Current Issue: Artvoice v7n47, week of Thursday November 20 » back issues
Tim Wanamaker's gone, but then he was hardly ever here anyway |
by Geoff Kelly |
|
|
TRAVELING MAN
Back in April, Buffalo’s Common Council asked all city departments to submit travel expenses incurred since July 2006. The general rationale, according to the resolution, was to encourage departments to economize in the age of escalating travel costs.
The specific target of the inquiry, co-sponsored by South District Councilmember Mickey Kearns, Delaware District Councilmember Mike LoCurto, and Lovejoy District Councilmember Rich Fontana, was clear, however: the jaunty Tim Wanamaker, then chief of the Office of Strategic Planning, who had just left for a new gig as city manager of Inglewood, California.
From the beginning of the Brown administration, Wanamaker was notoriously scarce in City Hall, perpetually on the conference circuit. A holdover from the Masiello administration, which brought him in from Prince George’s County, Maryland, he was rumored to be on the hunt for a new position elsewhere. His staff always politely denied those rumors, though they acknowledged that the boss did seem to be out of town a lot.
How much was he out of town? The answer finally arrived in this week’s Common Council proceedings. Over the last three months, city departments have been complying with the Council’s request for travel expenses, one by one. On July 1, the Buffalo Economic Renaissance Corporation, of which Wanamaker was president, took its turn.
Here are the numbers: Under the auspices of BERC, Wanamaker took 36 trips in an 20-month period. He was traveling or attending conferences for 139 days. BERC paid about $15,400 toward Wanamaker’s travel, according to its filing with the Common Council. His itineraries took him frequently to Washington, DC, as well as to Boston, Los Angeles, and (in the winter months) Orlando.
In all, BERC footed travel expenses for 54 junkets for 23 people, a few of whom were neither staff nor board members of BERC. The bill was about $36,000.
The dollar amounts do not seem staggering, even in a city where a $1,000 grant can make or break an initiative. Nonetheless, at Tuesday’s Council meeting, Kearns suggested that BERC should be pressed for further details. Conferences and networking are valuable, he said, offering examples of useful junkets he and other councilmembers had made. But if the mayor’s office felt it necessary to send Jessica Maglietto and Oswaldo Mestre—who coordinate Buffalo CitiStat and the Division of Citizen Services, respectively—to a conference in Baltimore on CitiStat, why didn’t the mayor’s office budget for the trip? Why did BERC pay?
“We shouldn’t be hiding behind shadow governments to do our travel,” Kearns said. “We should be upfront and honest.”
By “shadow governments,” Kearns meant the semi-autonomous authorities and agencies that operate outside direct control of city government‚ such as BERC, BURA, BMHA—the so-called “alphabet soup” agencies whose boards are largely controlled by the mayor. LoCurto suggested that the governance of these independent agencies needed to be examined and possibly reformed.
Ellicott District Councilmember Brian Davis responded with a long, passionate defense of Wanamaker.(“I don’t know where to begin,” he said, then, apparently not knowing where to end, talked for about 10 minutes.) Wanamaker sat on many boards and played many roles, Davis said; his travel allowed him to bring home fresh, new ideas to implement in Buffalo. It’s not the Council’s place to micromanage city departments and authorities, he argued. Masten District Councilmember Demone Smith joined Davis in Wanamaker’s defense, calling the whole inquiry into travel expenses “gotcha politics.” If councilmembers wanted an audit of travel expenses, Smith said, they should have enlisted the city comptroller’s office.
North District Councilmember Joe Golombek used the occasion to open up a discourse on the need for thorough reform of the way the city does business. He discussed dissolving or reforming BERC and BMHA; retooling the way community development block grants are disbursed; reforming hiring practices to prefer professional credentials over political connections. (“I’ve heard it said that if you work for Democratic headquarters, you can work for the Council,” Golombek said, provoking quiet laughter.)
Golombek spoke at least as long as Davis did, but the ideas he expressed were far more provocative than Davis’ “shame on you” defense: He asked if city officials had the guts to take on real issues like housing vacancies? Will new economic development chief Brian Reilly be set up for failure the way his predecessor Rich Tobe was? “I hope this is not just political rhetoric,” Golombek said of Kearns’ and LoCurto’s remarks. “I hope something comes of it.”
