June 30 marks my final day as Mayor of Brockport after a 12-year term. There’s a lot to reflect on.
We built change from the ground up: An active transportation plan for cycling and pedestrian travel (2015); a comprehensive plan (2019); a tri-municipal agreement for the operation and funding of our Seymour Library (2021). We fought village dissolution and won (2016). To save taxpayer dollars, as solar became available and promoted in NYS, we developed a municipal solar field on our landfill to power our streetlights and municipal buildings, inviting the fire district and library to share in those solar savings (2019). We bought back our streetlights from National Grid (with a projected savings of $457,730 over 18 years) and outfitted them with LED lights for more taxpayer savings (2017-23). We subscribed to community solar for residents and small businesses (2021). Brockport became a NYS clean energy community (2017) and will be installing, at no charge to us, new electric vehicle charging stations. In 2014, we voted to form a village court which has served us expediently and well for 10 years. To strengthen our partnership with SUNY Brockport, that same year we collaborated with the SUNY president to form a town/gown committee. The regular hosting of student interns at Village Hall has been one of the decided benefits of our relationship with SUNY Brockport.
Canal tourism and recreation grew significantly during my 12 years as Mayor. We created a canal opening festival, Low Bridge High Water (2013), installed an adaptive kayak dock (2021), joined On the Canals Excursions (2021) with funding for kayaking, cycling, snowshoeing, plein air painting, maker space activities, and, in 2025, rowing. We became a Parks and Trails NY Trail Town (2023).
Much of what we accomplished was aided by $8 million of State, Federal, and private grants. These grants paid for improvements in Main Street buildings, parks, and infrastructure. They built a boathouse, purchased some 200 trees, court equipment, police cars, bike racks, and way-finding signage. They funded public art and canal recreation programs. And, in February 2025, Brockport received a coveted $4.5 million New York Forward grant targeted for downtown and canal front revitalization with ample citizen input on projects.
I want to thank my long-serving fellow village trustees who contributed significantly to the progress we, and Brockport, have made over the last 12 years. Each brought unique skills to their trustee positions, but also a common desire to make Brockport all it could be. I am equally grateful to our village employees; there would have been no mayoral accomplishments without their advice and support. The nine other Monroe County Village Mayors provided an excellent support group of knowledgeable leaders, and NYCOM, the New York Conference of Mayors, a wealth of experts, legal and legislative. I had the honor of serving on their executive committee for four years. In sum, I had a lot of assistance getting from July 2013 to the present moment. Finally, I extend my heartfelt thanks to the residents of Brockport who supported me as Mayor through three terms.
Margay Blackman
Mayor of Brockport 2013-2025
