Buffalo Council Member Pushes Back on Mayor's Claims of "Best" Snow Removal

Councilman says Mayor's praise for snow cleanup was premature and contradicted by resident complaints.

Feb. 4, 2026 at 9:23am

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Buffalo City Council Member Joe Golombek has criticized Mayor Sean Ryan's claims that the city's recent snow removal efforts were the "best" in over five years. Golombek said his office was flooded with complaints from residents about uncleared streets and confusing messaging around parking restrictions during the storm. The councilman acknowledged the new administration was still learning, but said the mayor's praise was premature and did not reflect the reality on the ground.

Why it matters

Snow removal is a critical public service in Buffalo, which experiences heavy lake-effect snowfall during the winter months. The mayor's claims of "best ever" snow cleanup could impact public trust in the city government's ability to effectively manage major weather events, especially as the new administration settles in.

The details

Golombek said he was "very disappointed" in the snow removal over the past week and a half, contradicting the mayor's claims. The councilman said his office received dozens of calls from residents complaining that snow had not been cleared from their streets. Golombek also criticized the city's messaging around parking restrictions, saying the changes "threw off" many residents and resulted in cars being left on both sides of streets, hampering plowing efforts.

  • In January, Buffalo Mayor Sean Ryan declared the city's recent snow response was the "best" in over 5 years.
  • In the week and a half following the storm, Councilman Golombek said his office was flooded with resident complaints about uncleared streets.

The players

Sean Ryan

The mayor of Buffalo, New York, who claimed the city's recent snow removal efforts were the "best" in over 5 years.

Joe Golombek

A Buffalo City Council member who criticized the mayor's claims, saying his office received dozens of complaints from residents about uncleared streets and confusing parking messaging during the storm.

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What they’re saying

“I was very disappointed in the snow removal in the past week and a half. I think that the Mayor did make a mistake going on television saying that it was the best snow cleanup they've had in the last five years. My phone started to light up after that... dozens of people calling me and saying the snow hadn't been removed yet.”

— Joe Golombek, Buffalo City Council Member (audacy.com)

“Once you make changes, people get thrown off and what happens is exactly what I expected to happen. Half of the people moved their cars and half did not... Every side street was a disaster because there were cars on both sides of the street.”

— Joe Golombek, Buffalo City Council Member (audacy.com)

What’s next

The city will likely need to review its snow removal procedures and communication strategies to address the issues raised by Councilman Golombek and residents. The mayor may also need to reassess his claims about the effectiveness of the recent snow cleanup efforts.

The takeaway

This incident highlights the challenges new city administrations can face in effectively managing major weather events, especially when there are discrepancies between official claims and on-the-ground realities experienced by residents. Transparent communication and responsiveness to community feedback will be key for the mayor's office to rebuild trust around snow removal operations.