CHEEK DEMS! -News releases
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NEWS ARCHIVES
Nov/Dec 2006
Nov/Dec 2006
ENDORSEMENT SESSION SET FOR MAY 29
May 11...The Cheektowaga Democratic Town Committee will convene on Tuesday, May 29 for the purposes of
endorsing candidates for all offices on the ballot in this November's election. Voters will elect a Town Supervisor,
(3) Council Members, Town Clerk, Town Justice and Superintendent of Highways. Three incumbents are stepping
down from office, meaning that at least three newcomers will be on the town slate this year.
As of May 4, Secretary John Marriott has received and entered for consideration letters of intent for each
position, and there are multiple candidates seeking the positions of Supervisor, Council Member and
Superintendent of Highways.
A screening committee consisting of the Executive Board will meet face to face with the candidates during the
week of May 14 to discuss town governance and issues important to the campaign.
Chairman Frank Max urged Committeemen who will be receiving resumes and solicitations from the candidates
to become directly involved in contacting the candidates to ask them questions.
CHEEKTOWAGA DEMOCRATIC SLATE TO HAVE NEW FACES
Two longtime Town of Cheektowaga officials have informed the leadership of the Cheektowaga Democratic Town
Committee of their intent not seek a new term in office, and that means that the Party will have some big shoes to
fill as it fills out its endorsed ticket in the coming weeks.
Supervisor James J. Jankowiak and Council Member Thomas M. Johnson Jr. have conveyed their plans to Party
Chairman Frank Max. “While neither of them have made a formal announcement to the public, they will do so very
soon at a time and method of their own choosing” said Max. “We are now proceeding in an orderly process to
select our candidates based on the feedback received that they are both stepping down, and our job now is to
find the best and the brightest candidates for our slate in a very short time frame.”
In addition to these two vacancies, voters will be electing a new Superintendent of Highways this fall, as
incumbent Christopher J. Kowal is retiring from that post.
Max met with his key advisors on the Committee’s Executive Board on Tuesday, and they have developed a
process which will lead to the endorsement session by the full Committee sometime in May.
Said Max, “I am asking all incumbents who are seeking re-election to declare their intentions to seek the
Democratic Committee endorsement by May 4. Furthermore, I am soliciting anyone on our Committee or
interested enrolled Democrats in our community who wish to seek elected office to send their letter of
application and resume to us by that date as well.”
All applicants, including incumbents, will appear before a screening committee appointed by Max, which will also
include Party officers Andrew Kulyk, Robert Brandon, John Marriott and Camille Brandon. “This will not be a
recommending body, just an informal screening process to determine any candidate’s fitness for the office they
are seeking” said Max. “We will expect anyone who wants to be considered to present their best ideas and vision
on governance and administration of our Town. Gone are the days when we put people in office on pure political
criteria. We are expecting performance, dedication of time and energy that our constituency demands and
expects” Max added.
The screening session will take place during the second week in May, and that process will be followed by the
endorsement session of the 222 member committee, which will take place later in the month on a date to yet be
finalized. The distribution of designating petitions begins in early June.
Max added, “Based on who eventually receives the Party endorsement, this could trigger openings in other
elected positions that may all of a sudden become vacant. The bottom line is our responsibility is to fill these
positions with capable people, and these sudden openings present an excellent opportunity to anyone who may
have thought of running for office.”
Interested candidates should submit their letter of declaration and resume to John Marriott, Secretary, no later
than May 4.
KATHY HOCHUL BEGINS HER VICTORY LAP IN CHEEKTOWAGA
April 10...Governor Eliot Spitzer yesterday named Kathy Hochul as the new Erie County Clerk, replacing David
Swarts who became NYS Department of Motor Vehicles Commissioner in January. Hochul will serve as an
appointee for the rest of the year and will run in a special election in November for the remaining 3 years of the
term.
Hochul arrived at the Eagles just minutes after the meeting began, and accompanying her from her successful
meeting in Albany was Cheektowaga committeeman Camille Brandon. Apparently they raced down the Thruway
to make our meeting in time. Hochul addressed the group, and stressed the importance of a huge Democratic
turnout in Cheektowaga and said she was looking forward to getting to know the committee people in
Cheektowaga much better in the months ahead.
ELECTED OFFICIALS MAKE JOINT ANNOUNCEMENT FOR EC EXECUTIVE ENDORSEMENT
Town of Cheektowaga Democratic Chairman Frank Max, Jr. has announced that the following officials have
officially endorsed West Seneca Town Supervisor Paul Clark for the office of Erie County Executive: James
Rogowski ' Town Councilmember Richard Zydel - Town Councilmember Patricia Jaworowicz - Town
Councilmember Christopher Kowal ' Town Highway Superintendent Thomas Mazur ' Erie County Legislator
William Rogowski ' Former Town Councilmember William Wielinski - Former Town Councilmember, Frank Max,
Jr. Cheektowaga Democratic Chairman.
