BUFFALO, N.Y. — Changes are once again continuing to happen at Buffalo's City Hall, this time though under newly sworn-in Acting Mayor Christopher Scanlon.
2 On Your Side's Nate Benson had received a tip on Monday night that two long-time City Hall staffers were no longer employed.
Those employees are Director of Real Estate Howard Grynspan and Office of Strategic Planning Executive Director Brendan Mehaffy.
Both Grynspan and Mehaffy had served under former City of Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown for several years.
Mehaffy served as the head of the Office of Strategic Planning for 16 years. In that role, Mehaffy was essentially responsible for the city's economic development strategy. He also oversaw the departments of real estate, land-use, as well as planning and zoning.
2 On Your Side reached out to Mehaffy for comment on the situation, and he responded by saying:
" I have been incredibly privileged to serve the city I love for the past 16 years. I was fortunate to lead a team that, with others:
- created one of the most forward-thinking development frameworks in the country (i.e., the Green Code) that was unanimously adopted by the Common Council,
- built, funded, or repaired thousands of housing units for low to moderate-income families as well as those in need of supportive services,
- preserved and adapted iconic and neighborhood historic buildings,
- fostered over $10B in development across the city,
- participated in the remediation of hundreds of acres of brownfields and redevelopment of abandoned industrial sites like Northland, and
- reconnected our region to its waterfront with projects like HarborCenter and Ralph C Wilson Park.
I am most proud of the having built a cohesive team of development professionals that reflect the diversity of our city and changed the mindset of a community about what it could dream to be. The team is well positioned to tackle the challenges that remain and pursue the development opportunities ahead."
Grynspan offered this statement to 2 On Your Side regarding the matter:
" It has been my honor and privilege to serve the people of Buffalo as the Director of Real Estate for the past 2 1/2 years. We got a lot accomplished and I'm very proud of the work and the dedicated, brilliant staff I led in the Division of Real Estate. I'm returning to my private real estate business where I am a Real Estate Broker locally and downstate. It's the work I was doing for the past 15 years when Mayor Brown asked me to serve in his Administration following the 5/14 massacre."
2 On Your Side reached out to acting Mayor Scanlon's office multiple times Tuesday, and tried talking with him on camera at two different public events. While he wouldn't do an on-camera interview, the acting Mayor provided the following statement:
"Today, Tuesday, November 26, 2024, changes in senior leadership in my administration were finalized, including Howard Grynspan, Director of Real Estate, being relieved of his duties and accepting the resignation of Brendan Mehaffy as Executive Director of the Office of Strategic Planning executive December 16, 2024.
“These decisions were made after much thought and consideration and in-line with my well-known management approach to improve departmental functions, hold administration leadership accountable, and make city government function more efficiently and cost-effectively.
I want to thank Brendan and Howard for their years of dedicated service to the City of Buffalo, and I wish them well in their future endeavors.
As this is a personnel matter, I will have no further comment at this time."
Sources tell 2 On Your Side that no one has been named as a temporary executive director of the office of strategic planning for the time being.
