a way to spread her wings, and advance her love of all things healthy (and Buffalo) – Karina is now making Monday market deliveries to the Northtowns, and Wednesday deliveries to the Southtowns.

“The Bills’ wives are mostly in the Southtowns,” said Karina [laughing]. “I know that Pendleton is a ways away, so I had to make sure that they could still get my cupcakes. And I figured that others would also benefit from my delivery service.”

So what’s next for Kariina? If all goes according to plan, she’s going to be renting out a commercial kitchen to restart her cupcake business, with the market as her prime outlet. She’s also going to be incorporating her mobile trailer into the mix at some point – probably as a “bar cart” to sell European beers and wines. Who knows? Maybe she just might make her beloved Vampire Diaries cupcakes infused with actor Ian Somerhalder’s Brother’s Bond bourbon… “I have been making boozy cupcakes for the longest time,” said karina.

Boozy cupcakes, cut flowers, European culinary delicacies… all organic, and tied together with a pretty Buffalo bow? Does it get any better than that? I guess we will leave that up to Karina, as we follow her on her journey, from a frightened little five year old girl in unfamiliar surroundings to her bold entrepreneurial adventures throughout the Nickel City and beyond.

Filled with Love Buffalo Market

6506 Campbell Boulevard, Pendleton, NY 14094

(716) 330-7327

Instagram

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This coming weekend, you are invited to attend the Buffalo Irish Festival at the Outer Harbor. The festival, operated by the Buffalo Irish Center and the Irish Cultural and Folk-Art Association of WNY, has become a fan favorite, as it is loaded with all sorts of Irish-related activities and attractions, including music, dance, games, and history. Ultimately, the festival is in place to promote Irish heritage, while recognizing revered traditions.

Two entertainment stages will feature international and national acts including The Druids, The Elders, Screaming Orphans, TRÚ, Fialla, and Kilrush. Local bands include  Crikwater, McCarthyizm, The Blarney Bunch, the Jerry Shea Band, Kevin Flanagan, The Irish Tweeds, and Tom Keefer And Celtic Cross. The cultural tent will provide classes and workshops on Irish literature, language, and traditional music throughout the weekend. There will also be displays and lectures on local Irish history. The Tír na nÓg kids’ tent will have family-friendly and cultural activities.

Attendees can also enjoy demonstrations with the Buffalo Fenians Gaelic Athletic Association and learn about their mission to preserve Gaelic Games and Irish culture in our community. There will be a Cúl Camp open to boys and girls ages 5 to 13 on both Saturday and Sunday where children will learn to play Gaelic football and hurling. No experience is needed! For every family participating in the Cúl Camp, one adult will get a free same-day admission ticket to the Festival. Register at buffalofenians.com/culcamp. 

A vendor tent will feature shops and artisans selling Irish merchandise and wares. Food will be available to purchase from The Banshee Irish Pub, Fat Bob’s Smokehouse, the Buffalo Irish Center’s Celtic Table, and Green Acres ice cream. Beer, wine, pop, and water will also be available to purchase. 

The Buffalo Irish Festival

Friday, July 26 through Sunday, July 28, 2024

Lakeside Lawn at Buffalo’s Outer Harbor (825 Fuhrmann Blvd)

Festival hours are Friday 5 to 10 p.m., Saturday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Sunday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Friday night will kick off with Parade of Flags and Opening Ceremonies.

On Sunday, the festival will open with a Mass at 10:00 a.m. Those attending mass will receive free admission to the festival that day. 

There is a range of ticket options for families and individuals to enjoy the festival for one day or the entire weekend. Admission is free for children 16 and under. Ticket prices are as follows:

𝙁𝙧𝙞𝙙𝙖𝙮 𝘼𝙙𝙢𝙞𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣 $10

𝙎𝙖𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙙𝙖𝙮 𝘼𝙙𝙢𝙞𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣 $20

𝙎𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙖𝙮 𝘼𝙙𝙢𝙞𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣 $15

𝙒𝙚𝙚𝙠𝙚𝙣𝙙 𝘼𝙙𝙢𝙞𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣 $30

Visit the Buffalo Irish Festival’s Facebook page for more information.

Admission tickets are available at www.buffaloirishfestival.com. 

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27 Western New York nonprofit organizations are set to share in funding totaling over $645,000, as part of the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo‘s 2024 Competitive Grants process.

