In Salina, voters will elect a town supervisor, councilors for the First, Second, Third and Fourth wards, a town justice and a tax receiver. Learn more about each candidate below. Tax Receiver Alicia McCollum, who is running unopposed, did not return her questionnaire.
Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 7. To determine your polling place, visit ongov.net/elections/index.html and click on “Polling Place Locator” or call the Onondaga County Board of Elections at (315) 435-8683.
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First Ward Councilor (choose one)
Colleen Gunnip (Republican incumbent)
Biographical info:
- Age 55; one son, Joseph
- Lifelong Salina resident
- Republican, Conservative, Independence parties
- Onondaga County Dept. of Social Services and Dept. of Transportation
- Special Assistant to Commissioner-Personnel/Staff Development — 2008 to 2017
- Office of the Onondaga County Executive 2006-07
- Onondaga County Legislature Assistant Clerk 2004-06
- Town of Salina Town Clerk 1992-2003
- Town of Salina Tax and Water Department 1987-91
- Town of Salina Comptroller’s Department 1979-86
Why are you running for office?
I’m running for office because I truly enjoy using my 35 years of governmental experience to give back to the community. As a lifelong resident of Salina, it is important to me to make sure our town continues to be a great place to live and raise a family. Having the ability to work on issues that affect our community, our taxes and our standard of living has been challenging, but very rewarding. In 2015 and 2016, I approved road and drainage projects in the First Ward that improved the quality of life for residents without increasing taxes or incurring any additional debt.
Why are you the best candidate?
I have truly enjoyed representing all the residents in Salina’s First Ward. At the end of this year, I will have completed my fifth term. During this time, I have worked diligently to find ways to decrease spending, increase revenues, take advantages of sharing services and establish a financial plan for capital improvements that improves our infrastructure while keeping our debt service stable and taxes low.
What are the major issues facing the town, and what will you do to address them?
This year all towns and villages will be required to participate in the governor’s Countywide Shared Services Property Tax Savings Plan, and elected officials will need to make tough decisions regarding the “Consensus Report” as well as look at other options to share services, which may include the elimination of services currently being provided by our town. It is my goal to ensure that the residents of Salina have a voice in this process and that consolidation or sharing services will only happen if residents receive the same quality services being provided, but at a lower cost to taxpayers.
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Second Ward Councilor (choose one)
V. James Magnarelli (Democratic incumbent)
Biographical info:
- Wife: Francine
- Children: Alex, Allison
- Retired from Niagara Mohawk/National Grid
- Democrat/Conservative
- Age: 66
- Reside at my current address since 1993
- Member of the International Association of Approved Basketball Officials
- Actor at the Central New York Playhouse
Why are you running for office?
I am running for office for the same reason I ran eight years ago: to try and make a positive difference within the community I live. I have had no desire to seek any other office up until now. I have enjoyed working with the current town administration as well as all of its employees. I truly feel that everyone who works for the town is sincerely concerned about its residents and do all they can to promote the quality of life in our community.
Why are you the best candidate?
The fact that I have not had any opposition in my last two campaign serves to demonstrate that I have done this job to the satisfaction of our taxpayers as well as the members of the board who I have served with. I have spoken to many residents within my ward over the past eight years and understand their needs. I am deeply appreciative of the trust they have put in me and look forward to continue working with these neighbors for the next two years.
What are the major issues facing the town, and what will you do to address them?
The major issue facing our town is how to manage an aging infrastructure at a cost our residents can live with. I am very proud of the work we have done improving our roads, drainage and sewers. However, this is a never-ending task with the many needs of our neighborhoods. We have made significant improvements in our town parks, and I look forward to planned improvements scheduled in 2018. We are also faced with the issue of our own town facilities that are in need of renovation. Hopefully an agreement can be reached that will serve both the needs of the town and county as we share our highway facility.
