Sirianni Seeks to Bring
Experience to Town Board

NIAGARA— A prominent local labor leader and Niagara Wheatfield School Board trustee announced his candidacy for the Niagara Town Board today, saying that, in light of  recent announcements of council members Danny Sklarski and Rob Clark that they would not seek reelection, the town needs “hard-working leaders committed to fixing what’s broken.”

Richard Sirianni, who served as financial officer for the P.A.C.E. Region Two Council, which spans four states, said he wants to “roll up [his] sleeves and get this town back on track,” identifying a number of issues he hopes to tackle once elected to the Town Board.

“I will focus on long-term road repair and improvement, because our town’s transportation infrastructure is critical, especially as we expand our commercial areas,” Sirianni said.

He also pointed to “Niagara’s greatest shortcoming” as an area he wanted to address as early as his first spring on the board.

“I will zero in, especially, on the flooding in our communities, and also work to ensure that new development doesn’t result in even more flooding problems,” Sirianni said. “Our residents should feel confident that the town’s infrastructure is working for them and protecting their homes.”

“There have been too many flooding issues in our community and especially the Tuscarora Road and Belden Center areas,” Sirianni said. “These residents have been patient for way too long, and we need to put in place a plan to prevent this and help those residents who live there.”

Sirianni noted that, with planned expansion at the Fashion Outlets and along the Military Road corridor, public safety and living-wage jobs need to be addressed.

“We need to work with good companies that will create good jobs in our community,” Sirianni said. “But we also must support our police and fire departments.”

Sirianni noted he has been attending Town Board and town government workshop meetings for years.

 “We live in a beautiful area, but we need to stay focused on jobs so we can keep our children in this area,” he said. “My most important promise: I will work hard to make the Town of Niagara an excellent place to live.”

Sirianni spent more than 30 years in private industry, is a Niagara Wheatfield School Board member and has served on the audit and policy committees.

He is a member of the Town of Niagara Recreational Committee, and president and financial officer of Niagara Wheatfield Credit Union Board of Directors.

A member of LaSalle Sportsmen Club, he has been a Life member of the NRA for 38 years.

Sirianni’s labor organization experience includes 28 years as union officer and eight years as union president of O.C.A.W, P.A.C.E International Union, and serving as a member of Steel Workers Organization of Action Retirees (SOAR).

He is also a member of the Niagara Orleans Labor Council PAC.

Sirianni noted, “I’ve been involved in contract negotiations, arbitrations, creating new medical plans, and establishing and funding 401K plans. I’ve also worked hard to hold unionized employees to fair standards. I will bring that experience to the table working with our town workforce, and I will never forget the taxpayers that are paying the bills.”

Sirianni lives on Miller Road with his wife, Cheri, and son, Richard J. Sirianni, who calls himself a “lifelong conservative Democrat” is seeking the Democratic, as well as the Republican, Independence, and Conservative lines in November.