Because there is no edition for a printed rebuttal, the Eagle Bulletin has a policy not to publish election-related letters to the editor that contain criticisms or new information in the edition prior to the election. We will however, publish election-related letters online in a forum where they can be debated and shared. Any letters related to the village of Fayetteville election that we receive through Wednesday, Sept. 9 will be posted in this space. Letters received after Sept. 9 will not be published.
-David Tyler, Publisher
How to write-in
To the editor:
Many voters are confused about how to write-in a candidate on the ballot for the Village of Fayetteville September 15th election.
There are different ways to interpret the directions on the ballot. For those using absentee ballots, call the Village Clerk at 315-637-9864 for an explanation. For in-person voting, it would be helpful if the Clerk displayed a sample ballot at Village Hall that shows the correct place on the ballot for a write-in. Voters who want to write-in a name deserve the same privacy as all other voters. They should not have to reveal that they want to write-in a name by asking questions of the Clerk.
Writing directions for ballots is an imprecise art. The Village Clerk is an experienced professional who intended to provide clear directions. This confusion over the ballot highlights why having it reviewed by many professionals, who are experts in elections, is the way for modern villages to handle this best.
According to NYS law, villages with populations less than 10,000 may conduct their own elections OR they can pass a resolution transferring responsibility for elections from the Village to the bipartisan Onondaga County Board of Elections (BOE). It is past time for the Village of Fayetteville to debate the merits of a resolution.
The first village in Onondaga County to make the switch did so in 2012; now there are seven villages which have chosen to have their elections completely or partially managed by the BOE. Fayetteville should become number eight.
If village elections are managed by the BOE, and, held in November, all costs associated with the election are covered. The Village saves money (printing, staffing, etc.). The savings come from the fact that it does not cost the county anything additional to manage because the elections are already operational. Every citizen is in favor of saving tax dollars.
From the citizen’s point of view, it makes more sense to vote at one point in time rather than have to vote in elections at multiple times of the year. We are busy; we expect efficient governmental operations.
Fayetteville elections are typically held on March 15th. Candidates who chose to campaign have to do so in the months of January, February and March – bitterly cold months when a door-to-door campaign is difficult for candidates and homeowners who might be interested in fresh viewpoints. Homeowners are less likely to talk at their door than they are in the warmer weather months.
Incumbents should not run their own elections. To avoid the appearance of any impropriety, the bipartisan BOE should administer elections. In newspaper articles in 2019, the Fayetteville Mayor stated he does not want to relinquish control of the election process because the village election would be lost in the larger context of a November election. Approximately 200 voters, out of more than 3,000 registered, voted in the 2016 election. It seems the election is already lost.
Alignment with November elections would lead to higher voter participation – a sign of a healthy democracy.
Casey Cleary
Fayetteville
Time to ‘step up’ and elect Cleary
To the editor:
I think it’s the time to step to the line, as Bruce Springsteen sang, and seize the opportunity on September 15 to make our Fayetteville government more responsive to the people. So I urge my fellow citizens to join me in voting for Casey Cleary for village trustee.
Ms. Cleary has stepped up by undertaking a write-in campaign for the office of trustee. We are indeed fortunate to have such a well-informed, highly educated person of the highest integrity be willing to assume responsibility for public service in our hometown. Ms. Cleary would be an eminently qualified advocate for the citizens of Fayetteville. Over the past year, I have observed her work tirelessly to understand the issues facing our village government and develop sound positions on public policy. But perhaps what I value most about Ms. Cleary is her ironclad commitment to the people’s right to know what our government is doing in our name. At every turn, I am sure she will insist on transparency and facilitate public participation.
While an elected office in our little village may seem like small potatoes, local government actually has a great influence over our daily lives. It has the power to regulate development, primarily through zoning. And this power is vested in the board of trustees, not the mayor alone, so that the office of trustee is just as important as the mayoralty. Our village government has tremendous power in the regulation of land use, primarily through zoning; the way they exercise that power makes a huge difference in the quality of our daily lives. Some people may not realize that this power does not lie with the mayor alone, but with every single one of the five Trustees.
As trustee, I am sure that Ms. Cleary will do exactly that. She will resist the pressure for over-development that is putting our quality of life (not to mention our property values) at risk. She will fight to preserve our historic character as a small village and, unlike some, will not be fooled by empty threats of litigation from developers who don’t get their way. She won’t put the burden on the citizens to spend years struggling to prove that bad development proposals will harm us, as we have been forced to do with the apartment complex project and now the supermarket proposal at the OBG site. Rather, Ms. Cleary will place the burden where it belongs from the outset – on rich private developers to prove that their projects will serve the public interest, not just maximize their profits at our expense.
If you agree that we the people of Fayetteville need a village government that’s on our side, write in Casey Cleary for trustee on September 15th at Village Hall from noon to 9 PM. Better yet, vote only for her for trustee and not for either of the other candidates, so that you don’t add to their vote totals at her expense (the two highest vote getters will be elected).
Marguerite A. Ross
Fayetteville
Cleary will ‘stand against’ overdevelopment
To the editor:
I have been a village of Fayetteville resident for 32 years. I appreciate the historic character of the village which is not to be taken for granted; it is what makes Fayetteville special and unique. I am very concerned about the village proposals to build a five floor/ 200 parking spaces housing development at the corner of Highbridge/East Genesee Street. This would be a traffic nightmare on an already congested corner. I am also opposed to the proposal for a 60,000 square feet grocery store and a 40,000 feet memory care facility at 547 East Genesee Street when our code limits buildings to 10,000 square feet.
