When I was re-elected in 2016, I informed the mayor that I did not intend to serve out my term, mainly because by its end, I would be on the brink of my 90th birthday and did not want to live in a village with a nonagenarian trustee. I said that I would retire at her pleasure when a suitable replacement was available. I believe that condition has now been fulfilled by someone who will be a great asset to the board and the village. Therefore, I am reporting my intention to retire from the board, effective June 30, the end of my sixth year in office.
I wish to thank the Brockport voters for having enabled me to serve them and I assure them that their Village Board and staff are providing them with the best possible service. It has been a great pleasure to have had the opportunity to work with them. They all meet the highest standards of competence. My colleagues on the board are, without exception, highly competent, honest, intelligent, hard-working, public servants, selflessly devoted to serving their constituents. They function very smoothly as a team and, I believe, are the best set of trustees in my experience in this village.
Mayor Blackman has provided exemplary leadership, marked by transparency and collegiality. To mention only a few of her many accomplishments, her systematic approach to the establishment of the Village Court, her leadership of the SUNY municipalities in securing passage of the SUNY Impact Aid bill, her collaborative approach to the issue of trees on the canal bank in contrast to the litigious behavior on the east side, and her solution to the space problem in the old Village Hall illustrate leadership of the highest order.
John LaPierre’s long service as a Wegman’s executive has stood him in good stead as a very resourceful and creative problem solver, especially through his diligence as liaison to the police and the DPW. Annie Crane has been outstanding in her sensible and thorough study and analysis of every aspect of Village business. Kathy Kristansen’s background as a math teacher has given her a grasp of the statistical side of our problems that has been very valuable. Also, her hard-nose approach to problems has been a very salutary check on the excessive optimism that we have sometimes been tempted to exhibit.
We have been served by a truly outstanding village staff. Leslie Morelli’s experience as the longest-serving village clerk in the county has given her an expertise in providing administrative support for the Board that has been invaluable. Her knowledge of the rules, laws and regulations governing village life in New York State has been an inestimable aid. We have all benefited from her wise counsel. She has also provided unfailingly-competent administration of office routines. Dan Hendricks has administered the financial side of the village with efficient competence and always has provided the Board with all the information it needs to meet its responsibilities in a timely manner. His ingenuity in consistently producing budgets that comply with the tax cap has been a great help. Erica Linden has given cheerful tech support and help writing and administering grants and much else in her role as deputy clerk/treasurer. Debbie Herzog’s quiet competence and efficiency in handling payroll and water department matters and in backing up the other members of the office staff have marked her service.
All of the department heads and their staffs have provided exemplary service to the village. Dan Varrenti transformed the police department into a highly-professional organization with high morale and prepared Mark Cuzzupoli to provide the leadership needed to continue that tradition. David Miller did a similar job in professionalizing the Code Enforcement operation. By seeking compliance rather than punishment and working with property owners to rectify code violations, he has achieved very impressive results. His systematic survey of village properties is another example of his professionalism. Harry Donahue’s DPW department has provided first class service to the village. Everything they do is absolutely top grade. One example is the way they refurbished the new Village Hall, but many other of their projects could be cited.
Besides the board and the staff, the village is also well served by its boards. The Museum Board, Historic Preservation Board, Parks Committee, Tree Board, Planning Board, Zoning Board of Appeals, Canalfront Management Committee, Low Bridge High Water committee all work efficiently and serve the taxpayers of the village honestly and competently.
In short, I believe that the residents of this village have every reason to be grateful for its government and I am very proud to have been a part of it. I leave with strong feelings of regret, but look forward to enjoying its benefits for many years to come.
William G. Andrews
Deputy Mayor/Trustee
