BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — There are big questions about what's to come with a memorial, being built in honor of those killed on May 14, 2022, during the racist Tops mass shooting.
This memorial would be built with a combination of public and private dollars.
The 7 News I-Team has discovered, the memorial commission has promises, but no guarantees of real money.
Eighteen months after the Tops mass shooting, the commission, appointed by Governor Kathy Hochul and Mayor Byron Brown, to develop a memorial honoring the lives lost, is yet to get any guarantee of funding from the City of Buffalo.
A spokesperson for the Governor says, the state has budgeted $900,000 for this memorial.
"As far as a firm commitment, we do know that we have a commitment," Rev. Mark Blue said.
Blue is leading the 5/14 Memorial Commission.
With a December 1st deadline for submissions approaching, this commission is operating without a budget, despite commitments, telling developers they should be operating as if this is a $15 million project.
DRANTCH: Just to be clear, there is no money in the commission's hands right now.
REV. BLUE: There is for the sake of the interview, there are a lot of things that are happening that I cannot divulge at this time. There is a pledging guarantee that we will have funds to do what we need to have done.
DRANTCH: But pledges are not tangible.
REV. BLUE: Correct.
DRANTCH: So at this point, there is no money behind the commission.
REV. BLUE: At this point, there is no money.
No money.
In the September commission meeting, newly published minutes show there was conversation that,
"a determination needs to be made as far as how much funding needs to be liquid at any given time.
Short-term and long-term needs must be established."
Designers, selected to move forward in the process, are expecting a stipend from the commission.
As minutes show, the AKG art museum, for example, paid its final five design firms $30,000 each.
With no money in the coffers, the City of Buffalo couldn't tell the 7 News I-Team how much it would be contributing,
let alone where that money would be coming from.
DRANTCH: If I'm a contractor or I'm a developer and I'm listening to this, should I be weary of coming to you with a request for submission?
REV. BLUE: No.
DRANTCH: Why not?
REV. BLUE: Because this is a process in which a lot of developers, contractors have been through before. When we're working in something like this, we have a lot of individuals who are donating, who are doing in kind service. This is something that I believe a contractor and or developer would love to be a part of, in making change and making wholeness into our community. So I don't believe — and we did talk with some of the individuals — and contractors are some of the individuals who are on the team. And they said this is a normal practice and process in doing this type of work.
DRANTCH: What's the timeline to get this money?
REV. BLUE: Well, hopefully, we will have those funds within the next year.
Mark Talley's mother, Geraldine, was killed in the Tops shooting.
"I think this money could be better used in the pockets of the community in that area," Talley said.
Talley would rather have a "living memorial" than something static. He said he'd like to see his mother's legacy honored with green spaces and more money going into community centers.
"I think that money could be used to revitalize the area on the east side of Buffalo," Talley said.
Ebony White agrees. Her uncle, Hayward Patterson, was murdered at Tops, too.
"That's the social enterprising the investment. There are a lot of community partners and stakeholders that do this work. And I just want to see it come to life," White said.
"At that time, when they were murdered, their lives were cut short, they were living. Whether it's a another place or venue or restaurants and entrepreneurship that is solely
based in the lives of those lost, creating more opportunity, that's what I would really enjoy being able to see," White explained.
When will we actually see a memorial? When will this commission get the necessary funding? Reverend Blue insists he's not concerned about a funding source and says they should have financing by next year.
DRANTCH: With all due respect. The governor came into town right before Election Day last year, establishing this panel. A year later, there's still no money and we could not see that money for another year.
REV. BLUE: Well, that is something that we realized that this would not be done in one or two years.
DRANTCH: So what's the long-term play here?
BLUE: The long-term play is hopefully— and I'm being maybe presumptuous—if I had a magic wand, I would say it's done tomorrow. But I don't have that. But we're looking in the next maybe year to two years, possibly.
Below you can watch an extended version of this story.
