Beginning immediately, CitiStat Buffalo meetings will be open for questions from the public, through a unprecedented initiative that allows residents to ask questions through the City of Buffalo's website, www.city-buffalo.com

"CitiStat Buffalo is an innovative computer-based management tracking program that is based on accountability, efficiency and transparency," said Mayor Brown. "In keeping with these principles, we have established a system where residents can ask a question of one of the City of Buffalo departments that would be answered during a CitiStat meeting. Accountability is a primary goal of my Administration, and by publicizing and broadcasting CitiStat Buffalo meetings on city government access television and streaming the meetings on the city website, residents already have access to the information, but now we want them to be a part of the process."

There are two ways to submit a question: citizens can either fill out the online form by going to www.city-buffalo.com and clicking on the 'Ask a Question at CitiStat' link or they can submit their question by calling the Mayor's Call and Resolution Center at 851-4890.

Buffalo is the only city in the country that airs CitiStat meetings on television weekly.

If the panel does not get to ask a citizen's question, that person will still receive an answer via U.S Mail from the appropriate department.

In addition to adding this new resident participation measure, Mayor Brown also announced that beginning immediately all CitiStat Buffalo meeting materials will be available to the public the following Tuesday of every CitiStat Buffalo meeting. Since the initiative was launched, meeting materials were posted on the city website, as well as being broadcast on Government Access Channel 22 in Buffalo. This step simply confirms that by the following Tuesday, the CitiStat Buffalo meeting materials will be available online and via television.

Contact: Peter K. Cutler, 716-851-4841.