Politics Now

By Robert J. McCarthy

Bernard Tolbert, the former chief of the Buffalo FBI who is weighing a bid for mayor this year, has received lots of unsolicited advice in past weeks.

Some friends are telling him he has waited too long to declare his candidacy. Others say he is right to "keep everyone guessing" as he continues exploring a Democratic primary race against two-term incumbent Byron W. Brown -- who officially announces on Saturday.

But Tolbert is still not offering any hints, even as he attends a host of citywide events like last Friday's St. Patrick's luncheon at the Buffalo Irish Center and the 60th annual dinner of the National Federation of Just Communities Wednesday night at the Hyatt Regency Buffalo.

Continue reading "Tolbert's delay in declaring mayoral candidacy has roots in history " »

By Robert J. McCarthy

Bernie Tolbert, the potential primary challenger to Democratic incumbent in this year's mayoral election, is proving adept at one aspect of politics - testing the waters.

Tolbert, the former head of the FBI's Buffalo office, said Monday he remains interested in running this year, but has made no decision and continues to make the rounds throughout Buffalo to listen and learn.

Continue reading "Tolbert still making the mayoral rounds" »

Check out Bob McCarthy's column from today, with news on Byron Brown, Steve Casey and Jeremy Zellner, as well as Mark Poloncarz, Frank Max, Chris Collins and Kathy Hochul.

Buffalo has a new special events coordinator and a new director of real estate among its latest hires.

Kimberly C. Trent has been hired to fill the vacant special events position in the Brown administration, a post that pays $70,215 a year. Trent's appointment was effective April 30, and she lived in Orchard Park at the time she got the job, according to documents filed in the City Clerk's Office. She will have to move into the city to comply with the residency requirement for most city employees.

Christie R. Nelson has been appointed the city's director of real estate in the Office of Strategic Planning. Nelson, whose appointment was effective May 29, will earn a starting salary of $72,872.

In City Comptroller Mark J.F. Schroeder's office, the city's chief fiscal watchdog has hired a new special assistant and changed the title of one of his aides.

Continue reading "Recent hires in City Hall" »

The Buffalo Common Council has scheduled a meeting Friday afternoon to approve a spending plan for the next fiscal year, though some details are still being negotiated.

Council leaders are talking with the Brown administration about money in three areas:

Continue reading "Block club, arts funding still up in the air" »

One of Mayor Byron W. Brown's key advisors recently received a promotion and pay raise.

Peter J. Savage III earlier this month was named senior deputy corporation counsel, filling a vacancy left after Timothy A. Ball was appointed as the city's top attorney. former acting Corporation Counsel David Rodriguez left for a job with the Buffalo Municipal Housing Authority.

Rodriguez held the title of senior deputy corporation counsel before becoming acting corporation counsel (his appointment was never confirmed by the Common Council, hence the acting). Timothy A. Ball was appointed as the city's top attorney on Feb. 7, but Rodriguez did not leave for the housing authority for several weeks.

Savage, who was deputy corporation counsel, has a new salary of $84,564, up from $82,326. That amounts to about a 2.7-percent raise.

There were two new hires also made in the Law Department: Delia Cadle was named to Savage's old spot as deputy corporation counsel (with the $82,326 salary); and Bryan Dolin was hired as assistant corporation counsel, with a starting salary of $53,686.

In the Department of Public Works, Edward F. Anken and Richard M. Veroba were hired in late March as senior first-class stationary engineers at $15 an hour. The department also hired two laborers in its Streets Division: Bonita Brown, who had been an account clerk typist in the department, got a permanent job with a $34,139 salary; and Delano Fabor was hired for a seasonal position at $12.06 an hour.

University Council Member Bonnie E. Russell appointed Tanika Hubbard as a clerk in the City Clerk's Office. Hubbard will earn a starting salary of $30,507.

Two employees of the DPW's Buildings Division and two employees of Management Information Systems saw their jobs change from provisional to permanent status. In the Buildings Division, they were architect Joseph Fanara and engineering aide Joseph Ziemba. In MIS, they were computer programmers Kathryn Barker and Janet SanFilippo.

Previous editions: March 12, Feb. 8, Jan. 20

--Aaron Besecker
Follow me on Twitter: @BeseckerBN

Buffalo Mayor Byron W. Brown and Fort Erie, Ont., Mayor Doug Martin have a little extra at stake in an on-ice battle this weekend.

Teams from both countries will play Saturday night in a game sponsored by the Fort Erie 1812 Bicentennial Committee. The teams will be made up of college and junior players.

What's in play -- the losing team's mayor will wear the winning team's jersey at a future public event.

Bullet News Niagara had the story Wednesday.

--Aaron Besecker
Follow me on Twitter: @BeseckerBN

The News features a live politics chat weekly at 1 p.m. Thursdays. Today's is hosted by City Hall Reporter Aaron Besecker, with the focus on politicsm, policies and issues in the City of Buffalo.

Editor's note: An early, incomplete version of this post was mistakenly published last week.

A City Hall post that hasn't been occupied since the Masiello administration was recently filled.

Nadine Marrero is the City of Buffalo's new environmental affairs director. Her hiring was effective March 12.

Brendan R. Mehaffy, executive director of the Office of Strategic Planning, said Marrero's duties will include overseeing the environmental review processes for city projects, as well as helping to develop the city's environmental policy. She will be managing several projects, including a few related to the Buffalo River, Mehaffy said.

He called Marrero "a perfect fit" for his office.

Marrero has worked for American Consulting Professionals of NY and has worked on projects including the once-proposed Ambassador Bridge and projects on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus.

From 2001 to 2006, she worked as a project planner and planning associate for Buffalo Place, where she co-authored sections of a downtown planning document called the Queen City Hub, according to her resume. She also worked for Heart of the City Neighborhoods in Buffalo in 2001 as a housing development specialist.

Continue reading "City of Buffalo hires environmental affairs director" »

The News features a live politics chat weekly at 1 p.m. Thursdays. Today's is hosted by City Hall Reporter Aaron Besecker, with the focus on politics and policies in Buffalo.