‘JR’ Bennion elected Olean Common Council president, succeeding Robinson

RICK MILLER

Olean Star

Ward 1 Alderman Lawrence”JR” Bennion Jr., was unanimously elected Olean Common Council president at the end of Tuesday’s regular meeting.

Bennion, a Republican, was first elected in 2022. He succeeds Vernon Robinson Jr., I-Ward 6.

Robinson, the first African American man to be elected Olean Common Council president, announced his resignation effective Tuesday, earlier this month.

Robinson said, “I want to say it has been a pleasure, and I plan to stay in the community and stay active. But it’s time for me to step down as the council president. So with that, I’m asking for nominations for the council president.”

Robinson is widely known for his Facebook reports he filed after almost every meeting,

Ward 7 Democrat David Anastasia nominated Bennion for the council president vacancy and the nominations were closed. Bennion is chairman of the City Operations Committee and sits on the Strategic Planning, Finance, Labor Relations.

Bennion is seeking re-election to a four-year term on the Republican and Conservative party lines. He is unopposed.

Bennion is widely known as a no nonsense alderman. He is owner of Adams Services.

Voting for the new council president were Bennion, Ward 2 Republican Joseph Keary, Ward 4 Democratic Alderwoman Sonya McCall, Anastasia and Robinson. Ward 3 Alderwoman Jennifer Forney and Ward 5 Alderman John Crawford were absent.

Aldermen voted unanimously to confirm the appointment of Capt. Robert Blovsky as Olean Police Department chief by Mayor Amy B. Sherburne.

Blovsky was named acting chief after the retirement earlier this month of Chief Ron Richardson.

Blovsky has been a member of the Olean Police Department for 32 years, having joined in 1994. He was previously captain of the department’s Criminal unit.