1802

«Of this obverse, - writes B. Radice - of which he enjoyed the University of Bronte, in 1802 tried to undress him Duke Nelson electing in Catania a superior court with manifest damage of the Bronte people. Mayor Nicolò Dinaro rose against this attack on July 15, 1802.» In the Nelson Archives (vol. 212-B-1) an «election made by Forcella in the person of Margaglio for governor of Bronte», dated August 14, 1801.
The donation of Ferdinand of 1799 accorded to Admiral Horatio Nelson «the faculty of being able to elect in the land of Bronte the officials for the administration of that University». It was a privilege that for a three-year period assured the Nelson and their administrators a complete control of the municipal administration and above all docile mayors very useful in times of continuous and furious judicial litigation between the Ducea and the vassals of Bronte.

1803

Don Nicolò Spitaleri (1741-1831) was appointed mayor on 23 June 1803, on a set of names indicated by the Council, from the Marquis of Palermo Don Antonio Forcella, procurator of Horatio Nelson and administrator of the Ducea. The appointment was renewed on 10 September 1806. Source of this news was the Nelson Archives (volume 212-B-1).
A plaque walled inside the Church of the Matrix still reminds us that Don Nicolò Spedalieri, "a man of solid virtue, of extraordinary talent, persevering and exemplary in the practice of faith", lived 90 years, 3 months and 4 days, "very meritorious of God and of the Fatherland, having covered, in an integral way, all public offices ". One of his sons, Gioacchino, was mayor of Bronte from 1818 to 1820.

1809

Don Gennaro Minissale. On 21 August 1809 the Marquis Forcella "gladly elects and appoints in the mayor of the lands of Bronti the admirable D. Don Gennaro Minissale although absent as a present" and «that with all those honors, addictions and tools, and others of the office of mayor due and belonging, just according to the laws and customs established in this Kingdom of Sicily, and as mayors have enjoyed them predecessors, and not otherwise» (Nelson archive, volume 214-b, page 259)

1820

Spedalieri Gioacchino

Don Gioacchino Spedalieri during the revolutionary revolts of 1820 unsuccessfully tried the way of neutrality and tempori­zation receiving emissaries from both Palermo and Catania now with tricolor and yellow bands, now with bands of other colors. In the end he escaped to Randazzo. (Mayor Spedalieri, - writes of him B. Radice - despite the Town Hall prayers, he had remained in Randazzo to direct ... fear).

His father, Don Nicolò, had been mayor of Bronte in 1803. At forty-six years, in 1833, we find Gioacchino Spedalieri in Naples, head of the Section for the affairs of Sicily; he had married "with Donna Maria Carolina Graefer of Caserta in the thirties" (daughter of the gardener Andrea, 1st administrator of the Ducea) from which on 5 January he had a son to whom he gave the names of Luigi Salvatore Epifanio Francesco di Paola. Another son of the couple was the baron Giuseppe Nicola (born in 1812) expert in esoteric doctrines.

1821

Cimbali Giacomo, lawyer, resigned the 18.1.1823 with letter of dismissal sent to superintendent Valle of Catania, Baron Mandrascate. His son Antonino also, forty years after (1862) and in various other periods, was elected Mayor of Bronte.

1826

Vincenzo Catania (Belonged to him the Legal Memory of 2.8.1826 about "The Bronte' communists proper rights over the forests of the Maniace and S. Filippo di Fragalà" estates, Catania 1851).

1839

Aidala Giuseppe (from 2 gennaio)

1839

Zappia Giuseppe (from 15 novembre)

1840

Saitta Dr. Luigi (from 9 ottobre)

1844

Catania Vincenzo (from 9 gennaio)

1844

Meli Dr. Mariano (from 23 marzo)

1848

Meli Vincenzo, baron, (from 30 January). Resigns in April, after the 1848 riots. Was president of the revolutionary Committee, formed by 30 people, that exalted to liberal Pope (Pio IX) and to Palermo' constitution against the Bourbon King Ferdinando II.

1848

Battaglia Ignazio, President of the Council, acting as mayor until the 30 June.

1848

Margaglio Dr. Ferdinando, President of the Council in July and August.

1848

Sanfilippo Vincenzo, elected Mayor the 3 October.

1850

Saitta Dr. Luigi, (from 20 November, dismissed in June 1851).

1851

Margaglio Dr. Vito (from 21 ottobre)

1853

Meli Bernardo (from 19 maggio)

1860

Leanza Antonino, declared removed with decree of 14 May

1860

Luca Sebastiano, President, elected in June.

