OLEAN — Mayor William J. Aiello formally announced today that he’s running for a fourth term.
“It has been my honor to serve our great city for the past 12 years,” Aiello said in a prepared statement. “Olean has seen great progress during my tenure, and I hope to continue on as mayor for the next four years to see the start of the West State Street project made possible by the RAISE grant,” Aiello said.
Aiello told the Olean Star he would seek re-election
after his Jan. 2 State of the City speech. He was first elected in 2013, defeating Mayor Linda Witte, a Democrat. In 2017 he turned back a challenge by Witte and in 2021, he defeated Dr. Gary Harvey Jr., a Working Families Party candidate.
During Aiello’s three terms, the North Union Street revitalization project also known as Walkable Olean was completed. In addition, grants were received to add a field house to Bradner Stadium, to refurbish the ice rink as well as other amenities at the William O. Smith Recreation Center, to build the Lincoln Square Market Place in Lincoln Park, to extend Walkable Olean to Front and Main Street, to add a playground on North Union Street and to upgrade King Street Park. The City of Olean also received the Downtown Revitalization Initiative in the amount of $10 million, $5.4 million of which was designated to public works projects, including upgrades to East State Street, South Union Street and Oak Hill Park.
In addition, during his terms, the City of Olean complied with a DEC consent order and work was started
and completed on a $23 million dollar upgrade to the City’s Wastewater Treatment Plant; the Urban Renewal Agency sold the Manufacturers’ Hanover Bank and Siegel Shoes Building to a private developer; and the brownfields were developed into a solar farm and the Hampton Inn and Suites.
Aiello said, “In December 2025 the City was notified that it had received a $25 million dollar Federal RAISE Grant which will provide a complete street makeover of West State Street from Union Street to St. Bonaventure. The City also received $1.2 million from New York state to work with InTandem to upgrade Marcus Park and an additional $700,000 to upgrade the municipal pool in War Veterans Park.”
Working with the City’s Department Heads, Aiello said he instituted the Blight Task Force early in his administration. The City later worked with the Cattaraugus County Land Bank and received two Zombie grants all of which have helped the city tackle blight.
“The City of Olean is my home and I enjoy working with the people of our community to make Olean a welcoming community with excellent facilities and services. I look forward to another campaign and four more years of working together to achieve our goals,” Mayor Aiello said.
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All rights reserved. Star News LLC. Eric M. Firkel.
