Among other critiques, Grant accused the mayor of funding the Tesla Solar City project -- to the tune of nearly $1 billion -- when, she said, that building has been vacant for over two years.

"That's a bad use of money," she said.

Brown retorted: "And just so Ms. Grant knows, Tesla Solar City is open. People are working there now (with) more hiring to come."

Schroeder announced a plan to introduce more police officers in city neighborhoods -- who would be dedicated to community policing, an effort that he said would see police officers and residents more engaged with each other, to make neighborhoods safer.

"Community police officers is the best thing that could do and we need to have more of them in all of the districts in the City of Buffalo," Schroeder said.

"Every police officer in the City of Buffalo is trained as a community police officer," Brown said, in return.

Environmental health issues

Schroeder said that Buffalo has "a lead problem that rivals Flint, Michigan."

"The mayor has been absent on this issue," the city comptroller charged.

Brown said that was not true.