[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6214509,"mediaKeyId","3665883-4f4efc15736775bebd9a2c912c5ca336","parentId",3665883,"title","Council members raise concerns over handling of 27 pay periods in proposed budget","audioSeconds",180,"startMs",3430000,"endMs",3610000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3665883-4f4efc15736775bebd9a2c912c5ca336&start=3430&end=3610","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3665883-4f4efc15736775bebd9a2c912c5ca336/thumbnail_3430000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6214509/Lackawanna/Erie-County/New-York/Council-members-raise-concerns-over-handling-of-27-pay-periods-in-proposed-budget","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6214509-e7611ceb16567186184473273306a61b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771169531&Signature=SWwxnouexILNEO-lU523HAD1sLyk~13PXiTUjlGPZkFqTsXa7yOTyXNv8cLboFcb-bdz5IXHmRSe97I0GVkq42jMDw6ip8hk9kMJ8d2ek~UOLSFJLME2QyqJyoxSVQO-75Gna9F0CfEpmws1iCBV~gMhFadeETTjjPTqIPbTYAa8VfThY1lwGrfqtifAjyj~MkDkegNHbIpNOjn7VY9X6PDJAxbWfrMxQS2MD7Htyw9fKIvRrgIZEWuEs5PXrlQCpIRH~sUboW1lyTUZo~bV2q6WKZx6YBcYC7PRlViAikusJVlrPC0a9cYgGH~G-tdtjcvRZTozG~kX830fTVZ~BA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Lackawanna, NY","date","2025-05-20T19:59:24Z","article","Several council members on May 19 pressed city budget staff about how the proposed 2025 budget handles an extra biweekly pay period in the calendar year, a technical issue that can change pay-period accounting.

Council members said the proposed budget appears to reflect 27 biweekly pay periods and asked how the additional pay week would be treated so it does not become an automatic baseline for future salary calculations. Staff discussed alternatives: (1) footnote salary pages to indicate the budget year includes 27 pay periods; (2) convert salaries to an annual figure based on 26 pay periods and place the extra pay period in a separate line; or (3) rework salaries on every page to remove the extra pay period. Staff described the last option as “a lot more work.”

Council Member Surdi and others asked staff to check how the city handled the comparable situation in the 2021 budget. A budget staffer and consultant Mike Ito discussed a compromise staff would prefer: add a footnote on salary pages noting the year includes an extra pay period and leave exhibits otherwise intact. Council members said they needed time to consider the approach and requested follow-up to ensure disclosures are clear and to avoid confusion or future disputes over baseline salaries.

No ordinance or formal change was adopted at the meeting; the discussion ended with direction for staff to research past practice and provide clearer disclosures in the budget documents.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Lackawanna City Council Meeting - 5/19/25","oneSentenceSummary","Council members asked the comptroller and budget staff how the proposed budget accounts for a calendar year with 27 biweekly pay periods and discussed options including footnoting or redistributing the extra pay period.","taxTitle","Lackawanna, Erie County, New York","taxId",68792,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6214515,"Council discusses vandalism at Center Street splash pad and gate decision; reopening date not set",61,3215000,3276000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3665883-4f4efc15736775bebd9a2c912c5ca336&start=3215&end=3276","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3665883-4f4efc15736775bebd9a2c912c5ca336/thumbnail_3215000.jpg","/articles/6214515/Lackawanna/Erie-County/New-York/Council-discusses-vandalism-at-Center-Street-splash-pad-and-gate-decision-reopening-date-not-set","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6214515-2999b99c763810f22cb540feb7dc7479/orig.mp4?Expires=1771169531&Signature=k6dQvHod5Bwp2x6~TtVPUsUIo3QKHMBz8m2RH6JL9yo~ufJusLQLT5B940Fkn7~u4Klu-s1Zq19R4YggD1inFSbACni4Dncpd4Rt4OFWPHt7LPv5g26MFi3GknoaJf66DS1mYPLTMVKRJ0yxzp77CwzYYLxL3N3iWwzO-ImPf2NY0tHOv4fCENLqsGYZsWmrlRPgOzLPvNekZQ40eU7raQYwaQPs9MLvek07NXTI581BJpAnIT3WkYciucpgbV2AsbvKWOwV0BLqKtKzJLwNXryyPDrsDgYnfcD-LwXYzSPATWYC4je88E9SxAJX4z7ekod-jE3azsbt3CrM3DH6Ww__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City staff and council members on May 19 discussed vandalism to the new Center Street splash pad and whether playground features would be opened to children before the splash pad is activated.

Parks staff said two splash-pad features were torn off their poles during construction, bathroom sinks and a mirror were smashed, and those incidents prompted the city to gate the splash-pad area. A staff member said the damage occurred “before it opened during construction,” and that the gate was installed to protect the city’s investment.

