The benefits from hosting the Buffalo Bills may not be quantifiable, but the cost to Orchard Park taxpayers is, and it's about $70,000 a year.
That's how much the town spends on police overtime on game days and other events at Highmark Stadium, Councilman Conor Flynn said.
And that's why he is putting in the word now that negotiations over a new stadium should include compensation to the town for police services.Â
"I’m pushing for Orchard Park’s interests, as far as the county and state are concerned," Flynn said.
Flynn would like to see Orchard Park's interests included in a community benefits agreement when the deal for a new stadium is reached. But he doesn't know if there will be a community benefits agreement that would lay out benefits to the community that the Bills would fund.
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"If there is one, then I want to see funding for the Orchard Park Police on an ongoing basis for the services they provide," he said.Â
Members of the Partnership for the Public Good, a community think tank, have called for a community benefits agreement since the new stadium will be partially funded by public money. Erie County Legislature Chairwoman April Baskin has suggested to the county, the state and the Bills items she thinks should be funded through an agreement.
Flynn said he has reached out to the offices of state Sen. Sean Ryan, D-Buffalo; state Assemblyman Patrick Burke, D-Orchard Park; and Baskin to plead the case for Orchard Park, but only New York State, Erie County and Pegula Sports and Entertainment are negotiating over the new stadium.
Flynn said he asked outgoing Police Chief Joseph Wehrfritz to look at police overtime costs due to events at the stadium over a five-year period. While town officials have often said the cost is in the $100,000 to $120,000 range, it cost roughly $70,000 a year, Wehrfritz found.
Staffing on the 34-member Orchard Park Police Department is significantly increased on Sunday game days, and additional dispatchers are assigned. Town police cover public safety needs outside the stadium on game days.
Whether there is a community benefits agreement or not, "I'm calling for any new stadium deal to include ongoing funding for police overtime services for stadium events," Flynn said.
