BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Over the next several weeks, Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown will negotiate a contract to become the new president and CEO of Western Regional Off-Track Betting.

Buffalo Common Council Member Mitch Nowakowski expects he will accept the terms and resign his current post.

"The mayor's free to accept a position anywhere that he sees fit and the fact of the matter is that the city of Buffalo will continue to be moving forward and the Common Council will continue to govern," Nowakowski said.

If and when Brown resigns, under the city charter, Common Council President Chris Scanlon will serve as acting mayor. In a statement Friday, Scanlon said he is prepared to do so in that eventuality.

"A new mayor could have new priorities and maybe the revenue streams that one mayor thought were valid, the new one may not think are," Nowakowski said.

Council member Rasheed Wyatt, one of Brown's more vocal critics, said he hopes Brown takes the job, allowing the body more autonomy to address a city budget with structural deficiencies and a projected $40-$50 million deficit.

"I think it's so important for us to be on the same page to really move this thing forward and with a fresh pair of eyes. I mean, I think that's really important because what we've done over the last 20 years has got us to where we are. We can't go on using that same recipe," Wyatt said.

Even Joe Golombek, a close ally of the mayor and the longest-serving council member, said he's relieved to have a little more certainty after months of speculation about Brown's future. Golombek is, however, concerned Scanlon taking on the role of acting mayor until Jan. 1, 2026 could leave his district long-term without representation and potentially create deadlock with only eight voting members.

"In a perfect world we would be able to fill that ninth council seat so that the residents of South Buffalo actually have a representative," Golombek said.

He and council Majority Leader Leah Halton-Pope believe there could be mechanisms to potentially appoint someone while Scanlon performs the mayor's duty.

"I think the biggest thing we need to be concerned about is the fiscal stability of the entire city. I don't think there's anything bigger than that because it impacts every other area of our city," Halton-Pope said.

Scanlon would be able to return to his current position to finish his term after serving as acting mayor. Scanlon could also run next fall to be mayor in his own right but others on the council are considering a campaign too.

Nowakowski and Golombek said they are not planning to run but Wyatt said he is exploring the option and Halton-Pope did not rule it out either.