Council members requested more detail; several said they had not been informed previously about the extent of damage. One council member asked whether the playground (swings and jungle gym) could be opened while the splash pad stayed gated. Parks staff said opening earlier would require earlier staff presence because of the damage history and because of staffing needed to monitor the area.

Council members and staff also discussed underground piping for the splash pad, noting the water service comes from Center Street under the parking lot and that fencing options are constrained by underground infrastructure. Council Member Moreno described the park as a significant capital investment and asked for careful consideration about opening and staffing plans.

No vote was taken at the meeting; council directed staff to provide additional information about the damage, staffing needs, and options for phased opening of playground features.","Council and staff said vandalism during construction prompted the city to gate the Center Street splash pad; council members asked for clarification about damage and when playground areas will be reopened to children.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6214520,"Council approves Tree Market LLC business registration; council member recuses",2133,762000,2895000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3665883-4f4efc15736775bebd9a2c912c5ca336&start=762&end=2895","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3665883-4f4efc15736775bebd9a2c912c5ca336/thumbnail_762000.jpg","/articles/6214520/Lackawanna/Erie-County/New-York/Council-approves-Tree-Market-LLC-business-registration-council-member-recuses","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6214520-98433998c184de5baef31f3ddee85a1a/orig.mp4?Expires=1771169531&Signature=DKCpAsOcdXtDVAaOhkcPCLnSZkmqSYcdjuMp1xddK0jseOqRVX8wrnEnpSCPkhFYnazkdTa30PDtwLjrHG4cZcsZxrQYJiTvn5~NBBkjFnxFzJY-NyXtQ5fDiCtHn9ZtrwdFlHrb3DLEQlx8ChS704rXhEqUYAG44jrymwywz~vhDGfe6Tp~~4k5oormloFD4y3yOB3-cj5VGMqfp2WZK5s31xi5YQfOZ3URglSElzU4ntsnzOtMgPtu9OpOXbztlsq97Gx3AaMqsDz1zT17QO1--LEKqT2VIslogGa3eoC3hVod1z6HtYu1KE4uBYO1TtequvN6wNVbXSjmeCo0iQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Lackawanna City Council on May 19 approved a business registration for Tree Market LLC, a cannabis dispensary proposed for 2470 Hamburg Turnpike.

City staff told the council that the applicant met local and state requirements and that taxes on the property had been paid. A building inspector, Scott, confirmed permitting can proceed and that the applicant intends interior and exterior renovations.

Council Member McLahey disclosed a recusal from the vote, saying she works for the federal government and preferred to step aside because marijuana remains illegal at the federal level. The council then moved to approve the registration; the motion carried with a recorded vote (carried 4–0 with one recusal noted in the minutes).

No zoning change or special exception was recorded in the council action; the decision recorded in the meeting was limited to approving the business registration and allowing the applicant to proceed with permits and inspections.","The council approved a business registration for a cannabis dispensary at 2470 Hamburg Turnpike; one council member recused because of federal employment concerns.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6214525,"Council grants Ice House Pub limited outdoor-music approval for June after neighborhood complaints",2181,669000,2850000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3665883-4f4efc15736775bebd9a2c912c5ca336&start=669&end=2850","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3665883-4f4efc15736775bebd9a2c912c5ca336/thumbnail_669000.jpg","/articles/6214525/Lackawanna/Erie-County/New-York/Council-grants-Ice-House-Pub-limited-outdoor-music-approval-for-June-after-neighborhood-complaints","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6214525-c33e5fe7863c18c731de52d1f0c3a513/orig.mp4?Expires=1771169531&Signature=melc9en-66CnTee7tOZkrwMrGjBekBgT9SCaITwAa2Ol0SXr2VqMnqo7NOWXc4ovPPoj3TqEuL2yzHdGWzjPlFVs~KDrpoHfCZpoJeQzrTd8vslkH6gm8x48iTlcGBNuzZTvVn-DH3zs1E9nTgvMfVD5eCPI4aRqKknw6XLApSDREqtP4Yu2UN3anc-yX6qmcuZF1qNhIVL3BCXS9DJGt76qXvco-WgwEVhl760rk8SmyhMdypmGyYD97Ql8HBPswybJR1Q18~Y0HZwbPh6Nj-TDK8Wu5G3PMTTrQ1n0GF5MSt7BQX37DBmzAoaLMFDTBK29AhBnMtvp9nqfe2kRwA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Lackawanna City Council on May 19 approved a limited outdoor-music permit for the Ice House Pub, allowing live music on Saturdays in June from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., contingent on the owner’s compliance with city noise rules.

Lynette Welch, manager of Ice House Pub, and Melinda Martin, the pub’s manager who books bands, asked the council to approve outdoor music starting June 7. Welch said the pub had purchased a decibel reader and that bands would be required to sign an agreement to follow the city noise ordinance; she said if bands exceed limits, she would “cut them short and they won’t be booked again.” Martin added the patio is the business’s busiest area and that customers expect outdoor entertainment.

