ERIE COUNTY
Legislature bestows honors on retiring Rath, sports teams
The Erie County Legislature, in one of its final sessions of the year, focused on honors and milestones Thursday, knowing that more pressing matters await next week.
The Legislature honored football teams, a marching band and retirees, including one whose political career began with the County Legislature, State Sen. Mary Lou Rath, R-Williamsville.
Thursday, legislators honored the Orchard Park High School boys volleyball team for winning the state Class A championship; the Orchard Park football team for winning the state Class AA championship; and the Pop Warner Bills Junior Peewee Division football team for winning the Eastern Regional championship and wished it well on its way to the Pop Warner Super Bowl in Florida.
Lawmakers listened to a performance by the West Seneca West Marching Band — the Lakeshore Marching Band Association Class AA champions for 2008 and the second-place winner in the New York State Field Band Conference Class LS3 competition.
Legislator Edward A. Rath III, R-Amherst, honored his mother, a state senator who was elected to the Erie County Legislature in 1978 and won a State Senate seat in 1993, the first woman elected to the Senate from Western New York.
Mary Lou Rath chose to retire this year, and her open seat was won by County Legislator Michael H. Ranzenhofer, RAmherst. She is the daughter-in- law of the first Erie County executive, for whom the county office building is named, and Edward A. Rath III is his grandson.
“The government that is closest to the people is the government that serves the people the best,” she told lawmakers in some brief remarks. ”
