Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz today announced that Lisa Chimera will serve as the county’s next Deputy Erie County Executive. Chimera has served as an Erie County Legislator (3rd district) since July 2019, serving the communities of Tonawanda and Kenmore along with the Black Rock, Riverside, and University Heights areas of the City of Buffalo. During her time on the Legislature, Chimera chaired both the Health and Human Services Committee and the Minority and Women Business Enterprise (“MWBE”) Committee. She also served on the Finance & Management Committee and the Energy & Environment Committee. Among her legislative achievements, Chimera spearheaded initiatives such as instituting Medication Assisted Treatment (“MAT”) in the Erie County Holding Center and creating a mobile book outreach van for seniors with the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library. She was also instrumental in the formation of the Erie County Emergency Childcare Task Force.
“Today I am pleased to announce that Erie County Legislator Lisa Chimera has agreed to serve as Erie County’s next Deputy County Executive, and I look forward to working with her to continue moving Erie County forward. I have known Lisa for many years and she has the skill set and work ethic that this very demanding role calls for, and has already demonstrated her ability to identify issues and work collaboratively to solve problems many times,” said Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz. “As Deputy County Executive Lisa will take a lead role in the implementation of our Live Well Erie agenda, thereby helping to create a better county for all.”
“I want to congratulate Lisa Chimera on her new role as Deputy County Executive,” said Erie County Legislature Chair April N. M. Baskin. “Lisa has played a key role in the legislature. Her work on the MAT program has literally saved lives and she has been a strong advocate on behalf of children and childcare workers. I look forward to working with her as she takes the lead on Live Well Erie. The rest of Erie County is going to learn what the residents of her district and her colleagues in the legislature already know: Lisa Chimera is an extraordinary leader who will work tirelessly on behalf of our community.”
Chimera previously served on the Town of Tonawanda board for fourteen years and was the first female Democrat elected in the town’s history. She served on numerous committees during her time with the town and was instrumental in governmental reform that saved taxpayers money while preserving important services including the preservation of Brighton Place Library during the Red-Green Budget fiasco. A lifelong resident of the Town of Tonawanda, Chimera holds a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Elementary Education and Special Education and a Master’s of Science in Reading from Buffalo State College. Lisa worked for the Ken-Ton school district as an educator for over 30 years, retiring in 2020.