1860

Lawyer Lombardo Nicolò, nominated by the rebels, probably from 4 August. At dawn of the 10 August 1860, after a summary process for the bloody  Bronte' facts, was shot by order of Nino Bixio in the Convent of San Vito square.

1860

Luca Sebastiano, Presidente froml 26 ottobre to 15 febbraio 1861.

1861

Meli Bernardo (from 9 maggio to 6 aprile 1862).

1862

1863

Zappia Giuseppe, notary, acting as Mayor from 20 January

1863

Leanza Antonino (in office till 1864)

1865

Massa Angelo, Lawyer, Extraordinary Royal Commissioner

1866

Meli Bernardo (in office till 1868)

1869

Cimbali dr. Antonino, in office till 1875. Was also Mayor of Bronte in 1862, 1888 and 1890.

1876

Cavalier Baratta Gennaro, native of Ucria (ME)

1879

Leanza Antonino, acting as mayor until November.

1879

Leotta Guglielmo, acting as Mayor from 29 November. He remembers the gift of 61 volumes from the suppressed convents of the Capuchin Fathers, the Minor Observants and the Basilians of St. Blandano at the Capizzi College Library. He was mayor of Bronte also in 1882, 1886 and 1889.

1880

Lombardo Placido, acting as Mayor from 22 April

1881

Cavalier Baratta Gennaro

1881

Alati Tommaso, lawyer, extraordinary Royal Commissioner from 12 October.

1882

Leotta Guglielmo, in office till 1884

1885

Palermo Filippo, resigned shortly after being elected.

1885

Spedalieri Nicolò, in office till 25 September

1886

Leotta Guglielmo, in office till 1887. Benedetto Radice writes that, a year after, because of a cholera epidemic, "the mayor and the assessors run away".

1887

Sorge Giuseppe, lawyer, extraordinary Royal Commissioner (the civic Council came to an end because of the cholera epidemic and all powers were concentrated on the Commissioner).

1888

1889

Leotta Guglielmo, acting as Mayor

1889

Baratta Gennaro, acting as till 7 September.

1890

Cimbali Antonino, resigned the 9 July 1891. Was also Mayor of Bronte in the years 1862, 1869, and 1888.

1891

Minissale Michele, lawyer.

1892

Politi Luigi (in office till 1893, when, in February the civic Council came to an end)

1893

Diodato Sansone, lawyer, extraordinary Royal Commissioner nominated the 6 March.)

1893

Spedalieri Nicolò, in office from 6 June till 1894.

1894

Spedalieri Arcangelo, doctor, resigned the 24 June.

1895

Cimbali Francesco

Francesco Cimbali, doctor, acting as mayor. Son of Antonino (the father was several times mayor of Bronte in the years 1862, 1869, 1888 and 1890), Francesco Cimbali held the office of mayor of Bronte also in the years 1903 and 1914.
Was our second Deputy (elected to Montecitorio in 1893-95) and provincial Councilor.

Similarly to 1860 at that time in Bronte still faced the usual two parties: that of the "ducali" (advocates of the interests of Nelson) and the other of the "communists" ("the Cimbaliani"), who sided with those of the City.

This time the cause of the dispute (among others) was the closure by the ducal of some royalties that led from Bronte to Marotta or, crossing the river, to the Nebrodi woods.
And, as always, the Duke to win also put in the field the "ducal" of Bronte, his influence, the politicians friends (among all the Rascal Vagliasindi), his countless connections and also, as in 1860, the usual English Consul.

1896

De Luca Placido, lawyer, from 27 August

1901

1903

1904

1904

1905

1909

1914

1921

1929

1936

1941

1943

1945

DE LUCA PLACIDO,

Placido De Luca was the last fascist Podesta and also the first to hold the post of mayor after the fascist period and the Constitution of the Republic (administrative elections of 7 April 1946).

Militant in the Christian Democratic Party, headed a two-color Council (Christian Democracy-Socialist Party) and had as aldermen Castiglione Vincenzo (Socialist Party), Franchina Leone and Palermo Giuseppe (Christian Democracy), Meli Calogero and Di Bella Salvatore (deputy aldermen, of the Socialist Party).

In the administrative elections of April 7, 1946 (the first held in Bronte after the fall of Fascism) were presented two lists of 24 candidates each: that of the Christian Democrats (where there were several notables, members of Catholic Action and the more wealthy classes of the country) and that of the "Spiga" (which included candidates of five parties: PdA (Action Party, Communists, Socialists, Republicans and Liberals).

The Communist Party, although poorly organized, was active in Bronte after the war and had as its leader the geom. Vincenzo Galvagno, municipal employee. The DC, also and above all for the explicit support of the clergy, won the elections with 73.3% of the votes against 26.7% of the Spiga.

