by Kristina Gabalski
Churchville Village Trustees Scott Cullen and John Hartman are running unopposed for two seats on the Village Board. Polls will be open Tuesday, March 19 from noon to 9 p.m. at the Village Hall, 23 East Buffalo Street.
Scott Cullen has served 12 years on the board and is seeking a fourth term.
He says he really enjoys serving his community as a trustee. “We have a good group in the village,” Trustee Cullen says, “things run smoothly, Mayor Nancy Steedman does a good job, tax rates have remained relatively low and consistent.”
The annual Churchville Walkabout – which is held in June – was started by Trustee Cullen 12 years ago. “It’s a nice little summer event,” he says. “It helps residents to know what we have in the village.”
Trustee Cullen also points to the recently completed Westshore Trail, the Village Hall building “and the great Village Department of Public Works crew,” all of which make the village very attractive and livable.
As a trustee, Cullen says he works, “… to give my kids a sense of identity in their community. I grew up in the village and I want my kids to be proud they grew up in the village.”
As issues come before the board, Cullen says he always asks himself the question, “… is this good for my kids?”
Churchville is a small village community, he notes, but is also part of a larger community – being centrally located between Rochester and Buffalo and the opportunities and attractions that those cities provide.
Trustee Cullen has three children, one in Churchville Elementary (the school is “phenomenal,” he says), one in Churchville-Chili Middle School and one in the 9th Grade Academy at Churchville-Chili.
His business, Air Affair, is located in the village and he says, “I kept it here because it’s a great location in the heart of things.
“I will do my best to make it an even better community,” Cullen says of his new term and adds village board members work well together and share much camaraderie.
“Everybody is so nice,” he says. “We are colleagues and we are friends.”
John Hartman has served as a trustee since April of 2007 and before that time was active with the Village Charrette and regularly attended board meetings.
Hartman says he is most proud of the village’s new Westshore Trail Park. He chaired the Westshore Trail Committee, which worked to develop the concept plan, provided information to the community, and made recommendations to the village board.
“We were able to take an underutilized property and create a unique feature that symbolizes the history of Churchville and encourages everyone to get outside and enjoy what we have to offer,” he says. “The committee worked very hard and long to come up with the plan, and I am proud to have worked with such a fine team of people. With the contributions from other individuals and local businesses, the Westshore Trail has become one of the best features of the village.”
Trustee Hartman says he has a love for the outdoors and for being active. “I would very much like to see the continued development and expansion of the existing trail and walking network in the village,” he says. “I am also on the Black Creek Trail Steering Committee which includes representatives from the towns of Riga and Chili, and seeing the village section of the proposed Black Creek Trail come to fruition would be another gem for our community and provide another way for everyone to experience the natural beauty we have here.”
Churchville is a very welcoming and friendly community, Hartman says. “There are so many friendly people here and passing someone on the sidewalk often means stopping for a quick chat. In fact, it didn’t take long after we moved to the village, that we got to know many people simply because we took evening walks.”
Hartman has worked for Kodak since 2001 as a software engineer. He and his wife, Anne, have two girls, Rebecca and Marissa. He has lived in the village since 2003.
Like Trustee Cullen, Trustee Hartman says he is proud to be part of a board which works so well together, respects and listens to one another, and shares a common vision of the Village of Churchville.
“Over time, together with the hard work and support of our village clerks and superintendents and all our employees, we have been able to accomplish a great deal and I know that will continue.”
