Mayor Anne McCaffrey, center, is surrounded by family as she takes the oath of office Friday afternoon. Administering the oath is City Court Judge Bill Watson. (PHOTOS BY SCOTT LEFFLER / ENP STAFF)

By +Scott Leffler 
scott.leffler@eastniagarapost.com

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Lockport Police and Fire department officials served as Honor Guard for the  afternoon ceremony.

Calling 2016 "a new chapter in our city's history," Anne McCaffrey was sworn in to her first full term of office as mayor, along with other newly elected officials and appointees during a special ceremony held at the Historic Palace Theatre Friday afternoon.

McCaffrey, one of only two incumbents re-elected in November, said the election's results meant city residents want change in city hall, but trusted her vision to "put our city back on track."

The Republican mayor, who must now work with a Common Council composed of three Democrats and three Republicans, as well as a Democrat treasurer, Sue Mawhiney, said she relishes the opportunity to work with the evenly split officials.

County legislators Keith McNall and Will Collins were also sworn in during the ceremony.

"I proudly accept this opportunity to work with all members of the Common Council and our new city treasurer to make our city stronger and to rebuild our city to attract more businesses and families back to our city," she said. "Lockport is like a big family. We are strong willed. We all believe we're right at first. We all have differences. But in the end, we stand together for the betterment and future success of our city. We all want the same thing. And that is what makes me excited and optimistic about working with this new team at city hall."

McCaffrey said steps have already been taken to right the city, noting a "new independent audit committee, non-partisan ethics reforms, and a new budget development process."

"The future is bright. And we've taken the steps to put us on the path to success," she continued.

City Treasurer Sue Mawhiney gives a brief speech during the ceremony.

Mawhiney said she looks forward "to tackling this new challenge," adding "Monday morning, I look forward to rolling up my sleeves and getting to work."

Fourth Ward Alderman David Wohleben was sworn in as Common Council president, a position McCaffrey once held herself. Wohleben thanked Fourth-Ward voters and congratulated his fellow aldermen on their elections.

RELATED LINKS: 

• Inauguration photo album
• Full inauguration video

Lockport Police Chief Mike Niethe is sworn in to office, surrounded by his family. Niethe takes over following the retirement of Larry Eggert.

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Potential buyers check out the bikes before this morning's auction at City Hall. (PHOTOS BY SCOTT LEFFLER / ENP STAFF)

ENP STAFF REPORTS
news@eastniagarapost.com

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LPD Capt. Mike Niethe auctions off the first of 65 bikes.

Anyone who showed up late to this morning's Lockport Police Department bike auction found themselves without anything to bid on.

Bidders watch on as LPD Capt. Mike Niethe directs the city's annual bike auction.

The annual auction of unclaimed bikes (and other assorted items) flew by with 65 bikes, a wheelchair, and three lots of telephones being purchased in just 48 minutes.

Those who did make it to the auction — a little more than two dozen people — got some great deals with some bikes going for as little as $1.

LPD Capt. Mike Niethe, who served as auctioneer, said the funds raised from the annual spring sale go into the general fund.

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Lockport Police Chief Larry Eggert talks with city residents about a recent outbreak of gun crimes in the city. About 50 people attended tonight's meeting at City Hall. (PHOTOS BY HEATHER N. GRIMMER / CONTRIBUTOR)

Police chief asks residents to report what they see

ENP STAFF REPORTS
news@eastniagarapost.com

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Lockport Police Chief Larry Eggert asked the public for help in preventing and solving crimes in the city at a meeting tonight in City Hall.

Eggert was joined by Capt. Doug Haak, Capt. Mike Niethe and Community Police Aide Mark Sanders in a question and answer session with about 50 city residents that lasted more than 90 minutes.

"We should be solving these things left and right," Eggert told the crowd. But a lack of communication from city residents — including the victims of the crimes — has tied the department's hands.

In discussing a shooting earlier this year on Walnut Street, Eggert said "We actually know who did that but we can't get the victims to be victims."

Another incident that happened on June 10 involved a man who was shot but wouldn't tell police who did the shooting or even where it occurred.

One positive that the chief pointed out was that these acts of violence are not random.

"They're targeting the people that they want to shoot because they have a dispute with them," he said. As such the odds of the average city resident being shot are incredibly low.

Community Policing Aide Mark Sanders talks to the crowd at tonight's meeting in City Hall. Sanders said the city does not have a gang problem.

Despite the uptick in violence in the city, Eggert and Sanders said they're certain it isn't gang related.

One of the meeting's attendees said she'd heard of a gang called "RNO" working the city.

Sanders said he's familiar with "RNO," but referring to them as a gang would be a misnomer. "We don't have a gang problem. We have a problem with misguided young people. ... We've been looking for (gang activity). I've been looking for it."

Maria Updegraph, who said she lives in the "Impact Zone" — a high-crime area being targeted by LPD between Walnut and High, Transit and Erie streets — asked Eggert why the department didn't patrol on foot any more.

"We need you guys to be physically there," she said. "No one's going to care if you guys are in the car. They're not scared."

She also suggested starting a Neighborhood Watch group in the area.

Eggert liked both ideas and noted that he was in charge of the Neighborhood Watch program in the 1990s when there were as many as 20 such groups in the city.

"Once the criminals see that ... they're going to go someplace else," Eggert said.

One woman told Eggert that she felt calling LPD was pointless, saying that a couple years ago she called to report a crime and was told that the police department didn't service her neighborhood anymore because "there's too much going on there."
Police Board President Tate Pitrello said after the meeting that Eggert hit the nail on the head, saying communication between the police department and city residents is key to stemming the tide of violence in the city. Pitrello said he was impressed with the meeting and glad to see people speak up.

Former Police Board President James Gugliuzza concurred with Pitrello's assessment.

Also in attendance were Mayor Anne McCaffrey and members of the Common Council including Joe Kibler, Pat Schrader, John Lombardi. City Building Inspector Jason Dool was also on hand.

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