Town supervisor candidate
Damian Ulatowski
Biographical information (family, employer, political affiliation, age, number of years in home, etc.):
Damian M. Ulatowski is a 30-year resident of the Town of Clay. He has a BA from Fredonia State and is Owner of Affordable Benefit Concepts Inc., an employee benefits firm located in Liverpool, specializing in providing employee health insurance alternative for small and medium-sized businesses. Damian has been married to his wife Mary Ellen for 32 years and they have two grown children Eric and Elizabeth. Damian is a 12-year veteran of town government and has served as councilman, where he was liaison to the highway department. In 2006 he was named deputy supervisor where he served as liaison to public safety overseeing, both police protection and fire department functions. Damian was an advocate for the police consolidation that eventually was approved, transferring service from a standalone police department to a service provided by the Onondaga County Sheriff’s department, a move that saved Clay taxpayers over $1,000,000 a year. In 2008 Damian was named Supervisor and since that time Damian has been trying to keep town budget in perspective and is embracing green activities wherever they present themselves. Most recently he secured a $500,000 grant from the US Department of Energy and accomplished energy cost savings at the old town hall and the highway garage generating thousands of dollars in energy cost savings.
Why are you running for office?
I still feel that there is work to be done so I would like to again ask the residents of the town of Clay to support me as their representative for supervisor. From there I can shepherd them into the coming years when several challenges will face us as not only residents of the town but the county and state as well. Consolidated survives are becoming realities and Clay has been leading the way. The county is now looking for move initiatives to further bring about consolidations and the state with its recently enacted 2 percent tax cap would like to smaller responsible government. This is all well and good but my primary responsibilities are to the residents of the town of clay and I will do my best to make sure that any further moves in that direction are done responsibly and with the tax payer in mind. I still believe in a green future and will continue to peruse green alternatives in the coming years. Lastly the residents deserve a supervisor that is close to the people and I plan to continue my practice of listening to resident concerns and acting upon them to the fullest extent possible.
Why are you the best candidate for this office?
It boils down to two things a willingness to listen and experience. One grows from the other, and the outcome is a supervisor who can find solutions and enact change based upon sound decision making. That unfortunately does not come overnight. It is learned and the supervisor grows to fill the chair. Clay resident deserve fair responsible government and should expect the absolute best from their representatives. Clay has consistently provided low taxes and exceptional service to resident, but the years ahead will bring with them new and significant challenges and I feel that I can help navigate the waters ahead and bring growth and stability to Clay.
What are the issues facing the town, and what will you do to address them?
A sustainable budget is always the first and largest issue before any town board as in order to deliver good government it takes responsible individuals who are looking out for the taxpayer. After all it is taxes that make the wheels turn on our plow trucks, they enable soccer balls to roll across the fields of our clay town parks, and bring heat and light to our senior center. So in the next couple years we will have to learn to live with sales tax offsets to county taxes and live under a state-imposed tax cap. At the same time I would like to find the dollars so that we can aggressively go after our deteriorating infrastructures in bring up to standard all our town roads. We will have to look at once-secret programs and look to our employees to contribute more to benefit costs. I will also work tirelessly to push for mandate relief at the state level, find ways to purchase differently and relay on a county sheriff for the exception service we all know they provide to clay residents. I will still continue to try to attract business to Clay and do all that I can to support local development within our boundaries. Recently the town of Clay was ranked as one of the 100 best places to live in America. That in itself is a goal worth striving to maintain.
Town board candidates
Joseph Bick
Biographical information (family, employer, political affiliation, age, number of years in home, etc.):
I am a 40-year-old Republican from the town of Clay. I have lived in since 1993. I am married to my wife Jennifer and I have two children. I work for St. Joseph’s Hospital Health Center as a registered nurse.
Why are you running for office?
I am running for reelection because I enjoy serving the community.
Why are you the best candidate for this office?
I feel like I am the best candidate for this job because I have provided the people of Clay with good and faithful service for the past five years. Since taking office, I have completed my master’s degree from Le Moyne College and I have consistently acted for the common good in the town. I always try to err on the side of the average person.
What are the issues facing the town, and what will you do to address them?
The biggest issue these days is the rate at which taxes continue to rise. I will address this by carefully stewarding every tax dollar spent as best I can. Sometimes this takes the from of vocal opposition to changes at the county level, like last years sales tax fight, or voting against budgets I think don’t cut enough.
Robert Edick
Biographical information (family, employer, political affiliation, age, number of years in home, etc.):
Republican, Conservative. Robert L. Edick 49, of 4926 Trawler Course Liverpool. I have been a resident of Clay for 19 years with my late wife Sherry of 25 years (Ovarian Cancer 05/06/2011) and three children Brittney, Amber and Robert Jr. The past 25 years I have been employed, Vice President, by Affordable McLaughlin-Kehoe Insurance. Accredited Advisor in Insurance, Insurance Institute of America Philadelphia Pa. 1989.Have been active with Clay Panthers Football, Seneca River Baseball, Lions, Kiwanis clubs, and Meals on Wheels. Member of St. Rose of Lima.
Why are you running for office?
