Buffalo Open Data was founded by Matthew Austin, the City of Buffalo's terminated Open Data & Analytics Project Coordinator. Open Source Buffalo was founded with the vision of being a hard fork of the City's official 'Open Data Buffalo' Program. Experiencing firsthand the rot and corruption within the City's Innovation and Management Information Systems Department, this site is intended to truly pursue the values of openness and transparency in City Operations.
On Christmas Eve 2023, the Buffalo Police Department's Behavioral Health Unit was sent to my house by BPD's Threat Management Unit to conduct a 'mental health' evaluation. pic.twitter.com/ePebBzqbgH
— Open Data Matt (@open_data_matt) July 25, 2024
On December 6th 2023, the City of Buffalo's Chief Innovation Officer, Kirk McLean, threw Matt Austin out of an 'Open Data Buffalo' presentation because he was 'not comfortable' with me in the room. Earlier that morning I had reported stolen wages to the Buffalo Common Council and stated publically that I was going to ask questions about the City's SAS Analytics Contract.
A few questions I have for today's @PPGBuffalo Open Data Workshop for Chief Innovation Officer and SAS PM @KirkMcLean716
— Open Data Matt (@open_data_matt) December 6, 2023
-Where are the Annual Open Data Compliance Reports on the Open Data Portal?
-Why have results of the SAS Agreement not been made public? @DanielTelvock
I was just politely asked to leave the public Open Data Workshop@KirkMcLean716 threatened to not give his presentation for @PPGBuffalo if I was in attendance
— Open Data Matt (@open_data_matt) December 6, 2023
I obliged and left the meeting without incident
On Christmas Eve 2023, the Buffalo Police Department's Threat Management Unit sent three members of the BPD's Behavioral Health Unit to my home to threaten, harrass and intimidate me from speaking publically about City Hall Corruption.