The office of mayor of Niagara Falls, New York is currently held by Robert Restaino.[2] Prior to the establishment of the mayorship, the highest official in Niagara Falls was known as the "village president" and was held by Peter A. Porter in 1878.[3]
His campaign slogan was "municipal government is business, not politics" and he was overwhelmingly elected by every district in the city. After a year in office, Schoellkopf decided not to run for a second term citing that "his private business would not allow him to devote the necessary time to the city’s affairs" and declined the Republican mayoral nomination for 1897.[9]
Douglass was a contractor with a business at the Jewett Building and resided at 259 Third St.[11]
11
Philip J. Keller
Democratic
January 1, 1911
December 31, 1912
Keller, of "Phil J. Keller & Son" was a butcher with a successful shop at 2013 Main St.[11]
12
William Laughlin
Democratic
January 1, 1913
December 31, 1915
During 1914, the Legislature enacted the "Optional City Government Law" which permitted cities of the second and third class the option of adopting one of seven forms of local government. Voters adopted "Plan C" with the council/manager plan to become effective in 1916. By 1916, there were 98 council-manager cities in the United States.[12]
13
George W. Whitehead
Republican
January 1, 1916
December 31, 1920
14
Maxwell M. Thompson
Republican
January 1, 1920
December 31, 1924
At this time, the mayors office was in the Gluck Building on Second and Falls Streets. Thompson declined to run for re-election.
Jenss served three terms as a city councilmen prior to being elected mayor.[13] He declined to seek reelection and instead supported Walter Greig, then councilman.
17
Dr. W. Levell Draper
Republican
January 1, 1936
December 31, 1939
18
Ernest W. Mirrington, Jr.
Republican
January 1, 1940
December 31, 1942
Resigned in 1942 (at the time, the youngest mayor in New York at 34) to join the U.S. Army. Mirrington had previously tried to join the U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard.[14]
In May 1952, there was an 18-day strike of 600 city employees that disrupted services. The strike was settled through the efforts of a citizens’ committee.[15]
Palillo was president of the Niagara Falls Fire Fighters Association for 20 years and first ran for mayor in 1987. Elected in 1991 defeating Anthony F. Quaranto, but in 1995 lost a re-election bid to James C. Galie.
Following his term as mayor, Anello faced federal charges related to wrongful receipt of a payment by a public official, conspiracy to affect commerce by extortion, and two counts of depriving citizens of honest services from a government official. Anello pleaded guilty to submitting false claims for $120,000 worth of pension benefits, as part of a plea bargain that saw the government drop the public corruption charge. Anello served a 10-month sentence.[23]
In 1892, upon the establishment of the mayors office, the length of office was a one-year term.[11]
In 1897, the term limit was changed to a two-year term.[11]
In 1901, the term was changed again to begin on the third Tuesday of April.[11] The mayor, as the chief executive officer, no longer voted or took part in council meetings. A president of the council was elected, along with the alderman from each of the six wards and four aldermen elected at large. The president of the Common Council assumed the tie-breaking vote and the "municipal year" was changed to begin on the third Tuesday of April.[6]
In 1902, the New York State Legislature decided to change the political terms of local officials to coincide with the calendar year. The Niagara Falls Common Council opposed the change, but it passed and interrupted the first term of Mayor Hancock. Hancock's term began on April 15, 1902, but ended on Dec. 31, 1902. Upon his reelection, he began his second term on January 1, 1903.[11]
In 1904, the Town of Niagara Falls and the Village of Niagara Falls were amalgamated to form the "City of Niagara Falls."[24]
From 1916 to 1985, government in Niagara Falls consisted of a council of four members and a mayor. The mayor and council members were elected to four-year terms and they appointed the city manager, who ran the day-to-day operation of city government.[12]
Mayoral elections
The 2015 mayoral election was held on Tuesday November 3, 2015, with the following candidates: Incumbent mayor Paul Dyster (Democrat) and challenger John Accardo (Republican).[2] Dyster won (4,267 to 3,468) his third term as Mayor of Niagara Falls.[27] With the win, Dyster joined E. Dent Lackey as the only two three-term mayors in Niagara Falls and became the second longest tenured after former Mayor Michael O'Laughlin, the city’s longest-tenured mayor who held four consecutive terms from 1976 to 1991.[28]
References
^Miner, Dan (September 1, 2012). "What do WNY mayors make?". Buffalo Business First. Retrieved 28 October 2015.
^ abcHiggs, Norma (June 2015). "Niagara Falls mayors and managers: The early years". Niagara Gazette.
^ abcdPool, William (1897). Landmarks of Niagara County, New York. Niagara County: D. Mason & Company. p. 423. Retrieved 21 October 2015. Arthur Schoellkopf mayor of niagara falls.
