Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz has announced his appointment of 15 Erie County residents to serve as volunteer board members with five local boards. Section 2204 of the Erie County Charter empowers the County Executive to appoint individuals to these boards in order to work with other community members in guiding these organizations and their processes forward. The appointments, many of which are subject to Legislature approval, place new members on the Erie County Youth Services Board, the Fire Advisory Board, the Erie County Arts and Cultural Advisory Board, the Buffalo and Erie County Public Library Board of Directors, and the Erie County Medical Center Corporation (“ECMCC”) Board of Directors.

“Serving on a Board is a good way for individuals to get involved in their communities and work collaboratively with like-minded people on an issue or in an organization that they care about. These men and women serve as volunteers, adding their expertise and insights for the betterment of Erie County as a whole,” said Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz. “Fresh perspectives provide energy and invigorate boards with new ideas and approaches, giving citizens a voice and the opportunity to help improve our community. I thank these volunteers for offering their time to serve on these boards and, by extension, to serve the people of Erie County.”

The new appointments include:

• ·         Erie County Youth Services Board: Patrick R. Pidgeon and Cord Stone, both  City of Buffalo residents (terms end December 31, 2019);
• ·         Erie County Emergency Fire Advisory Board: James Gajewski and Robert W. Rackl of Cheektowaga, Timothy Patrick Gibbons of Orchard Park, Peter W. Spilsbury, Jr. of West Seneca, and Scott M. Kuhlmey of Lancaster (terms end December 31, 2019);
• ·         Erie County Arts and Cultural Advisory Board: Charles J. Cook of Buffalo (term ends December 31, 2020);
• ·         Buffalo and Erie County Public Library Board of Directors: Lucy Candelario of Buffalo and  re-appointment of Michael Amodeo, Esq. of Hamburg (terms end December 31, 2022);
• ·         Erie County Medical Center Corporation Board of Directors: Eugenio Russi (term ends December 31, 2019), Christopher J. O’Brien of Amherst, Jennifer C. Persico, Esq. of Buffalo, and re-appointment of Sharon L. Hanson of East Amherst (terms end December 31, 2020). In addition, Poloncarz appointed Scott A. Bylewski of Clarence to a non-voting Director position on the board; this appointment term expires December 31, 2018 and does not require legislative approval under the County Charter.

                                                                                                                                  # # #