RRG holds annual members' meeting

Group sees support from Maziarz, others

Residents for Responsible Government held its annual meeting and election of officers and boards on Saturday, March 10, at the Red Brick School village center in Youngstown.

With several dozen community members in attendance, the meeting opened with the pledge to the flag led by State Sen. George Maziarz.

Maziarz was part of a panel convened to discuss environmental issues in the Lewiston-Porter area. The panel also included Wendy Swearingen, president of RRG; Amy Witryol of the Niagara Health-Science Report; former Assemblywoman Francine DelMonte; and David Godfrey, a member of the Niagara County Legislature.

Each panel member was asked the following questions: Do you oppose any new hazardous waste sites anywhere in New York state? Do you oppose Chemical Waste Management's low-cost power subsidy from NYPA/ReCharge NY? Are you in favor of the complete removal of all radiological waste from the Niagara Falls Storage Site? All five panelists answered "Yes" to each question.

Emily Stewart, staff person for Niagara Organizing Alliance for Hope, spoke of how NOAH and RRG could cooperate in the struggle for a clean environment for our area.

News from the session included:

•Joan Broderick was awarded the RRG's "Member of the Year" honor in appreciation of her tireless efforts to protect the environment through many years.

•Thirteen community members were elected to RRG's board, including JoAnn Choboy, Tim Henderson, Sister Karen Allen, Beverly Van Deusen, Ernest Lavigueur and Tom Tower. After the general meeting convened, the new board elected the following officers for 2012-13: President April Fideli, First Vice President Wendy Swearingen, Second Vice President Charles Lamb, Secretary Dennis Duling, Assistant Secretary Ed McGreevy and Treasurer Andrew Bell.

•Dr. R. Nils Olsen was chosen as RRG's attorney and Margery Toohey as the group's insurance representative.

•An RRG advisory board was also elected. Advisory board members are invited to all meetings and have volunteered to provide expertise, support and counsel to the organization.

RRG's 2012-13 advisory board members include: Clyde Burmaster of the Niagara County Legislature; DelMonte; Rex Stewart, pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Youngstown; Bob Ciesielski, attorney, and former chair of the Niagara Group of the Sierra Club; Bill Choboy, former president of RRG; Vincent Agnello, professor at Niagara University, and former president of RRG; Mary Ann Rolland, property developer; Fred Newlin, former Town of Lewiston supervisor; Jim Wooten, professor, State University of New York at Buffalo; Heidi Forman, teaching faculty SUNY at Buffalo; Bob Granfield, professor, SUNY at Buffalo; Emily Stewart, community organizer, NOAH; Lynda Schneekloth, chairperson, Niagara Group of the Sierra Club; Bob Giannetti, local business owner; and Raleigh B. Reynolds, mayor of Youngstown.

RRG reports its public meetings will be held every other month. Information on the schedule will be available soon on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Residents-for-Responsible-Government/, and at www.rrgwny.com.

For more information, call 716-946-1861 or email [email protected].