I am up for re-election this year. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank you for the opportunity to serve you the last four years and to ask for your support in the election on 3/18/2014. I am endorsed by the Democratic, Conservative, and Re-Charge Le Roy Parties. Bill Kettle is running with me and makes an excellent candidate with local ties and a great deal of energy and ideas!
I campaigned on finding a solution to reopen the pool, the value of the comprehensive plan, coming up with a solution to blight, and working together with the Town Council. There have been some successes and some controversy; I’d like to take this opportunity and this excellent forum (thank you, Howard and Billie) to update you.
The pool was a very close call. Prior to my being sworn in the board voted to close it permanently. Fortunately, I was able to keep the dialogue going long enough for a group of citizens to come forward with a plan that called for private resources to fix and reopen it. Between the Town, the Village, and the Pool Committee we have been able to keep it running during the summer for our citizens to utilize. In addition, Jackie Whiting has been able to connect with recreation programs from other communities to open it for their use as well. There is even a scholarship fund to assist people in need with pool memberships. This year was a record breaking year for usage thanks to the concerned citizens who believed it was important enough to use their own resources on. The pool required working with two levels of local government, reaching across parties, and utilizing citizen expertise.
I have attended several government workshops conducted by the NYCOM (New York Conference of Mayors) and Genesee/Finger Lakes Regional Planning Council to learn more about code, planning, and comprehensive plans. The state places great importance on comprehensive plans, including requiring them for grant applications. We have been working to come up with a cost effective way to update our plan without increasing the burden on tax payers. I continue to advocate for it, to reference it in decision making, and to learn more about it and its uses. According to the state it is worthy of the public effort that went into making it.
Blighted buildings are a big issue for us. As you probably recall even our Town Supervisor, Steve Barbeau, campaigned on that issue. They are unattractive in general, but particularly when they line the corridors to our community for everyone to see. This is an issue that I continue to work on with the Village Board and our Town Supervisor. As a Town we have a new code enforcement officer who has recently completed all of his training. The Town Supervisor works closely with him to address this issue with our input. Some of the solutions out there are costly to tax payers. Recently, though, this has been an issue that the Attorney General has become very interested in and my running mate, Bill Kettle, and I will work with his office to utilize their resources to get the job done. Le Roy is a picturesque community that anyone would be lucky to live in.
Our Village Board has a great working relationship with our Town Board. Supervisor Barbeau is accessible and easy to work with and the lines of communication have opened up a great deal. I have personally worked on code, blight, National Historic Registry, and the website with him. I will continue to work with the Town Board as you deserve seamless government.
I have also worked on a few things that I did not campaign on. I voted to support a letter from our board to our state officials asking them to take another look at the Safe Act. I developed the Main Street Revitalization Committee and am in constant contact with Main Street Businesses and Building owners. We have been working for the last year, at their request, towards an application for National Historic Registry Status for Main Street and a portion of West Main. This is an honorary status that opens up tax credits and other funding streams for building owners to help them maintain their properties and even do updates. There are no restrictions on status, only on public money that may be used by owners. Owners who use their own funds or private funds are free to do as they wish to their buildings.
There has been healthy debate on controversial issues, including the Wiss and Robbins Nest. While people may disagree with my votes on some of these topics please understand that my votes are always based on numerous conversations with constituents and an analysis of the cost versus benefit of each situation. I research every topic in depth and always seek and welcome feedback from everybody. You elected me to represent you and I take that very seriously.
I am sure we do not always agree on issues, but I believe that we all agree that Le Roy is a beautiful and wonderful community to raise a family. I have worked very hard for you over the last four years and will continue to do so. This is the community we chose and I will continue to try to make it the place where all of our children want to raise their families as well. You will find that my running mate has a similar vision and drive, so please consider supporting both of us on Election Day. With Bill Kettle and Jennifer Keys you get Re-Charged Trustees who look towards the future. When you “Envision Le Roy” what do you see?
I am always accessible, your voice counts, trusteekeys@rochester.rr.com.
