Tonawanda council tables vote on youth bureau pay; debate focuses on $5,000 stipend and recordkeeping

The Tonawanda Common Council unanimously voted to table a resolution concerning pay and structure for the city’s youth bureau after a prolonged discussion on whether a $5,000 annual stipend — split between two people, according to bureau members — should remain as salary or be moved into a budget line for programming.

Council member Tom Milam moved to table Resolution 3; Council member James Sheasley seconded. The clerk called the roll and the motion passed on a unanimous vote (Sheasley, Fisher, Raubstraw, Milam, Cook — all aye). The council then continued the meeting without deciding the underlying budget question.

The debate on the record covered three broad topics: the size and use of the youth bureau’s budget, the workload expected of paid bureau staff, and the availability of records and minutes.

Sarah Miszlin (who identified herself during public comment as associated with the youth bureau) told the council she had filed a letter and explained that bureau members had concerns about the proposed change to remove or…