Nonprofits that vie for the funding must excel in the following four community goals, per Community Foundation’s guidelines:

Achieve racial/ethnic equity

Promote economic mobility through educational achievement for residents living in low-income households

Steward significant environmental resources in the context of climate resilience

Promote regional vibrancy through architecture, arts and culture

The Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo 2024 Competitive Grants recipients are:

• Arts for Learning WNY: $20,000 for Artworks: Hired to Create. Inspired to Succeed: Year 1 of 3

• Assembly House 150: $20,000 for General Operations

• Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Erie, Niagara and the Southern Tier: $20,000 for Mentoring Program

• Buffalo Lighthouse Association: $25,000 for Lighthouse Lens Repair

• Buffalo Prenatal Perinatal Network: $20,000 for Community Health Worker Enhancement Program

• Buffalo String Works: $25,000 for General Operations

• Economic Development Group: $50,000 for Northland Workforce Training Center

• Erie County SPCA: $11,312 for Wildlife Diets/Care

• Francis Center: $20,000 for Children’s After School Program

• Friends of Reinstein Nature Preserve: $25,435 for Pathways to Environmental Learning

• Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council: $20,000 for Seymour Place Elevator Installation

• Grassroots Gardens of WNY: $15,000 for General Operations: Year 2 of 3

• Graycliff Conservancy: $50,000 for Visitor Center Expansion Project

• Hawk Creek Wildlife Center: $11,313 for Wildlife Care

• Holland Purchase Historical Society: $25,000 for Consultant Fees for Capital Improvements to Increase Public Accessibility to the Holland Land Office Museum

• Housing Opportunities Made Equal: $30,000 for General Operations

• International Institute of Buffalo: $20,000 for General Operations

• Journey’s End Refugee Services: $30,000 for General Operations

• Learning Disabilities Association of WNY: $25,000 for LEAD716 Program

• National Federation for Just Communities of WNY: $20,000 for General Operations

• Niagara Organizing Alliance for Hope: $20,000 for General Operations

• Reach Out and Read: $20,000 for WNY Rx for Success

• Say Yes Buffalo Scholarship: $50,000 for Say Yes Buffalo Little Scholars Program

• Tru-Way Community Center: $20,000 for Children’s After School Program

• University at Buffalo Foundation: $20,000 for Community as Classroom: Sustaining a Neighborhood through Gardening Education and Environmental Stewardship

• Vision Beyond Sight Foundation: $12,171 for Children’s Eye Exams/Glasses

• VOICE Buffalo: $20,000 for General Operations

Grant awards are made possible by generous Community Foundation clients who have established funds at the Community Foundation to address our community’s changing needs over time. Information about the 2024 Competitive Grants Process will be posted at cfgb.org/nonprofits/grants. 

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Just what Main Street doesn’t need- another demolished building.  That’s what Health Sciences Charter School is proposing for 1291 Main Street.  The school had planned to convert the 28,000 sq.ft. building into a gymnasium but has determined the cost of the project to be prohibitive.  The school has owned the property since 2013.

From the Application:

This structure is non-contributing, not landmarked and cannot be occupied due to its deteriorating condition.  Although purchased with the hope that it could be used on an interim basis for educational purposes while planning to eventually convert and enlarge the building for a new gymnasium/wellness complex, the costs of meeting state education code for student use proved to be prohibitive. The building is in poor condition and a drain on the school’s limited resources. The school is currently in the planning process to secure funding for a new gymnasium and community wellness center.  While we continue our planning process and begin fundraising efforts, the vacant land will be utilized as a community garden and properly screened from Main Street.  The community garden will be created in partnership with Home Beneath Our Feet and resulting crops will be made available to our immediate neighbors in the Masten and Ellicott Districts.

Demolitions in the N-1S zone are allowed if the Planning Board finds that certain criteria are met. The school argues that since the building is non-conforming to the Green Code, it meeds the requirement that would allow for demolition approval.  The Planning Board meets on Monday at 4 PM.

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Longlegs ★★1/2 (out of 4 stars)

How I … My Mother

“Longlegs” would seem to have the ingredients of a horror film that crosses into the mainstream (“Silence of the Lambs” 1991) or at least a cult production (“Blair Witch Project” 1999). Nicholas Cage, an exciting and unpredictable actor (should’ve had an Oscar for “Pig” [2021]), is the arch-villain Longlegs. An FBI agent on the spectrum who has both guts and trepidation recalls aspects of Stieg Larsson’s Lisbeth Salander as well as Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster in “Silence”). Oz Perkins, the son of horror icon Anthony Perkins, writes and directs. The film’s Freudian implications channel Dad’s “Psycho” (1960); both involve mothers. 

Maika Monroe is excellent as Lee Harker, the fearful FBI agent. Unlike Starling, Harker seems ill-suited for her job, precisely because she is so afraid so much of the time (long stretches of her uncontrollable heavy breathing). It’s inconceivable the Bureau would hire her, except for her psychic powers, of which they had no knowledge. 

