Three vie for two trustee positions in the village of Fayetteville

VILLAGE OF FAYETTEVILLE – The candidates running for two positions on the Fayetteville Board of Trustees are incumbent Mike Small, who has served on the board for 20 years; Casey Cleary, who previously ran a write-in campaign for a trustee position; and Mark Matt, who is making his first campaign for Fayetteville trustee.
Fayetteville residents will also be asked to vote on two ballot propositions: Whether to prohibit businesses where cannabis can be consumed and whether to prohibit cannabis dispensaries in the village.
Polls are open between 6 a.m. and 9 p.m. in the Fayetteville village municipal building.
The Eagle Bulletin sent the three candidates a brief series of questions. Their responses are below.
Casey Cleary
Democrat, Fayetteville Villages United
How will your experience serve you in government?
My experiences as an engaged citizen have primed me to represent the concerns of my neighbors in the Village. We are hopeful there is still time to prevent the Board of Trustees (BOT) from squandering what is unique about our village.
I am “called” to serve my community as the voice of those who believe our historic character is not being protected sufficiently by the current administration. My combination of nonpartisan management in five nonprofit organizations and a Maxwell degree in Public Administration – the national gold standard for my profession – are excellent qualifications for ethical governance and public service.
What do you think are the biggest challenges Fayetteville?
A BOT which, by its own admission, will lose lawsuits by the landowners and/or developers of 547 East Genesee. In order to hide their mistakes, the BOT overstepped its authority by favoring multinational corporations over its villagers.
A BOT without representation from the east side of the village.
A BOT not focused sufficiently on the threats of climate change.
A BOT which has ignored a 2018 Historic Resources Survey that concluded our Historic District could be expanded, and that the Huntleigh neighborhood could qualify as a second Historic District. The study was funded by the U.S. Department of the Interior and the NYS Council on the Arts.
A BOT in which decision-making power is concentrated in one man.
A BOT with an average tenure of 20 years resulting in “groupthink.”
A mayor ($18,000 salary) determined to serve simultaneously as a county legislator ($33,000 salary) while working a fulltime job.
What are your ideas for addressing these challenges?
I will report regularly to my neighbors on every issue in our platform, the progress being made, and all barriers to my efforts in completing the work they sent me to accomplish.
The citizens of our village do not want the loss of our historic character to be the price we pay for the mistakes by the mayor and trustees in their dealings with the landowners and developers of 547 East Genesee Street over the past seven years. We deserve to know exactly why the village attorney asserts the village will lose lawsuits by the landowners and developers. We need a second legal opinion by a law firm without any conflicts of interest.
It is NYS taxpayers who will fund the clean-up of this contaminated site. It is likely the Onondaga County Industrial Development Agency will also provide publicly funded incentives. I represent villagers who want a better deal.
Mark Matt
Democrat, Fayetteville Neighbors
How will your experience serve you in government?
I’m a Fayetteville resident, three decades, with a BS economics, MS education administration, and graduate work in accounting. During my career as a software industry manager, I also served as a community volunteer. A long-time Rotarian with expertise in grants management and finance, I’ve also spent three decades with the Izaak Walton League advocating for the environment. I’m currently on the Village Comprehensive Planning Board Steering Committee.
I’ve fostered many relationships at the village, town, county, and state levels. With my years listening, working with others, finding solutions, and solving problems, my experience could open opportunities for partnership and funding.
What do you think are the biggest challenges facing Fayetteville?
Biggest challenge? Change. COVID affected our village departments, we’re attracting new residents and businesses, and people spend more time working remotely from home. This brings additional pressure on our infrastructure and a growing need for childcare and affordable housing.
With an abandoned factory and brownfield in the village center and a vacant lot on our busiest corner, managing development in the village is a long-term priority. Another concern is losing our village identity, with its rich local history. We don’t want to morph into the town as villages elsewhere have.
We have an expanding shopping mall and green space adjacent to the village, and a lumber yard outside village jurisdiction. Development there is controlled by the town, not our village. It’s concerning. Our current town board recently turned its back on residents and its own planning board by planning to change the rules to allow a project that was rejected.
What are your ideas for addressing these challenges?
My vision focuses on the future while preserving our heritage. I welcome opportunities to partner with our town, county and state officials on grants and funding for village projects, to address traffic and environmental concerns, and to ensure the land contiguous to the village is properly developed without negative impact to Fayetteville.
I will utilize our laws, codes, planning board, and ZBA to ensure development applications in the village are compliant. Our taxpayer dollars will be spent wisely. We’ll invest in our fire department, parks, communications technology, and other municipal services. I vow to keep village government transparent and accountable to the residents, safeguard our natural resources, and support local businesses. I’m committed to long-term solutions, not quick fixes.
This is no place for politics. Serving as a village trustee is serving as a public servant. I’ll represent all people, regardless of their political persuasion or neighborhood.
Mike Small
Balance
How will your experience serve you in government?
As trustee, I’ve used the experience gained as a 40-year funeral director; hearing, listening, and responding to expectations, ideas and requests presented. Whether my own thoughts are similar or differ, I’m agreeable to discuss, listen, compromise, respond, and in the end, make appropriate decisions for our residents. Daily community involvement allows for honest discussions about the village, its’ workings, and proposals. In my profession I lead families through difficult times with a calming nature and willingness to provide a meaningful experience. This is the same way I approach my leadership role as trustee for the past 20 years.
What do you think are the biggest challenges facing Fayetteville?
Redevelopment of village properties, particularly two large properties and the impact of their use and appearance to neighbors and the village. They bring challenges for both community and developers, including use, density, appearance, and being brownfield sites. In addition, current and potential traffic continues to be a challenge, as an increase in volume potentially comes with redevelopment both within the village and in surrounding areas.
Equally we are challenged to find affordable housing solutions for senior citizens as well as first-time homebuyers. As needs evolve, the challenge is being more sustainable for all residents, particularly safeguarding our resources and adapting to the advancement of greener lifestyles. Protecting our green spaces, conserving our energy use, adapting changing energy needs, and providing services should all be balanced with increased associated costs to provide the quality of life we enjoy.
What are your ideas for addressing these challenges?
I chair the Comprehensive Plan update, which affords residents opportunity to voice opinions on land use, development/re-development, and the impact on traffic and other quality of life concerns. Regularly updating this plan will clearly define our vision for Fayetteville and potential developers can bring projects befitting that vision.
With redevelopment, I support traffic patterns to maintain the small-scale Village atmosphere. I’d continue to initiate “speed humps” on local streets to alleviate resident speed concerns. I have begun talking with residents about making the Village more bike friendly, and I encourage sidewalk use to increase pedestrian traffic.
Our parks and historic Ledyard Canal have offered green energy to mills and factories for many years. As a proponent of history, I support any tasteful solar energy options, as well as adding charging stations as need increases. I have and continue to support LEED Certified projects (Village Hall, Fire Department and DPW garage).