Election Day is Nov. 7; meet the Van Buren candidates

The Messenger sent a questionnaire to the candidates running in the town of Van Buren election. Below are their responses. Note: all candidates in the town of Van Buren election a­re running unopposed.
Town Supervisor
Rick Zaccaria
Republican
What makes you the ideal candidate?
I have experience as an executive, an administrator and as a legislator. As a local business owner, I also have experience creating budgets for a multi-million-dollar corporation and with training and mentoring a management team. This gives me a great deal of insight into working with every facet of the town and the ability to get the best value from every department and every tax dollar.
Why are you running for this position?
I am currently serving as the town supervisor and previously spent four years as a member of the town board and as parks chairman. Previous supervisors have done a very good job in keeping the tax rates low over the years and I will continue that practice. We will strive to offer more services to our residents, and I will always place value as the top criteria when evaluating those services. The next several years will be critical for our town as we can expect to see large scale change in our community from the development and expansion of Micron. How we mold and develop that change will be impactful for decades to come.
What are the most important issues the community is facing and what would you do about them?
The development of Micron is clearly one of the most important issues facing our community. This will have wide ranging impact in several areas. Housing will be a primary concern as the town of Van Buren is already experiencing a shortage in general inventory and especially in affordable housing. We want to be able to provide plentiful and quality housing, but we will want to be careful not to impact the quiet enjoyment of our community.
We will be creating several committees to assist in forming a Comprehensive Plan for the town of Van Buren. This plan will be developed over the next year, and we will seek investment from many members of our community to serve on those committees and give input into the direction the town will take in the future. This plan will put our town in the best possible position to harness the power of Micron and use it to our advantage.
Town Clerk
Lynn Precourt
Republican
What makes you the ideal candidate?
I have been the town clerk in Van Buren since 2002 and clerk/receiver of taxes since 2010.  I am a Registered Municipal Clerk and am always seeking ways to continue my education for the benefit of the town.
Why are you running for this position?
It has been a pleasure serving the residents of the town and I am looking forward to continuing to do so for the next four years.
What are the most important issues the community is facing and what would you do about them?
One of the most important issues facing all municipalities is continuing to find ways to reduce the tax burden on residents. Following two staff retirements, the tax office was consolidated with the clerk’s office to achieve greater efficiency and reduce overhead.  I was one of the first to join with Onondaga County to use their software for tax collection resulting in a savings of approximately $15,000 annually.  I will continue to look for cooperative opportunities and investigate innovative ideas that save money.
Town Councilor (to fill vacancy)
Robert B Grover
Republican
What makes you the ideal candidate?
My wife and I moved to Van Buren in 2009, we have two children who have attended school and have loved living in the community.  I have been involved with the Harbour Height Association, as park director, and was able to work with the association and the prior town board to help establish the current park in the development. My wife and I are small business owners who oversee the day-to-day business dealings, budget, and finances of our company, which I believe will help me assist in giving input for the town budget and finances for the taxpayers in our community. I have always had an open-door policy for the employees and hope that the residents will use that to their advantage.
Why are you running for this position?
I was appointed to the town board in March 2023, to fill a vacancy, and have had the chance to better understand the issues that face the town. Having had a chance to sit on the financial committee to see the finances of our town and I have to say I am proud to say we have one of the most financial fit towns in the county.  I hope to bring transparency to the town board, as in the past, and to help develop the town into what the residents of this town desire. I also hope to assist with any issues brought before the board and encourage input from the residents. Honesty and integrity are my strong points and will always be here to listen to the residents, as this is our town and we want our residents and kids to reside, work and feel safe in our community.
What are the most important issues the community is facing and what would you do about them?
I feel the most important issue facing our community right now, is housing. Onondaga County is currently in a growth spurt, and with Micron coming into the county, the northern communities will be impacted and faced with a population growth in the coming years. We need to listen to the residents in our community to see the direction that they wish this town to look like in the future. The town currently has a few development projects in there early stages, and we need to have the residents continue to voice their opinions to the town board. We also need to move forward with our Comprehensive Plan, with the input of the community, so we can have a better idea as to what we want our community to look like in the next 20 years.