Several residents urged the council to deny or limit outdoor music, citing repeated disturbances. Dennis Gordon, a neighborhood resident, said neighbors “do not want it” and described recurring loud events. Council members repeatedly raised complaints that the pub had produced excessive sound in prior summers and noted police calls and neighborhood gatherings disrupted by noise.

Council Member Maflahi moved to approve outdoor music only for June, with performances limited to Saturdays from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., and the motion passed unanimously in that vote. The motion as recorded tied approval to owner compliance with decibel limits and other city requirements; several council members warned that repeated violations would result in loss of the entertainment privilege. During debate, council members suggested a one-strike/second-strike approach: one violation might result in a warning; a second would lead to permit revocation.

City staff said enforcement to-date has relied primarily on police department responses; the transcript records that the police department has received complaints but staff were not aware of frequent use of a decibel reader by police for these events. Council asked staff to monitor complaints closely and to report any repeat violations. The council scheduled Ice House Pub’s matter to be heard early in the regular-meeting agenda to allow follow-up if complaints continue.

The council did not change the city noise code at the meeting; it approved a time-limited, conditional permit with enforcement expectations to be monitored by staff and police.","After months of complaints about loud music, the council approved a one-month conditional permit for live outdoor music at Ice House Pub for Saturdays in June, contingent on decibel monitoring and compliance.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6214530,"City Council approves $25,000 transfer to comptroller consulting budget",776,1957000,2733000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3665883-4f4efc15736775bebd9a2c912c5ca336&start=1957&end=2733","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3665883-4f4efc15736775bebd9a2c912c5ca336/thumbnail_1957000.jpg","/articles/6214530/Lackawanna/Erie-County/New-York/City-Council-approves-25000-transfer-to-comptroller-consulting-budget","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6214530-2e6f2628522ee6dda75be8dadfa9aca5/orig.mp4?Expires=1771169531&Signature=LeiH9jcJlbB2CMNSF3s7XVXqB7-AxWeN1oLqwQAoFSHlKBBloYGio7cb~BQ6eDU6HZ0pajhLfTOl-kcSQgu8dfQfqRWKzpLvS6QqzuFbKskyYU4W9KO~2QmTA-PDyqNAWh~yGWiNybuYo5-FKJl-EIQ9JF8IeFr77~hPZrUB9hTBYvrRt6hWr00nkvxv7AZFaJixiCfgP8Gp6zPiK1~kddicf7M-iBbqzjv7WqWANbD1oKzLL3opwVNZQsPS-AW5L~kFAHGltc3Afua410qdnBd50CEQLDrjGbebURBNJhYI7jaBZUVHgaroGvgdz1zB9HHEp1y0nH81zN0KVAqXGA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Lackawanna City Council on May 19 approved an ordinance transferring $25,000 from the undistributed police and fire retirement line to the city comptroller consulting budget to support ongoing work on the 2024–25 budget.

The transfer was presented by City Attorney Adriana Kwiatkowski and explained by Jacqueline Dole, the city’s newly hired comptroller. Kwiatkowski said the funds will “go toward increasing the city comptroller consulting budget” to help complete the budget process and to bring Dole up to speed because she started after budget work was already underway. Dole told the council the assistant comptroller’s extended absence had left “a serious void in the coverage in the controller’s office,” and that she was fulfilling responsibilities for both positions.

Council members discussed prior consulting allocations and whether additional funds were appropriate. Council Member Muflahi said she was “not in favor of continuing to put money into the comptroller’s office” and urged scrutiny of further consulting spending. Council Member Moreno noted the city had earlier increased the consulting line in March and said the March allocation was expected to carry through the budget period; the new request adds $25,000.

Council members also asked whether the transfer would create a gap in the police and fire retirement line. Dole responded that the bill had already been paid, arriving in December at a lower-than-expected amount, and that “from here till the end of the fiscal year, there is no money that needs to go to that” line.

The council adopted the ordinance transferring the appropriation. Motion language recorded in the meeting was to decrease the undistributed policing/fire retirement line by $25,000 and increase the city comptroller consulting line by $25,000; the motion carried (tally recorded as 4–1). The ordinance amends the 2024–25 budget appropriations as listed in the attached ordinance and list.

The council’s action is limited to this fiscal-year appropriation; the meeting record does not indicate any change to permanent staffing or long-term salary commitments.","Lackawanna City Council voted to transfer $25,000 from the undistributed police and fire retirement line to the city comptroller consulting budget to support the new comptroller and cover workload while the assistant comptroller is absent.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council members raise concerns over handling of 27 pay periods in proposed budget

Council discusses vandalism at Center Street splash pad and gate decision; reopening date not set

Council approves Tree Market LLC business registration; council member recuses

Council grants Ice House Pub limited outdoor-music approval for June after neighborhood complaints

City Council approves $25,000 transfer to comptroller consulting budget