Left alone to navigate the world of a serial killer, Harker is radically isolated in a rural environment; she has no partner, friend, close colleague, or father. One odd scene has her sitting in a large leather chair at a club about 6 feet from her boss (Blair Underwood playing a stock character), while they discuss confidential information, the distance a sign of Harker’s lack of connection to him, or anyone else. She talks to her mother on a large, black, 1990s-era “portable” phone. 

Isolation of the potential victim, make that female victim, is a familiar trope in horror films (2022’s “Barbarian” and “God’s Country”). It’s to Monroe’s credit that the film works at all. She holds it together through her intense, interior screen presence and her reactions—triggering audience reactions—to an unpredictable soundscape and ever-present peril.

Perkins raided the horror-film fridge for other themes common to the genre: the Faustian bargain, the menacing figure of an adult whose development was arrested as a child, the naïve female protagonist, the complexity of memory, mother-daughter tension, the pathology of hoarding, Satanism, even evil dolls made by Longlegs in (where else?) a basement. The result is a story weighed down by its over-determined quest for meaning, an overladen table of multiple and intersecting causes of the killer’s motives and the detective’s mental processes. Perkins has thrown a lot at the wall and hoped some of it would stick.

Nicholas Cage is unrecognizable as arch-villain Longlegs, sometimes not even shown in full-face.

Weaknesses in the script abound. What FBI agent lets another agent, without backup, enter a house likely inhabited by a killer? Would the Bureau allow Harker to interview Longlegs alone, and in close proximity, when no one else is even around (the precautions taken for Starling’s interviews with Lecter, including his mouth cage, enhanced the story)? Some of those weaknesses could be for comic effect: Longlegs, alone on a country road, at a remote bus stop, a suitcase in each hand, as police cars pour in from all directions, ala 1977’s “Smokey and the Bandit.” It’s meant to be funny. An attempt at humor may also account for Harker running out of bullets at a crucial moment, as if she were in a B-movie Western. When the obvious victim says “we’ll be back” and the obvious killer responds “I’ll be back,” you might think you’re in the writers’ room of a failing sit-com.  

The combination of horror/occult and comedy is a winning one these days. Longlegs’ $22 million domestic box office on its opening weekend (on a reported $10-$16 million budget) set a record for independent producer Neon. Yet Perkins is not fully in command of his material, and Cage isn’t on screen enough to establish either the menace or the appeal of Hannibal Lecter or The Joker. His role here is as a come-on for movie-goers who respect him for his craft. 

While satisfying some fans, the film won’t place high in the canon, and the character Longlegs is unlikely to join the list of iconic villains.

Date: 2024

Stars: 2 1/2 (out of 4)

Director: Oz Perkins

Starring: Nicholas Cage, Maika Moore, Blair Underwood

Runtime: 101 minutes

Country: Canada, United States (filmed in British Columbia)

Language: English

Other Awards: None to date

Availability: In theaters nationwide. No streaming availability likely for 3-4 months, and then on Hulu, connected to independent producer Neon. See JustWatch here for future streaming availability.

Lead image: Here Maika Monroe appears—as Lee Harker, FBI agent—to have been splattered by blood. It’s everywhere, including her chest. But her blouse is pristine white. Is this comedy? Or a badly produced film?

See all Five Cent Cine reviews by 2 Film Critics

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Groundwork Market Garden just got a big financial boost, thanks to Buffalo Common Council approving American Rescue Plan (ARP) funding in the amount of $199,255.45. The funding will be earmarked for the organization’s HealTHY Community Garden Project, which is in the process of converting five vacant lots on Leslie Street on the city’s East Side into community gardens that will be a source of nutritional health for nearby residents, as well as others who are interested in obtaining locally farmed produce. Since 2015, Groundwork Market Garden has been dedicated to community supported agriculture. As part of its mission, the organization has set out to educate the community on the benefits of eating healthy foods that are farmed locally.

Along with Groundwork Market Garden, the Salvation Army and Western New York Women’s Foundation both benefited financially from the $700,000 pot of ARP funding. Details are as follows:

1. Groundwork Market Garden, Inc. – HealTHY Community Garden Project

Amount: $199,255.45

Details: The Council has approved a subrecipient agreement with Groundwork Market Garden, Inc. to manage and administer the HealTHY Community Garden Project. This initiative will involve repurposing five vacant lots on Leslie Street to establish and maintain a community garden. The program aims to provide education in sustainable gardening, including soil health and organic methods, while also recruiting participants and hiring necessary staff. 