In addition, The Progressive Democratic Club of Cheektowaga has officially endorsed Paul Clark in this year's
race.
"At the request of County Democratic Chair Len Lenihan, the town democratic committee will wait a while longer
to officially endorse a candidate," said Max. "The process needs to play out and our entire committee needs to
hear from all of the candidates."
Max commented on this personal endorsement announcement, "I and these other town officials have closely
looked at the candidates and decided to personally support Paul Clark because we feel that he's the best person
to dig the county out of its current financial situation."
"Paul Clark is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), a businessman, an experienced Town Supervisor and a
competent professional. This community needs to break itself from the same old politicians who are more
concerned about patronage and personal agendas than what's best for our county," Max concluded.
Max was elected to the office of Town Democratic Chairman last fall on a platform of reforming local government
and change.
CHEEKTOWAGA DEMOCRATIC COMMITTEE APPOINTS NEW OFFICERS
March 13... The Cheektowaga Democratic Town Committee has announced a slight reorganization of its executive
board and the installment of two officers to new assignments. The changes were voted on by the executive board
at tonight's meeting of the Committee.
The changes come about as the result of the resignation of Executive Vice Chairman Richard Zydel, who was
appointed in January as a Council Member of the Cheektowaga Town Board. As a matter of informal policy,
elected officials do not hold officers' positions on the Town's Democratic Committee.
Promoted to Executive Vice Chairman is Andrew Kulyk, who was elected in the fall as Vice Chairman. Kulyk is
a Cheektowaga business owner, as well as a free lance sportswriter working for several area publications. He is
a former Town Council Member and long time Chairman of the Town's Zoning Board of Appeals.
Replacing Kulyk as Vice Chairman is Robert Brandon, who works as a Supervisor for Vocational Educational
Services, a state agency, Brandon is also a member of the Town's Zoning Board of Appeals, and previously
held the party office of Zone Chairman.
Both Kulyk and Brandon joined the Town Committee in 1980.
Chairman Max stated, "Both Andy and Bob have been a vital and important part of this team. Andy is in charge of
our communications function, while Bob runs our fund raising arm the Donkey Club and has held numerous
organizational roles. They will serve our Democratic Party well in their new roles and I congratulate them both."
May 11...The Cheektowaga Democratic Town Committee will convene on Tuesday, May 29 for the purposes of
endorsing candidates for all offices on the ballot in this November's election. Voters will elect a Town Supervisor,
(3) Council Members, Town Clerk, Town Justice and Superintendent of Highways. Three incumbents are stepping
down from office, meaning that at least three newcomers will be on the town slate this year.
As of May 4, Secretary John Marriott has received and entered for consideration letters of intent for each
position, and there are multiple candidates seeking the positions of Supervisor, Council Member and
Superintendent of Highways.
A screening committee consisting of the Executive Board will meet face to face with the candidates during the
week of May 14 to discuss town governance and issues important to the campaign.
Chairman Frank Max urged Committeemen who will be receiving resumes and solicitations from the candidates
to become directly involved in contacting the candidates to ask them questions.
CHEEKTOWAGA DEMOCRATIC SLATE TO HAVE NEW FACES
Two longtime Town of Cheektowaga officials have informed the leadership of the Cheektowaga Democratic Town
Committee of their intent not seek a new term in office, and that means that the Party will have some big shoes to
fill as it fills out its endorsed ticket in the coming weeks.
Supervisor James J. Jankowiak and Council Member Thomas M. Johnson Jr. have conveyed their plans to Party
Chairman Frank Max. “While neither of them have made a formal announcement to the public, they will do so very
soon at a time and method of their own choosing” said Max. “We are now proceeding in an orderly process to
select our candidates based on the feedback received that they are both stepping down, and our job now is to
find the best and the brightest candidates for our slate in a very short time frame.”
In addition to these two vacancies, voters will be electing a new Superintendent of Highways this fall, as
incumbent Christopher J. Kowal is retiring from that post.
Max met with his key advisors on the Committee’s Executive Board on Tuesday, and they have developed a
process which will lead to the endorsement session by the full Committee sometime in May.
Said Max, “I am asking all incumbents who are seeking re-election to declare their intentions to seek the
Democratic Committee endorsement by May 4. Furthermore, I am soliciting anyone on our Committee or
interested enrolled Democrats in our community who wish to seek elected office to send their letter of
application and resume to us by that date as well.”
