Supervisor
Richard Driscoll (Democratic, Better Newfield)
RELEVANT PERSONAL INFORMATION: I am a 35-year resident of the town of Newfield. I was the founding Executive Director of the Community Arts Partnership and then Director of Development for Suicide Prevention and Crisis Services. I was a town board member in 2008-2009, and became Supervisor in 2010. I am also the current co-chair of the Tompkins County Council of Governments, and I serve on the Land Use & Environmental Impacts Committees/Gas Drilling Task Force as Chair. I also serve on the TimeWarner Cable Negotiating Committee. Human Services Coalition Board of Directors, Chair. TC Library Board of Trustees and the Strategic Tourism Planning Board.
WHY ARE YOU RUNNING FOR OFFICE?: I was elected to the Town Board 2008 and then as Supervisor in 2010 because I was frustrated by a Government that was unresponsive and not accessible to its citizens. Some Board Members would mislead the public with incorrect statements as, for example, my opponent did in 2007 leading up to his vote against the Planning Board. I was dismayed by a budget process that was shockingly disorganized and years of financial management and information that was deliberately unexamined by the Board to the disservice of our residents.
I keep my word. When I ran for Supervisor I made and then I delivered on these promises: We have a Comprehensive Plan; Town Government is now responsive, accessible and the Supervisor is conducting business from Town Hall; Financial management and information is better than when I took office. I’m proud of these and other accomplishments. Read about them at newfielddemocrats.org.
WHAT IS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE TO TACKLE IN THE POSITION YOU ARE SEEKING?: 1. Use the Comprehensive Plan to Secure Smart Sustainable Growth; 2. Growth of our Student Population to Secure our School District’s Future; 3. Replacement of the Aging Water and Sewer Infrastructure in the Hamlet; 4. Advancement of a Ban on HVHF Gas Drilling; 5. Continued Improvement of Town Administrative and Financial Management. It’s been a struggle, but we’re better than 4 years ago.
We must pass a ban on HVHF Gas Drilling until the whole Town is at ease with it, until this practice is corrected and made safe, until the industry conducts itself as a guest with minimum disruption to our home community, the quality of daily life and safety. We must offset the costs Town Government will bear that should not be passed on to the taxpayers who are not benefitting from gas leases and protect neighbors whose property values may diminish.
Jeffrey Hart (Republican, Independence)
RELEVANT PERSONAL INFORMATION: A lifelong resident of Newfield, I live with my wife Amy and our son Hunter. I graduated from NewfieldHigh School in 1988, SUNY Delhi in 1990, and IthacaCollege in 1992. I have a degree in Business Management and received certificates in Real Estate Appraisal 1, 2, and 3 and Ethics from Roanoke School of Real Estate.
I own and operate a local Newfield business, Ithaca Recreation Sports; I have partnered in three Save-A-Lot Food Stores; and, I raise beef cattle and grow pumpkins in Newfield.
I have served on a number of organizations, including the Newfield Town Board for eight years. I am a member of the NY Farm Bureau, and a life member of the American Motorcycle Association. I served on the Newfield Committee for Better Housing of Tompkins County, which obtained a $400,000 HUD Grant to help rehabilitate housing in Newfield. I served as President of the WNYOA (western New York off-road association), a 1500 member organization that promotes safe family oriented motorcycle and ATV racing. During my time as president membership has grown over 22% and we received the prestigious Off-Road Organizer of the Year from the AMA (American Motorcycle Association) for 2012.
WHY ARE YOU RUNNING FOR OFFICE? With my local business and government experience, I am the most qualified candidate to effectively and responsibly lead our town government. I am very aware of the town’s financial constraints and will use my experiences to manage our resources for growth and preservation.
WHAT IS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE TO TACKLE IN THE POSITION YOU ARE SEEKING? To return Newfield government to integrity, honesty, and openness, while having the ability to run smoothly without affecting services or creating large tax increases. The current supervisor has made it a practice of bonding items and rolling expenses over to the following year. Also, during his tenure we have $30,000 missing, he incurred $14,867 in IRS and NY tax interest and penalties for not paying Town employee withholding taxes on time; and he cost the town about $14,000 in double workers’ compensation premiums. Richard Driscoll continues to make excuses and puts blame on others before taking responsibility for his own actions. Newfield citizens may not be aware of what has gone on over the past four years, I am hoping they will take a moment to look at the town board minutes and see the truths that are there. Please support me and the other fine Newfield Republicans, Nov. 5.
