Village board elections will be held Tuesday, June 20. In North Syracuse, voters will choose from three candidates for two open seats on the North Village Board of Trustees. Trustees are elected to two-year terms. Chuck Henry and Alfred “Fred” Fergerson are on the main ballot, while Fred Wilmer is running as a write-in candidate. Residents can vote at the North Syracuse Community Center, 700 South Bay Road, North Syracuse. Polls are open from noon to 9 p.m. Tuesday, June 21.
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Fred Fergerson
Biographical information:
As a life resident of the village of North Syracuse, I have lived and operated our family funeral home on the same land, in the center of the village, that the Fergerson family settled on in 1826. My wife, Pat, and I have two grown children, who also live in this area. I am currently serving as deputy mayor, public safety chairman and police liaison for the Village Board of Trustees. In the past, I have served on several mayoral committees for multiple mayors. I am not aligned with any political party.
Why are you running for office?
I enjoy being able to participate in directing the village’s future. Considering my family’s long history of village involvement, (Village Board, Cemetery Board, Housing Authority, Constable and Justice of Peace), I consider it a privilege to be able to serve the residents, as is historically our family tradition. Serving on a local board makes being able to help people with their problems possible.
Why are you the best candidate?
An independent political status should be a requirement for anyone seeking local public office. I am not, and will not be, influenced by partisan politics. In past elections, I have been cross-endorsed by both major parties. I was originally appointed to be a Village Trustee by Mayor Diane Browning and have received endorsements in subsequent elections. My decisions are based on what I feel is right for the majority of village residents, not by what a political party dictates. I am accessible 24-7-365 to the residents.
What are the major issues facing the village, and what will you do to address them?
The biggest issue we have to deal with is the many unfunded mandates from New York state. On top of trying to fund those mandates, we are strapped with a restrictive property tax cap and the inability to share in the county sales tax revenue. I have and will continue to communicate with legislators, who control the purse strings, at the county and state levels. It is necessary to impress upon them the efficiencies and benefits of home rule, and thereby, the need for shared sales tax revenue, an expanded property tax cap and to have mandates funded.
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Chuck Henry
Biographical Information:
Age: 63
I have lived at my current address for 17 years.
Occupation: Tractor trailer driver (Southern Wine & Spirits)
Family: with my other half, we have 5 children, 5 grandchildren and 1 great-granddaughter
Education: Went all thru the North Syracuse School District, Central City Business Institute (accounting and business management), Cornell University @ OCC (labor law, arbitration and general labor studies)
Party Affiliation: Democrat
Why are you running for office?
For the past nine years I have been an elected village trustee serving the village of North Syracuse with pride and enjoy all that the village has to offer. I am a people’s person that loves to interact with the residents on a daily basis.
Why are you the best candidate?
With all the experience that I have acquired over the last 13 years on the everyday operations of the village of North Syracuse makes me a prime candidate to continue with my services to a great community.
- Two years on the North Syracuse Zoning Board of Appeals
- Two years on the North Syracuse Planning Board
- Five years trustee in the village of North Syracuse
- Four years deputy mayor for the village of North Syracuse
What are the major issues facing the village, and what will you do to address them?
The state of New York for years has drained every single town, village and city with its unfunded mandates. These mandates put a huge financial burden on every single municipality in the state and continue to grow heavier every year. We as elected officials have to continue the fight with the state to curb some of this burden on our local taxpayers.
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Fred Wilmer
Biographical info:
I was born and raised in North Syracuse and attended North Syracuse High School, class of 1974. My parents were Fred and Jayne (Gladys) Wilmer and they raised nine children in this area, most of whom still reside in or around Central New York with their respective families.
I have been a resident of North Syracuse all of my life, a homeowner in the village of North Syracuse since 1984, with my wife Crystal. We have been married for 33 years. Our kids are our pets, two dogs and one cat. My only brother, Gary Wilmer, worked with me for the village of North Syracuse for over 35 years and is the current superintendent. I retired from the village’s Department of Public Works in 2015, after serving a total of 32 years.
After my retirement I worked on the Complete Streets committee, I was appointed to the sign committee, and I sit on the planning commission.
I am a registered Republican, yet vote as I feel is best.
My hobbies are of the outdoors kind.
Why are you running for office?
It is my passion to continue servicing the North Syracuse community while I am retired and have time to invest in the wants and needs of the people of this community. It has been a lifetime goal to participate, on some level, with the leaders of North Syracuse. I wish to extend the vast knowledge and experience I have attained to assist the mayor, parks and recreation, police, DPW, fire departments and the others, with all the opportunities and challenges our village faces and will continue to face in the future.
Why are you the best candidate?
I am a solid candidate because of my extensive knowledge of every street, park, event, sewer, ball field, pavilion, business and resident within the village of North Syracuse. When our leaders meet to review what is important to the residents and businesses of this community, I have an understanding of all facets of budgeting, costs of goods and labor. I can be extremely effective as a team member to get things done. My pride in the community equals and/or surpasses any other’s true commitment to the causes of my neighbors, friends, and village leaders.
I am a write-in candidate, so I’m asking you to go and take that extra step and write in my name.
What are the major issues facing the village, and what will you do to address them?
1. Property taxes, in order to keep the services that we enjoy like garbage, heavy trash, brush pick-up, street lighting, along with our parks and green areas, a police department that when you have to call them they know you by name, a fully equipped volunteer fire department, a Department of Public Works that maintains our sewer water and storm water systems, our roads, the parks and all the buildings. With our codes, courts staff and clerks to support it all. We are going to have to pay for these. Keep in mind that some of our costs like street lighting and others are fixed costs. By overseeing the expenses and using shared services where we can, it would be my job as your trustee to keep the spending down as much as we can, and to maintain the level of services that we have. The costs are going to rise. I feel that a very small increase in taxes yearly is better than having zero increases over a period of time and then a large rise in taxes to recover.
2. Empty commercial buildings, especially on Main Street — development/redevelopment of vacant properties. We must work with the property owners and real-estate development companies to market our village as the place to bring their goods and services. Plan to bring in shops, restaurants, bookstores, clothing stores.
3. Curb appeal and retail frontage along Main Street to increase new business and visitors (increase tourism to the area). Utility poles and power lines located in and around the Village Center are extremely unattractive and can be a safety issue. They take up valuable space that could be used for parking. Let’s consider a plan for shared services and come up with the resources to bury the services and get rid of the poles.
4. Keeping the village as a viable form of government. This is going to be one of the largest issues we will face. With responsible spending and continuing with shared services with the towns and county, we should be able to keep our village as a form of government for many years to come. I feel having a governing body as close to the people as possible is the best government that we can have.
Thank you for the opportunity to serve you.
