TONAWANDA, N.Y. (WKBW) — The Town Board is set to vote to appoint former Erie County District Attorney John Flynn as the town’s next supervisor, filling the vacancy left by longtime Supervisor Joe Emminger, who stepped down on May 13.
Flynn, a longtime Tonawanda resident, returns to local government after serving nearly eight years as Erie County’s top prosecutor. Before becoming district attorney, Flynn held several roles in town government, including town councilman, town attorney and town justice.
Following the appointment, Flynn was sworn into office and formally addressed the Town Board and community.
Flynn tells me stepping into the role felt like the right next chapter after leaving the district attorney’s office earlier this year.
"It was time for a change," Flynn said.
WATCH: Former Erie County DA John Flynn to be appointed Town of Tonawanda supervisor
Flynn said public safety will remain one of his top priorities as supervisor, pointing to his experience leading the Erie County District Attorney’s Office.
"Always, as being a former district attorney, public safety is going to be first and foremost," Flynn said. "You know, it doesn't matter really about, quite frankly, anything else, while everything else is important, but if you don't have a safe place to live, work, and play, then you got to ask yourself, what do you have?"
Along with public safety, Flynn said he hopes to focus on long-term economic growth and waterfront development opportunities in the town.
"There are other areas there on our waterfront that we are going to be involved with, so if we can build up our portion of the waterfront, that will link the city of Buffalo, a little bit of south city of Tonawanda and North Tonawanda to north, and we'll have a regional landscape now that'll be the best in the state," Flynn said.
Flynn also said he plans to continue his private legal practice while serving as supervisor, something he says he has balanced in previous leadership positions.
Emminger served in the Town of Tonawanda government for more than two decades. He was first elected to the Town Board in 2005, re-elected in 2009 and 2013, and became supervisor in 2015. He was re-elected to the position in 2019 and 2023.
Flynn will serve as supervisor through the end of 2026. A special election will be held in November 2026, and the winner will complete the remainder of Emminger’s term, which expires at the end of 2027.
