BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — We are witnessing history unfold in the City of Buffalo as new leadership takes the helm. Former Mayor Byron Brown resigned Tuesday morning making Chris Scanlon the city’s acting mayor.
Brown gave one final farewell early Tuesday morning as he will depart city hall to become the next president and CEO of Western Regional Off-Track Betting.
We spoke with Brown when he announced he would accept the position at Western Regional OTB. You can watch our report below and read more here.
On Tuesday, he reflected on his nearly 20 years in office.
"So we have had many highs. We have had some lows. I have experienced just about everything a person can experience in this office," Brown said, "Through all of the work, all of the effort, it has all been out of love, whether you agreed with me or disagreed with me."
Brown worked right to the very end of his time — announcing he submitted four trailblazer signs for the Buffalo Common Council to approve and submitted a request to rename the basketball courts at Delaware Park after his predecessor former mayor Anthony Masiello.
Brown was also candid about his departure saying the main reason he’s leaving is to take care of his great nephew who is six and great niece who is seven. He also shared that before taking office he was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2004 and has since fully recovered.
"To the people of Buffalo, know, through all of the highs and lows, through all of the work, all of the effort, it has all been out of love, whether you agreed with me or disagreed with me, whether you supported me or didn't support me, the job of Mayor, the passion of a mayor is to love the people, is to try to do their best for the people. And everything that I have done in this office has always been about the people of Buffalo and Western New York," Brown said.
I spoke with Brown on Monday before he officially left office. You can watch my full report below and read more here.
Following Brown's resignation, the sign on the door to the mayor's office changed to Christopher P. Scanlon.
Scanlon walked into the mayor's office Tuesday morning — marking a significant change happening in City Hall.
I spoke one-on-one with Scanlon after becoming acting mayor about this transition and what he hopes to accomplish this year ahead
"it's an incredible honor to be mayor. It really is. And I, like I said, I don't take that responsibility lightly," Scanlon said.
"I think that it's having the residents know what's going on in this building is absolutely paramount to our success, and making them part of what we're doing is going to be very important," Scanlon said.
Scanlon shared with me that he is eager to start.
"First priority here is hit growing and make this transition seamless as possible...This is a new chapter in the city. And then transition and change can be upsetting or whatever it might be for people. People hand it differently, but I just want people to know that I'm here, I'm ready to serve as the mayor, and I'm ready to represent, serve and deliver for every corner of the City of Buffalo," Scanlon said.
Scanlon acknowledged that there are some huge undertakings — like the city's finances — as he steps into this role.
"And I think that we have an opportunity, while addressing it, to take buffalo to the next level. We can revamp, rework some things, and become more efficient, more innovative. And I think that by doing that and taking those processes into account we can become better," he said.
He also shared that his top priority is collaboration — reaching from inside City Hall to neighbors throughout the city.
"I think what the people of the city will see is a tremendous amount of communication and transparency coming out of this office. I think that it's having the residents know what's going on in this building is absolutely paramount to our success," he said.
You can read more about Scanlon on our website here.
We also spoke to residents and officials about Scanlon taking over when Brown announced his departure. You can watch our report below and read more here.
