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Depew, Sloan election endorsements
Residents in the villages of Depew and Sloan will elect trustees in their respective villages on March 20. Depew voters will have the additional responsibility of choosing a mayor and deciding whether to reduce the size of the village board from seven to five members. This year's endorsements are based on the boards' past performances and from those in attendance at board meetings, as well as interviews with the candidates.
Depew: The Action Party offers a slate of incumbent Mayor Joseph McIntosh running with Jeff Davis, Don Jakubowski, Eugene Molinaro and Sandra Pieczynski as trustee candidates. Davis and incumbent Pieczynski jumped to the party after leaving the Progressive Party of Depew last year. The People's Voice Party offers Barbara Alberti for mayor. Joining her are Carl Monti, Linda Hammer, Joseph Keefe and William Maryniewski running for trustee positions. Incumbent Maryniewski won election in 2003 on the Action Party line.
The Action Party in 2005 introduced two new candidates who were touted as having "fresh ideas." That party swept the 2005 elections, but we have not witnessed any fresh ideas from the board, and the attendance of one of their junior trustees at board meetings is poor at best. The People's Voice includes one vocal gadfly and a candidate with a strong labor negotiating background. The party promotes its candidates as lifelong village residents.
Individually, when you look past the surface, the candidates are likable people. Still, both sides appear to have contributed a fair share of negativity to the election. The People's Voice continually uses village board meetings to provoke politically charged debates. Board meetings should be used to conduct business and gain valuable public input, and not for posturing. The Action Party attracted attention when the People's Voice admonished them at a meeting for inviting local high school students to an Action Party event. While this was not a wise move, it should not be considered a major mis-step. However, mailing thank-you letters to supporters of the other party for participating in the election process is indeed highly questionable.
During recent calls for political change, the public has clamored for candidates who have not been embedded in the "system," or the public sector. Yet, both parties offer new candidates who have spent a good part of their professional lives working for the Village of Depew. An argument can be made that people who have worked in the public sector have an edge because they are familiar with the political system. We feel this could be a drawback because persons embedded in these jobs are less likely to explore major changes within the system.
The shrinking general fund in the village budget has us concerned, but McIntosh overall has done a fair job as mayor. As a retiree, Alberti's pledge to be a visible figure in Village Hall is a refreshing approach to a part-time position. But can Alberti do a better job than McIntosh? The answer on that is likely an even split. Two years ago we strongly endorsed Davis, and today we still like his knowledge of the village. Negotiations with labor groups is always an issue in any municipality, and Monti's experience in this area would be a plus. Molinaro assured us that the health matters that forced him to step down last year are behind him, but we still have concerns. The same holds true for Maryniewski, who suffered life-threatening injuries after a fall from a ladder in 2005. Both are nice people, but our reservations remain. We know Hammer to be a pleasant person away from Village Hall and she is passionate about her beliefs, but sometimes she takes on too strong of an accusatory tone at village meetings. She needs to modify her approach. Keefe is steadfast in his desire to identify and cut fat and pork from the budget. Pieczynski's familiarity with municipal codes across the region would be an asset as the village looks to overhaul its own set of codes. Jakubowski falls into the "nice" category with the aforementioned candidates, and there's no questioning his commitment to Depew, but after working for years in Village Hall, he may vote with his heart instead of what may be best for all residents.
The Times recommends retaining McIntosh as mayor as well as Pieczynski as a trustee. Jeff Davis, Carl Monti and Joe Keefe also get the nod for trustee positions. These endorsements reflect an opportunity to usher in new ways of thinking and promote budget cuts while retaining some board stability. We're also ready in 2009 to bring down the hammer on those who fail to serve the public to their utmost ability.
As for the village board reduction proposal, this referendum should be approved. The continual absences of one trustee at board meetings coupled with the mid-term departures of various trustees over the years indicate that Depew can function well with a five-member board.
Sloan: Denis Sommerfield and Judith Calhoon hope to give the People's Choice Party complete control of the board while Norbert Czosek seeks his second four-year term.
Village politics have been fairly calm in Sloan for the past two years after the People's Choice wrestled the Mayor's seat away from the New Era party. A new administration has brought civility to village meetings and a government that is more open- and generally friendly- to the public.
"Generally" friendly because there are times when it seems that some complaints lodged by residents are not properly addressed by the board. Residents who live off William Street continue to complain about idling diesel-powered vehicles at a nearby business is just one example. Still, the board as it presently stands is a good one. Furthermore, a board consisting of members from two or more political parties helps to provide a little governmental policing. We don't believe any change is necessary. The often quiet Czosek and opinionated Sommerfield should be re-elected, but Calhoon- a very active woman in village activities- would also be a good choice.
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