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By: Brendan McDonough

Reporter for North Tonawanda

Current city Alderman-at-Large Robert Pecoraro announced today that he will be seeking his second full term on the North Tonawanda Common Council. 

Pecoraro, a 61-year-old retired Colonel who served over 30 years on active duty in the United States Air Force (USAF), commanded units at the detachment, squadron, and group levels.  He was a results-oriented leader and manager who achieved the rank of Colonel due to his sustained outstanding performance in command, operations, staff responsibilities, and academics.  Specific responsibilities were diverse, from commanding an airbase in Spain supporting expeditionary operations in Iraq and Afghanistan to commissioning quality leaders for the USAF.  Today, he is putting these strengths to great use in North Tonawanda, where no problem is too big to solve.  

Pecoraro, who grew up in North Tonawanda, credits the teamwork in the Mayor’s Office, the Common Council, and the North Tonawanda Municipal Departments for his success as Alderman and is thrilled to continue his service to the community with his main focus on ensuring economic growth and continued infrastructure improvements, while pursuing quality-of-life initiatives for all residents.  

While serving as Alderman at Large, Pecoraro has supported economic growth of the city as many new businesses opened, from Ivy Lea Construction Headquarters, the move of Old Editions Book Store into the former Platters Chocolate facility, to the most recent announcement of the opening of Spot Coffee as a function of DESTINATIONT in the former G.C. Murphy building.  He will continue this on the Council and also as First Vice President of the Chamber of Commerce of the Tonawandas.  Likewise, he serves on the City’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative Team, where he procured $2.5M from Empire State Development Corporation in 2017.  He also realized the need to upgrade the Water/Waste Water Treatment Plant and actively serves on its Capital Improvement Plan to ensure the upgrade and financial management of this $6M activity.  The city roads have never been in better shape as he advocated for a new paver.  In 2018, the City Department of Public Works set a new paving record of 17.1 lane miles.  The waterfront is also at the forefront of his activities.  He recently was a member of the committee who put the plans together for $1.7M Gateway Park improvements including a new harbormaster facility, new electrical upgrades and the extension of the Sweeney Wall docks.  With all this progress, Pecoraro was a member of the Mayor’s Budget Committee, ensuring the funding was in place for these initiatives while keeping taxes affordable.  

He is excited to represent the residents of the entire municipality.  His many achievements include implementing the quarterly Hub for Services (bringing services directly to the residents) and setting up a monthly WNY Law Center Satellite office.  He was awarded the Gold Key from the Western NY Chemical Dependency Consortium while serving on the Executive Committee of the Community Health Alliance of North Tonawanda.  His leadership is felt throughout the area where he serves as the First Vice President of the Chamber of Commerce of the Tonawandas (Chairman of the Business Connections Committee and member of the Gateway Cities Promotions and Economic Development Team), is on the Board of Directors of the Niagara Community Action Program and the Buffalo and Erie County Naval and Military Park, is President of the Western NY Military Officers Association, President Elect of the Erie Niagara Sunrise Exchange Club (brought the Memorial 9/11 Tribute Field to Gratwick Park), Vice President for Membership of the L.D. Bell Chapter of the Air Force Association, volunteers with the Riviera Theater, the American Red Cross (Service to Armed Forces Committee, Sound the Alarm, Disaster Services Support, and is a Transportation Specialist for their blood products), the Buffalo History Museum, and is an active member of the Niagara Military Affairs Council (NIMAC) to support the growth and development of the Niagara Falls Reserve Station and its important economic impact to the citizens of North Tonawanda.  In addition, because of his unique understanding of the Civil Air Patrol, the auxiliary of the USAF, Pecoraro joined and quickly became the Western New York Group Commander with geographic reach from Jamestown to Niagara Falls, commanding 250 adults and cadets through six squadrons with an aviation focus specifically centered on aerospace education, cadet development and emergency services.  He is an active member of the Sikora American Legion Post, where he is in their Honor Guard, and he proudly highlighted local veteran contributions to the Lumber City with the Banner Program on display in the Farmers Market.  

Pecoraro is a 1976 graduate of Cardinal O’Hara High School (inducted into their Alumni Hall of Fame in 2018), received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science from Canisius College, a Master of Science in Management and Human Relations from Abilene Christian University, and a Master of Arts in Strategic Studies from the United States Army War College.  He has been married to his wife, Laura, for over 30 years and has three children:  His son Edward, a Canisius College graduate, serves as a Captain in the US Army in Fort Belvoir, Virginia; his daughter Lillian, a graduate of Cornell University, is a statistician living in Framingham, Massachusetts; and his son Vincent, a graduate of the State University of New York at Geneseo, is a photojournalist living in Washington, DC.

Pecoraro is seeking the Republican, Conservative, and Independence Parties lines for the November election.