All applicants, including incumbents, will appear before a screening committee appointed by Max, which will also
include Party officers Andrew Kulyk, Robert Brandon, John Marriott and Camille Brandon. “This will not be a
recommending body, just an informal screening process to determine any candidate’s fitness for the office they
are seeking” said Max. “We will expect anyone who wants to be considered to present their best ideas and vision
on governance and administration of our Town. Gone are the days when we put people in office on pure political
criteria. We are expecting performance, dedication of time and energy that our constituency demands and
expects” Max added.
The screening session will take place during the second week in May, and that process will be followed by the
endorsement session of the 222 member committee, which will take place later in the month on a date to yet be
finalized. The distribution of designating petitions begins in early June.
Max added, “Based on who eventually receives the Party endorsement, this could trigger openings in other
elected positions that may all of a sudden become vacant. The bottom line is our responsibility is to fill these
positions with capable people, and these sudden openings present an excellent opportunity to anyone who may
have thought of running for office.”
Interested candidates should submit their letter of declaration and resume to John Marriott, Secretary, no later
than May 4.
KATHY HOCHUL BEGINS HER VICTORY LAP IN CHEEKTOWAGA
April 10...Governor Eliot Spitzer yesterday named Kathy Hochul as the new Erie County Clerk, replacing David
Swarts who became NYS Department of Motor Vehicles Commissioner in January. Hochul will serve as an
appointee for the rest of the year and will run in a special election in November for the remaining 3 years of the
term.
Hochul arrived at the Eagles just minutes after the meeting began, and accompanying her from her successful
meeting in Albany was Cheektowaga committeeman Camille Brandon. Apparently they raced down the Thruway
to make our meeting in time. Hochul addressed the group, and stressed the importance of a huge Democratic
turnout in Cheektowaga and said she was looking forward to getting to know the committee people in
Cheektowaga much better in the months ahead.
ELECTED OFFICIALS MAKE JOINT ANNOUNCEMENT FOR EC EXECUTIVE ENDORSEMENT
Town of Cheektowaga Democratic Chairman Frank Max, Jr. has announced that the following officials have
officially endorsed West Seneca Town Supervisor Paul Clark for the office of Erie County Executive: James
Rogowski ' Town Councilmember Richard Zydel - Town Councilmember Patricia Jaworowicz - Town
Councilmember Christopher Kowal ' Town Highway Superintendent Thomas Mazur ' Erie County Legislator
William Rogowski ' Former Town Councilmember William Wielinski - Former Town Councilmember, Frank Max,
Jr. Cheektowaga Democratic Chairman.
In addition, The Progressive Democratic Club of Cheektowaga has officially endorsed Paul Clark in this year's
race.
"At the request of County Democratic Chair Len Lenihan, the town democratic committee will wait a while longer
to officially endorse a candidate," said Max. "The process needs to play out and our entire committee needs to
hear from all of the candidates."
Max commented on this personal endorsement announcement, "I and these other town officials have closely
looked at the candidates and decided to personally support Paul Clark because we feel that he's the best person
to dig the county out of its current financial situation."
"Paul Clark is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), a businessman, an experienced Town Supervisor and a
competent professional. This community needs to break itself from the same old politicians who are more
concerned about patronage and personal agendas than what's best for our county," Max concluded.
Max was elected to the office of Town Democratic Chairman last fall on a platform of reforming local government
and change.
CHEEKTOWAGA DEMOCRATIC COMMITTEE APPOINTS NEW OFFICERS
March 13... The Cheektowaga Democratic Town Committee has announced a slight reorganization of its executive
board and the installment of two officers to new assignments. The changes were voted on by the executive board
at tonight's meeting of the Committee.
The changes come about as the result of the resignation of Executive Vice Chairman Richard Zydel, who was
appointed in January as a Council Member of the Cheektowaga Town Board. As a matter of informal policy,
elected officials do not hold officers' positions on the Town's Democratic Committee.
Promoted to Executive Vice Chairman is Andrew Kulyk, who was elected in the fall as Vice Chairman. Kulyk is
a Cheektowaga business owner, as well as a free lance sportswriter working for several area publications. He is
a former Town Council Member and long time Chairman of the Town's Zoning Board of Appeals.
Replacing Kulyk as Vice Chairman is Robert Brandon, who works as a Supervisor for Vocational Educational
Services, a state agency, Brandon is also a member of the Town's Zoning Board of Appeals, and previously
held the party office of Zone Chairman.
Both Kulyk and Brandon joined the Town Committee in 1980.
Chairman Max stated, "Both Andy and Bob have been a vital and important part of this team. Andy is in charge of
our communications function, while Bob runs our fund raising arm the Donkey Club and has held numerous
organizational roles. They will serve our Democratic Party well in their new roles and I congratulate them both."
Left - Chairman Frank Max
welcomes the new Erie
County Clerk, Kathy Hochul,
to Cheektowaga.
welcomes the new Erie
County Clerk, Kathy Hochul,
to Cheektowaga.