Three Fayetteville residents have thrown their hat in the ring to fill Tom Miller’s remaining term as Fayetteville village justice. Tom Miller was elected to the Onondaga County Court last year, leaving three years of his four-year term to be filled by the winner of a special election to be held March 19.
Fayetteville Village Clerk Lorie Corsette said Feb. 5 is the first day people can file an “independent nominating petition for office to be filled at the general village election.”
“The last day to file is Tuesday, Feb 12,” Corsette said.
Chris Danaher, Jim Hughes and Kristin Palazzoli announced their intentions to run for the position.
Chris Danaher
“I was pleased and humbled when the village of Fayetteville offered me the opportunity last spring to serve as acting justice,” Danaher said. “This position provided me unique and invaluable experience in all facets of our criminal and civil judiciary systems. In addition, in this position … I was provided the opportunity to work closely with Judge Tom Miller and was able to learn so much from him. I am truly honored and privileged to then have been appointed by the mayor and village trustees to be the Justice of our village replacing Judge Miller as he moves onto his much deserved new role as our County Court Judge.”
“Making the decision to run in this election was a big and difficult decision for me and my family,” he said. “I am the father of four busy children and being actively involved in their lives, and consequently the lives of their friends, is extremely important to me. I think it’s crucial that I be a role model for the kids, whether I’m on the bench, in the courtroom, coaching a team or just being a presence when my children are entertaining at our home.”
“So while I believe it’s very important to have legal experience for the role of Village Justice, which I believe that I have, I also place great value on strength of character and commitment to our community. I will always strive for both justice and compassion when dealing with the cases in front of me. I will always strive to be a role model for the children in our community. I feel it is my duty as the Village Judge to ensure that the residents of the Village of Fayetteville feel confident that justice is being served when I am on the bench. As Village Justice, I will always be an advocate for the best quality of life possible for the people in our Village.”
In addition to working a acting village justice, Danaher has been a partner in Shulman, Curtin & Grundner, P.C., Attorneys at Law since 1996.
He received his Juris Doctorate Cum Laude in 1996 from Albany Law School of Union University and a bachelor’s degree in business administration cum laude in 1990 from LeMoyne College.
His community involvement includes membership in both the New York State and Onondaga County Bar Associations, volunteering at St. Lucy’s Food Pantry, working as Fayetteville-Manlius Youth Basketball Board Member and Treasurer, and coaching FM Youth Soccer, Youth Basketball and Travel Basketball. He is a member of Immaculate Conception Church, the Greater Manlius Chamber of Business and is a former member of the Fayetteville-Manlius Foundation Board of Trustees.
He and his wife of almost 20 years, Annette, have four children, Abe, 15, Mia, 13, Jed, 11 and Max, 7.
Jim Hughes
“I was raised here and we raised our family here,” said Jim Hughes, a longtime village resident. “This is our home and I believe I can contribute to our quality of life by serving as our village judge. Judge Miller did so with distinction and I hope that I can do the same.”
Jim grew up on a farm on Palmer Hill in Manlius and is a 1972 Fayetteville-Manlius High School graduate. Jim and his wife, Carol, have lived at 113 Sheffield Lane since 1992. Their children, David and Emily, graduated from FM in 2003 and 2006 respectively.
Jim served as the attorney for the Fayetteville Village Board from 1992 to 2004 and is a partner with the Hancock Estabrook law firm. Jim has been practicing law for over 33 years.
The election for Fayetteville Village Justice will take place on Tuesday, March 19, 2013 at the Fayetteville Village office, 425 E. Genesee St., Fayetteville, NY.
Hughes, a partner at Hancock Estabrook, LLP., has been a full-time practicing attorney for 33 years. He is a former Fayetteville Village Attorney with experience in justice court practice and procedure. He received his juris doctor degree in 1979 from the State University of New York at Buffalo School of Law after completing his undergraduate studies at both Onondaga Community College and SUNY Buffalo.
He is an arbitrator for the American Arbitration Association and mediator for the United States District Court.
A parishioner at Christ Episcopal Church in Manlius, he has established and coordinated the hayrides at the Fayetteville Tree Lighting and is a former member of the Fayetteville Senior Center Board of Directors.
Kristin Palazzoli
“I have been a resident of the village of Fayetteville since 1996,” Palazzoli said. “My husband, Dan Tyrel, and I have four children who attend FM schools. We are extremely active in local organizations and school activities. Given our active community involvement, I have built countless personal and professional ties to the community in the past 17 years. I believe in the local model of government and I believe I am the best choice for the job of village justice.”
Palazzoli attended Syracuse Law School.
“I understand what it means to be a justice and I understand how to read the law,” she said. “I am not a practicing attorney. This is an advantage for me because it means I will have no foreseeable conflicts of interest due to the practice of law. I will not be forced to recuse myself and pass the cases on to another judge or to the town. In short, it helps me keep Fayetteville cases where they belong: in Fayetteville.”
A volunteer member of the Fayetteville Fire Department since 1998, which she said is an important advantage.
“When arrests are made at two in the morning, the police need a judge who will get out of a warm bed to come out and tend to the needs of Fayetteville,” Palazzoli said. “During my years in the Fayetteville Fire Department I have proved countless times that I am willing to get up any time of the night to fulfill my responsibilities. A village justice who will consistently respond when called, whenever called, will keep village cases in the village and minimize the number of cases turned over to the town.”
Palazzoli is also a costume designer for the Syracuse City Ballet and Sterling Renaissance Faire.
“Not only do I live and volunteer in the village, I work in the village as well,” she said. “After all, arrests don’t always happen at 2 a.m. Sometimes they happen in the middle of the day. I work in the village, not downtown, so I am available when needed in the daytime too. Why is this important? Honestly, when an officer makes an arrest [she or he] is not taken off the street longer than necessary to chase down a justice who might be in his office downtown, might be in court, might be in a meeting or might be unavailable. I live here. I work here. I am available to the police at any time of the day or night nearly every day of the year because almost everything I do is right here in Fayetteville.”
Palazzoli also said she has a positive relationship with the town of Manlius Police Department.
“The officers know me and know how to contact me,” she said. “This is a benefit to the office of village justice because it minimizes the amount of time an officer is supervising a prisoner while calling and attempting to find a justice to do an arraignment. A timely arraignment is not just a benefit to the police, but is of significant benefit to the accused as well.
“I have a great deal to offer the community and I believe I am the best choice for the job,” she said. “I live here. I work here. I am dedicated to the village. I would appreciate your vote on March 19.”