by Kristina Gabalski
Brockport Mayor Connie Castaneda has announced she will run for a second term. She announced her re-election bid during her report at the regular meeting of the Village Board May 14.
The mayor said she has two “running mates” – Danny Blackburn and Richard Ross – who are running for two open seats on the village board.
The three are calling themselves the “Taxpayers First” party and Castaneda has said they share the goal of a “… small efficient government and a more affordable village.”
The mayor is being challenged by Trustee Margaret Blackman, who was elected to the board in 2011.
Blackman is running with the Revitalize Brockport team, with Trustee Carol Hannan who is seeking a second term, and Val Ciciotti.
Trustee Kent Blair has decided not to seek re-election.
The Brockport Village election is Tuesday, June 18.
Also at the May 14 regular meeting, Trustee Blackman and other board members re-capped the first-ever Low Bridge/High Water Canal Opening Celebration which was held May 1 through 5.
Blackman noted the weather for the opening ceremonies on Saturday, May 4, was “picture perfect.”
Two fund-raising events which were part of the celebration were very successful, Blackman reported.
More than 90 people attended the Stone Soup Art/Antique Auction which raised $5,500 for an historic mural to be painted on the village’s Department of Public Works building. That total exceeded the three thousand dollars needed to cover the village’s half of a matching grant received to fund the mural.
Nearly 60 people took part in the Taste of Brockport event which included ten locations in the village’s business district. The tasting event raised $1,180.
Blackman said those funds will be added to the Celebrations line in the 2013/2014 village budget.
Brockport Police Stetson Club President Brian Winant provided results from the first “Barge Charge” 5K held May 4 as part of the Low Bridge/High Water celebration.
Top finishers were: Males: Shane Chi-chester, 19:21; Kyle Derry, 19:22; Christopher Frank, 19:31. Females: Mary Karen Baker 21:40; Sheila O’Brien 22:18; Pam Rockow 22:31. Youth Top Finishers: Jessica DiFilippo, 29:51 and Maeve Curry, 41:22.
Officer Winant and the Stetson Club thank all who participated and helped out with the race, which was sponsored by the Stetson Club. Five hundred dollars was raised for the Wounded Warrior Project along with a box of canned goods for the Brockport Food Shelf.
Officer Winant also announced the winners of the first Brockport area Pizza Wars held Sunday, May 5 during the canal opening celebration.
Best Overall Pizza went to 58 Main; Best Crust: Perri’s Pizza; Best Overall Sauce: 58 Main with sweet BBQ sauce; Best Toppings (cheese and pepperoni): 58 Main and Best Specialty Pizza: Domino’s Pizza, veggie pizza.
The Stetson Club thanks the panel of judges and participating area restaurants:Liz Banner, BHS chorus instructor; Mike Flannigan, vocal assistant, BCS; Rocco Salomone, former SUNY football coach; J.W. Cook, 2013 BCS class president; Lee Cohen, SUNY trainer; Caurie Putnam, D&C, Rochester Women’s Magazine; Nicole Sarratori, Brockport Police Stetson Club; Kimberly Rae, 98.9 The Buzz, Kimberly and Beck Morning Show; Domino’s Pizza, Mozzeroni’s Pizza, 58 Main, Mark’s Pizza, Crosby’s and Perri’s Pizza.
Winant said the pizza judging was a blind taste test.
