UTICA - Utica Mayor David Roefaro today announced the First Mayor's Charity Ball. Each year the event will benefit a different local recipient.

This year, it's the Utica Public Library. The mayor made the announcement today at the Utica Public Library surrounded by library staff who are thrilled about the event.

The ball will happen next month at the library - not in any particular room or area - but the whole library. There will be live music and hoeurs d'oeuvres, and the money raised will benefit the Utica Public Library.

Roefaro says he wanted to do something like this long before he became mayor.

"A long time ago I always said a lot of the politicians, they have fundraisers every year for themselves and I think it would be a nice thing for one of us to actually do something for the community and I always said I'd like to have a charity event for at least one charity every year," Roefaro said.

The charity ball to benefit the Utica Public Library takes place Saturday, February 2, at 6 p.m. at the library. Tickets are $50 dollars.

For information, you can call the library at 735-2279, extension 217.

There's no set goal or amount they'd like to raise for the library, but they're hoping for at least 200 people. The mayor says there will be no cost to the city, that the city's arranging for local restaurants to donate food for the event and any remaining balance would come from ticket sales.