Kolkowski is apparent winner over Papasergi in Allegany mayor’s race

By RICK MILLER

Olean Star

Allegany Village Trustee John J. Kolkowski, a Republican, is the apparent winner in the Allegany mayoral election Wednesday.

In unofficial results reported by the Cattaraugus County Board of Elections, Kolkowski outpolled his opponent, Democrat Dominic Papasergi, 198-179. Kolkowski will succeed the late Gregory Pearl who died Oct. 8, 2025, after having served for 10 years as mayor.

There are 13 unopened ballots that would not be enough to overcome Kolkowski’s 19-point lead, even if they all broke for Papasergi.

Kolkowski led Papasergi, a former police chief, Public Works director and trustee, by a margin of 52.2% to 47.2% in the unofficial results.

The Allegany mayoral race was the only contested election among the six villages in the county where voting took place Wednesday. There was no voting in the villages of Ellicottville, Little Valley and Portville.

The election was a day later than usual due to the St. Patrick’s Day holiday.

In the only other mayoral election, Delevan Village Trustee Patricia M. Sherwood garnered 21 votes in her opposed bid for a two-year term as mayor. There were four write-in votes. Sherwood ran on the Common Sense Party line to succeed Mayor John Stumpf.

Also in Delevan, Steven A. Dominessy, an incumbent trustee running on the Common Sense Party line, received 19 votes in his re-election bid and Anthony R. Giboo got 23 votes running unopposed on the Common Sense Party line for Sherwood’s trustee seat. Both are four-year terms.

In Cattaraugus, incumbent Christopher Perkins got 14 votes and Glenn Hall got 13 votes on the Republican line for two trustee seats.

Voters in Franklinville returned two incumbent trustees for four-year terms. Republicans Stephen T. Pockey got 17 votes and Sherrill L. Sciortino received 16 votes. 

In Gowanda, Trustees Wanda J. Koch got 51 votes and Peter A. Sisti got 54 votes in their re-election bids to two-year terms on the Allegiance Party line.

And in South Dayton, Trustees Kevin P. Butcher got 24 votes and Joseph P. Kortz received 20 votes running unopposed for two-year terms on the Republican Party line.