Clerk
Karen Miller-Kenerson (Democratic, Republican, Independence)
Did not respond to request for information
Highway Superintendent
Kevin Berggren (Democratic, Republican, Independence)
Councilperson (Vote for 2)
Diana Bryant (Republican, Independence)
RELEVANT PERSONAL INFORMATION: I was born and raised in Newfield and graduated from NewfieldCentralSchool. My husband is Rick Bryant, I have six grown children, and eight grandchildren. We returned to Newfield over twenty years ago. My knowledge of the town will be an asset to the Town Board, as the Town has many challenges ahead.
I have volunteered as a Master Forest Owner, as a SAREP instructor, teaching children to fish and the importance of water quality, and as a Newfield Rec. Coach I am a past member and chair of the Newfield Old Home Days Committee, a past member of the budget committee for Newfield Central Schools, and past-secretary and volunteer for the Newfield Planning Board.
WHY ARE YOU RUNNING FOR OFFICE? I am running for office because I feel it is my turn to give back. As a youth I was a member of the TompkinsCounty 4-H Conservation Club, my love for the outdoors eventually led me to my employment at CornellUniversity in the Department of Natural Resources where I have been employed for 19 years.
I am very proud to be a resident of the town of Newfield. I grew up knowing the necessity of community service. My family has for generations served this community in a variety of positions. I believe in community and feel we need to work together to continue life as we all know it in Newfield. We have a beautiful town full of all kinds of wonderful views and natural sites and wildlife and I would like to keep it that way.
Contrary to what our present Town Supervisor states people choose to live in Newfield, they chose not to live in a town like Lansing, so growing Newfield into a Lansing should not be an option. I also see the town spending money on fines and late fees, which is inexcusable, we are a small town and when the town is missing $30,000, is liable for $14,867 in IRS and NY interest for the Supervisor not filing withholding taxes, and overpays about $14,000 in double workers’ compensation premium payments, because the Town Supervisor takes it upon himself to make decisions that cost the town and the majority of the current board goes along and gives him their support, it is time for a change.
WHAT IS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE TO TACKLE IN THE POSITION YOU ARE SEEKING? I believe the biggest challenge is to continue the services we have in Newfield and not raise taxes beyond our residents’ means. We need to live within our means and still be able to have safe roads and other programs for our residents. Our highway budget has been cut substantially over the last few years; we can no longer afford to do that. We cannot continue to purchase equipment on bonds and certainly not carry expenses over from year to year, creating more debt for future years. There has been poor management of the tax dollars in Newfield over the last few years and this must end.
I urge all Newfield residents to vote in the upcoming election and if you agree that your freedoms are being taken away little by little, I ask you that you support me and my other fellow Republicans in the upcoming election.
Joanne James (Democratic, Better Newfield)
RELEVANT PERSONAL INFORMATION: I have lived in Newfield for 35 years, I raised my family in Newfield and my husband’s extended family lives in Newfield and the surrounding areas. I am an incumbent town board member with four years experience working with the Town finances and issues of concern to our residents. As chair of the Town finance committee, I have helped implement internal controls and procedures to ensure good financial management.
I am the Business Administrator at NewfieldCentralSchool and have a CPA license specializing in governmental accounting. In my capacity as business administrator, I am responsible for budget development, long range planning and NYS financial accounting. This puts my in a unique position to understand and encourage financial cooperation between the School and the Town.
Participating in our extended community is an important value for me. Over the years I have worked on and chaired Newfield’s Old Home Days committee, helped start the newly established Farmers’ Market, and participated in the redesign of the Town’s new website, which is now user friendly and promotes open government. I currently serve on the Community Foundation of Tompkins County finance committee and for the past five years have been a volunteer tax preparer for the VITA program at Alternatives Federal Credit Union. Both these experiences have given me broader perspective on the needs of our community and TompkinsCounty.
