Jose Garcia sworn in as newest Grand Island Town Board member

Story and Photos by Alice Gerard

Senior Contributing Writer

Jose Garcia, who was sworn in as Grand Island’s newest council member on Nov. 25 at a ceremony in Town Hall, said his hope is “to help this Town Board push along and perfect the projects that are facing the town to include our sewer improvements and water upgrades. My goal is to try and come up with a standard of how people should expect their town to look like.”

Garcia was elected Nov. 5 in a special election to fill the board seat vacated a year ago when Peter Marston was elected as supervisor. Garcia’s term will expire at the end of 2025.

Garcia talked about his hopes for the Island.

“Aesthetically, I would love our main thoroughfare to be pleasing to anyone driving through and to invite people to engage in our local commerce, to visit our local stores and restaurants,” he said. “I also want to encourage building in the vacant areas on Grand Island Boulevard to try and join our commercial footprint together.

“There are some vacant parcels – and some of them are challenging to develop, based on the DEC regulations and other matters – but I think we should be encouraging and working toward getting those sites developed and bringing in the types of businesses that Grand Islanders want and need, to include more entertainment.”

Garcia said being the newest member of the Town Board is like “drinking from a fire hose, but (I am) learning quickly, and everyone has been wonderful in Town Hall, giving me advice and advising me how things work. I’m incredibly honored and humbled. It’s a very special thing, and I’m very proud to be a part of it.”

Garcia said he is grateful for the support he received during the process of being elected.

“I absolutely would love to thank my wife and children – Dorothy, Samantha and Isabella – for unquestionably supporting this endeavor,” he said. “In addition, I would like to thank Erie County Sheriff John Garcia, the Grand Island Republican Committee, the entire Town Board, and everyone on Grand Island who stood up for me and came out and supported me and trusted me with their town.”

Jose Garcia signs the town’s logbook after being sworn into office.