Common Council Report – 2/7

The Use of Bisphenol A in Food Products and Other Consumer Products – The Council adopted a resolution sponsored by Council President and Lovejoy District Council Member Richard A. Fontana requesting that no products containing Bisphenol A (“BPA”) be sold or distributed within the City of Buffalo. BPA is an industrial chemical that has been present in many hard plastic bottles and metal-based food and beverage cans since the 1960s. In September 2008, the National Toxicology Program found that BPA at current human exposure levels may be toxic to and negatively affect the brain, behavior and prostate gland of fetuses, infants and children. The Council maintains that the distribution of products containing BPA in the City of Buffalo should be prohibited in order to protect City residents from this dangerous chemical. 

Ordinance Amendment—The Council approved an amendment to Chapter 175, Section 1 of the Code of the City of Buffalo redefining the fees charged for the use of City ice skating facilities. The following fees apply to all city and non-city resident groups other than developmental leagues:

• Calendar Year 2012: $150 per hour
• Calendar Year 2013: $150 per hour
• Calendar Year 2014: $175 per hour

The following fees apply to city and non-city resident developmental leagues including the Explorer League, Timon and Canisius High Schools:

• Calendar Year 2012: $120 per hour
• Calendar Year 2013: $120 per hour
• Calendar Year 2014: $140 per hour

 

Banners to be Hung in the City of Buffalo

• The Council adopted a resolution sponsored by Ellicott District Council Member Darius G. Pridgen giving permission to Strategic to hang banners on lampposts on Erie Street between at Wilkeson Way and the Erie Basin Marina. The banners will celebrate the 2012 Labatt Blue Pond Hockey Tournament and will be displayed until February 13, 2012.

Waiver of Fees

• The Council approved a resolution sponsored by Delaware District Council Member Michael J. LoCurto waiving permit fees associated with Buffalo Pond Hockey’s scheduled games and use of outdoor rinks located at Parkside Lodge for as long as weather conditions allow. The Buffalo Pond Hockey Committee has been dedicated towards bringing free, outdoor public pond hockey and ice skating back to the City of Buffalo for over a year. This fee waiver will allow the Buffalo Pond Hockey Committee to use and maintain the Parkside Lodge ice rinks for the remainder of the winter season.

 

Appointments

• Upon the recommendation of the Mayor of the City of Buffalo, the Council confirmed the appointment of the following individual as the City of Buffalo Corporation Counsel:

• Timothy A. Ball

The Council approved the appointment of the following individuals to positions within Office of the City Clerk:

• Assistant Legislative Aide

• Denise Johnson

Laborer II

• Malcolm Ertha

The Council approved the appointment of the following individual within the City of Buffalo Department of Permit and Inspection Services at a step above the base salary:

• Chief Building Inspector

• Ronald Collins

The Council approved the appointment of the following individual to Intern positions within various Common Council Offices:

• Ellicott District Office

• Intern VI

• Latoya Ranselle

Office of the City Clerk

• Intern IX

• Paul Fultz

 

License and Permit Approvals—Upon the recommendation of the Department Permit & Inspection Services, the Council approved the following license and permit applications:

• Delaware District

• Permit to Convert Portion of 2 Story Masonry for Restaurant

• W. Xuz, owner of the property located at 1563 Hertel Avenue

Ellicott District

• Restaurant Dance License

• Hyatt Regency Banquet Rooms located at 532 Main Street

Fillmore District

• Permit for a Free Standing Sign

• S. Hertel, owner of the property located at 543 Franklin Street

Restaurant Dance License

• Cathode Ray located at 26 Allen Street
• Nietzsche’s located at 248 Allen Street

Lovejoy District

• Used Car Dealer License

• GFY Motor Cars located at 1526 William Street

Masten District

• Food Store License

• Ferry Express V LLC located at 1507 Fillmore Avenue

North District

• Food Store License

• River Front Market located at 2205 Niagara Street

South District

• Permit to Erect a Pole Sign and Place a Wall Sign on Façade of Building

• D. Wilcox, agent of the property located at 2137 Seneca Street

The Council denied the following license application:

• Fillmore District

• Food Store License

• Ferry Community Market located at 1021 East Ferry Street

 

Claims, Contracts, Change orders & Agreements

• Upon the recommendation of the Common Council Committee on Community Development, the Council:

• Approved the 2012-2013 (Year 38) Annual Action Plan proposed by the Mayor for the distribution of the Community Development Block Grant (“CDBG”), HOME Investment Partnership Grant (“HOME”), Emergency Solutions Grant (“ESG”), and the Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS Grant (“HOPWA”) from the United States Department of Housing & Urban Development (“HUD”). The total amount of the grants are as follows:

• Community Development Block Grant – $13,319,409
• HOME Investment Partnership Grant – $2,768,683
• Emergency Solutions Grant – $1,259,191
• Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS Grant – $550,703

Upon the request of the City of Buffalo Department of Parking, the Council:

• Authorized the Department of Parking to purchase six License Plate Readers (“LPR”). The LPR’s will enable parking enforcement officers to have the most current information on vehicle registrations and outstanding parking violation tickets and will also assist in the location of stolen vehicles. The LPR’s will cost a total of $125,000. Included in this price is a three year warranty, installation, and training.

Upon the request of the City of Buffalo Department of Public Works (“DPW”), the Council:

• Authorized DPW to extend the Elevator Inspection Service Contract for City Hall with Bison Elevator Services, Inc. This extension will run through June 30, 2012 and will cost a total of $93,992.
• Authorized DPW to extend the Elevator/Escalator Inspection Service Contract for City Court with Bison Elevator Services, Inc. This extension will run through June 30, 2012 and will cost a total of $43,800.
• Authorized DPW to dispose of a damaged freightliner tractor. The vehicle is costly to repair and instead will be discarded and used for its parts.
• Authorized DPW to purchase nine vehicles and equipment for its various divisions. The total cost of the vehicles is $373,250.
• Authorized DPW to trade in three vehicles for the lease/purchase of various types of light duty vehicles. The new vehicles will be used for the repair and maintenance of the City of Buffalo water distribution system and maintenance of the Colonel Ward Pumping Station.

Upon the request of the City of Buffalo Department of Public Works, the Council approved the following reports of bids:

• Of the bids that were received for the Elmwood Avenue Reconstruction Project, NOVA Site Company, LLC. was the lowest with a total bid of $2,396,907.
• Of the bids that were received for the 2012 Citywide Street Tree Planting Project, Stedman Old Farm Nurseries, Inc. was the lowest with a bid of $315,595.

 

For any questions, concerns, or further information regarding the above, please contact your District Council Member, the Common Council Legislative Staff Office, or the respective City Department.

To view the live streaming of Common Council meetings on a personal computing device with internet access, please insert the following address into the device web-browser:

www.city-buffalo.com/Home/Leadership/CommonCouncil/Common_Council_Live_Coverage. 

To view replays of a Common Council Meeting please visit the City of Buffalo Government Television website at www.city-buffalo.com/Home/Government_TV. 

To view the final Common Council Meeting agenda and/or supporting communications, please visit the City of Buffalo website at

www.city-buffalo.com/Home/Leadership/CommonCouncil.

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