BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Buffalo Sewer Authority on Wednesday – after being “strongly” advised by Acting Mayor Christopher P. Scanlon to do so – rescinded its request for approval of a trip to New York City in February that would have cost nearly $30,000 in public money.
The move came after 2 On Your Side Investigates notified the Scanlon administration of the agency’s plans to send nine staff members to the New York Water Environment Association conference in February.
A 2 On Your Side investigation in September revealed that Sewer Authority General Manager O.J. McFoy – who last month said he would resign to take a job in Texas – kept an extensive travel schedule using public money. The Sewer Authority has spent more than $200,000 on travel in the last two years, according to public records analyzed by 2 On Your Side.
“In light of recent findings relating to the administrative policies and expenditures of the Buffalo Sewer Authority (BSA), including travel for senior executives and the recent resignation of General Manager Oluwole “O.J.” McFoy, I am strongly advising you to retract the travel authorization item listed on the agenda for the BSA meeting on Wednesday, December 4, 2024,” Scanlon wrote in a letter sent Tuesday to Sewer Authority Chairman Herbert Bellamy Jr.
Since becoming acting mayor in October after the resignation of Mayor Byron W. Brown, Scanlon wrote that he has “repeatedly emphasized the need for accountability and transparency within city government. This commitment extends to all city agencies and public authorities that operate on behalf of the City of Buffalo and to which the mayor has board member appointment authority. As Chairman of BSA, it is imperative to ensure that ratepayer and public funds are utilized judiciously and responsibly.”
Bellamy, after rescinding the agenda item for the New York City trip, repeatedly declined to comment further after the meeting. He referred a reporter to a news release that said the Sewer Authority was launching a “nationwide search” for McFoy’s replacement.
McFoy and Bellamy, who were both appointed to various posts by Brown, praised each other during the meeting.
“We’re certainly going to miss you,” Bellamy said to McFoy. “You’ve given us a bigger task to replace you.”
McFoy said, “And you have been a great board. You have been a wonderful chair to work with, to work for. And I’m blessed.”
Later in the day -- in an interview in his second-floor office in City Hall -- Scanlon said he spoke with Bellamy and delivered the following message: "Moving forward, we should be a little more careful about this. We shouldn’t be spending excessively when it comes to travel. We need to be taking the ratepayers into consideration. I don’t think we should be going on these trips for conferences or anything. And again, I’m not familiar with all the conferences [but] maybe it’s something you can attend remotely."
Scanlon hinted in his letter that he may be planning a shake-up of the agency’s leadership, including the board, whose members are appointed by the Buffalo mayor.
“I would like to meet with you in the near future to discuss various issues concerning the BSA,” Scanlon wrote. “This includes appointments I intend to make to the Board of Directors and considerations regarding the future leadership of the organization.”
Bellamy declined to comment on whether he thought he would lose his position on the board.
State Sen. Sean Ryan, D-Buffalo, who is running for Buffalo mayor, took to social media to criticize the travel request.
"Taking this position now, after so many years of waste, is too little too late," Ryan wrote on X.
