By RICK MILLER
Olean Star
OLEAN — Outgoing Olean Mayor Bill Aiello issued his last statement as mayor on Facebook shortly after 5 p.m. Wednesday. Aiello’s term ends at midnight Wednesday.
On Monday, city businesswoman Amy Sherburne takes office. Sherburne and members of the Olean Common Council will be sworn in at the reorganization meeting Friday night.
In a Facebook posting, Aiello stated: “After 12 years, my time as mayor has come to an end. Thank you to the people of Olean for the support and everyone I have worked with along the way including the amazing city employees, Common Council members, and the people who have invested in this great city”.
Aiello added: “The last 12 years have been a blessing and as I am writing this I just think about all the growth that has taken place all over the city over my tenure. Thank you all for allowing me to serve the city I love.”
Despite losing the Republican primary in June to Sherburne, who had the endorsement of the city Democratic Party, Aiello ran on the independent Lincoln Party line in November.
Aiello is a retired juvenile officer with the Olean Police Department and former Cattaraugus County legislator representing Olean.
In his last term, Aiello was dogged by complaints that he hadn’t done enough to stop sewage overflows into the Allegheny River. He created a task force with city and Seneca Nation officials to address the problem and the city recently received state funds to hire an engineering firm to address the problem.
An apparent increase in homelessness in the city led Aiello to appoint a Homelessness Task Force. That group has not issued a report with recommendations.
These are two issues the new mayor is expected to address in the coming months. Other issues include the pace of redevelopment of the Olean Center Mall and a new City Garage.
The reorganization meeting starts at 6 p.m. Friday in the council chambers in the Municipal Building.
