I attended one of the budget hearings featuring Tom Desantis (on behalf of the Economic Development and Planning Departments), and Michele Petrazzoulo and Jill Onesi, the fashionable librarians. These representatives were ceremoniously seated in front of three members of the City council to present an appeal to budget cuts proposed for their operations. I’m not sure either interest prepared a defense suitable for the council to reverse the Mayor’s recommendations. I have some thoughts on how these humble department heads can measurably present their effectiveness and maintain funding for the benefit of the City.

As you know, Mr. Desantis has been the City planner for close to thirty years. That’s a blink in the life of a comet, but eternity for a family hoping their city will prosper for generations of togetherness. So who knows better about the future of development and progress in Niagara Falls than Desantis, the person who planned for us to be where we are today?

Mr. Desantis simply stated that his department had too much work to do to survive a 25% cut in funding. Proposed elimination of jobs within both areas was unacceptable, as no one would be able to handle all the activities managed by economic development and planning. He referred to the many phone calls and meetings his staff manages to entice businesses and developers to come to Niagara Falls. However, he stopped there.

Want a slam dunk Tom? Produce the list of the businesses and developers your department contacted during the year of 2014. Then show the council the success ratio of landing these businesses in the falls, or provide the reason for those who may have passed on the opportunity. I’m sure records were kept on initial contacts, followup call schedules, and successful placement of new businesses and developments. When you quantify your statements related to the “many calls and contacts” your department facilitates, no one can argue with your success.

While you are at it, you can sweeten the pie by providing the list of commercial space available for sale or lease within the City. You must have this information, as it would be key to your pitches to potential businesses and developers. Furthermore, no one has ever contacted me regarding commercial space and rates I manage, so I assume you have this information.

Niagara Hub will be glad to assist in spreading the word of the new businesses and developments your department discovered and landed here. We understand you must have been nervous in sitting in front of City officials, and we are happy to help you with the simple process of communicating effectively.

So there you are- quantify your efforts and successes, and the people of this great City will fight tooth and nail for your continuance.

As far as Planning department cuts? Sorry, miracles are managed by something bigger than the Hub.

OK, how ’bout the library? The proposed budget simply cut $75,000 out of the support it offers the library. As the library is not a city department, a line item budget was not presented. The council committee respectfully asked to review what the library does with the $75,000, and the directors agreed to provide that in the same transparent quantification I asked the economic development folks do. I suggest Michele and Jill provide a count of people who use the library daily, programs that assist the community, and other events and classes that may be effected by a $75,000 reduction in support. It was nice to see several members of the Board of the Library in the audience; a statement to the commitment some have to the causes that are close to their hearts.

On a side note, the rumor mill has it that the council may take into consideration Ms. Petrazzoullo’s residency in Lewiston as a reason for sustaining the $75,000 cut in funding. If that were the case, the council would be in violation of prudent decision making, as there is no residency requirements for library employees. Sure, it would be nice to have all people who work with the city in any regard live here, but that just can’t happen. Certainly the members of the city council realize their moral, fiduciary, and professional responsibilities in voting as directed by the desires of the citizenry. When the library presents the benefits that come from the city support, the council must vote on the benefits to the city, and not on who lives where, what they wear, or which church they attend.

And folks, if you want this city to move forward, get involved. Attend public meetings to show our elected officials you care, you are watching, and you vote. This is our city, and we have selected officials to act on our behalf. Let’s make sure we are constructive and active in our assertions. Negative ramblings only entitle those moving in the wrong direction to forge ahead.