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Niagara Falls looks to reallocate funds, expand COVID-19 testing

Mayor Robert Restaino proposed to reallocate federal Community Development Block Grant funds to purchase much-needed test supplies.

NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. — City of Niagara Falls leaders are working to ramp up COVID-19 testing. As of late, testing has been scarce.

"Our city sort of returned to that point where we were in the beginning of the pandemic," City of Niagara Falls Mayor Robert Restaino said.

Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center has taken the lead on community testing in the city. However, its mobile testing initiative was put on hold when its testing partner, Kaleida Health, encountered supply chain issues.

"They were notified by their national supplier of reagent that the supplier had been asked to redirect and prioritize the reagents to the hot spot states," Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center President and CEO Joseph Ruffolo said.

Added Kaleida Health’s Senior Vice President and Chief of Staff Michael Hughes: “Testing has been a challenge since COVID-19 hit Western New York. You have to remember that we are competing statewide, nationally, and internationally every day when it comes to testing and the supplies related to it."

The federal redirecting of supplies left only enough testing materials for those deemed essential to be tested.

Ruffolo told 2 On Your Side that Kaleida was able to help locate a new supplier but said it came with a higher price tag.

In response, Mayor Restaino has proposed to reallocate federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding that was received through the CARES Act to purchase test supplies.

"This approach will allow us to ramp testing up again to the level we were before the redirection of supplies" Restaino said.

A special Niagara Falls City Council meeting will be held Friday to authorize the use of funds as an emergency expenditure.

"With schools getting ready to reopen not only our public schools but Niagara University, it's important for us to be able to provide this kind of ramped-up testing in order to assist all of those coming starts," Restaino said.

In a statement, Congressman Brian Higgins said he supports Restaino's effort.

“Widespread access to testing and timely results provide our community with the best opportunity to limit the spread of COVID,” Congressman Higgins said. “Using a portion of the more than $1.4 million in federal CDBG funding the City of Niagara Falls received through the CARES Act to expand testing meets the need of this public health emergency.

"I commend Mayor Restaino for proactively seeking solutions to keep the residents of Niagara Falls safe and healthy.”

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