By Jill Terreri
Good morning,
Holiday week or not, the Common Council will meet today at 2 p.m. in Council chambers.
On the agenda is the appointment of Donna Estrich as commissioner of administration, finance, policy and urban affairs. The appointment is expected to be sent to committee so Estrich can answer members' questions before a vote is held, though her appointment is viewed as a near sure-thing by the Council, according to feedback I received last week from President Richard Fontana, Majority Leader Demone Smith and Council Member David Franczyk.
A pre-meeting caucus will be held today at 11 a.m., in room 1417, where the agenda will be discussed. The caucus usually happens the day before the meeting but was rescheduled because of Christmas.
The caucus is open to the public because all Council members are Democrats and the caucus usually attracts a quorum of the Council, triggering an open meeting under the state Open Meetings Law.
The caucus may be closed for an executive session to discuss the Seneca Buffalo Creek Casino and the Seneca Gaming Corporation's activities in relation to its agreement with the city. The matter was on the agenda for the last Community Development Committee but the appropriate Law Department lawyers were not available then to discuss it. The gaming corporation recently submitted a summary of their plans, which did not please all lawmakers.
At 11:30 a.m. today, Public Works Commissioner Steven Stepniak will discuss the city's preparation for a winter storm expected later today.
The Council agenda is below.
12.26.12
