NIAGARA FALLS — The head of the Niagara Falls City Council has asked members of Mayor Paul Dyster’s administration to investigate complaints about a leaky roof at the $47 million public safety complex on Main Street.

Council Chairman Sam Fruscione, who was re-appointed to lead the council during a meeting on Monday, said he was told by City Court Judge Robert Merino that a leak in the roof on the third floor of the municipal complex is becoming a problem in the area where court activities take place.

Fruscione encouraged members of Dyster’s administration to take care of the problem, saying Merino told him it is causing damage to property and equipment. Fruscione suggested the administration raise the issue with the contractor that installed the roof, noting that the 130,000-square-foot building is relatively new, having opened to the public in May 2009.

“We’re stuck with a building that’s leaking and it’s not even a year and a half old,” Fruscione said.

Dyster and Department of Public Works Commissioner Dave Kinney said the administration is aware of the problem and is working on it. Kinney said two employees from his staff inspected the problem area on Friday.

Dyster said the administration would provide the council with an update on steps being taken to address the situation at the next meeting, scheduled for Jan. 24.

In other matters, the council:

• Unanimously voted in favor of retaining Fruscione as council chairman. In accepting the role, Fruscione, who works as a teacher at Harry F. Abate elementary school, pledged to work with council members and Dyster on efforts to improve the city in 2011.

• Agreed to re-allocate $25,000 in Community Development Block Grant funds for Carolyn’s House, the assisted living facility for homeless women and children at 542 Sixth St. The facility’s operators, the YWCA of Niagara, Inc., originally planned to use the money to support the development of a greenhouse and community garden on the site. YWCA officials asked that the money be re-allocated to assist with programming costs in light of a significant cut in state aid for the center.

• Accepted an amendment for consulting services with Urban Engineers, the company hired to assess the condition of the city-owned parking ramp attached to the old Rainbow Mall building. In anticipation of the development of a culinary arts center inside the former mall building, the city has agreed to authorize Urban Engineers to undertake necessary final design, prepare construction documents for bidding and provide construction administration services in connection with the proposed renovation of the ramp. The company will be paid $577,820 for its services. Funding is available from the city’s capital project account.

n Authorized an extension of an agreement for legal consulting services with Niagara Falls attorney Morton Abramowitz who will be paid $800 per month or $9,600 for the year to assist the city with legal matters. Funding for the agreement will come from the city council’s consultant budget line.

• Voted unanimously to designate the Niagara Gazette as the city’s official newspaper for purposes of printing or publishing all legal notices, public hearing notices and any other matters required by law or by the city council or the boards of the city for 2011.

• Endorsed the Niagara Falls Reporter as the weekly newspaper of the city council for purposes of publishing information the council wishes the public to be informed about as well as any other matters the council wishes to be printed or published in 2011. The council voted in favor of the move 4-0. Councilman Steve Fournier Jr., who has business dealings with Reporter publisher Frank Parlato Jr., abstained from the vote.