Lockport NY

The Buffalo News reported:

In seeking bids for privatized garbage collection, the city will allow negotiations with bidders after seeing their numbers but before a contract is put up for a vote.

Dawn M. Timm, Niagara County solid waste coordinator and a member of the city’s garbage committee, said last week the unusual process will be used to try to hold costs down for the proposed new garbage carts or totes the city intends to issue to each household.

“It’s the same route the City of Buffalo went,” Timm said. “We’re looking for the best way to finance the carts.”

Mayor Michael W. Tucker said the cost of a new garbage system is one of the questions that must be answered before the Common Council can vote on a 2011 city budget...

The last conversation on the topic was here.

The Buffalo News reported:

The Common Council on Monday voted unanimously to offer an early retirement incentive to veteran employees. City Clerk and Budget Director Richard P. Mullaney said 19 employees were targeted for departure, most of whom will not be replaced. The cost of the incentive won’t be known until the city knows which of the eligible workers will leave. Each employee carries a different price tag, depending on years of service and the tier of the state retirement system that is involved. However, Mayor Michael W. Tucker is hoping that by 2012, the city will realize savings of $600,000 a year....

The cost difference may be a wash over the next couple years but will then reap the cost saving benefits if no one else is hired.

The end is here for the 2010 concert series. Still lingering around here hoping for more? Take some time and answer a couple poll questions:

The Best Molson Canal Concert of 2010?
	Rusted Root
	Our Lady Peace
	Gretchen Wilson
	Three Dog Night
	Blues Traveler
	Rik Emmett
	Kansas
	Tears for Fears
	Big Sugar
pollcode.com free polls

How Many Shows Did you Attend?
	1-2
	3-4
	5-6
	7-9
pollcode.com free polls

Update 08-31-10 - results so far:


 Fisrt time I tried this free poll service. Let me know of any problems in the comments section. The buttons should read "Vote" and "View" As of right now select the first one and it takes you to their site to vote. I'll work on something better for furture posts.

View LCC - Canal St - Gooding St area in a larger map

UPDATE: Intersection over 100 years ago: (Thanks Jeff)
What once existed in places never ceases to amaze me.

I suppose most people have heard about crowdsourcing in one form or another.

...Crowdsourcing is the act of outsourcing tasks, traditionally performed by an employee or contractor, to a large group of people or community (a crowd), through an open call...

To me the key word there is community. People can debate the pros and cons of crowdsourcing but it would seem to have a perfect fit for a community to participate and give input to its government. What do you want your city to look like? How would you like it to function? Have better ideas?

I am proposing Lockport Civic Crowdsourcing. I'll tag relevant posts as such and we can can see where it goes. I'll create a list of topics here and link to them as they are posted on. Feel free to offer any suggestions in the comments below. It can be site plans, design guidelines, marketing, branding, ordinances, etc. You can be good at sketching, photoshop, writing, etc.

Since it is in the news, I'll tackle a piece of Ulrich's Canal St plan as it, and the Gooding-Pine St intersection have been on my mind for a while.

Covered Topics:
Canal - Gooding St Area

Possible Topics:
Chestnut St (Ice Rink - YMCA)
Altro (Willow) Park
State St
F&M - WNYCA block
Making Lockport = Niagara Wine Trail
Lockport Dog Park

The Buffalo News reported that NCCC has revealed that Ulrich has contacted them over using the Canal St block for the culinary institute that has been slow moving at securing the old Rainbow Mall site in the Falls.

A Lockport developer wants Niagara County Community College to place its planned culinary arts institute on Lockport’s Canal Street block.

David L. Ulrich has sent a letter to college President James P. Klyczek offering to develop the land for the proposed $13.2 million hospitality and tourism school.

The Canal Street site, which overlooks Lockport’s Erie Canal locks, could save the college millions of dollars, Ulrich claims in the letter.

“While your current project seems to be in constant negotiation and renegotiation,” Ulrich wrote in a letter dated July 23, “we have a site that fulfills all your requirements and will be ready for occupancy within one year....”

Up until now the plans have been held secret under a confidentiality agreement. Now that we know what the plan is, it is easier to see why he may have wanted to keep it quiet. I could imagine a lot of misinformation and possibly being shut out of the process if it was revealed between the time he passed it by the city to when he sent out the letter. I'm very curious to see the site plan.

I can see this project working in the Falls or here in Lockport. A satellite specialty campus in either city could be a nice draw for NCCC students, residents and visitors. While not a campus in the heart of Boston, it would lend a good amount more ammenitites then the current commuter campus in the middle of nowhere. I'd be happy to see it take off in either city. Niagara Falls, N. Tonawanda and Lockport (the 3 Niagara County cities) should be seeing this type of investment to add new pieces to their future. I do feel that putting it in the bunker that is the old Rainbow Mall would be a mistake on Niagara Falls' end.

The college’s proposal for the institute, previous versions of which have included classroom space, a restaurant and retail space, has been floated for years as a place to house the school’s hospitality, tourism and culinary arts programs.

As for Lockport, tie this in with the original Jack Martin Niagara Wine Trail Emporium, and another store or two and it could be a big winner. Widen the vision and add some residential for students or others to kick it up another knotch. We would end up with a lively block to welcome visitors and residents alike.

The college’s trustees want to build the culinary institute, President Bonnie R. Gifford said, and have an obligation “to explore every opportunity that’s out there.”

“I do like some of the sites in Niagara Falls,” Gifford said, “but I will tell you that the Ulrich proposal was very impressive.”

Sounds like there may be some life to the idea but it is most likely still a long shot with most of the inertia behind the Cordish managed Rainbow Mall site. Hopefully a great plan, some enthusiam and a will to get things done can make something happen here.

UPDATE: 08-20-10
The Buffalo News has the site plans posted. I've included them at the start of this post. They also posted the actual letter to NCCC from Ulrich along with some audio interviews.

From the drawings it appears that the parking ramp would be at the site of the current city ramp (kill two birds with one stone?) and additional required floor space would be from extending the old Harrison building toward the back. I'll dissect it later.

The Buffalo News and LUSJ reported that Parada is pitching the Santa House to the Town of Lockport after feeling negative vibes in the city. The Buffalo News goes into more detail.

Santa Claus may move from the city to the Town of Lockport after deciding city officials were naughty and the town was nice.

The planned Santa Claus House, which was unanimously approved by the city’s Common Council two weeks ago, may be relocated to Day Road Park in the town.

Christopher Parada, executive director of the Historic Palace Theatre and a professional Santa, made the request at Wednesday’s Town Board work session.

He said the city had turned down his building permit, a statement that was categorically denied by Mayor Michael W. Tucker and Chief Building Inspector Jason Dool....

Some people are thin skinned. A discussion about ideas is just that. People need to undestand that vetting an idea does not mean someone is against it. We need to get past our initial human reaction to become defensive, pick up our ball and go home.
It also probably helps if you get the proper permits before starting your work:

...Dool said he sent Parada an e-mail last Thursday telling him he could have a building permit. “The only problem I had was handicapped access, but we could have worked that out,” Dool said.

“He seemed unsure,” Parada said. “It just has a negative feeling in the city. I don’t know why.”

“No negative vibes from me. I thought it was a really cool thing,” Tucker said.

But Chapman said he heard Tucker wanted Parada to move.

“He poured the pad on a Saturday without a permit,” Chapman said.... ”

The Santa House near the ice skating pad would a pretty sight in the winter. I feel it is a unique project that would add to the park although for only a small portion of the year.