New member joins Albion Village Board

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 28 December 2023 at 8:35 am

David Buczek works as a supervisor for National Grid

ALBION – There is a new trustee on the Albion Village Board, and he said he is committed to working for the good of the community.

David Buczek

David Buczek, 33, is a supervisor for National Grid, part of a team based in Albion that serves an area between Lockport and Spencerport, from Lake Ontario to Elba. He was promoted to supervisor after working as a lineman.

Buczek will finish out the final four months of Zack Burgess’s term. Burgess resigned in October after moving out of the village. That term ends March 31. Buczek said he plans to run for election in March for a full four-year term. He is a registered Democrat and will seek the backing of the Democratic and Republican parties, as well as support from independent voters.

“I’m an upbeat and positive person who will work with both sides of the fence,” he said Wednesday evening after attending his first Village Board meeting as trustee. “We need to find common ground at a time when our politics is so divided.”

Buczek said he sent an email to Mayor Angel Javier Jr. and Deputy Mayor Joyce Riley a couple months ago, expressing his interest to be more involved in the community. They interviewed him and he was appointed by the mayor to fill the vacancy.

Buczek, a Lackawanna native, moved to North Main Street in Albion about two years ago. He sees a lot of potential for the village to attract businesses that would prosper, providing good-paying and reliable jobs.

“Albion is a prime location between Medina and Brockport (east and west) and Batavia and Waterport (north and south),” Buczek said. “As a central hub for these locations, an emphasis should be placed on building the infrastructure for businesses and making it easier for them to establish locations here in Albion.”

Main Street also needs beautification and emphasis to fill store fronts. Buczek said he would work with community leaders and the business community on different events and village traditions in the downtown area, and a plan to better utilize the Main Street buildings.

A third goal for Buczek is ensuring the village workforce receives regular training and has the needed technology to help reduce costs and save energy.

“It is my overall goal to bring a positive change to the community and to give a voice to locals within our government,” he said. “I will work with our government employees and the community to continue to drive change for the future of Albion.”

Buczek wanted a career that would require both working with his hands and critical thinking. He earned a certification in energy utility technology from Erie Community College and overhead climbing. He is nearly done with his master’s degree at Buffalo State University in Multidisciplinary Studies with a concentration in Energy Utility Management. He also became certified in project management from Cornell University. He earlier earned a bachelor’s degree in English literature from Buffalo State.