Caucus selects two new faces

Moran to run for re-election, Beale and Zupan seek town seats

By Willie Kiernan

The town of Cazenovia Democratic caucus was held Thursday Sept. 6 and Helen Beale and Bill Zupan emerged as the party’s nominees for town board seats. Liz Moran was endorsed for re-election as town supervisor.

Zupan has served on the town’s zoning board of appeals for 17 years, the past six years as its chair.

“It is clear that the town board has become much more pro-active under Liz’s leadership. Her approach and her ideas have brought needed improvements to the way the town government does the people’s business,” Zupan said. “I would like to help her and other board members further that agenda.”

Beale is recently retired from the New York State United Teachers, where she worked for 31 years as a labor relations specialist with primary responsibility for negotiating and enforcing contracts. Prior to that, she was an English teacher in the Cazenovia Central Schools.

“I believe my longstanding advocacy for openness in government and my background in public sector labor relations would be an asset to the town board as it continues to work to improve its operations and become more responsive to public needs and concerns,” Beale said.

Zupan, the owner of a local sand and gravel business that was started by his father 45 years ago, graduated from Cazenovia High School in 1968 and received his B.A. from Hobart College in Geneva. He is a member of the Town Comprehensive Planning Committee and has previously served on the Lake Watershed Committee.

Beale is a longtime civic activist and former president of the League of Women Voters of Cazenovia. She graduated from Ithaca College and did her graduate work at SUNY Cortland and Cornell University. In addition to her past leadership of the League of Women Voters, Beale is a volunteer for Habitat for Humanity, has served on the board of the United Way of Central New York and currently serves on the board of the Prevention Network, a not-for-profit agency providing programs and education concerning alcoholism and other addictions.

Liz Moran, who was elected Cazenovia Town Supervisor in 2005 on a pledge to focus on planning and land use issues, will seek for re-election on Nov. 6 alongside the two other longtime Cazenovia residents.

“I sought this job two years ago because I wanted to improve the way our town government does business, particularly in balancing growth with the need to protect Cazenovia’s unique character,” said Moran. “I’ve worked hard to get a genuine planning process going, and to encourage more citizens to participate and share their ideas and concerns.”

For the past ten years, Moran, who received her PhD in water resources management from Cornell University, has been president of EcoLogic LLC, a consulting company she founded to specialize in aquatic, wetland and terrestrial ecology. Before that, she worked for Stearns & Wheler Environmental Engineers and Scientists and was made an Associate of the Cazenovia firm in 1994.

During her term as supervisor, Moran has undertaken a broad range of initiatives aimed at improving the town government’s operations, furthering the establishment of a new comprehensive plan for Cazenovia and ensuring that government does its business in a more accountable, open and inclusive way.

“Cazenovia’s reputation as a beautiful place is growing, and because of that we will face increasing development pressures,” said Moran. “For that reason we have to keep our eye on the ball and do everything possible to ensure that growth does not diminish the town’s unique character.”

Election Day

The Nov. 6 election will feature four candidates for two seats on the town council. Incumbent Carol Schoch is seeking re-election as a member of the Republican party. Also, Sparky Christakos, running as an independent, was endorsed by the Republicans.

Tim Hunt will be running for highway superintendent. Linda Mather, who has been the town clerk for 20 years, is seeking re-election. Both have been endorsed by the Republican party and are running unopposed.

Liz Moran is also running unopposed.

“We’ve made great progress, but we’re not there yet,” Moran said. “The town board and supervisor we elect this fall will be responsible for finishing the job and implementing the plan, and that’s why I want to continue to serve.”

Local Proposition 1

Also on the ballot for Nov. 6 will be a local proposition. The approval of the proposition will abolish the elected position of town highway superintendent as of Jan. 1, 2010 and establish the appointed position of town highway superintendent as of the same date.

The position of the Cazenovia Highway Superintendent has always been decided by public election and has always been a two-year term. If the proposition is approved, the town board will have the power to appoint someone to the position and monitor town highway activities as with any town employee.