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1-31-2008 by JIM AUSTIN Editor The Democratic and Republican parties held their caucuses this week, and each nominated two candidates for the trustee slots. On Monday night, the Republicans nominated Doug Walker and Neil Weiller, both newcomers to village politics. On Tuesday, the Democrats gave the nod to incumbent Jeff Katz and another newcomer, Jim Vrooman. Paul Kuhn, who currently holds the other seat up for election this year, decided not to seek another term. Waller is finishing her third term as mayor and will again run opposed. She is the longest-standing member of the board of trustees. The mayor said she is particularly interested in getting construction started on the Linden Avenue, or Village Gateway, project. "I want to put that first shovel into the Linden Avenue project" she said. Waller is also interested in taking a serious look at the proposals from the Notre Dame students, who spent last fall studying the village and making recommendations for its future growth. Not everything they suggested makes sense for the village, but there are aspects of the plan that bear a further look, she said. After some contentious debates over paid parking last fall, Waller said she would like "to keep things on an even keel." Walker, 62, is a Chestnut Street B&B owner and Cooperstown native. He is a 1963 graduate of Cooperstown High School, Vietnam-era veteran, and former Peace Corps volunteer. He was one of the original founders of Danny's Market and former owner of Walker Gallery and National Pastime. He said he likes Mayor Carol Waller's program and wants to work on moving Cooperstown forward during the next three years. "We have a strong mayor and I want to hook onto that team," he said. "I'm a local guy and my main interest is in the locals living here." Walker said he had been interested in becoming involved in village government, and that interest was heightened by the paid parking issue last fall. He believes his long history as a Main Street businessman will be an important asset on the board of trustees. "I think I have a good rapport with all of them. I go back to the sandwich board wars," he commented. Weiller, 54, is a California native whose grandmother's family dates back to the 1700s in Cooperstown. He has had a home here for 30 years and been a resident for the last 20 years. He has owned his Main Street business, Muskrat Hill, since 1991. Weiller said he was motivated to run because of his belief that it is time for him to give back to the community. He says he is in contact on a daily basis with residents and visitors alike, and he formulates his opinion based on that contact. "I have a voice that hasn't always been heard or represented," he said. His professional background is corporate accounting, and during the debate over paid parking, his position was not for or against, but one of concern over whether village officials had dotted all the Is and cross all the Ts. "I'm used to asking a lot of questions," he said. The village has had a number of changes thrust upon it in the last 12 to 15 years and has been reactive. Now is the time to be proactive, he said, adding that the village must define the kind of future it wants. Weiller said that although he has received the Republican nomination, he also plans to file an independent nominating petition. "I feel that party affiliation is not that significant," he said. Katz, 45, a local entrepreneur and author who is finishing his first term on the board, is the only candidate running on a record. Katz has served on and chaired numerous village committees and boards including parks, finance, fire, police, planning and Doubleday Field. He said some of the highlights of his first term include his efforts to involve more people in village government through the village website, research into becoming a city, concerts, work on the establishment of a playground in Badger Park, rewriting the Doubleday Field rental contract, and oversight of the recent reval. Katz said a lot of people in the community are concerned about taxes, and he believes it is important for the board to continue down the "path of trying to find a better financial picture for the village." Realizing a larger share of the tax revenue collected each year may be one of the best ways to accomplish that, according to Katz. "I'd love to see us develop some kind of working relationship with the county," he said, pointing to the cooperation from the county in planning parking for Induction weekend last summer as a good sign. Vrooman, 40, and his wife have owned and operated a B&B on Elm Street for threeand- a-half years. Vrooman said he is very caring about his community. "We have a lot at stake here as business people, residents and parents," he said. "This is such a great community." He and his wife were instrumental in the formation of the Village Pride Committee, which is working on the beautification of the village, particularly the downtown area. Vrooman, who has a background in operations management, said he had not thought about running for office, but was approached by a number of neighbors and other business owners. It was their encouragement which helped motivate him to seek a seat on the board of trustees. "I want to be active in my community," he said. Residents interested in having their name placed on the ballot in the annual election still have time to collect signatures and file an independent nominating petition. The village election will be held Tuesday, March 18. |
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