Collesano sworn-in as mayor

Story and photos by Joshua Maloni

Terry Collesano began his term as mayor Tuesday with the appointment of many new faces to the Village of Lewiston government team.

Paul Grenga, who was appointed village attorney in 1994, will not continue on in that role. Collesano chose Edward Jesella to represent the municipality in legal matters.

Also out are Ken Candella (building inspector) and Nick Conde (zoning officer), replaced by Michael Murdoch and Bill Brodie, respectively. Murdoch and Brodie will officially assume these positions upon the successful completion of a Civil Service exam.

Al Soluri was selected as the new village police commissioner, and Melody Griffith will serve as clerk to the Zoning Board of Appeals and Historic Preservation/Planning Commission.

"It's a new regime," Collesano said. "It's a new beginning. We're focused on new faces - new people getting involved with the government."

He said the village's elected leaders would focus on growth, building better relationships with residents, and promoting business.

"A viable business community makes for a good community of residents, too," Collesano said.

Prior to Tuesday's organizational board meeting, Collesano and trustees Bruce Sutherland, Vic Eydt, Ernie Krell and Terri Mudd were sworn-in by Town of Lewiston Justice Thomas Sheeran.

The full board's first action was moving on the appointments previously listed, as well as the re-appointments of Sutherland as deputy mayor, Anne Welch as clerk/treasurer, Amy Salada as deputy clerk, and Karen Goodman as deputy treasurer and budget officer.

Trustees kept Bryan Meigs as superintendent of the Department of Public Works, John Ritter as chairman of the Zoning Board and David Giusiana as chairman of the Planning Board.

Collesano appointed Kenneth Slaughenhoupt and David Maslen to the Planning Board. They are replacing Krell, who is now on the Village Board, and Patricia McCue, who decided to step down from her position.

Additional appointees include Jerry Mosey as chairman of the Parks, Recreation Conservation Board; Pam Hauth as historian; and Blair McEvoy as fire inspector.

Former Deputy Mayor and Trustee Mike Marra, now a Town of Lewiston councilman, will serve on the Parks, Recreation Conservation Board.

Collesano and Krell will serve as village liaisons to the Niagara River Region Chamber of Commerce, while Mudd and Krell will serve in a similar capacity to Artpark. Eydt and Sutherland will do the same with the Lewiston Council on the Arts.