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R VERR CK TIMES

Vol. 4 No. 22 Thursday, July 25, 2024 Covering the Northwest Corner of Buffalo

Council seeks to

combat illegal
cannabis stores

uffalo Common Council Ma-
Bjority Leader Leah M. Halton-
Pope has submitted a resolution
aimed at tackling the issue of illegal
cannabis stores within the City of
Buffalo amid growing concerns
from residents across the city.
The resolution, introduced on Senator Hubert Humphrey and Congressman Henry Nowak.
the Tuesday, July 23, 2024 Buffalo
Common Council meeting, directs Nowak, Riverside High grad who
MAKING T STREET LOOK BETTER: A dedicated group of River-
the City of Buffalo Corporation
siders gathered on Tuesday night and tackled not only the litter
Counsel to draft a new local law that became Congressman, has died
but areas with overgrown vegetation on Tonawanda St. near
will implement fines and permit the
Saratoga. photos by David Boye ormer U.S. Rep. Henry
padlocking of premises involved in “There is another part of
Nowak, who represented
unlawful cannabis activities. sports that brings people
"Illegal cannabis stores pose a FWestern New York from together.... You look at the
1975 to 1992, has died. He was 89.
serious threat to the safety and well-
being of our community and by Nowak was elected as a Demo- kinds of problems we have in
crat to the 94th and to the 98th suc- our community today, in
aligning our local laws with state
regulations, we can ensure a safer ceeding Congresses (Jan. 3, 1975 - cities, all over. A lot of these
Jan. 3, 1993). "Congressman
environment for our residents and children, who have perhaps
support the integrity of the regulated Nowak’s legacy lives on through his a little more time on their
tireless work in bringing home re-
cannabis market,” said Buffalo
Common Council Majority Leader sources from Washington to help hands than they should,
build and shape the community we don’t participate."
Leah M.Halton-Pope. “This resolu-
tion is a necessary step to protect have today," Erie County Democrat- Henry Nowak
ic Party Chairman Jeremy Zellner
public health, prevent underage use,
and generate tax revenue that bene- said on X. "I got assigned to the House
The Buffalo native attended
fits our city." Public Works Committee, which
This initiative is designed to public elementary schools in Buffa- was where I wanted to be because I
lo; graduated from Riverside High
align Buffalo’s regulations with knew I could use my position there
New York State laws and bolster School, Buffalo, 1953; BA, Cani- to bring projects here," he said. "For
sius College, Buffalo, 1957; JD,
efforts to protect public health and example, I was able to get federal
safety. University of Buffalo Law School, funds for the Erie Basin Marina. I
1961; admitted to the New York bar was able to get funding for Buffalo's
in 1963 and commenced practice in rapid transit system.
Council looking to loosen residency requirements Buffalo. especially concerned was moderniz-
"One thing about which I was
He served in the United States
Army, 1957-1958, 1961-1962;
uffalo Common Council Presi- mandates that potential employees palities to set residency require- ing our auto manufacturing opera-
Bdent Pro Tempore Bryan J. have established residency with lim- ments. The law does not mandate served as assistant district attorney tions in this area and making sure
Bollman has put forth a resolution ited flexibility for extensions. The residency but permits flexibility in of Erie County, 1964; and served as that our workers were trained to
that he says aims to better recruit and updated policy will extend this peri- establishing and waiving such re- Erie County comptroller, 1964- implement the manufacturing tech-
retain highly qualified employees to od to one year, providing new em- quirements. 1974. nology of the future, including ro-
"I got the chance to run for
the City of Buffalo. ployees ample time to settle within “Recruiting and retaining highly botics.... I was able to do this in a
A press release form the Council the city. qualified employees is essential for comptroller because I was both an way that has played a major part in
states: “Recognizing the challenges Flexibility in Recruitment: meeting the operational needs of attorney and a certified public ac- keeping General Motors providing
posed by the current job and housing This change aligns Buffalo with our city and the needs of our resi- countant," he once said in an inter- thousands of jobs here in WNY, an
markets, this resolution for an ordi- other municipalities such as Denver, dents,” said Bollman who repre- view. "I was able to win by pledging accomplishment of which I have
nance amendment aims to meet both Portland, Columbus, Las Vegas, sents the Lovejoy District. “Given to modernize the comptroller's of- always been very proud."
operational needs and residents' and Detroit, which have adopted the current job and housing mar- fice, which I did once I took office." Throughout his long career in
It was the middle 60s, the dawn
needs effectively by updating its res- more flexible residency require- kets, it is imperative that we update of the computer age, Nowak set Congress, he rubbed elbows with
idency waiver policy.” ments to attract a diverse and skilled our residency waiver policy to pro- many national notables, including
Key points of the updated Resi- workforce. vide new employees with sufficient about bringing Erie County's gov- then House Speaker Tip O'Neill and
dency Waiver Policy include: Legislative Basis: The update time to establish residency within ernment accounting practices into the late Maine Senator and fellow
Extended Residency Require- complies with New York State Civil the 20th century and beyond. Pole, Ed Muskie.
ment Period: The current policy Service Law, which allows munici- Continued on page 8 "Before I became comptroller, "I would say that Ed Muskie was
things were largely done by hand," the most impressive public official I
he said. "I was able to modernize ever met," Nowak said. "He was
our operations. Of course, that pro- someone whose total interest was in
cess continued after I left." doing the right thing for our nation,
When Nowak left the comptrol- not politics."
ler's office, it was to take a seat in After retiring in 1992, he had
the House of Representatives as part worked as a consultant for Ecology
of 1974’s legendary Democratic and Environment and other firms,
Party-dominated Watergate Class while never losing his dedication to
after the equally notable Buffalo helping WNY.
Congressman Thaddeus Dulski an- "I have always loved Buffalo
nounced his retirement. and WNY and I have always been
"This was the group that was proud that I had the opportunity to
elected in the wake of President bring federal funding and jobs
Nixon's Watergate Scandal," he here," he said.
said. "At that time, voters were Nowak was an advocate for his
mainly interested in cleaning up the son Henry Nowak Jr. who at the
scandal and fixing our economy." time of that interview was a Buffalo
In addition to those issues, the Housing Court judge.
newly minted Congressman "Of course, I'm very proud of
Nowak's primary concern was Henry," Congressman Nowak re-
NEARING THE END. Construction crews are on Niagara Street near Ontario as the Rehabilitation bringing economic development cently said. "He has really done a
dollars to Buffalo and WNY, an
& Reconfiguration Project Phase 4 of Niagara Street gets closer to completion. In the section from great job of transforming Buffalo
activity which he would turn into an
Hertel Ave. to Ontario Street, work included tree removal and replacement, new sewer lines and Housing Court into a true problem
art form over the next 18 years.
new curbs. Work on the street from downtown to Ontario Street has taken a number of years as solving court which is helping to
the roadway was updated as well as transformed in sections to include new bike lanes. Continued on page 8