Staff Reports
December 28, 2011
Erie County Executive-elect Mark C. Poloncarz announced on Wednesday his appointees for the senior positions of commissioners of Health; Emergency Services; Environment and Planning; Director of Budget and Management and County Attorney.
Poloncarz said his nominations will help develop new policy ideas and innovations and have “a proven record of success and accomplishment” serving the county.
“These nominees demonstrate the amazing amount of diversity and wealth of knowledge right here in Erie County and I am proud that they have agreed to serve the county,” Poloncarz said.
Dr. Gale R. Burstein, a pediatrician at Women and Children’s Hospital of Buffalo, will serve as commissioner of health. Burstein has worked in various medical director capacities for the county’s department of health since 2005.
Burstein is also an associate clinical professor at the University of Buffalo’s School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, an assignee for the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and medical director of the Erie County Department of Health’s STD Clinic.
Poloncarz named Robert W. Keating his director of budget and management. Keating is currently the director of grant accounting services for the Erie County comptroller, where he serves as the county’s chief accountant.
Daniel Neaverth Jr., a member of the Orchard Park Fire District for the past 22 years, was named commissioner of emergency services.
He has served as an instructor for the New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services and the deputy commissioner of emergency medical services and Regional Strategic National Stockpile Coordinator within the Erie County Department of Emergency Services.
Michael A. Siragusa, who received his Juris Doctorate from Rutgers University School of Law in 1992, was named county attorney.
After working in the Philadelphia area for several years, Siragusa returned home to Western New York where he served as deputy assistant attorney general in-charge for the Buffalo Regional Office of the New York State Attorney General.
The outgoing majority leader of the Erie County Legislature, Maria R. Whyte, has been named commissioner of environment and planning.
During her six years on the legislature, Whyte served as chair of the legislature’s government affairs committee. She is formerly executive director of the Coalition for Economic Justice and is known for her legislation and policy ideas regarding smart growth, regional planning and cultural tourism.
Transition chairman Michael Joseph said the five “represent the very best our community has to offer and will ably serve the county’s residents and taxpayers in their respective departments.”
Each nomination requires confirmation by the county legislature pursuant to the county charter.
http://tonawanda-news.com/local/x1477835270/Poloncarz-names-senior-officials