Friday, July 31, 2026
Cattaraugus & Allegany County, New York
10 stories
Olean/Political
The Olean Common Council selected Ward 1 alderman JR Bennion as its new president following the resignation of former president Vernon Robinson. At the same meeting, the council also voted to approve Blovsky as the city's new chief of police. The moves fill two significant leadership vacancies in city government within the same session. The changes come amid broader turnover on the council this summer.
Olean/Political
Mary Kehoe Fay and Dr. Stephen Carlson were sworn into the Olean City School District Board of Education at the board's annual reorganizational meeting. Both took their oaths of office at the start of the session, joining the board following the district's most recent school board election. The reorganizational meeting marks the formal start of the new school year's governance cycle for the district. District officials welcomed the new members as they begin their terms.
Friendship/Political
The Town of Friendship held a public hearing on July 15, 2026, at GAR Hall Community Center to gather resident input on community development needs ahead of a possible Community Development Block Grant application. Town officials indicated they intend to seek roughly $2 million in CDBG funding for Phase II improvements to the town's water distribution system. The funding would come from a statewide pool of about $45 million New York State has set aside for eligible municipalities this cycle. The hearing gave residents a chance to weigh in before any formal grant application is submitted.
Ellicottville/Political
The Ellicottville Town Board approved a 12-month moratorium on new battery energy storage systems and data center facilities during its July 15, 2026 meeting, following a public hearing. Town Supervisor Matthew McAndrew said the pause is meant to give officials time to research the technologies and develop zoning and safety regulations before any projects move forward. Resident Nadine Saviano spoke during the hearing about potential environmental impacts of such facilities. The moratorium halts new applications while the town studies land-use, safety and environmental questions tied to the emerging industries.
Olean/Political
Vernon Robinson Jr., president of the Olean Common Council and the first Black alderman in the city's history, announced he would step down before the end of July 2026. Robinson, who has represented Ward 6 since being appointed in 2020 and was elected council president in 2025, cited the difficulty of balancing his demanding job as a National Grid warehouse manager with council duties. He did not detail all his reasons for leaving but said he hoped his successor could improve communication between the mayor's office and the council. His resignation took effect July 28, 2026.
Allegany/Political
The Allegany Town Board formally approved a new comprehensive plan in mid-May 2026, capping roughly two years of work by town officials and residents. The document is meant to serve as a guiding framework for future development, land use and infrastructure decisions in the town over the coming years. Town officials described the plan as the product of extensive community input gathered through meetings and public feedback sessions. It replaces an older planning document and is expected to inform zoning and capital-project decisions going forward.
Andover/Political
The Andover Village Board unanimously approved its 2026-27 budget on April 21, 2026, following a public hearing, holding the line on village taxes for residents. Newly elected Mayor Tom Davis chose to forgo his own salary, redirecting those funds into other budget lines to help balance the books without a tax hike. Davis said the budget reflects a balance between fiscal responsibility and community needs, pointing to blight cleanup, code enforcement and inter-municipal cooperation as continuing priorities. The no-increase budget comes as the small Allegany County village works to manage costs while maintaining services.
Little Valley/Political
The Village of Little Valley is moving ahead with a water system improvements project to replace aging water mains, install a new well and well house, and demolish outdated well facilities. Village officials say deteriorating pipes have caused significant water loss and left the system without backup supply capacity, making the upgrades essential to reliable service. The plan also includes replacing water meters and services and adding a remote telemetry system to monitor storage tank levels. The village, acting as lead agency, determined in an April 2026 environmental notice that the project will not cause significant adverse environmental impacts, clearing a key regulatory hurdle.
Belmont/Political
Village of Belmont voters returned Mayor Raymond DeTine to office for another four-year term in the March 20, 2026 village election, with DeTine defeating a handful of write-in votes. In the race for two open trustee seats, Republican Linda Healy and Democrat Shannon Harding won four-year terms, edging out fellow candidate Vince Evans. The results keep continuity in village leadership in Belmont, the seat of Allegany County government, as officials continue work on infrastructure and economic-development priorities for the coming term.
Angelica/Political
The village-owned Angelica Electric utility said it would temporarily halt service disconnections until summer 2026 after customers saw bills double or triple their normal cost during January and February. Officials attributed the spike to statewide factors outside the utility's control, including rising electricity demand, reduced generation capacity, high natural gas prices and a stretch of extreme cold weather that pushed grid costs to record highs. Mayor Claypool addressed residents directly on local radio to explain the situation and encourage anyone struggling to pay to contact the village office for payment arrangements or HEAP emergency assistance through Allegany County. The utility expected rates to ease once the temporary market conditions passed in spring.