Former Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown has released his OTB contract: Investigative Post

The former Buffalo mayor is releasing his OTB contract during his first board meeting Wednesday at the public gaming agency. The OTB board also considered a corporate restructuring plan that could make way for Steve Casey, Brown’s former deputy mayor.

Former Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown. Photo by Garrett Looker.

Former Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown has been named the new CEO and President of Western Regional Off-Track Betting Corp. the chance to increase his $295,000 annual salary by an additional $20,000 within two years.

At the start of Wednesday’s OTB board meeting – the first Brown attended since stepping down as mayor to lead the state gaming authority – Brown released a copy of his employment contract.

The contract, as previously reported, calls for Brown to make a base salary of $295,000 per year. As part of the agreement, he will also receive a $10,000 raise on January 1, 2026 – to $305,000. The agreement calls for Brown to receive an additional $10,000 raise — to $315,000 per year — on Jan. 1, 2027, “contingent on continued growth.” and a satisfactory performance appraisal.”

The way it was previously reported According to Investigative Post, Brown’s contract gives him a car allowance of $800 per month. He is also entitled to two weeks of paid vacation and reimbursement for “necessary and reasonable” business expenses with “appropriate documentation and receipts.”

The contract indicates Brown is eligible for medical benefits through OTB or a $1,500 annual stipend if he opts out.

Brown opened Wednesday’s meeting by fielding media requests for copies of his contract, which he said the company planned to release on Oct. 31. Brown said he volunteered to provide copies of his contract Wednesday.

Investigative Post first requested a copy of Brown’s contract on Sept. 25, the day his hiring was announced. OTB leadership refused to release it because Brown had not yet signed it.

“We won’t give you the agreement until Mayor Brown signs the agreement,” said OTB Chairman Dennis Bassett.

When Brown announced his retirement on September 30, Investigative Post asked him if he had signed the contract. He said that this was the case, but that he could not release it until OTB authorized him to do so. Lawyers familiar with the Freedom of Information Act told Investigative Post at the time that there was no reason why the agency or Brown couldn’t release the document at this time.

Investigative Post subsequently asked OTB officials, including its attorney John Owens, three times for a copy of the contract, but received neither a response nor a copy of the document.

Also on Wednesday, the board first addressed a corporate restructuring plan that would allow Brown to hire up to five employees.

The restructuring would create the following positions:

• Chief Administrative Officer/Chief of Staff
• Vice President of Business Development
• Senior Office Manager
• Director of Communications
• Senior business economist

Investigative Post reported Sunday that Steven Casey, a former deputy mayor and Brown’s longtime political fixer, started working at OTB in recent weeks. State Gaming Commission records show he was hired as a part-time customer relations specialist, although a source said Casey applied for a separate gaming license to work in management.

It’s possible Brown could appoint him to the newly created position of chief of staff, a source said.

The Buffalo News subsequently reported that Michael DeGeorge, who served as mayor’s spokesman during much of Brown’s tenure at City Hall, could also follow Brown to OTB.

After Brown discussed his employment contract on Wednesday, the board entered executive session, which allows public entities to discuss certain matters in camera under New York’s Open Public Meetings Law guidelines.

OTB officials said the board meeting was necessary to discuss plans for a proposed expansion of the hotel at Batavia Downs. A lawyer involved in the project said the discussion would be “financial” and “business-oriented” and would include private business forecasts and guesses.

“That would fall under finance,” Bassett said.

Board member Tim Callan, Erie County’s representative on the board, objected, indicating he did not believe the matters being discussed warranted a board meeting.

Bassett responded that the board meeting was warranted.

“This is a level of specificity that I think the leadership team doesn’t want to reveal the numbers, and I think it’s important that we don’t,” Bassett replied.

J. Dale Shoemaker contributed to this report.

Posted 5 minutes ago – October 23, 2024