—geoff kelly
Reader Comments
Mr. White 10 Jul 2008, 11:22
Jeff Kelly is correct. That is typical travel for a director of an
organization like OSP. If you do the math it comes out to less than $500
per trip. And the trips average about 3 days. Sounds like a great deal on a
conference. That barely covers airfare, registration, and a room at Days
Inn. I don't know about Kerns and Fontana, but LoCurto should understand the need for a planner to go to conferences to learn about best practices. Although LoCurto never actually worked as a planner, or had a visible means of support before being elected to Council, he apparently has some sort of a planning degree. Maybe he missed the day of school where they talked about continuing education for professionals. Also, imagine sending the CitiStat people to a CitiStat conference. It looks like someone on the Common Council has sour grapes against the person who ran against him in the last election.
Tony 10 Jul 2008, 17:01
Winners don't have sour grapes; only losers
wastingfedtax$ 10 Jul 2008, 17:56
I think Mr. White or Mr. Casy is part of this whole problem. The Council
Members are doing their job to reduce the waste of tax payer monies which
is running rampant in this city.What came of all these trips? What
knowledge was gained? Did we learn anything? Nothing seems to be
improving.With the hiring of the new Economic Development peeps, what ever
their titles are,they not here or the long run, they just care about
personal fianacial gain, same as Wanamaker. How many times will the city
make the same mistakes. Further being a Buffalo business person that hears alot on the street, certain businesses have recieved funding and they dont have to pay back because they are friends with Mr. Casey, ummm seafood. There is so much preferential treatment if you know an elected/appointed politican. Not to say it didnt happen to some degree in the past but it is ridiculous now. Mr. Kearns, Mr. Fontana, and Mr. Locuto keep doing what your doing. The tax payers of this city need and deserve to know.
duh 12 Jul 2008, 11:02
blah blah blah
joeblow 13 Jul 2008, 10:32
He didn't care about this city, he nver knew what was going on in citistat
meetings, he sure did look dumb, mouth breathing and acting confused all
the time, no wonder, he was never here, he was interviewing all over.
duh duh duh 14 Jul 2008, 15:06
Um, Mr. White, does that include hotels, entertainment, food, sounds like
the number only includes air fare
Good Job 15 Jul 2008, 06:19
The horse is gone, now let's lock the barn. Why is the coucil working in the past? It's too late, you can't change the past. Get over it and move on.
Mr. Black 15 Jul 2008, 13:08
Unfortunately I do not think that <Mr. White is Casey....its Cutler I wish that Peter Cutler would get off the blogs and go do hois job..or has his master (Casey) made this another one of his duties. He trolls these blogs all day! I wish that people working in city governemtn would worry more about the city's well being rather than a stable paycheck... Get a life Peter!
Elmwood
15 Jul 2008, 14:10
I think I saw LoCurto working at Spot Coffee before he was elected to the
Council.
Leave a Comment:
|
|
Issue Navigation> Issue Index > v7n28: Typecon (7/10/08) > The News, Briefly > Tim Wanamaker's gone, but then he was hardly ever here anyway This Week's Issue • Artvoice Daily • Events Calendar • Classifieds |
Artvoice Blog Headlines
Who Goes Where When Hillary Goes to State?posted November 19, 12:04 pm on Artvoice DailyCity Hall News has flow_chart that tracks who might replace who, from Hillary’s Senate seat on down (click to expand or follow the link—it’s an awkward shape): |
It’s Robert Rich Sr. All High Stadiumposted November 14, 5:05 pm on Artvoice DailyThese new signs properly label the structure. We’ve been reading recent stories in the Buffalo News about sportswriter Tom Borrelli’s terrible fall last week at the old All High Stadium. He’s currently battling life-threatening injuries... (more) |
CWM Fined for Violationsposted November 14, 2:41 pm on Artvoice DailyThis week Chemical Waste Management was fined $175,000 by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation for violating its permits and the state’s hazardous waste laws. I don’t have much to say about that, except it doesn’t seem to me like too much money... (more) |
Musical Chairsposted November 14, 12:51 pm on Artvoice DailyThe AP reports that Hillary Clinton met with Barack Obama in Chicago yesterday, adding fuel to speculation that she might be Obama’s choice for secretary of state. If that happens, it has long been rumored that Brian Higgins would be appointed to her Senate seat... (more) |
