Racial role claimed in Council changes

[OldTymeRevival]

City & Region > Buffalo/Erie County

Racial role claimed in Council changes

New majority finishes reorganization

By Brian MeyerNEWS STAFF REPORTER
Updated: 01/23/08 9:09 AM

"Brian C. Davis questions pay cut for first Hispanic to become deputy city clerk.

More acrimony surfaced Tuesday as the Common Council’s new majority took the last steps to reorganize staff and committee lineups.

Two African-American lawmakers claimed some changes have racial overtones that have hurt diversity. The ruling faction have dismissed those charges as baseless.

Even the Council’s appointment of the first Hispanic to become deputy city clerk raised racial overtones. Ellicott Council Member Brian C. Davis questioned why Wilmer Olivencia will be paid $15,653 less than his predecessors.

“It’s a slap in the face to the Hispanic community and more importantly to Mr. Olivencia,” Davis said.

Majority Leader Richard A. Fontana bristled at the comment, saying lawmakers decided to cut the deputy’s salary before they knew who would be hired.

“It’s idiotic to say that. It did not happen that way,” Fontana said of implications that race played a role in the salary cut.

Fontana later apologized for using the word “idiotic” after Davis branded it insulting.

Lawmakers said they decided to end a disparity between the salaries of Buffalo’s two deputy city clerks. Both now will make $43,076, and Olivencia recently said he understood the Council’s reasoning.

Masten Council Member Demone A. Smith also criticized Council President David A. Franczyk for taking steps that resulted in ousting North Council Member Joseph Golombek Jr. from the Buffalo Urban Renewal Agency. In a last-minute move, Franczyk had replaced Golombek with Delaware Council Member Michael J. Lo- Curto as chairman of the Community Development Committee, a position that carries a seat on the renewal agency’s board.

South Council Member Michael P. Kearns also was recently named to the board, and Smith said he finds it troubling that the two new appointees represent districts with the lowest poverty rates. Franczyk countered that his Fillmore District has the city’s highest poverty rate and that he remains a renewal board member.

Golombek, an ally of Mayor Byron W. Brown, broke a monthlong silence on the festering Council dispute. Golombek, who is not allied with the new majority, said the time had come for lawmakers to stop obsessing over “inside baseball” and redirect their attention to such problems as crime and poverty.

“We need to put the people’s business first before we put the politicians’ business in front of us,” he said.

David A. Rivera, the Council’s newest member and its only Hispanic, echoed those sentiments.

“Hopefully, we can work together to get things done,” said Rivera, a member of the ruling majority."

bmeyer@buffnews.com


Maybe there's a sensibility starting to wrap itself around this dysfunctional council!

[run4it]

I didn't vote for Rivera...but if he's trying to get beyond this petty race stuff, Bravo. It'll help him get my vote next time.

[bigpoppapuff]

I didn't vote for Rivera...but if he's trying to get beyond this petty race stuff, Bravo. It'll help him get my vote next time.

i'm very happy that david stepped up as a strong leader in the hispanic community...it was needed....and david is a quality guy.....