HTN: Chickens Legal in Buffalo

A new law has come home to roost, and chicken coops could now become a normal sight in Buffalo. The Common Council agreed six to three to pass legislation which would allow people have chickens in their backyards. A Tuesday meeting only had two out of the 40 people attending not in favor of the new law. The legislation would require residents to pay a one time license fee of 25-dollars and only allow five hens to be kept on properties. Roosters would not be allowed to be kept, and residents would have to keep the hens in an enclosed area with a chicken coop. Supporters of the law feel it would help people understand where their food comes from.

HTN: Lawnmowers Get City Refund

The great Buffalo lawmowing controversy of 2008 may finally be resolved. The Common Council has agreed to refund more than 200 homeowners money paid for improper tickets. The residents were fined incorrectly for letting their grass grow too high in their yards. Nearly 39-thousand dollars in refunds has been agreed upon by members of the Common Council because police used the wrong codes for issuing the tickets. Most of the summonses were for 150 dollars but some folks got hit with multiple tickets.

HTN: RFPs for Red-Light Cameras Going Out

Red-light cameras are proceeding in Buffalo despite some concern from Common Council members. City officials say request for proposals will be sent out in June as City Hall looks to hire a company to operate the devices. Some Common Council members say Mayor Byron Brown has already spent the potential income, by adding 20 new police officers in the budget. Other council members say the move makes it look like the red-light cameras are only being installed to rake in cash. The devices would capture images of drivers blowing red lights and send out fines. The red-light cameras have gained state approval, but still need a final green light by the council. They are expected to generate nearly three-million dollars a year.

HTN: Watching City Workers

Buffalo city workers violating the residency requirements may have a watchful eye on them. Mayor Byron Brown's budget has money to fill a residency investigator position. But so far, the city has not found anyone qualified to do the job. City officials say at least 15 people have been interviewed. All city workers with the exception of police, fire and a few others are required to live in the city. The new investigator would be charged with finding cheats and calling them out.

HTN: Buffalo Building Inspectors Sharpen Up

Buffalo building inspectors will bump up their dress code a notch. The inspectors are now required to wear shirts with collars. The inspections chief admits things have become a little too casual, with inspectors seen in shorts, flip-flops and sweatshirts. One Council member is suggesting the inspectors wear uniforms. But the workers' union says the city does not want to pay for the uniforms, so the upgraded dress-code is a small step to give the workers a more professional look.

HTN: Urban Farm Debated in Buffalo

The president of the local chapter of Habitat for Humanity, Ronald Talboys, says he's willing to consider moving new housing to other sites so that two acres of vacant land on Wilson Street can be turned into an urban family farm. Mark and Janice Stevens of Buffalo have offered to buy the land from the city and plant on it.

HTN: Red Light Cameras OKd by Albany

The New York State Assembly has given the green light for red light cameras to be installed in Buffalo and Rochester, as well as Yonkers and Long Island. Under the Assembly package, municipalities would be authorized to institute a five-year trial program. Opponents say it is simply a way for the city to generate revenue from the fines. Some say the photos are an invasion of civil liberties and say there is no proof the devices cut down on accidents.

HTN: Red Light Cameras Get Council Green Light

The Common Council has given the go-ahead to put red light cameras at the city's busiest intersections. State lawmakers still need to give approval before the 50 cameras get the green light. A bill in Albany is expected to be considered this week.

Hometown News: City Planner Changes Mind

Buffalo is back to the drawing board in finding a new city planner. Michael Kimelberg has decided not to take the job. The highly-touted Seattle native was introduced by Mayor Byron Brown in February, but failed to actually show up to start the new job. Rumors began circulating around City Hall, and Kimelberg finally confirmed that he had turned down the job, saying his wife's career would not allow her to leave Seattle as he had expected.

HTN: Common Council Member Under Fire

The Common Council president has called on its embattled member, Brian Davis, to break a month-long silence and address charges that he has engaged in "questionable financial dealings." The request came Wednesday from Council President David Franczyk, who says that controversies around Davis need to be addressed. Much of the controversy centers on around One Sunset, a restaurant and nightclub located on Delaware Avenue, in which Davis reportedly had involvement. After reports that a nearly 36-hundred-dollar rent check bounced, there are now allegations of improper public subsidies issued by the city to One Sunset.