To continue to serve the interests of the people of Clay. When issues come before our town I enjoy getting involved in solving the situations with the people’s voices of Clay. Today we need to have leaders who listen and can compromise and I feel I am that leader. I also bring my business experience to the town of Clay.
Why are you the best candidate for this office?
Proven leadership that works for all the residents of Clay. Along with always striving to make Clay a better place to live and work. Again thank you for all of your support and not hesitate to contact me. Thank you.
What are the issues facing the town and what will you doing to address them?
Cost of services which equate to your taxes, roads, benefits, etc. The current board and I are very concerned with the cost of services which continue to drive all of our taxes. We continue to review the budget and make cuts where possible. One of our biggest cost is maintaining (including snow plowing) and repairing of roads due to the cost of fuel along with asphalt. My idea for future developments in the town are that they should be clustered which then creates less infrastructure and future costs of repairs. We will continue to work with the town’s employees to provide good services but we need to make sure the town is getting the best bang for the buck. Benefits; health, wage increases, pensions are a large cost to the budget and I will work to see that our employees understand those costs. Many of our resident’s that are employed do not have such benefits and if there is a possibility of saving for example on health insurance we need to move on it. Believe me I know how important health insurance is but it needs to be compared and bid out fairly and not controlled by outside interest. There are many issues facing the town of Clay but all things considered we still are in the top 100 great places to live! So we all will continue to work through the issues together. Thank you and if you have specific concerns please contact me.
Eugene Young
Biographical information (family, employer, political affiliation, age, number of years in home, etc.):
Married, one child, self-employed attorney, Republican, 61. Lived in Clay 35 years. Member Clay Zoning Board of Appeals 25 years. Retired life member Moyers Corners Fire Department 22 years. Practiced law in Syracuse 35 years.
Why are you running for office?
I wish to continue my service to the community. Since I retired from the fire department, I found that I missed the intensity of being involved in community service.
Why are you the best candidate for this office?
My many years on the ZBA give me an expertise in town of Clay land use issues, planning and zoning, which will help in deciding how to best zone and use the land north of Route 31. My fire department experience will help decide issues of fire protection in Clay, which is a huge part of the budget. My experience as an attorney will help the board in many issues it faces.
What are the issues facing the town, and what will you do to address them?
How will we pay for increasing costs of medical benefits, salaries, increasing pension costs when taxpayers are already stretched to their limits? I will use all my experience and expertise to find any and all possible ways to meet these challenges without hurting the taxpayers in Clay. What types of development will be allowed north of Route 31? Again, I will get all the facts, investigate thoroughly and apply my many years of dealing with land use and zoning in Clay to decide what is best for the town.
Town clerk candidate
Jill Hageman-Clark
Biographical information (family, employer, political affiliation, age, number of years in home, etc.):
49 years old. Republican . Employed by the town of Clay. Daughter Jacquie is a freshman at SUNY Binghamton. Dogs Beck and Bella. Nine years in my home this time.
Why are you running for office?
I wish to continue serving my community as town clerk.
Why are you the best candidate for this office?
I have made some additions to the services that we provide to the community such as processing passport applications and by partnering with the Onondaga County Clerks office to offer a more assessable alternative for our resident veterans to obtain the favor card. In addition I am now a marriage officer and an proud to be able to offer this service in the Town of Clay. I feel that there are more services that we can offer the residents in Clay and hope to be able to continue to serve my community.
What are the issues facing the town, and what will you do to address them?
Increased taxes have to be top on everyone’s list and all that we can really do is tighten our belts and try to give the residents the best possible services for the taxes that they/we pay.
Town justice candidates
D. Jeffrey Gosch, Esq.
Biographical information (family, employer, political affiliation, age, number of years in home, etc.):
Married for 42 years to Peggy L. Gosch, retired Soule Road Elementary 1st Grade Teacher; two (2) adult children, Lindsay C. Gosch & Sean T. Gosch
Age – 65
Registered Republican, who also has Independent & Conservative parties endorsements
Resided in Town of Clay since 1976; in current home since 1978.
Why are you running for office?
I was unanimously appointed by the Clay Town Board in February 2011 to fill a vacancy for Clay Town Judge which resulted from the resignation of the prior judge and wish to continue to serve in the position.
Why are you the best candidate for this office?
Fairness and impartiality supported by 37 years as an attorney with experience in the Onondaga County District Attorney’s Office, as Town of Clay Prosecuting Attorney, as a defense attorney, and in civil litigation for both plaintiffs and defendants.
Brian J. Lauri, 45
Biographical information (family, employer, political affiliation, age, number of years in home, etc.):
Married to Christine, two children Joshua (17) and Zachary (15)
Partner at Hall, Martin & Lauri law firm in North Syracuse
Also am a Lt Col in New York Air National Guard
Endorsed by Republican, Independence and Conservative parties
Lived in Clay since 1997
Why are you running for office?
I am running for re-election as I have started several initiatives for the town court that I wish to continue.
Why are you the best candidate for this office?
My experience in having been a town judge for the last four years combined with my approach on the bench makes me a strong candidate. I created a separate DWI calendar to deal exclusively with DWI cases, greatly reducing processing times. I have also placed a special emphasis on teenagers who are accused of crimes but have demonstrated that they can be turned away from the path they are on back to being productive members of the community.
