It was a familiar occasion for Mark Poloncarz Tuesday morning, as he was sworn in for his third term as Erie County Executive.

As plans for the next four years were discussed, many looked back at the past eight years, since Poloncarz first took the seat in 2012.

"We have seen a renaissance here in Erie County under his tenure, sweeping away the bad and bringing to an era where people believe in the possibilities of government once again, Mark, you did that," Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) said.

Over those years, the county saw a boost in the economy.

"During his first two terms, he has created 47,000 jobs and unemployment has fell from 9 percent to under 4 percent," said Tish James, (D) New York state attorney general. 

And the county was named a leader when it comes to combating the opiate epidemic.

"The U.S. Department of Justice considers Erie County to be the national model on how to combat the opiate crisis. Thank you to all who've played a role in responding to the opiate crisis, it is certainly a group effort, and while there is more work to do, I want to thank each and every one of you because we have saved lives," Poloncarz (D) said.

This, in addition to adding more health care options to the county, targeting zombie homes, reducing threats posed by lead poisoning, and more. 

Poloncarz says all these initiatives will still be a focus in the next four years.

"We have made great strides in addressing the problem, but there is more work to do. That's why today I plan to continue this critical funding throughout my entire next term," he said.

Future plans for the Buffalo Niagara Convention Center, and even New Era Field, are just a few other projects being focused on during this new term.