MINOA — Minoa Mayor Bill Brazill has announced he will be running for reelection to his position this coming year.
Brazill has been mayor of the village for going on eight years, having begun the first of his two four-year terms in the role in 2016.
A resident of Minoa since he was eight years old and often called its “little mayor” by his father growing up, Brazill said his time as mayor so far has been “fantastic,” calling it a “tremendous opportunity” that he’s been honored to take up.
“It’s really been a lifelong dream of mine to be mayor of this village,” Brazill said. “It’s something I’ve always wanted to do and I get so much satisfaction out of it. I’ve just been thrilled that the people have wanted me for these eight years, and I look forward to serving another four years.”
Brazill was asked in 1991 to become acting village justice in Minoa and was later appointed as lay justice, remaining in the judicial seat for a full decade.
He took the place of resigning village trustee Dan Cunningham in 2002, proceeding to serve two years under former Mayor John Regan.
Once Dick Donovan moved up to the mayor’s chair, Brazill was selected to be his deputy mayor, holding that position for the next dozen years.
Brazill said the late mayors he served under were major influences on him who taught him about various aspects of governing at the local level, going on to say that he misses them both greatly.
“That was priceless serving under them,” Brazill said. “From there, I’m sitting in the seat I am now and it’s just been an honor.”
He said he’s been fortunate to share the village board with trustees he has solid working relationships with, even through any disagreements that may arise.
“At the end of the day we’re all trying to do what’s best for the village and for our residents, and it doesn’t matter that any of us are Republicans or Democrats or any of that—that doesn’t even come into play,” Brazill said.
He added that throughout his tenure the whole office staff, the department supervisors and employees, and the fire department personnel have been “incredible” at having the interests of the villagers in mind and accomplishing tasks as one large team.
Brazill explained that the role of mayor demands a fairly decent amount of work because, in essence, it’s like running a $4 million corporation while at the same time people depend on his decision-making when it comes to their livelihoods and count on him to keep taxes down.
Now that he’s retired from his job as a United Rentals salesman, though, he said he can devote more time to his mayoral duties, allowing him to treat his role as mayor as a full-time position instead of a part-time one.
Brazill said he’s seeing the agenda he set back in 2016 come to fruition despite obstacles like the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I still have a list of things on my plate for the village,” he said. “I’d like to continue just to see a lot of what I started come to conclusion.”
Confident in calling Minoa “the best-kept secret in Onondaga County” and the “shining light of the town of Manlius,” Brazill further expressed hope that his enthusiasm for the village spreads throughout the community and that positive developments for local businesses continue.
“Right now, our businesses are thriving,” he said. “We’ve turned the corner and had a renaissance and a rebirth.”
To add to the county’s Main Street assistance, Brazill seeks for the village to secure a multi-million-dollar New York Forward grant and also work with Onondaga County to restore the pedestrian overcrossing connecting Minoa’s north and south sides known as the “Green Bridge.”
For that structure maintained and inspected by the county, Brazill said he will look into putting up large letters spelling out Minoa on the overpass as well so that people coming over the main traffic bridge or passenger train conductors going over the tracks can have an identifiable sign of where they are.
Brazill has fulfilled roles in the past as the president of East Syracuse Minoa Youth Sports and the ESM Sports Booster Club and as a member of the board of managers for the East Area YMCA.
He is also on the executive committee for the New York Conference of Mayors, an appointment that has allowed him to represent the village of Minoa at the state level and bring resources and helpful pointers back home, he said.
Additionally, he was recently appointed vice president of the county mayors association, and he sits on the government relations committee for the regional business leadership and economic development organization CenterStateCEO that meets monthly.
Overall, Brazill said he aims to learn what he can from other politicians and collaborate with them no matter which side of the aisle they find themselves.
The village of Minoa’s election takes place Tuesday, March 19. Along with Brazill’s seat, the two trustee positions currently occupied by Eric Christensen and John Abbott will be up for election.