HTN: Sppeding Up City Demolitions

The wrecking ball could be swinging more often in the city. Officials are weighing a proposal to earmark ten million dollars in state aid to demolish blighted buildings. City Hall says the money will be able to fund the demolition of 680 buildings. Officials say these buildings are the worst of the worst and are safety hazards if they do not come down. City Inspections Chief James Comerford says there are probably five-thousand more buildings which should to be taken down. The Council is expected to approve the 10-million dollar plan next week.

HTN: Waterfront Hotel may be Redesigned

Specialty Restaurant CEO Howard Bell says developers are proceeding with a ten-million-dollar plan to build a new hotel, despite some resistance from City Hall. A Wingate Inn is being planned next to California company's Shanghai Red's restaurant along the Erie Basin Marina. Former Common Council President James W. Pitts is collaborating on the Wingate project, but some Common Council members object to the design. The comapny says it may revise the look of the hotel.

HTN: Common Council Member Investigated

A Buffalo councilman is under investigation after allegedly passing a bad check. Authorities are looking into the incident involving Councilman Brian Davis, and a check he reportedly used to pay rent for a Delaware Avenue restaurant and nightclub called One Sunset. The check allegedly bounced, and police are investigating to see if there was any criminal activity. Davis's office says he will be out on medical leave through February 17th. It's not the first time accusations have been lodged against Davis. He is being sued by a musician who claims he loaned the Councilman five-thousand dollars to pay the rent but never received repayment.

HTN: City Curfew Program Seeks Funding

Buffalo officials are praising a new program designed to enforce the city's youth curfew. Kids found roaming the streets late at night are taken to the Edward Saunders Community Center on Bailey Avenue. The curfew has been on the books for 15 years and bars anyone under age 16 from being on the street during the overnight hours. Once at the community center, support staff try to find out why the child was on the streets and where parents are. The city's community service commissioner wants the Common Council to approve an 89-thousand dollar federal grant to continue the program.

Hometown News: City's New Snow Plan Previewed

Mayor Brown unveiled a new snowplowing plan for the city this morning:

(Reasons for Changes)

Elements of the plan include a GPS pilot program on a few city vehicles, changes in alternate parking schedules on some streets, and hiring of private contractors when needed.

HTN: City Infrastructure Deal Falls Apart

Buffalo could be left without millions of dollars for road repairs. A tentative deal between the Mayor and council on the city's capital budget fell apart yesterday. The Council had wanted road repair money to be divided evenly among the nine council districts. Mayor Byron Brown vetoed the arrangement and slashed three-million dollars in funding. A compromise struck earlier this week would have restored that funding for citywide improvements. But, when that deal fell apart yesterday, the Council did not have enough votes to override the mayor's budget veto, leaving the three-million on the cutting room floor.

HTN: Compromise on City Capital Budget

The Buffalo Common Council and Mayor Byron Brown's Administration will finalize a deal today to settle a capital funding dispute.The Mayor vetoed three-million dollars of money set aside for road improvement projects, because the council wanted to divide the money equally among its nine districts. Under the compromise, the three-million will be restored to the capital budget, but set aside for general citywide improvements, while each district will get 150-thousand dollars for its own projects. The Council had tried to override the Mayor's vetoes but couldn't get the needed votes.

HTN: Extension Likely for Assessment Challenges in City

If you think your home in Buffalo has been assessed too highly, you may have extra time to file a challenge. Members of the Common Council say they support Mayor Byron Brown's plan to give homeowner's an additional three weeks to file the challenges. The new deadline would be January 21st. Brown says the extension will give residents extra time to research the value of their homes.

HTN: Common Council Approves Capital Spending

The Buffalo Common Council has narrowly approved the city's 2009 capital budget. The 20-million-dollar spending plan was approved by a five-four margin. As part of the plan, six-and-a-half million dollars for road repairs will be divided into nine accounts, one for each Council district. Council members say that will ensure that each area of the City gets a fair share of road improvements. More than 300-thousand dollars has been cut, which would have been earmarked for repairs at City Hall and another 365-thousand eliminated that was going to a new police and fire communications system. Mayor Byron Brown and the city control board will have to sign off on the spending.

Common Council OKs Union Deal

The Buffalo Common Council is expected to give the green light today for new contract with the city's blue-collar workers' union. The nine-year deal includes raises averaging 20-percent. The workers, who collect trash, clean streets and maintain city buildings, have not had a raise in the past eight years. The new contract goes back to 2002 but pay raises would not be retroactively effective until July 2007. Majority Leader Richard Fontana says considering it is a nine-year deal, it is just over two-percent per year. The control board still has to sign off on the deal at their meeting on December 17th.