Our region … Western New York… is a very special place!
This is an exceptional area because of the people and with the region’s magnificent rolling hills, expansive beautiful valleys, productive farm lands, and majestic lake plains.
This area stands out as a wonderland of nature and opportunity.
The following poem is an expression that depicts several aspects of the exceptional nature of our area in which we work, reside and take pride.
AN AREA IN WHICH WE HAVE PRIDE
Between the bountiful hillsides
This is an area with splendorous texture
With villages and farm lands sublime.
The hillsides are arrayed with choice splendor
Robert Heichberger
Recently, I attended several community board meetings in a virtual manner. My objective was to view a republic in action. At each of these meetings, the public was invited to view their opinion on various subjects under discussion. The local press was in attendance and the newspaper reported on each of these meetings in their next edition of the paper. This is the way things should happen in a Republic.
The word republic, derived from the Latin res publica, or “public thing.” We live in the United States and it is a Republic. The word “democracy” does not appear anywhere in the Declaration of Independence or in our Constitution. In fact, the Constitution states “to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government” is established.