Niagara Views

Here's the story I wrote off last night's North Tonawanda Common Council meeting, dealing with a potentially troublesome short-term outlook for city finances.

Also, here's a link to yesterday's post, outlining the Council's agenda for last night's meeting.

The agenda items discussed by former mayor David Burgio (pictured below) were actually two separate things, despite how they were listed on the agenda.

Per last night's discussion, the Council is expected to vote on a request to hold a New Year's Eve ball drop at Webster and Sweeney streets when they meet again on Tuesday. The event will be almost exactly like last year's, though the beer tent will be curtailed slightly, Burgio told lawmakers.

Organizers are requesting use of the city's entertainment trailer and 40 garbage cans. They also want Webster closed between Sweeney and Tremont streets, and to close one block of Sweeney at Gateway Park. The Renaissance Bridge over the Erie Canal, connecting Webster in North Tonawanda and Main Street in the City of Tonawanda, would be closed an hour before midnight in order to prepare for the ball drop and fireworks.

Burgio also updated lawmakers on ongoing improvements to the greenhouses at the city's Botanical Gardens. The work is being done by volunteers with Project Pride, and has been funded through grants from the Niagara Falls Bridge Commission and the Downtown Merchants Association in NT, Burgio said.

--Aaron Besecker