Bryan J. Bollman
Bryan J. Bollman | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Buffalo Common Council from the Lovejoy District | |
| Assumed office January 1, 2020 | |
| Preceded by | Richard A. Fontana |
| President pro tempore of the Buffalo Common Council | |
| In office January 2, 2022 – January 5, 2026 | |
| Preceded by | Christopher P. Scanlon |
| Succeeded by | Zeneta B. Everhart |
| Personal details | |
| Born | February 23, 1984 Buffalo, New York, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Carol Lesakowski |
| Alma mater | University at Buffalo (BA) |
| Occupation | Politician; real estate broker associate |
Bryan J. Bollman is an American politician who has served as the member of the Buffalo Common Council from the Lovejoy District since 2020. Before being elected to office, he served as chief of staff to longtime Lovejoy District council member Richard A. Fontana. In 2024, he was elected president pro tempore of the Common Council.
Early life and education
Bollman was born and raised in Buffalo's Lovejoy District and graduated from the University at Buffalo with a bachelor's degree in political science.[1][2]
Career
Before his election to the Common Council, Bollman spent 11 years working in City Hall on East Side neighborhood issues, including as chief of staff to Richard Fontana.[2][3] He is a New York state licensed broker associate.[1]
Political career
In June 2019, Bollman won the Democratic primary for the open Lovejoy District seat with 63 percent of the vote, defeating Esther Smothers.[4] The seat had been vacated by Fontana, who chose not to seek re-election.[3] In the November 2019 general election, Bollman defeated minor-party candidate Antoinette Craig by a margin of 82 percent to 17 percent.[5] He was sworn into office on New Year's Day 2020.[6]
Bollman won re-election in 2023. In the June Democratic primary, he defeated independent challenger Mohammed Uddin with nearly 70 percent of the vote.[7] In the November general election, he defeated Republican David McElroy with 72.81 percent of the vote.[8]
At the Buffalo Common Council's January 2024 reorganization meeting, Bollman was elected president pro tempore.[9] After Mayor Byron Brown announced his resignation later that year and Council President Christopher Scanlon prepared to become acting mayor, Buffalo Toronto Public Media reported that Bollman, as president pro tempore, would take over the duties of council president.[10]
Personal life
Bollman was born and raised in Buffalo's Lovejoy District.[1] A 2008 Buffalo Common Council resolution described him as a resident and homeowner in the city's Kaisertown neighborhood while attending University at Buffalo night school in business and political science.[11]
In a 2025 interview, Bollman said that he grew up attending programs sponsored by the Buffalo Police Athletic League, which he credited with helping him build lasting community connections.[12]
He is married to the former Carol Lesakowski.[13] In 2025, Bollman said he was "a parent of children enrolled in BPS" while discussing Buffalo's capital budget.[14]
In 2024, Investigative Post reported that Bollman's annual financial disclosure showed outside income from delivery work for Uber Eats and DoorDash.[15]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Bryan J. Bollman". City of Buffalo. Retrieved April 19, 2026.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Common Council Conversations: Council Member Bryan Bollman on The Public Good". Partnership for the Public Good. April 12, 2022. Retrieved April 19, 2026.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Election 2019: Buffalo Common Council". Buffalo Toronto Public Media. November 4, 2019. Retrieved April 19, 2026.
- ↑ "Apathy, Democratic HQ winners in primary". Investigative Post. June 26, 2019. Retrieved April 19, 2026.
- ↑ "Nowakowski, Bollman win Common Council seats vacated by Franczyk, Fontana". Buffalo Toronto Public Media. November 6, 2019. Retrieved April 19, 2026.
- ↑ "New Common Council members sworn in". Buffalo Toronto Public Media. January 2, 2020. Retrieved April 19, 2026.
- ↑ "Buffalo primary elections: Progressives strike out — again". City & State New York. June 29, 2023. Retrieved April 19, 2026.
- ↑ "Tracking the results of the races for four Buffalo Common Council seats". WKBW. November 7, 2023. Retrieved April 19, 2026.
- ↑ "Buffalo Common Council elects new president, president pro tempore, and majority leader". WKBW. January 2, 2024. Retrieved April 19, 2026.
- ↑ "Byron Brown is likely to leave City Hall. What happens next?". Buffalo Toronto Public Media. September 6, 2024. Retrieved April 19, 2026.
- ↑ "Common Council Proceedings, January 22, 2008". City of Buffalo. Retrieved April 19, 2026.
- ↑ "How Buffalo is an emerging leader in youth and sports development". Spectrum News 1. September 21, 2025. Retrieved April 19, 2026.
- ↑ "Rita Theresa Lesakowski Obituary". Pietszak Funeral Home. Retrieved April 19, 2026.
- ↑ "Buffalo Common Council Amends, Approves 2026 Capital Budget". The Buffalo Criterion. November 30, 2025. Retrieved April 19, 2026.
- ↑ Kelly, Geoff (June 11, 2024). "Buffalo lawmakers' side gigs". Investigative Post. Retrieved April 19, 2026.
External links
This article "Bryan J. Bollman" is from Wikipedia. The list of its authors can be seen in its historical and/or the page Edithistory:Bryan J. Bollman. Articles copied from Draft Namespace on Wikipedia could be seen on the Draft Namespace of Wikipedia and not main one.