Placido De Luca remained in the office of mayor lasted a few months only, until June, when the Council was dissolved for internal contrasts  in the Christian Democratic Party.

1946

INTERDONATO GIUSEPPE

Giuseppe Interdonato elected Lord Mayor  in June heading a two-color Council (Christian Democracy  -  Socialist Party). His aldermen were Luigi Mauro (Socialist Party), the notary Nunzio Azzia and Leone Franchina (Christian Democracy) and Gennaro Talamo and Nunzio Di Bella (deputy aldermen).

The knight Giuseppe Interdonato, was  President of the Hospital Castiglione-Prestianni during the war and till 1959, Director of the the Mutual Popular Bank of  Bronte (the ancient Agrarian Mutual Bank), now  Popular Bank of Bronte. always to the service of his country town, acknowledged  the desire of revival and of political, economical and cultural awakening, that animated the people.

He stood as a candidate for the Christian Democratic party to the  administrative elections of the  9th of March '46 and was elected Lord Mayor of Bronte in June.
He was fully involved in the revival desire of the after war time and of the wish  for economical and cultural awakening that was animating the entire population,  doing his outmost  to realize social works and services in that period particularly necessary to the collectivity.

Many remember him spending entire days on the train to get to Palermo or Rome or in the door steps of deputies or high government officials to ask for financing of works to be realized in our country town.

That is how, while he was Lord Mayor, were realized the council houses of the avenue of the Region, the Municipal Palace, the scholastic complex «Mazzini», the house of the War Veterans and the sewer system, were  improved many town' streets and realized others in various agricultural zones. A large numbers of his projects, undertaken by him were financed and executed when he was no longer Lord Mayor.

1952

1955

1956

CASTIGLIONE VINCENZO,

lawyer, socialist, valiant defender of trade union rights of workers. Elected in the electoral list Autonomy and Revival that in the elections of 1956 obtained 4.868 votes (50,2%) headed the first Council of the left of the political history of Bronte.

His aldermen were  Cantaro Galeno Domenico (Communist party), the professor Mario Lupo (deputy Mayor),  The schoolteacher Vittorio Cutrona and the lawyer Antonino Venia (Socialist Party) and Lupo Vito and Gulino Lorenzo (Communist party, Socialist party, deputy aldermen).

In the following  administrative elections of 1960 the Christian Democracy obtained 14 seats (over 32), the Socialist Party  13.

Was formed again a council of the left with lord Mayor still the lawyer Castiglione Vincenzo (effective aldermen: Mario Lupo, Nunzio Pappalardo, Antonino Venia od the Socialist party and Gatto Giuseppe of the Social Democratic party  of G. Saragat; substutute aldermen: Salvatore Longhitano and Alfio Martello, Socialist party).

This second administration of the lawyer Castiglione lasted only two years; in 1962, in fact, the representative  of the Social-Democrat party, Gatto, took away his support causing the fall of the Council and offered it to the new Lord Mayor  Nunzio Meli.

1962

MELI NUNZIO,

professor. Was also headmaster of the Capizzi high school and president of the local Mutual Popular Bank (the ancient Mutual Agrarian Bank founded in 1912).

Was  elected in the list of the Christian Democracy; his Council was composed by the aldermen Attinà Fortunato and Lombardo Nunzio (Christian Democracy), Saitta Alfio (Monarchist Party) and Gatto Giuseppe (Social Democratic party) and deputy aldermen Caraci Nunzio and Ciraldo Francesco (Christian Democracy).

Four years after, in the successive administrative elections of the 22.11.64, again the Christian Democratic Party of Bronte won with 4.553 votes (42,52%.

Second resulted the Socialist party with 2.524 votes). Was elected again Lord Mayor the professor Meli Nunzio.

His aldermen were Gatto Giuseppe (Social Democratic party), Lombardo Nunzio and Carmelo Zerbo (Christian Democracy) and  Venia Antonino (Socialist party); deputy aldermen were Pappalardo Nunzio (Socialist party) and Currao Giuseppe (Christian Democracy).

1969

VENIA ANTONIO,

lawyer. In the administrative elections held in November 1968, of the 32 seats available, the Christian Democracy  had 13, the Socialist party-Social Democratic party  10, the Communist party 5, a Maniace' civic list 3 and the Italian social Movement 1.

Was formed a left wing council and elected Mayor the lawyer Antonino Venia with the aldermen Vincenzo Lupo, Giuseppe Gatto, Castiglione Placido and Fallico Antonino (the substitute were Di Marco Sebastiano and Caltabiano Paolo).

