The Buffalo Common Council has rejected Mayor Byron Brown’s request to immediately approve COVID-19 relief money for Braymiller Market.

That immediate approval would have bypassed public discussion in committee.

The council made the decision a day after local real estate developer Paul Ciminelli offered to invest more than half a million dollars into the grocery store if the Common Council agreed to approve the relief funding.

Last month, the council unanimously rejected a proposal to loan Braymiller more than $500,000. That money would come from leftover pandemic funds, which are meant to help struggling small business.

Some council members argue that giving the market that big of a loan would show favoritism against other small businesses that are also struggling.

"To give one business almost $600,000 and these other businesses to be left in the cold is shameful for us," said councilmember and finance committee chair Rasheed Wyatt.

Ciminelli disagrees.

"So it's very critical that we have a successful and a thriving food retailer for downtown,” Ciminelli said. “It's good for the office workers, it's good for the residents, it's good for anyone vising downtown, whether it's entertainment, work, live, play."

The Common Council referred the mayor’s proposal to its finance committee. It will be discussed at a meeting next Tuesday at 10 a.m. That meeting will be open to the public and small business owners are encouraged to attend and give feedback.