Town Councilor (vote for 3)
Roger Hand
Republican
What makes you the ideal candidate?
I have worked in and for the public for 40-plus years,I was involved with Baldwinsville pop warner for many years. I did volunteer work for multiple organizations, and I am a member of my church pastoral council.
Why are you running for this position?
I would like to serve my community,to do what is in the best interest of the people.
What are the most important issues the community is facing and what would you do about them?
Keep taxes low,and to grow the town in the best way possible.
Jennifer Sullivan
Republican, Conservative
What makes you the ideal candidate?
I have lived in Baldwinsville/Van Buren most of my life and am a 1990 graduate of the Baldwinsville Central School District.
I have worked in the commercial real estate/property management field for over 26 years. During my career, I have built and fostered many relationships with tenants, municipalities, commercial developers as well as a staff of 19 employees.  My duties include all phases of building operations, contract negotiations, management of construction projects, budgeting and lease negotiations.
I have served as town councilor for the past year and am currently on the Canton Woods, Erie Canal and the financial committees.   I believe my seasoned position in commercial real estate and property management has been helpful in serving my community.
Why are you running for this position?
I have always had a passion to be more involved in our community besides being a good neighbor and resident.  I want to give back to the community that I grew up in and intend to reside in for many years to come.  I truly have enjoyed my role as town councilor and am very proud to be a part of the town board’s achievements this year.  Achievements such as amending the tax exemptions for first responders, senior citizens and the disabled; adding another pavilion to Van Buren Park’s amenities and approving the purchase of a 10 wheel dump truck for the highway department without having to bond the purchase.  In addition, we are making great strides on updating the comprehension plan to adapt to our community’s future and finalizing next year’s budget to ensure we maintain under the tax cap.
I am passionate about working for the wellness and safety of our residents; dedicated to maintaining and strengthening our town’s services and amenities; committed to being fiscally conservative; and devoted to listening to and understanding the concerns of the members of our community.
What are the issues the community is facing and what would you do about them?
We are in our third year of record high inflation that continues to result in higher pricing for the consumer.  Increased costs are creating ongoing challenges for our Town, businesses and of course, residents.  It has impacted everyone’s life in some way.  I intend to be diligent in monitoring spending.
I’m a firm believer that communication and working together with our residents is key to success in our town’s potential.  To promote good decision making in the best interest of the community, I intend to continue to work alongside my fellow board members to provide a welcoming atmosphere for residents to feel comfortable voicing a concern or idea.
With Micron making its way to our area, balancing the increased interest for development in our beautiful community is important.  Growth is good for any community, but it needs to be carefully studied and managed to ensure that the growth will continue to serve our community, residents and preserve our town’s uniqueness.  I feel very strongly that members of our community should be provided the opportunity to have input.
It has been an honor and a pleasure serving as a Van Buren Town Councilor. I look forward to continuing to serve the people in our community to the best of my ability.  I would truly appreciate your support this November.  Please take the time to vote for me on Rows B or C.
Wendy A. Van Der Water
Republican
What makes you the ideal candidate?
I’ve been serving on the town board since 2019 and previously served on the town board in 2004 thru 2007.  I feel I have extensive municipal experience due to serving over eight years on the town board.
Why are you running for this position?
I’m running for re-election for this seat as I enjoy serving the Van Buren community.  I have lived in Baldwinsville my whole life and have a commitment to this area in keeping it thriving with thoughtful development, a good tax base of both residential and commercial locations and maintaining the beauty here in Van Buren.
What are the issues the community is facing and what would you do about them?
To me, a very important issue is the incoming requests for new development in Van Buren, specifically housing developments.  It is very critical that we have a Board that is thoughtfully reviewing these requests to be sure Van Buren is not over developed, whereby using every inch of green space for housing, whether its single family houses, or apartments or assisted living.  We do not have a lot of room to increase the infrastructure in our town, such as widening roads, water flow or overcrowding our schools.  It is imperative that any development is reviewed inside and out and all necessary studies are done; but most importantly, we received input from our residents on what they want to see come to Van Buren since this town is their home.
Editor note: Unopposed town justice candidate Darlene O’Kane did not respond to requests for information.