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Mayor Brown Releases BMHA Action Plan

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Office of the Mayor
Peter K. Culter
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716-851-4841

View Mayor Brown's Action Plan
Mayor's Recommendations Targeted to Better Management Policies and Oversight

BUFFALO – Mayor Byron Brown today released a recommended action plan, entitled A Strategy for Change, to establish better management policies and oversight at the Buffalo Municipal Housing Authority (see attached).

In addition Mayor Brown, announced four new mayoral appointments to the BMHA Board of Commissioners. Three of the mayoral-appointed positions had been vacant and the fourth results from the resignation of Board Commissioner Sherill Colston.

"With the recommendations contained in the Action Plan, I am confident the reconstituted Board of Commissioners can begin immediately to address many concerns and problems that had been identified in HUD's Comprehensive Management Assessment Report, the City Comptroller's Audit Report and the Special Counsel's Report, which I requested three days into my new term as Mayor of Buffalo," stated Mayor Brown. "More than anything, this Action Plan makes specific recommendations to address a variety of concerns and problems outlined in these reports. It is my expectation that the newly formed Board of Commissioners will address these recommendations at their first official meeting and begin the process of restoring public confidence in the BMHA. It is especially important to demonstrate clearly to all BMHA tenants that their daily needs and concerns will remain the priority of the Authority Commissioners and staff."

Mayor Brown has made the following appointments to the BMHA Board of Commissioners: Michael A. Seaman, Director of Treasury and Collection, City of Buffalo; Ronald Brown, Chief Fiscal Officer, Friends to the Elderly, Youth and Family Center, Inc. (a tax accountant); Hal D. Payne, Vice President Student Affairs, Buffalo State College; and Betty Calvo-Torres, Esq. (solo practitioner and former Erie County Assistant District Attorney).

The Mayor will submit the names of his appointments to the Common Council for confirmation and to the New York State Department of Housing and Community Renewal ("DHCR"). Each new Commissioner is required to file their oath of office with the DHCR Commissioner within 30 days of their appointment.

Of the remaining Commissioners, Commissioner Charles Flynn, whose term expires in October 2008, will meet with Mayor Brown when returns to Buffalo, following a leave of absence, to discuss his future. The Commissioners voted onto to the Board of Commissioners to 2-year terms by BMHA tenants, Mary Rogers and Aqiel Qadir, have terms that expire in June 2006.

"The publicity surrounding the HUD report and the Comptroller's audit called into question many aspects of management at the BMHA," said Mayor Brown. "In appointing attorney John Elmore as Special Counsel, it was my desire to get to the facts of the information contained in those reports, hear from all affected and relevant parties and to receive recommendations from Mr. Elmore on how best to move forward. I thank John Elmore for diligence and thoroughness, and for delivering to me his recommendations within the 21-day time frame I established at the time of his appointment as Special Counsel. John Elmore deserves our thanks and gratitude for his excellent work."

Once the Mayor's appointees' Oaths of Office are filed with DHCR and they are confirmed by the Common Council, they will determine the earliest and most convenient time to meet formally. They will be provided with Mayor Brown's Action Plan to assist them in planning future management and policy changes at BMHA.