Paint the Townposted November 14, 11:06 am on Artvoice DailyLate last night, at the tail end of one of the few weeks in the past year in which we did not publish anything snarky about anybody, someone threw two gallons of paint on our front doors. Seems a waste; we hadn’t even earned it. Nonetheless, we were cleaning up all morning... (more) |
Old Editions Book Shopposted November 13, 1:58 pm on Artvoice DailyAV videographer Matt Quinn tours Old Editions, an often overlooked treasure at the corner of Oak and Huron Streets downtown: show enclosure (video/x-flv; 21.29 MB) |
This Is Not Today’s Newsposted November 12, 9:37 am on Artvoice DailyBut it would be nice if it were. Via the Data Stream, by way of Jon Winet. |
This Just In…posted November 11, 3:28 pm on Artvoice DailyAlways in the vanguard, researchers of the University at Buffalo’s Center of Human Capital have reached a bold conclusion, according to a statement disseminated this afternoon: Although no official determination has been made about whether New York State or the U... (more) |
Silver Lining: Edwards Remains a Good Guyposted November 11, 11:17 am on Artvoice DailyMarshawn Lynch Amid the anguished finger-pointing, plaintive wailing and resigned head-shaking sweeping the region following the Buffalo Bills’ third straight defeat, Season Ticket would like to apportion a minute sliver of credit. Quarterback Trent Edwards, by most quantitative and qualitative standards, failed miserably at New England on Sunday (not coincidentally, this was also his third consecutive regressive outing)... (more) |
Mazzariello’s Ristorante & Martini Barposted November 7, 4:30 pm on Chew on ThisPhoto taken by Rose Mattrey From Antipasti to Primi to Secondi, Mazzariello’s (114 Bloomfield Ave, Lancaster, 206.0561) has conquered the map of Italian cooking. Your palate will be exposed to an array of spices, herbs, and ingredients indigenous to Northern & Southern Italy... (more) |
Post Election Bits & Bytesposted November 7, 12:02 am on Tech VoiceElection ‘08 is now in the history books - so I figured it’s time to take a look backward, and a look forward at some relevant headlines. Hacking Democracy First, we’ll take a look at one of the best kept secrets of the campaign season, from both sides, care of a Newsweek article published just today... (more) |
BNMC Open Meeting Tonightposted November 6, 1:19 pm on Artvoice DailyTonight at 6pm in the auditorium of the downtown library, everyone is invited to attend a public hearing on the Buffalo-Niagara Medical Campus—North End Projects. Among the projects planned are a 300,000 square foot Medical Office Building to be owned and operated by Ciminelli Development Company, Inc... (more) |
That Pigeon Won’t Flyposted November 6, 10:05 am on Artvoice DailySteve Pigeon Here’s another example, this one two years old, of the way Steve Pigeon’s political committees are alleged to steer money to candidates illegally. On September 15, 2006, the Pigeon-controlled PAC Citizens for Fiscal Integrity paid “RUR Strategy Group” $9,000 in consulting fees, according to CFI’s campaign finance disclosure forms... (more) |
SeaBar’s Social Calendarposted November 5, 12:44 pm on Chew on ThisSeaBar will host live jazz and sushi nights starting Friday, November 21st at 8 p.m. (5235 Main Street, Wmsvl, 204.5283). A Cave Springs Riesling Tasting Event will take place at SeaBar’s suburban location on Wednesday, November 9th at 7 p.m... (more) |
Artvoice TV: Latest Additions » more on AVTV
Dr. Riyaz Hassanali: The effect Smoking has on your Skinposted November 21, 4:50 pm on channel Local Interest
|
Twilightposted November 19, 1:09 pm on channel Movie Trailers
|
The Boy in the Striped Pajamasposted November 19, 1:06 pm on channel Movie Trailers
|
Avi Takes Artvoice Shopping for the holidays @ Lexington food Co-opposted November 19, 11:52 am on channel Food
|
TRAIN DAY! @ the Buffalo Historical Societyposted November 17, 3:07 pm on channel Local Interest
|
Mass Appeal: Elmwood Fashion Eventposted November 15, 10:19 pm on channel Events
|
Buffalo Contemporay Danceposted November 15, 6:43 pm on channel Events
|
Old Editions Book Shopposted November 13, 11:42 am on channel Local Interest
|
Off Stage: Conversations with Anthony Chaseposted November 12, 4:50 pm on channel Theater
|
Happy Go Luckyposted November 12, 2:08 pm on channel Movie Trailers
|
Quantum of Solaceposted November 12, 2:01 pm on channel Movie Trailers
|
Flash Party at Essex St.posted November 9, 10:59 am on channel Events
|
Lakeview Effect at Nietzsche'sposted November 8, 4:54 pm on channel Music
|
Flatbed at Allen St. Hardwareposted November 8, 2:28 pm on channel Music
|
Obama's Nightposted November 6, 3:13 pm on channel Politics
|







Subscribe