Niagara Falls council approves Greenway-funded park projects after debate over Exhibit B and cost estimates

The Niagara Falls City Council on April 9 voted 3-1 to authorize the mayor to award engineering, construction and other contracts to expedite completion of 2025 city park projects using Niagara River Greenway funds already allocated.

The vote came after more than an hour of public comment and council discussion about the accuracy of project cost figures, whether equipment items carried warranties, and a mistaken reference to an ‘‘animal shelter’’ in the meeting paperwork. Council member Dante Miles voted no; Council member Archie, Council member Banks and Council chairperson Perry voted yes.

Council members and several members of the public pressed administrators for clarity on the numbers in Exhibit B to the mayor’s recommendation memo dated 03/20/2025. Public speakers said some line-item prices appeared inflated and asked the council to pause the vote until the controller and finance staff could explain the estimates. “The cost for the disc swing is 1,600, not 4,200,” said resident Lawrence Blaber during the public comment period, citing written information he had provided to council offices.

Administration representatives told the council the figures in Exhibit B are estimates prepared to match the scope approved by the Greenway and that the projects still must be competitively bid. The council was told the bidding and award process will follow state procurement law, including General Municipal Law §103, under which public improvements are awarded to the lowest responsible bidder. The administration also said Exhibit B includes a contingency line to cover anticipated change orders and unforeseen needs; those figures reflect projections rather than final contract prices.

Council members asked whether any of the listed equipment carried warranties. An administration speaker said no warranties were issued on the listed equipment, while another council member said some information had previously indicated a five‑year warranty on one item. The council acknowledged the statements were inconsistent and noted that post‑award payments and change orders will be recorded through the normal contract and engineering progress‑payment process so final expenditures can be tallied and reviewed by the controller.

A separate motion to amend exhibit B — to strike all references to “animal shelter” from the project descriptions — was offered during the discussion but failed for lack of a second. The administration acknowledged a stray reference to “animal shelter” in one column of Exhibit B and said it was a clerical error that had been corrected in the version circulated to the Greenway Commission; council members said the correction should be reflected in the public packet.

Supporters of the item argued delaying the vote would slow construction timelines and risk missing seasonal windows for park work. Opponents said the council should require firmer cost breakdowns and clearer documentation before authorizing awards. After debate, the council voted to approve the item with three yes votes and one no vote.

Votes at a glance

- Item 1: Purchase of two equipment trailers from PJ Niagara Falls Boulevard Auto Inc. — approved (4–0). - Item 2: Purchase of a Caterpillar utility compactor from Milton Cat — approved (4–0). - Item 3: Purchase of a wood deck trailer from LOE Trailer Sales of Western New York, LLC — approved (4–0). - Item 4: Contract award to KJ Smith Enterprises Inc. for cleaning/cutting city-owned lots — approved (4–0). - Item 5: Authorization to award engineering, construction and other contracts for 2025 park projects using Greenway funds (Mayor’s memo 03/20/2025) — approved (3–1). Council member Dante Miles voted no. A proposed amendment to strike references to “animal shelter” from Exhibit B failed for lack of a second prior to the vote. - Item 6: Contract award to Davis Ulmer Sprinkler Company Inc. for fire protection at the Public Works site — approved (4–0). - Item 7: Acceptance of a cybersecurity grant from the New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services and authorization to purchase a software license (MIS) from Shy International Corporation — approved (4–0). The line-item cost noted in the recommendation memo for the initial software purchase was $6,350. - Item 8: Resolution amending chapter 171 of the codified ordinances regarding benefits for employees not covered by collective bargaining agreements (effective for employees on payroll as of 01/01/2025) — approved (4–0).

Why it matters

The council’s approval moves multiple park‑improvement projects from planning toward contract awards and construction under the terms of the previously approved Greenway funding. Residents who testified warned the council that perceived gaps in documentation could erode public trust and urged clearer financial oversight. Council members who supported the item said the approvals streamline procurement so work can proceed during favorable weather and meet the Greenway’s spending timeline.

What happens next

According to the administration, the city will publicly advertise bids for the work, evaluate low responsive and responsible bidders per General Municipal Law §103, execute contracts for discrete parts of the projects, and process progress payments through the engineering and controller’s offices. At project closeout the controller’s office will have a record of final contract values and total spend by contractor and project.

Public comment and related issues

Residents raised related issues during the meeting’s public comment period, including the history of the Beach Avenue Park planning, previous expenditures attributed to that project, and concern about how greenway and other one‑time funds are allocated across the city’s parks. Several speakers urged more transparency and recommended fuller documentation—line‑item estimates, warranty status, and post‑project accounting—be provided to the council and to the public before large awards are made.

Ending

The council’s approvals allow bid solicitations and contract awards to proceed; several council members said they expect follow‑up reports and contract documents to be available to the controller and to the council once bids are returned and contracts are executed.