The Council, tortured by a long, internal crisis, was forced to resign during Augustl 1970.

The crisis last only a few days: the 29th, in fact, a coalition formed by eight Christian Democrats councilors of Sturzo section (on the 13 that the Christian Democracy had), the Socialist party and the civic list of Maniace elected Mayor again the lawyer Venia with the aldermen Attinà Fortunato, Zingali Ignazio, Paparo Antonino (Christian Democracy), Castiglione Placido (Socialist party) and Di Marco Sebastiano of the civic list of Maniace.

1976

PAPARO VINCENZO

Vincenzo Paparo (Bronte 1922 - 1990), professor of letters and principal at the Liceo Capizzi, was mayor of Bronte from 1973 until June 1979.

A militant in the Christian Democrats, he led a handful of dissidents from Democrazia Cristiana who referred to the Hon. Russo (the other led by Nunzio Lombardo was linked to the Drago). He was elected mayor after the administrative elections of 1973 when the DC with 44.1% of the preferences won 15 seats, more than double the PSI of Vincenzo Castiglione who came second with 19.5% of the votes (7 seats).
Formed a two- color Council with the layer Vincenzo Castiglione and Biagio Saitta of the Socialist Party and Ignazio Zingali, Giuseppe Sarta and Antonino Paparo of  Christian Democracy.

Vincenzo Paparo remained in office from 1973 until June of 1979. In addition to his peculiar qualities of mirrored honesty and rigor we want to remember his foresight in starting the expansion of the country downstream, in Contrada Sciarotta.

1980

FRANCHINA GIUSEPPE

Giuseppe Franchina, school teacher, headed from June '79 a one-party Council again with Christian Democracy majority; (in the elections they took 4.910 votes over 12.404 voters, the Socialist party 2.833 and the Communist party 1.073).

Were part of the initial Council the aldermen Paparo Antonino, Longhitano Francesco, Leanza Biagio Antonino, Sarta Giuseppe, Spitaleri Antonino and Spitaleri Francesco (all Christian Democrats). Towards the end of the Franchina mandate were also part of the Council  Pino Firrarello and Petronaci Zino.

The union period of the Franchina-Leanza-Firrarello trio was one of the most prosperous in the post-war history of Bronte.
In addition to the purchase of Nelson Castle (September 4, 1981, approved by the City Council on April 30 of the same year and financed by the Department of Cultural Heritage of the Sicilian Region with the benefits provided for by Regional Law 80/77), considerable funding was obtained and undertaken imported public works.
We would like to mention the construction of the District Court and the municipal villa (with an INA mortgage of 985 million lire), the completion of the pool (a loan was obtained from the Cassa DD and Lire 900 million, but the expropriation of the land on which to build it dated back to the late '60s and was inaugurated 20 years later), the remaking of public lighting, the upgrading of the aqueduct, the completion of the sewage network and the first works for the construction of the purifier, the urbanization works of the Sciarotta area and the handicraft area of ​​the SS. Christ. On December 4, 1983 the mayor Franchina in front of the municipal building also inaugurated the city methane network that made Bronte one of the first Sicilian municipalities to equip itself with gas for domestic use.

1984

1988

PAPARO ANTONINO

Antonino (Nino) Paparo, born in Bronte on 10 May 1938, Christian Democrat employee, was mayor of Bronte since November 1986. Appointed by the City Council, he took over the post of mayor to Pino Firrarello, who resigned from the post following his election as a Member of the Sicilian Regional Assembly. "He was a good mayor - wrote Firrarello - thanks above all to his uncommon ability to please everyone".
Paparo confirmed the previous bicolor Council (DC-PSI): «the municipal administration I presided over - had to declare. as a political and programmatic formation it is the continuation of the previous one ".

Formed a Council with  Pizzuto Salvatore, Di Marco Calogero and Longhitano Antonino of the Socialist Party and Caruso Vincenzo, Anastasi Salvatore and Triscari Antonino of the Christian Democracy.

With a successive reshuffle of the 2.12.1987 the aldermans Lorenzo Giuseppe Capace, Calogero Di Marco, Salvino Luca of the Socialist Party  and Vincenzo Caruso, Nunzio Castiglione, Antonino Galvagno of the Christian Democracy formed also the Council.

1990

SPITALERI FRANCESCO

Francesco (Ciccio) Spitaleri, employee, elected in the list of Christian Democracy that in the  administrative elections of the 28-29 maggio 1989 won 6.727 votes  (54,42% ) with eighteen  seats. Among the other parties, the Socialist Party  had 26,45% (9 seats), The Communist Party 9,80% and the Social Movement-DN 5,20%. Headed a one-party Council with Saitta Antonino Luigi, Catania Giuseppe, Catania Franco (subsequently elected to the Sicilian Regional Assembly), Franchina Giovanni Luigi, Lupo Tommaso and Schilirò Maria (all Christian Democrats).

