BY SCOTT LEFFLER
scott.leffler@eastniagarapost.com

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Second Ward Alderman Ron Franco, announced tonight that he has decided against running for the second half of his term on the Lockport Common Council.

Franco, a Republican, was appointed to his seat in March from a pool of eight applicants to fill the seat vacated when Alderwoman Anne McCaffrey became Mayor Anne McCaffrey following former Mayor Mike Tucker's resignation. Franco's appointment was only through the end of 2014. He was required to run for the second half of the two-year term if he wanted to keep it. The balance of work and public life prevented him from doing so for the time being.

Franco released a statement to the media:

It is an honor for me to serve as Lockport's 2nd Ward alderman. My commitment has been to make my responsibilities of that office a top priority in my professional life. While I continue that level of commitment for the remainder of my 2014 term, it's difficult to predict whether that will be sustainable for an extended period beyond my appointment. Because of this uncertainty, I have decided not to run for the 2nd Ward seat for 2015. I look forward to serving the City of Lockport in addition capacities and will continue to evaluate my future options as my professional circumstances dictate. 

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