By Ashley M. Casey

Associate Editor

Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon has tapped Salina Town Supervisor Mark Nicotra as his executive communications director. Nicotra tendered his resignation at the Dec. 10 meeting of the Salina Town Board, and McMahon’s office formally announced the appointment Dec. 11.

“Mark has done an outstanding job as supervisor of the town of Salina and I am grateful that he has agreed to join our team and help implement our vision for our community as a whole,” McMahon said in a release. “As I have said before, it will take all of us coming together to tackle issues of poverty, infrastructure and economic development and I am confident that Mark will do a great job bringing our message to our various partners.”

As executive communications director, Nicotra will be in charge of communication between the county and other governmental, private and nonprofit entities.

Nicotra’s last day as supervisor will be Dec. 30. Deputy Supervisor and 1st Ward Councilor Colleen Gunnip will assume the duties of supervisor effective Dec. 31.

“It’s going to be hard to fill his shoes,” Gunnip said.

Nicotra was elected to the Salina Town Board in 2002 as the Fourth Ward councilor, a race he won by just three votes.

“Remember, every vote counts. I’m living proof of that,” he said at the Dec. 10 meeting.

Before his election as supervisor in 2008, Nicotra spent 12 years with WSTM-TV (now known as CNY Central) as a videographer and editor.

Town Justice Paul Carey praised Nicotra as a good friend and leader.

“We’ve gone through some very difficult years. This board has been phenomenal, and we greatly appreciate it,” Carey said.

Second Ward Councilor V. James Magnarelli recalled that he expected a rocky road as the only Democrat elected to an all-Republican town board in 2009.

“I do owe Mark a lot for how he’s handled everything here in the town over the last nine years that I’ve been on the board, and how he’s treated me,” Magnarelli said. “He never made me feel like an outsider.”

Nicotra closed the Dec. 10 meeting with a reflection on his 17 years in town government and many thank-yous to his colleagues, friends, family and constituents.

“Through it all, the residents have always been first. I have always played it straight with them,” Nicotra said.” I learned early on that if you do these three basic things, the residents will always be happy: return their phone calls, pick up their garbage and plow their road.”

Nicotra’s remarks elicited tears from many people present — town officials and members of the audience alike. He was given a standing ovation.

“Tonight is not goodbye,” Nicotra said. “It is just simply ‘so long’ for now.”