Spitaleri resigned on December 13, 1991 (he said then for political agreements of alternation within the Christian Democratic group prior to his election) In fact his was a junta in time and the mayor - as declared in the City Council - resigned "considering completed the period for which the administration had been established ". The Socialist Party had to return to the municipal administration after two and a half years.
The Christian Democrat Ciccio Spitaleri took over ten days later another Christian Democrat, Salvatore (Gino) Anastasi: in the Council meeting of December 23 a "Bulgarian majority" of 24 councilors (all DC and PSI) out of 32 elected the new mayor and the six members of his council.

1992

ANASTASI SALVATORE

Anastasi Salvatore (called Gino), chemist, Christian Democrat, he was elected Mayor of Bronte the 23rd December 1991, after the resignation of  Spitaleri Francesco.

Headed a Council  Christian Democracy-Socialist Party with a total of 27 councilors over 32) with four aldermen Christian Democrats (Antonino Orefice, Biagio Papotto and Giuseppe Basile and three Socialist (Francesco Musarra, Biagio Saitta and Vincenza Meli).

Lasted in office only one year for the anticipated breaking up of the Town Council. Towards the end of 1992, in fact, the 18 Christian Democrats councilors resigned and, for Bronte, was nominated a Commissar ad acta. The period of his Mayor ship  was contemporaneous to the end of the so-called "First Republic" (with the  dissolving, even in Bronte, of the two major political Parties, the Christian Democracy and the  Socialist Party).

1993

1994

ZAPPIA MARIO

Zappia Mario born at Catania the 14.2.1954, medical doctor, first Lord Mayor elected  directly by the citizens in the  administrative elections of 21.1.1993 in the  civic list "Together  to rebuild".

Surpassed  in the second ballot with 5.937 votes (61,55%) the lawyer Livio Castiglione. Chose as first aldermen Galvagno Antonino, Galvagno Maria, Sanfilippo Antonino, Meli Nunzio, Schilirò Antonio and Spanò Nunzio.

Four years after, in the municipal elections of the 1997, again in second ballot, Mario Zappia was re-elected Mayor with 9.032 votes (the other candidate, Franco Catania, refused to participate to the second ballot).

His first Council had as aldermen Bonina Gaetano, Costanzo Angela Daniela, Leanza Nello, Pappalardo Consolazione and Salvia Carmelo (with functions of Deputy Mayor during the last  period).

For subsequent resignations and reshuffles joined as aldermen also Biuso Nuccio, Bonina Antonino, Gorgone Maurizio, Navarria Antonino, Longhitano Maurizio and  Pinzone Alfio.

2002

SALVATORE LEANZA,

lawyer and  business manager, Socialist, ex vice-president of the Sicilian Regional Assembly and ex Regional Alderman to  Public Works.

After thirty years has brought back the left wing to to govern the city of Bronte: has been, in fact, elected Lord Mayor in a coalition of Left-Center, in the second ballot of the  10th of June 2002, with 6.205 votes  (54,76%), surpassing the other candidate, the layer Nunzio Calanna of the coalition "House of Freedom" by 1.077 votes. The aldermen of his first Council, indicated during the electoral campaign, are: Antonello Caruso, Rosaria Costanzo Zammataro, Antonino Leanza, Alfio Paparo, Franca Reale and Vincenzo Sanfilippo.

His coalition has, however, little power and representation in the Municipal Council where the House of Freedom has an overwhelming  majority of 14 councilors over 20.

The brief Leanza’s mayoralty did not had a happy life: since the first months the composition of his executive committee appeared fickle and changeable, (during the two years, the Mayor rotated 13 names to that position.), and the rapports with the Council were particularly quarrelsome, as the opposition, (Casa delle libertà (Freedom’s House), had a majority of 14 councilors out of 20, having surpassed in the first electoral turn, of the 26th-27th of May 2002, with a crushing majority, the coalition that voted Leanza (7.376 votes 60,47 %).

With 17 votes in favour, (all the ones of the opposition plus one of the independent councilor Enzo Bonina), the 23rd of October, 2004, the Council voted a motion of no confidence sending everybody home (Lord mayor and Council) and the citizens to polls.

2004

Ernesto Bianca, an executive of Catania’s prefecture, appointed by the Region’s governor Cuffaro, commissary to Bronte’s Council, from the 2nd of December, 2004.

2005

2015