The streets of the Village of Hilton lined with candidate lawn signs can only mean one thing – the village elections are just around the corner. Residents will be voting for one of two candidates in the race for mayor – incumbent Joe Lee, running under the Hilton First Party, and current Village Trustee Andrew Fowler, who represents the Family Values Party.
Lee, a resident of Hilton since 1968, has served one four-year term as mayor and also served as trustee for the six years prior. The Hilton School District graduate retired from Eastman Kodak Company after over 36 years working in the chemical department.
Fowler has lived all 21 years of his life in Hilton. Also a Hilton High School graduate, he attends The College at Brockport where he will graduate with his bachelor’s degree in history and education in May. He’s currently student teaching at Brockport High School and will begin student teaching at Merton Williams Middle School in April. Fowler also works part time in home appliance sales at Sears Greece Ridge and for both Hilton-Parma Recreation and Gates Recreation.
Both candidates are involved in many aspects of the local community. Lee is a member of the Hilton Lions Club and past president, has served on the Hilton-Parma-Hamlin Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, is a member of the Hilton-Parma Community Council of Churches, chaired the Hilton Apple Fest for seven years and is currently a board member, and volunteers for a variety of community events.
Fowler has volunteered three holiday seasons as a bell ringer for the Salvation Army, works with Hilton varsity athletics as an assistant baseball coach and is founder of the Hilton Cadet Athletic Fan Club, pitches in with Hilton-Parma Recreation events, and serves on the Hilton Central School District Central Office Budget Committee. Fowler also received the Monroe County Youth Advocate of the Year Award in 2012 and is the youngest elected official in Hilton’s history.
On the issues
As mayor, Lee prides himself on always being available. “I’m here every day,” he said. “This isn’t a part time job. I’m going to do everything I can to give the best to the taxpayers.” Among his accomplishments in his four years as mayor is removing the old bus garage on Grove Street and, in a joint effort with the Town of Parma, Hilton School District and Hilton Fire Department, building a shared salt shed saving taxpayers $300,000. He also had a Veterans’ Wall of Honor put up in the Community Center that currently has over 300 photos of those who have served in the military.
“The Village is in good shape fiscally. We only spend what we have,” said Lee. He’s proud of the relationship the Village has with other municipalities and the new businesses that have opened in Hilton. “People are working – both kids and adults – and this is a safe place to live and raise a family,” he added.
Fowler’s platform for his mayoral campaign is fivefold. He said he wants to run a village that is accountable, accessible, ethical, efficient and healthy. “I’m not going to do things a certain way because that’s the way they’ve always been done. I want there to be reasoning behind everything,” he said. Fowler also wants to make Village Board meetings later and more widely publicized, so it’s convenient for more residents to attend. He hopes to look at more opportunities for shared services to increase government efficiency. And as the son of longtime Hilton-Parma Recreation director, Steve Fowler, Andrew said he recognizes the importance of having opportunities for healthy living and community events.
Both candidates see mandates coming from New York State as challenges for small municipalities like Hilton. “The tax cap is difficult. Retirement and medical insurance costs are always going up,” said Lee. “Every day we’re working to keep taxes low and provide good services.” Lee said he will continue to look for ways to work with other municipalities to cut costs.
Fowler said he believes the Village is run so lean now that it is almost impossible to cut the budget and staff any further despite challenges at the state level. He agrees with Lee that shared services are important to saving taxpayer dollars, but said he thinks there’s more to be done to improve the relationship between the village and town. “Let’s mend fences and get along – we’re all here for the same purpose,” he said.
Looking to the future, Lee said that if re-elected he will continue to work to keep taxes down while maintaining a balanced budget and not cutting services, pitch in with as many community events as possible, work to attract and keep businesses in the village, and take an aggressive stance on maintaining public safety. “If re-elected, I will continue to work extremely hard for taxpayers in every way I can. I’m always available,” he said.
Lee and his wife, Debbie, own the Apple Tree Inn, a restaurant on West Ridge Road. “My family has always been very supportive of me in both good times and bad,” he said. His son, Michael, has helped him use new vehicles to promote his campaign. In addition to the traditional lawn signs and pamphlets, Lee has his own website, votejoelee.com and Facebook page at “MayorJoeLee.” “They’re new ways of getting the word out and great tools,” he said.
Fowler has also embraced the traditional methods of campaigning as well as social media. “Facebook has exploded,” he said. “I try to post regularly and am really enjoying hearing from people I haven’t heard from in years.” His Facebook page can be found at “FamilyValuesParty.”
If elected, Fowler said he plans to bring fresh ideas and understanding to the office. “I’m approachable and willing to sit down with anyone,” he said. “I’m college educated, not retired and I can shed light on a new generation that lives in the village.” He also plans to form a mayoral cabinet/advisory committee if elected.
Fowler credits the influence of his parents for his wanting to be a public servant. “I see what my dad means to this community and what the community has meant to him,” he said. Fowler’s mother, Linda, is Gates Recreation director, and his two brothers are also college students – Mike is working toward his PhD. at the University of Virginia and Ryan is a computer science major at The College at Brockport.
The Village of Hilton elections will be held Tuesday, March 18 at the Hilton Community Center, 59 Henry Street, from 12-9 p.m. in the Board Room.
