Editor:

To the residents of the Village of Medina, I love Medina and I believe in its future.  I love our history and our sense of community. We have many dedicated committee members and business owners who volunteer their time and talents to make our Village a place people like to visit.

However, our residents struggle to keep up with taxes, utilities and upkeep of their homes while our Village departments struggle to do more with less. I believe we have reached a turning point where change is vital if we are to maintain this Village that we all love.  “Business as usual” is no longer sustainable.

The Village of Medina has been my life for 46 years. I started working in the Clerk’s Office at 19 years old, promoted to Deputy Clerk-Treasurer for 26 years, then Clerk-Treasurer for another 8 years until my retirement.

Two years ago, you elected me to the office of Village Trustee. I have worked with many Mayors and Board members, and I have seen the things that can be accomplished when elected officials work together with all departments for the good of the taxpayer.  I understand that it’s a respectful, cooperative effort that will move this Village forward.

Two years ago, I agreed to run for the office of Trustee to provide insight when the Board found themselves in the middle of a major project that had no prior planning in scope or funding. I had no preconceived idea of how this endeavor would end up, but we followed the trail of facts not fiction, lifted the veil of fear mongering, debunked long held notions, endured manipulated roadblocks, and used common sense instead of emotion.

At our January 29 Village Board meeting, I presented a timeline of the events that got us to the point of considering the sale of a $1.7 million ladder truck literally 10 days after signing the note for the purchase.  This decision is sad but necessary when considering the financial future of our Village.

I am acutely aware that there are many issues in our Village that have not been addressed.  Water and sewer infrastructure and sidewalks to name a few. This Village is in a serious financial predicament. It is becoming harder and harder to provide all of our departments with the tools they require to do their job.  Salaries and benefits continue to increase with no end in sight.

Our taxpayers are stretched to the limit with the unavoidable reassessments and the increasing tax rates from all four governmental units. Last year we held to a $.03 increase due to a decrease in staffing in the Fire Department, Public Works Department and the elimination of two programs in the Police Department. These were not popular decisions.

There was public outcry over removing our two School Resource Officers from the school.  Since then, the school has hired retired police officers, the cost of which is shared by all Medina Central School District taxpayers instead of the Village of Medina. Our children are safe and protected in our schools, and our police officers are on Village streets serving Village of Medina taxpayers only. In my opinion, these are the types of collaborations that need our attention and I am committed to working with our neighboring elected officials to make similar changes.

It would be an honor to be your mayor. I never held any notion that this type of public service might be a possibility, but I care about our Village and am willing to continue to lend my knowledge and experience to taking care of it. I also understand that this position requires team work from board members, department heads and taxpayers and I am open to those discussions.

I also understand that proactive planning and fiscal responsibility are vital to the Village’s success. Soon, I will be launching a social media page, “Bear Facts”. With the help of our fun fact researcher and other necessary resources, we will provide you with some information on current issues.

Mark Prawel has been your Trustee for the last two years. While he may not be a fan of public speaking, make no mistake, he is a public thinker. He has been a trusted local business owner in our Village for 13 years and a former Medina Police Officer for 16 years.  He has unique access to the community, and he hears you and your concerns. Mark is a lifelong resident who cares deeply about our Village residents.  He values mutual respect even when there are differing opinions and this attribute has been a welcome presence on our board.

Jeff Wagner is a retired restaurant manager and former landmark local business owner. He will bring years of management experience to the Board. He understands the concept of doing more with less. Jeff has been a resident of the Village for over 50 years. He is a former Tourism Board member and current Tree Board member. He is also concerned with the rising taxes in our area and is willing to offer his experience as insight when making decisions. His common-sense approach will be appreciated.

This is an important election for our village’s direction. We ask for your trust and your support so that we can restore a board that listens, evaluates and acts with practical, affordable solutions in mind. Together we can protect what we love about Medina while building a more sustainable future.

Sincerely,

Deborah Padoleski

Candidate for Mayor

Village of Medina