Brown names new economic development chief, promises more aggressive approach
New commissioner, streamlined department aim to promote development, preservation
The Brown administration announced a major overhaul Monday of the Economic Development Department, with a native Buffalonian who led development efforts in Cleveland succeeding Richard Tobe, who was forced to resign last month.
In addition to elevating Brian Reilly to commissioner of economic development, permit and inspection services, the reorganization includes a promise of a more business-sensitive approach.
To speed projects, officials pledged clear and predictable timetables for action on business proposals. The approach, they said, will involve working more closely with companies interested in doing business in the city, integrating government functions and reducing red tape. It also will include a citywide preservation plan.
“To use a football analogy, look at Brian Reilly as the city’s new offensive coordinator for economic development. We don’t simply want to play defense; we want to play offense,” Mayor Byron W. Brown said.
“We want to cut the red tape, eliminate the frustration and make it easy to do business in Buffalo.”
Reilly was hired in February as the city’s chief economic development officer — under Tobe — after heading Cleveland’s economic development efforts.
As part of the new development team, Brown also announced Monday the hiring of Catherine Palko, who worked with Reilly in Cleveland, and Kenya Hobbs, a Buffalo native who for seven months has worked for Delaware’s Labor Department.
James Comerford, who has served as interim commissioner since Tobe’s resignation June 20, will remain deputy commissioner.
The mayor said he expects Reilly to “bring fresh ideas” to economic development and predicted a “more concentrated approach” to solving problems.
Other areas on the radar screen, Brown said, include accelerating the city’s demolition program, strengthening neighborhoods and commercial districts, and connecting more city residents with jobs.
The changes promoted by Brown and Reilly include:
• A 30-day time period for providing businesses with clear steps and predictable timetables.
• A single point of contact to help business owners navigate city, county and state regulations.
• Modernization of decades-old zoning codes.
• Buffalo Green, a new effort to provide technical assistance to emerging, ecologically friendly businesses.
• A review of the composition and training for boards and committees that issue approvals for development.
• Removal of legal and policy barriers to convey city-owned properties to nonprofit and faith-based organizations for publicly minded reuses of vacant properties.
Reilly also said that using precredential development companies to reduce time and paperwork associated with project submissions also was under consideration, as was advanced approval of uses for some development sites.
Brown said a citywide preservation plan, with strict code enforcement and aggressive prosecution, would be developed for historic properties.
“The goal is to work with the preservation community and identify what those structures are that are the most significant and which the city should target for preservation,” Brown said. “This is something that has not been in place, [and] it’s something we intend on putting in place.”
Brown cautioned that funding for preservation was limited.
He also signaled that he means business by emphasizing that city employees who fail to get on board with the new practices could find their jobs at risk.
“Folks that we believe are moving slow or holding up the process will be held accountable, and we will be monitoring and tracking [them] through a variety of different mechanisms, including CitiStat,” Brown said.