The good news is that there is someone campaigning right now for Fayetteville village trustee who will stand against these developments that will destroy the character of our village and will support right sized developments that will blend well with our village. Her name is Casey Cleary. Casey has her master’s degree in public administration from the Maxwell School at SU, has been a Brookside neighborhood of Fayetteville resident for 17 years and she and her husband Van have two daughters who graduated from FM Schools.
I recently had the opportunity to hear Casey Cleary, a Democrat, speak about her campaign to run as a write in candidate for Fayetteville Village Board of Trustees. She is energetic, committed and passionate about preserving the village as a lovely place to live. Casey is also concerned about the village development proposals and will work tirelessly for more carefully planned development that enhances our village. Although the village of Fayetteville has more registered Democrat voters than Republicans, there is only one democrat on the five member village board of trustees. Now is the time to elect a more balanced government, one that is more representative of its residents, by writing in Casey Cleary for Fayetteville Board of Trustees on Tuesday, September 15th.
The polls will be open from noon to 9 p.m. in the building connected to the Fayetteville Firehouse.
See you there!
Jane Tretler
Fayetteville
Olson has my support
To the editor:
Part of 2020’s unusualness is the postponement of the local elections, including the Village of Fayetteville. As the new election date finally approaches I’d like to share my support for incumbent Mayor Mark Olson.
Mayor Olson has been dedicated, effective and present throughout his multiple terms. His commitment to the Village has helped lead us to fiscal responsibility, major improvements (Senior Center, Fire Station, sidewalks, Parks to name a few) and countless community events from parades to concerts to block parties. His respect and fairness for all is evident in his collaborative and open approach to issues. He listens.
Though this election, like 2020, is a bit different it is always important to register your vote and Mark Olson is most deserving of your consideration.
Patrick A. Mannion
Fayetteville
Reelect Olson for Fayetteville Mayor
To the editor:
It was my privilege to work with Mayor Mark Olson for 12 years when I sat on the Board of Trustees for the Village of Fayetteville. I appreciate the determination, professionalism and decorum that he brought to the office of Mayor. Not only is he a good and fair leader to village government, but he is very approachable and open-minded to all of Fayetteville’s residents.
Mark puts in countless hours of work to stay on top of issues that we face in Fayetteville. His determination and hard work ethic are evidenced by the many successful projects that have happened during his tenure. The renovation and addition to the Fayetteville Fire Department building…. the improvements to Canal Landing Park… the creation of commercial design guidelines.. just to name a few examples.
While it is easy to point out the high profile and noteworthy projects that you residents see and enjoy everyday, it is just as important to understand that Mark, along with the rest of the village government, also continuously tackle many other difficult and less glamorous tasks aimed at keeping the village family running smoothly. Labor contract negotiations, managing employee policies, hearing neighbor disputes, and representing the village residents best interest to the higher and sometimes dysfunctional layers of government in New York State are examples of the behind the scenes activities a mayor must deal with.
I did not always agree with Mayor Olson on every issue that came before the board… however I always valued his opinion and ability to look at things objectively and intelligently.. we didn’t argue…. we discussed. I gave my respectful consideration to his position on matters because of his character and years of experience.
I implore the voters of the Village of Fayetteville to give Mark Olson the same consideration I did and reelect him in this upcoming mayoral election.
Christopher Randall
Fayetteville
Cleary will ‘improve our quality of life’
I am writing to implore your endorsement of Casey Cleary as the Democratic Write-In candidate for the village of Fayetteville Board of Trustees (BOT) in the election on September 15. Let me tell you why it is important to write Casey in.
I’ve known Casey for 44 years. Our college friendship grew to be extended family. We lived together as young adults and, later joined our families, in the early years of our daughters upbringing, to live together in Manlius and then Fayetteville. Casey is honest, reliable and passionate about the well-being of children, the earth, and justice in her community. She is an excellent communicator and educator. She is a systemic thinker and a thorough researcher. Casey has a master’s in public administration from SU’s Maxwell School, and she has backgrounds in human services and journalism.
Most importantly, Casey is a mother and ordinary villager who has become deeply concerned about our quality of life over the last year while attending and actively participating in our planning board meetings, zoning board meetings and BOT meetings for more than a year. Our village is in dire need of diverse, Democratic leadership. There are serious issues on the table that will negatively affect us for decades if those in power are not checked. Casey has followed those issues very closely and she is committed to seeing them through whether she is elected or not.
A vote for Casey would be a vote for relevant, quality economic development, governing transparency, and real collaborative leadership. She will fiercely fight to improve our quality of life and preserve our village’s historic legacy. Now is the time for all good citizens to come to the aid of their village. Write-in Casey Cleary on September 15th.
Diane Ogno
Fayetteville
Olson a ‘tireless advocate for senior center’
To the editor:
As president of the board of directors of the Fayetteville Senior Center, I have worked side by side with Mark Olson on many different occasions. His ongoing support of our Fayetteville Senior Center continues, and the current renovation project is evidence once again that Mark values the lives of our seniors. He has participated in many volunteer activities and hosted events to help raise funds for the center. He has also been a tireless advocate for the center and always works in the best interest of the center when conducting village business.
We have enjoyed a long and prosperous relationship with the village of Fayetteville and Mark Olson is a primary reason that our senior center flourishes. I look forward to continuing this partnership with the village of Fayetteville, and support Mark Olson in his re-election campaign. His efforts and understanding of our seniors are a critical component to the success of our center. When in Fayetteville next time, drive by the senior center and see the progress being made as the facility readies for a grand re-opening. Mark Olson has been a key proponent and certainly a friend to our seniors.
Tony Marsallo
President, Board of Directors
Fayetteville Senior Center