WHY ARE YOU RUNNING FOR OFFICE?: In the four years I have been in office we have made great progress in financial management, adopting a comprehensive plan, and identifying what town issues need to be addressed in the event of large scale industry and development. We know that the Town’s water and sewer systems are old and portions need to be replaced. However, I also believe that a community is more than roads or infrastructure. We need to work together to support our school, our senior citizens, our library, our youth, and our volunteer fire department. I would like to see that the progress we made these past four years continues.
WHAT IS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE TO TACKLE IN THE POSITION YOU ARE SEEKING?: The Town is facing serious challenges this coming year. We recently adopted a comprehensive plan, which has been in progress for over five years. I believe it is imperative that we work to implement the action points of the plan, and to ensure the continued viability of our planning board.
Also, this past year the Town board extended a moratorium on high volume hydraulic fracturing (HVHF) gas drilling by a vote of 3 to 2. I support placing a BAN on HVHF gas drilling on the NewfieldTown agenda. HVHF drilling has yet to prove a safe means of extracting natural gas and the potential long range negative effects on our environment can be dire.
Christine Laughlin (Republican, Independence)
RELEVANT PERSONAL INFORMATION: I am a lifelong resident of Newfield and own the home my great grandfather settled in when he moved here from Finland. I grew up on my family’s dairy farm, where I learned to respect the land and what the earth can provide. Currently I work at the NewfieldSchool as the elementary nurse, and per diem at Northeast Pediatrics as an RN.
WHY ARE YOU RUNNING FOR OFFICE? The first time I ran, I didn’t have an agenda. Newfield is my home town, and I felt it was my turn to serve, I still feel this way. It’s important for me to make sure that taxes are kept reasonable and affordable, that tax monies are spent responsibly.
WHAT IS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE TO TACKLE IN THE POSITION YOU ARE SEEKING? For me it is realizing that decisions need to be made and not everyone will be happy. I have to listen to all concerned parties and go with what I feel is best for the town given the input I receive.
Marie Terlizzi (Democratic, Better Newfield)
RELEVANT PERSONAL INFORMATION: Through regular attendance at Town board meetings since January 2012, as well as talking with Newfield residents of varied backgrounds and interests, I am familiar with the issues the Town has been dealing with and the challenges that lie ahead. My background includes a BS in chemical engineering from the University of Pennsylvania, an MPS in Environmental and Forest Biology from SUNY ESF, employment in both university and corporate research facilities, 7 years of non-profit management experience and 5 years of small farm experience. I have worked with people from diverse backgrounds and with widely ranging viewpoints.
Perhaps most relevant is my assistance with the writing of Newfield’s Comprehensive Plan. I helped with public input sessions, wrote one chapter and contributed content to a second. To actively participate in this process has given me a good sense of Newfield today, as well as the challenges and opportunities of the future.
I chose to live in Newfield and have been here 11 years. I plan to stay.
WHY ARE YOU RUNNING FOR OFFICE?: I am concerned about Newfield’s future. I want a town board that will protect the town’s natural resources and rural character, work with the Planning Board to implement the town’s newly adopted Comprehensive Plan, and pursue sustainable solutions to our problems.
Over the last few years, my appreciation of the importance of local government has grown greatly. I am now convinced that much of the change we need will have to come from grassroots action, with individuals, community groups and local government working together. I want Newfield’s town government to be supportive of this kind of community collaboration.
WHAT IS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE TO TACKLE IN THE POSITION YOU ARE SEEKING?: The biggest annually recurring challenge will always be providing the services residents need and expect, while keeping the tax burden as light as possible, even as costs of some inputs climb faster than the tax cap.
The single biggest unique challenge is addressing gas drilling. I am a founder of the Newfield community group PAUSE, People Advocating the Use of Sustainable Energy, which has organized numerous community events around the issue of gas drilling and is increasingly active in promoting energy conservation and efficiency as well as renewable energy in Newfield. Since 2010, I have been studying what is known about the impacts of shale gas drilling on communities, human health and the environment and support a ban on high volume hydraulic fracturing in Newfield and in New YorkState.
Justice
R. Barry Strosnider (Democratic, Better Newfield)
Did not respond to request for information