2. Salvation Army – Skills-Based Job Readiness Program

Amount: $200,000.00

Details: The Council has authorized a subrecipient agreement with the Salvation Army to enhance its Employment Services Program. This program will provide a six-week job readiness curriculum, financial literacy programming, and support for self-sufficiency through case management and employment counseling. Additionally, participants will be connected to internal services such as shelters and youth programs. 

3. Western New York Women’s Foundation – Women’s Economic Mobility Pathway (WEMP) Program

Amount: $293,594.00

Details: Approval was granted for a subrecipient agreement with the Western New York Women’s Foundation to manage the Women’s Economic Mobility Pathway (WEMP) program. In partnership with the Buffalo Education Opportunity Center and Lineage Care Group, WNYWF will offer training to help participants pass equivalency exams for health professions, as well as soft skills and restorative practices training. The program will also provide access to essential services including housing, food, childcare, and technology.

“By supporting the HealTHY Community Garden Project, the Salvation Army’s job readiness program, and the Western New York Women’s Foundation’s economic mobility initiatives, we are investing in the future of Buffalo and addressing critical needs in our neighborhoods and our residents,” said Buffalo Common Council President Christopher P. Scanlon.

“The approval of these funds represents a major step forward in our efforts to enhance community resources and support our residents. Each of these programs has the potential to make a profound difference in the lives of those we serve, from improving food security to advancing job readiness and economic mobility,” said Buffalo Common Council Majority Leader Leah M. Halton-Pope.

“As the ARP liaison on the Council, I am proud of the substantial investment in our community. These programs reflect our dedication to fostering sustainable growth and creating opportunities for all Buffalonians,” said Buffalo Common Council President Pro Tempore Bryan J. Bollman. 

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Due to a projected $40 million budget shortfall, the Buffalo Common Council has adopted a resolution that aims to help “right the ship.” A comprehensive series of measures will be enacted, geared towards resolving the short term fiscal woes, as well as addressing larger budget deficits down the road.

The resolution calls for the following key actions: 

Council Appointment to the Buffalo Fiscal Stability Authority: The resolution requests that a member of the Buffalo Common Council, selected by the Council President, be appointed to the Buffalo Fiscal Stability Authority by New York State, the appointing authority.

Detailed Monthly Vacancy Reports: The Administration and Finance Department is being requested to provide detailed monthly vacancy reports to the Common Council. These reports will include civil service, exempt, and union employee vacancies, along with budget line details and the contractual status of vacant positions.

Comprehensive Review of Non-Revenue Generating Activities: The Department of Administration and Finance, in collaboration with the Comptroller’s Office, the Buffalo Fiscal Stability Authority, and department heads, are being requesting to conduct a thorough review of all non-revenue generating programs, non-contractually obligated costs, and other expenditures that can be suspended to reduce future budget deficits.

Strategies for Revenue Generation: The resolution requests the departments to explore strategies to enhance revenue generation, including proactively collecting adjudicated funds owed to the City of Buffalo, reviewing and updating fee schedules, pursuing grant opportunities, and leveraging public and private partnerships.

Monthly Budget Status Meetings: The resolution requests the City Comptroller and the Department of Administration and Finance to meet with the Common Council monthly to discuss the budget status. These meetings will include detailed accounts of expenditure reductions, gap reports, revenue enhancements, and the impact of the four-year plan.

“In light of the significant budget shortfall we are facing in the City of Buffalo, it is imperative that we take action to ensure the fiscal stability of our city,” Buffalo Common Council President Christopher P. Scanlon, South District. “By closely monitoring our financial operations and collaborating with all branches of government and city departments, we can address inefficiencies and make informed decisions that will guide us through these challenging times. Responsible financial management is crucial to maintaining essential public safety, services, and the overall well-being of our community.” 

The City Clerk is directed to forward copies of this resolution to the Department of Administration and Finance, the City Comptroller’s Office, the Buffalo Fiscal Stability Board, and Corporation Counsel.

“By implementing these comprehensive actions, we aim to ensure the fiscal stability of our city while continuing to provide essential services to our residents,” said Buffalo Common Council Majority Leader Leah M. Halton-Pope, Ellicott District Council Woman. “This resolution reflects our dedication to responsible financial management and our resolve to navigate through these challenging times.”

“Facing a projected $40 million budget shortfall, it is crucial that we take strong and resolute action to secure our fiscal stability,” said Buffalo Common Council President Pro Tempore Bryan J. Bollman, Lovejoy District. “Through attentive oversight of our financial operations, reducing non-essential spending, and ensuring cooperation between all departments, we can effectively address these challenges.”

The resolution was adopted on Tuesday, July 23, 2024 by the Buffalo Common Council, with the remainder sent to the Council’s Finance Committee for further discussion.

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