Beginning their rookie campaigns as councilmembers are Shaun P. Heenan, representing the Third Ward and Michael Civiletto representing the Fourth Ward.

Mayor Rosas welcomed the new councilmembers and addressed the entire council.

“At times we will not agree,” Rosas said. “To agree on every issue that comes up, it’s impossible. I remind you that we are all here as elected officials to represent our city residents.”

Woloszyn discussed his perspective on the duties of the council.

OBSERVER Photo by Damian Sebouhian Residents packed the Dunkirk courthouse to witness Monday’s inauguration of city officials. New to the city council are Third Ward Councilmember Shaun Heenan and Fourth Ward Councilmember Michael Civiletto.

“We all are of individual minds,” Woloszyn said. “We all take the things that come forward to us in a very serious manner. We review each thing individually and we speak to the professionals in each of those departments to make sure we have the correct information to go forward. There are a lot of things going on in the city of Dunkirk. You may have heard me talk in council meetings and inviting people to the economic development committee meetings. We’ve started to get more and more of the public showing up to those and its an exciting time in Dunkirk. It really is.”

Heenan expressed his excitement in working with the mayor and the other councilmembers and addressed the audience, saying “Anybody that would want to call me with any concerns or discussions throughout the year, be it residents or business people, please feel free and I will, at the best of my ability, answer any questions or concerns you might have.”

Civiletto used a personal childhood lesson imparted to him from his parents as a metaphor for how he views his political service.

“My father is Italian, so of course we had a garden,” Civiletto began. “We always had way too many tomatoes and way too many zucchini, way too many everything.”

Civiletto told how his mother would have young Michael take the extra vegetables to their neighbors. When Michael returned home with money a neighbor had given him for the garden goods, Mrs. Civiletto explained to young Michael that the vegetables were meant to be gifts.

OBSERVER Photo by Damian Sebouhian Below: Mayor Willie Rosas with Lillian Divine, swears in city councilmembers Andy Woloszyn, Don Williams Jr., Marty Bamonto, Shaun Heenan and Michael Civiletto.

“That’s what I would like to do for the city,” Civiletto said. “I’m here to do whatever it takes to progress the city in a positive manner and I’m not going to ask for anything in return. With that being said, please call me with your complaints.”

Judge John Kuzdale, who was elected as full-time Dunkirk City Court Judge to replace Judge Drag, was unable to attend the ceremony as he was on a flight to New York City for a training seminar.

Woloszyn explained that Kuzdale had been sworn in earlier.

“He left this morning,” said Woloszyn. “He had a private swearing in ceremony, otherwise he would be here.”