CAZENOVIA — During the June 3 Village of Cazenovia Board of Trustees meeting, Mayor Kurt Wheeler announced that the Cazenovia community has two separate votes scheduled for Tuesday, June 18.
The village election will be held at the Cazenovia American Legion from noon to 9 p.m.
Two seats on the village board are open this year. The candidates are incumbent Katherine Hahn, Democratic; Kelly Ryan Vidakovic, Republican, Your Neighborhood Voice; Jennifer Lutter, Caz Forward; and Colton Mennig, Democratic, Strong Community.
The Cazenovia League of Women Voters will host a village candidate forum at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 12 in the Community Room of the Cazenovia Public Library. All are welcome to attend and ask questions.
The second vote on June 18 is the Cazenovia Central School District budget re-vote.
The polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. in the middle school auxiliary gymnasium, 31 Emory Ave.
On May 21, voters rejected the district’s proposed $38,826,826 spending plan for the 2024-25 school year.
On June 18, district residents will be asked to cast their votes on a revised budget proposal.
“Just coincidentally that’s the date [the district] picked,” said Wheeler. “I think that’s probably driven by state parameters of when they have to do it. Ours is the standard date for villages in the state that conduct June elections. [It’s] ironic that they are the same time, but we just have to make sure people understand that. . . . Anything we can do to make sure people exercise their right [to vote] in both elections would be good.”
Fiscal year recap
Wheeler provided a recap of Fiscal Year 2023-2024, which ended on May 31, 2024.
He described the year as “tumultuous,” explaining that the village was dealing with financial pressures associated with very high inflation, the closing out of a major project at Lakeland Park, and expenses associated with planning for the future of the former Cazenovia College campus.
He noted that the funding the village secured for the strategic planning is through a reimbursable grant.
“We are kind of fronting the money in installments and then getting reimbursed for that,” he said. “Despite those added fiscal pressures, we did end the year in a healthy place with a 15 percent cash reserve. We like to see between 15 and 20 percent, so we did hit that threshold. To be in that healthy range in a pretty stressful year is good.”
Fourth of July
The mayor also highlighted the community’s upcoming Fourth of July festivities, including the 51st Annual Cazenovia July 4th Foot Races in the morning, the parade at 1 p.m., and fireworks in the evening.
The 10-mile race will start at 8 a.m., the 5K will begin at 8:15 a.m., and the Kids’ Fun Run will begin at 8:20 a.m.
To learn more about the foot races and sign up, visit runsignup.com/Race/NY/Cazenovia/CazJuly4thFootRaces.
According to Wheeler, parade participants are asked not to throw confetti this year. Candy throwing is permitted if it is done mindfully and with good judgment. Candy should be thrown as close to the sidewalks as possible and not in intersections.
In other news
The village will be flushing and testing fire hydrants from June 11-13. Residents may notice some water discoloration. This is normal and they are advised to run the water to clear it.
Trustee Thomas Tait announced in his report that the new boat cleaning station for the Lakeside Park boat launch was delivered to the Town of Cazenovia earlier that day.
“It will be set at Lakeside Park at 10 a.m. on Thursday, and I’ll be there,” he said. “There have been very few boats that have needed cleaning this year, so if this doesn’t get a lot of use it means that people are heeding our request to have them arrive clean and protect Cazenovia Lake.”
Tait also reported that the 2024 lake treatment has been rescheduled for June 12 with a rain date of June 13.
“That delay was because of mechanical issues with the boat,” he said. “The Town of Cazenovia website has an abundance of specific information if anyone requires more [about the treatment].”
Portions of the lake’s nearshore area will be treated with the herbicide ProcellaCOR to address the continued presence of the invasive aquatic plant species Eurasian watermilfoil.
The Cazenovia Lake Association is holding a public outreach event on June 30 at 7 p.m. at Our Farm at 1590 Peth Rd, Manlius.
The swim season at Lakeland Park opens on June 24.
Later in the meeting, Deputy Mayor Maureen Fellows delivered her final report as a village trustee.
She was elected to the board in June 2016 and now serves as the police commissioner and the court liaison.
On behalf of the board and the entire community, Wheeler thanked Fellows for her many years of faithful and effective service.
He recognized her as not only a great public servant but also a great friend and colleague.
“[You are] someone who could always be relied upon to fill a gap, cover a meeting, [or] solve a crisis,” he said. “You’ve done it all, and we will certainly miss you. You have been awesome. . . . Truly, you have been just a joy to work with, and the village owes you a great debt.”
The Village of Cazenovia Board of Trustees typically meets on the first Monday of each month at 7 p.m. in the village municipal building at 90 Albany St.
