Three seek election in Brockport under the People's Choice ticket

Two Village of Brockport Trustees, Norman Knapp and James Whipple, along with Knapp's son-in-law, Scott Hunsinger, are seeking election to the Village of Brockport Board of Trustees. The three are running under the newly formed People's Choice ticket. Knapp is seeking the mayoral seat while Whipple is looking to retain his trustee seat. Political newcomer Hunsinger is looking to become a trustee.

Scott Hunsinger said the reason he decided to run is because he knows he will be "a village resident forever" and feels his positive attitude, enthusiasm and desire to do something for the community are necessary.

"One of the biggest things the public looks at is the image of a community and having a positive image is important," he said. "Open lines of communication between board members and residents are also incredibly important."

Hunsinger said that there are infrastructure issues that need to be resolved and the future of the village's sidewalks and roads needs to be constantly looked at and maintained.

He said that he and the other members of his team are still strategizing their platform stance. "I'm not as concerned with politics as I am with progress and taking the village into the future," he said. "Having five people on the board, each with their own values, morals and opinions, is a great thing but those people need to work together to make the village everything it can be."

Hunsinger said he brings a lot of "energy, enthusiasm and commitment" to the position of trustee. "I know that being on the board will take a lot of time and effort and that we have to know what's on the pulse of the community," he said.

A village resident since 1988, Hunsinger is married to Kory.

Norman Knapp said he "toyed with the idea" of running for mayor when the new election season began.

"I had mixed feelings and then when it got down to the wire we put our heads together, put our slate together and I decided to run for mayor," he said.

Knapp said he would certainly have things to learn if elected mayor but feels his 16 years experience as a village trustee would give him an edge. "Every day on the board is an educational process," he said. "I think we're fortunate to have a talented, experienced board. It's important to the village that the board work together as a team."

Team work, Knapp said, doesn't necessarily mean that everyone agrees on every item but it means the board puts its own interests aside when looking at the better interests of the residents and taxpayers of the village.

"There have been times on the board where decisions have been made in which we haven't been fully apprised of all the facts," he said. "It's difficult to make good, informed decisions when you don't have access to all the information. We can't let the cart get before the horse."

Recreating the team environment and being responsible to the community and the voters is something Knapp said is most important in his campaign.

When asked why he chose to seek the mayoral position rather than re-election to his trustee seat, Knapp said, "The timing is just right for me to try to run for mayor," he said. "Things won't change overnight, but I'd like to lend my skills in a leadership capacity and lead the village back in the right direction."

Nothing is "radically skewed," Knapp said, but he said some priorities have been put on the back burner.

"Capital improvements, infrastructure and budget issues need to be addressed in a more prudent manner," he said. "Every project needs to be prioritized and we have to get the most out of every dollar we spend."

Knapp said the people have reached their limit on what they can afford to spend in taxes. "Being able to provide services that people are accustomed to and still being able to do it for the best value for the dollar is what we have to be constantly looking at," he said.

There are also issues with rental housing that need to be looked at and settled before the village can move forward, he said.

Knapp's mother, Emily, was the former village historian and Knapp said, "I have a great love and admiration for the past but I know we need to focus on the future."

Knapp is a life-long resident of Brockport and he and his wife, Mary Ann, have two grown children and a two-year-old grandson.

James Whipple said he sought re-election to the seat he has held for the past 16 years for a variety of reasons.

"I wasn't happy with the candidates who have spoken up stating their intentions to run and I have a vested interest in this community. I was born and raised here so I feel a real sense of responsibility," he said. "I felt that the other people might not be able to do the job as well as I could so I decided to run again."

Whipple said that during his tenure he had sponsored open forums with residents and felt they were a very good tool as a way for people to come tell their elected officials what they liked, and didn't like in the village.

"I think it's too bad those forums were discontinued," he said. "They were stopped simply because we had a couple of forums where people voiced a lot of objections. People shouldn't be afraid to voice their opinions. It's up to us to try and satisfy the wishes of the constituents."

If re-elected, Whipple said he is going to sponsor those forums once again.

Finances, both today and in the future, will continue to be a problem for the village, Whipple said.

"We just don't have the financial reserves we used to, but Brockport is not unique in this situation," he said, adding that the village didn't have that situation up until a few years ago.

Whipple said the village needs to get back to basics. "We need to take a few steps and get to work on our infrastructure including our sidewalks, curbing and sewer systems," he said. "We haven't done a very good job in those areas the last few years. Our Department of Public Works people have been stretched too thin by the number of new projects they have been asked to undertake and have been unable to concentrate on the infrastructure."

Making campaign promises is not something Whipple intends to do.

"It's difficult to make those promises because you find yourself making a commitment that in the long run you might not be able to keep," he said. "Protecting infrastructure and making sure all the basic services are provided to the people of the community is ultimately what's important."

Does the village want to continue to make progress toward new things in the community if it can't protect what it has today? That is a question, Whipple said, that needs consideration before new projects are planned for.

"History is a good teacher and I think the fact that I've been elected several times and have served the community well for 16 years shows the community has confidence in me and the job that I've done," he said. "I want to continue to serve the people and make sure we have all of the necessary resources and services available to the community."

Whipple said he sees himself as an ambassador for the community. "I feel like a greeter who says 'How may I help you?' or 'What can I do to help?' " he said. "That's what a trustee does - they help the residents who come to them."

Whipple and his wife, Charlene, have two grown children and four grandchildren.

The People's Choice Party's emblem is a lighthouse because, as Whipple said, the party will be a "guiding light for the community for the next four years."

Also in the running for the mayoral seat are: Trustee Mort Wexler, Mayor Josephine Matela and resident Glen Emerson. Those seeking election to the two available trustee seats are Laura Emerson and David Wagenhauser.