Elections will be held Tuesday March 16 in the village of Elbridge, filling two trustee terms which expire this year. Incumbents Robert Conlan and Allen Webster are both running unopposed for re-election.
Find out a bit about them below:
Robert E. Conlan
Running for trustee, 4-year term
Married to wife, Lynn, for 25 years; son Andrew, 18; daughter Julia, 15
Employed as an estimator for a local construction company.
Background: Village trustee of eight years. Past committee chairman for Boy Scout Troop 52 in the village of Elbridge. What do you expect will be the biggest challenge for the village board during your term, and how do you plan to address it? Our immediate challenge will be to finalize the budget for the next fiscal year. The threat of a reduction of the county sales tax revenue to towns and villages will create restraints in expenditures as we explore new means of securing revenue. In what ways do you plan to work more closely and efficiently with the town to reduce costs for residents? The village of Elbridge has successfully worked with the town of Elbridge and the village of Jordan to consolidate the public water service creating a water treatment plant, presently under construction. Current discussions with the town include the consolidation of fire protection services. Allen Webster
Running for trustee, 4-year term
Married to Dana, two children
Took over former trustee’s term four and a half years ago
Taught math at Jordan-Elbridge for 34 years; retired Army Major (22 years with Army Reserves and Air Guard); active with Elbridge Community Church and former wrestling coach What do you expect will be the biggest challenge for the village board during your term, and how do you plan to address it? Our budgetary problems are going to be the biggest thing. Right now its going to be the loss of our sales tax money, which is around 30 percent of our budget. I realize Onondaga County needs to tighten their belt, but it sounds like they’re going to do most of it at our expense. In what ways do you plan to work more closely and efficiently with the town to reduce costs for residents? We have a lot of cooperation with the town and the village of Jordan. Borrowing equipment and people, time sharing of individuals, the common water system and putting in the LT2 — thats a million dollar project we’ve all come together on. At the present time we get along well and do a lot of trading of equipment. Our village taxes here are only $1 per thousand. I like the idea of being more efficient but to be more efficient than we already are… I’d love to see it.