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Third Ward Councilor (two candidates, choose one)
Gerald Ciciarelli (Republican incumbent)
Biographical info:
Age 57, born and raised in Mattydale and currently own the home where I was born. Married to Robin for 28 years with four sons; Dominick, Daniel, David and Dario. I am a registered Republican with Conservative and Independence endorsements. I have worked in the financial/investment advisory services for 17-plus years and am currently a senior vice president, financial planning with Financial Engines. I have been the Third Ward Councilor since 2011. I have served on the Town of Salina Zoning Board of Appeals. I am or have been a business owner/operator including real estate investor for more than 30 years in Florida and New York. Several years as community volunteer including president for the Mattydale, North Syracuse and Liverpool Vikings Pop Warner Organization. Neighborhood watch supporter and initiated Third Ward Community group.
Why are you running for office?
The age of this town’s infrastructure presents many issues to deal with and will need sound business decisions to address going forward. With the current economic and political environment our country, state and county is facing, I believe will ultimately impact our town with mandates and less funding to deal with these issues. I have seen a town I grew up in slowly regress in quality of life. Instead of sitting back and complaining, I decided to get involved to provide business experience and most importantly the fact of caring enough to make improvements to benefit our community we live in.
Why are you the best candidate?
Although I have some knowledge of politics, I do possess the experience and qualities to manage responsible financial decisions in many different areas. I have several years of both business and investment management experience. I am a take-charge leader within a team environment that can help motivate people to focus on the objectives. I was born in this town and appreciate the pride of our community history that I would like to help revitalize. I am not a career politician; in fact, I opted out of the New York state retirement system when I was originally elected. I am here to get the job done as effective and efficiently possible. I will approach things proactively by developing plans that addresses both short and long-term impacts that ultimately is in the best interest of the community.
What are the major issues facing the town, and what will you do to address them?
The issues that have been addressed to me consistently is the sewer/drainage (age of infrastructure), capping of the dump and quality of life deteriorating in some areas as the main topics. First and foremost is to focus on and maintain the things we need, then whatever resources are left for the things we want.
The town has already completed a study to address sewer/drainage areas in need of repair. I am in the process of addressing the items as a board member focusing on costs as part of a comprehensive plan over time. It makes sense to create a plan of action instead of waiting for things to break and costing much more in the long term not to mention inconvenience for emergency repairs. “Pay me now, or pay me later you are still going to pay,” so why not be smart and create a plan.
The capping of the dump has been completed but there are still issues that need to be addressed and ultimately cleaning up a problem created many years ago. We are discovering opportunities to possibly bring solar/wind power to the area utilizing the former dump as a location.
The issue of “quality of life” has been evolving over time to what is considered a problem frustrating the residents of our community in the Third Ward. I remember the days growing up in this community and how involved everyone was. Unfortunately not only our community but society in general has changed to a level that people tend to be too busy with their lives to get involved with things around them until it affects them directly. There are many great people and positive things in our area. Just like the media though, “bad news sells” and everyone gets focused on the negative issues, which sends the wrong message. I plan on focusing on the positive things and build on that image while attacking the negative issues with an aggressive attitude of “if there is a will, there is a way.” Simply put, one person cannot fix a community so I will be challenging people to get involved with a common focus. Instead of making excuses of why things can’t get done, let’s find a way to make things happen. Community is a powerful force. Check us out on Facebook @ 3rdwardcommunity.
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Timothy Haas (Democratic challenger)
Biographical info:
I grew up in Cicero and started working for my father’s business at a very young age and recently transplanted here when I purchased my home, though I am quite familiar with the area having worked at AMF Strike N Spare lanes for the last 11 years.
I am currently employed as a facilities manager, am 29 years old, a Democrat and have owned my home in Mattydale for two years.
Why are you running for office?
I think it is very important to not let the status quo go unchallenged. It is important to engage government on a local level as well as nationally, and I feel as though some new blood on the town council is a great idea.
Why are you the best candidate?
