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Votes at a glance: Buffalo City Council approves multiple referrals, licenses and budget items; several items referred to committees
Summary
At the stated Buffalo City Council meeting, members approved minutes, moved multiple agenda items to committee, approved several contracts and licenses, and recorded several referrals for further committee review. A separate referral was made for Erie Basin Marina contract follow-up.
Buffalo City Council members approved a batch of routine and substantive agenda items, referred several matters to committee, and adopted multiple resolutions and appointments during the stated meeting.
The council approved the minutes of the Dec. 23, 2024 stated meeting on a motion from Majority Leader Helen Pope, seconded by a councilmember. Members also handled dozens of agenda items by referral or approval, including referrals to the Legislation, Civil Service and Finance committees and approvals of contracts, licenses and resolution items.
Key actions recorded on the agenda included referrals of land-use and licensing items to the Legislation and City Planning boards; multiple appointments referred to Civil Service; several finance items approved; approval to receive and file asset-forfeiture paperwork from the Buffalo Police Department; and adoption or referral of several resolutions. The council also referred a resolution opposing Lake Erie wind turbines to the Community Development Committee.
Votes and referrals listed on the record (motion text, mover/second when recorded, and outcome when stated):
- Approval of minutes (meeting of Dec. 23, 2024): moved by Majority Leader Helen Pope; seconded by Councilmember Fare Leto; outcome: approved.
- Items 1 and 2 (local landmark 205 Esser, item text not fully read): motion to send to Legislation; second recorded; outcome: referred to Legislation.
- Items 2 and 3 (appointments): motion to send to Civil Service; seconded by Councilmember Everhart; outcome: referred to Civil Service.
- Item 5 (federal-aid local project agreement, phone line request): motion to send to Finance; seconded by Councilmember Rivera; outcome: referred to Finance.
- Item 6 (USDA service grant / inflation reduction request): motion to approve; seconded by Councilmember Golombek; outcome: approved.
- Items 7–9 (appointments including community advocate to comptroller): motion to send to Civil Service; seconded; outcome: referred to Civil Service.
- Items 10–14 (including Change Order No. 1 for the Buffalo Police Department): motion to approve items 10–14; seconded by Councilmember Wyatt; outcome: approved.
- Item 15 (Buffalo Police Department asset forfeiture report): motion to receive and file; seconded; outcome: received and filed.
- Items 16–23 (including contract for 1667 Broadway demolition and related approvals): motion to approve items 16–23; seconded by Councilmember Everhart; outcome: approved.
- Item 24 (full store license, 1326 East Ferry): motion recorded as in legislation; seconded by Councilmember Rivera; outcome: referred to Legislation.
- Items 25–27 (various licenses): motion to approve items 25–27; seconded; outcome: approved.
- Items 30–32 (permission to accept funds): motion to send items 30–32 to Finance; seconded by Councilmember Lyle; outcome: referred to Finance.
- Item 33 (permission to accept funds for Vacant Rental Improvement Program): motion to approve; seconded by Councilmember Nalkowski; outcome: approved.
- Item 34 (appoint personnel specialist 1): motion to send to Civil Service; seconded by Councilmember Everhart; outcome: referred to Civil Service.
- Items 35–37 (items returned by mayor to city clerk without approval/disapproval): motion to receive and file items 35–37; seconded by Councilmember Rivera; outcome: received and filed.
- Item 38 (special use 17 Court Street): motion to send to Legislation and City Planning Board; seconded; outcome: referred.
- Finance item (salary increases for chair and board of assessment members, listed as Finance Item 9 and items 9–12): motion to approve items 9–12; seconded by Councilwoman Navarro; outcome: approved.
- Legislative item 15 (Fooster license series and related approvals): motion to approve with conditions (including a one-year sunset for item 17); seconded; clerk instructed to send conditions to the clerk and Corporation Counsel; outcome: approved with conditions (as recorded).
- Item 20 (resolution opposing wind turbines in Lake Erie): motion to send to the Community Development Committee chaired by the resolution sponsor; seconded by Councilmember Riot; outcome: referred to Community Development.
- Items 21–22 (ordinance amendment Chapter 175 fees): motion to approve items 21 and 22; seconded; outcome: approved.
- Item 23 (zone and map amendment for 111 Clay): motion to recommit; seconded by Councilmember Navarro; outcome: recommitted.
- Item 28 (special use 694 Jefferson): motion to deny because the applicant removed the tavern request; seconded by Councilmember Galombek; outcome: denied.
- Resolutions 39–41 (budget and personnel amendments): motion to approve items 39–41; seconded; outcome: approved.
- Item 42 (resolution requesting an update on art funds to nonprofits): motion to adopt and refer to Finance (motion language recorded); seconded by Councilmember White; outcome: motion recorded and seconded (adoption/referral to Finance noted in the record).
- Items 43–44 (Commissioner of Deeds items): motion to adopt items 43–44; seconded by Councilmember Nowakowski; outcome: adopted.
The meeting closed with routine committee announcements (Civil Service, Finance, Legislation and Community Development schedules) and district announcements from council members.
