It may have been a quiet election year, but Mayor Byron Brown is seeing 2009 out with a bang. Not only has he let Buffalo Police Comissioner McCarthy Gipson go, but Brian Reilly is also out as commissioner of economic development, inspections and licenses.
There was flack in 2009 for both Gipson and Reilly, according to the linked Buffalo News stories from earlier this year. In addition, both Reilly and Gipson found themselves questioned this past year concerning the One Sunset fiasco. Gipson was questioned concerning the stolen handicapped sticker One Sunset’s Leonard Stokes possessed, and Reilly answered concerns about his agency’s role (that was overseen by Reilly’s predecessor Tim Wanamaker at the time deals were struck with Stokes) and the status of BERC employee, Michelle Barron, who was subsequently fired in July.
Also gone from the Brown administration is Fire Chief Michael Lombardo.
The swearing-in for the mayor’s second term today was equally quiet, but in light of the day’s news in department changes, including the creation of a new deputy parks commissioner, it looks like Brown might be making a little more noise in 2010.