I have been continuously employed by and managed different segments of multi-million dollar businesses both here in the town of Salina and abroad and feel my extensive knowledge and insight of general business practice and the trades keep me better rooted than in what really matters to the more trade oriented working class people of Salina’s Third Ward.
What are the major issues facing the town, and what will you do to address them?
Looking through the budget over the last few years leaves me with a lot of questions about who is approving items and what is being approved. I would like to be involved in this process firsthand to move the balance of the decision making back towards the center.
I also feel as though the town could do more particularly for the residences and businesses in the Third Ward and would like to try to make that happen.
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Fourth Ward Councilor (choose one)
Michael J. Del Vecchio (Republican incumbent)
Biographical info:
- Age 66
- Retired from Carrier Corporation
- Party Affiliation Republican, Independence and Conservative
- Education: AAS data processing, Onondaga Community College; BS business administration, Columbia College; masters of business; Columbia College.
- Family: Mother Lucy Del Vecchio; son and daughter-in-law Michael and Ashley Del Vecchio; grandsons Anthony and Kyler Del Vecchio; brother John Del Vecchio
- Living at 413 Gaynor Ave. for 35 years
Why are you running for office?
I have always been someone who likes people and trying to help them with their problems. One way to do that is to volunteer in my community and I have done this by being a baseball coach for over 25 years; being the president of Lyncourt-LeMoyne-Mattydale and Hinsdale Little League; and being very involved in District 8 and Liverpool Babe Ruth Baseball. I have also helped to raise funds to keep important programs at Lyncourt Junior High School and St. Daniel’s Church. I have been a chairman for the annual St. Daniel’s Harvest Festival for 15 years. A logical extension of my community service and volunteer work is to represent Lyncourt and Galeville on the town board. I get as much satisfaction from helping someone solve their problems as they get in having the problem solved. I really feel that I can make a difference for people in this great town of Salina.
Why are you the best candidate for this office?
I know that I am the best candidate because I have done this job for the last 10 years and my education, my communication skills and my compassion for people make me the right candidate. I had 30 years with Carrier Corporation, and I worked well with my fellow workers. I was a team player, just as you need to be on the town board. My communication skills are excellent as I listen to the constituents concerns and then act on them. I know that I am in the people’s business because I always put the constituents first. I work hard to give them an answer to their problem and I always give them an answer. Donna Krukowski, a constituent, told me that I would never be a politician, because I care about the people of the town of Salina. My one and only agenda is the town of Salina and the fine people who live here. I really feel that I am a public servant in the town of Salina.
What are the major issues facing the town and what will you be doing to address them?
As the Fourth Ward Councilor, there are many local issues that I have to deal with. Unfortunately, there have been more and more calls dealing with crime and vacant houses in my ward. It is vital that as councilor I work closely with my constituents to notify the Sheriff’s Department of the vandalism that is taking place and develop a plan to make sure our area is more closely monitored. I work with the sheriff’s department and the local neighborhood watch groups to achieve this goal. Complaints about property maintenance, especially related to abandoned houses, continue to come in and this requires vigilance on my part and the code enforcement office to clean up these vacant properties so that we can all enjoy our neighborhoods. We are constantly working on a plan to take care of the vacant and abandoned homes. Finally, in the Fourth Ward we have to continue and complete extensive drainage projects and continue to upgrade the roads in Salina.
On a townwide basis, I have to keep working to make sure our residents are not overtaxed. This is becoming more difficult as revenue from the state and from other sources continues to go down. The proposed 2018 budget has a modest increase in taxes and I intend to work with the town supervisor and other town board members to reduce this tax increase even more for the final budget. We will be meeting with all department heads to see if we can reduce their budgets to be cost saving to the town. We also have to hold all department heads accountable to control their spending. Our taxpayers can’t afford duplicative services and I pledge to be a leading voice for effective and efficient municipal services. Constituent service is my top priority! I am proud and honored to be the Fourth Ward Councilor of the town of Salina.
