Holley village candidate forum set for June 13
Brian Sorochty
Shawn O’Mara
HOLLEY – Village residents can hear directly from the six candidates running for the Village Board during a forum on June 13 at the middle-high school auditorium.
The forum begins at 6 p.m. and is sponsored by The Lake Country Pennysaver and Orleans Hub.
The event is set up as a forum and not a debate. Candidates will give opening and closing statements, and will respond to questions submitted by the audience.
Three incumbents are running in the June 19 election, including Mayor Brian Sorochty and two current village trustees – Connie Nenni and Kevin Lynch, the deputy mayor.
The other candidates include Shawn O’Mara for mayor and Alexa Downey and Robyn Schubmehl for village trustees.
Sorochty works as Vice President of Engineering for an engineering/construction company. He said the village is seeing significant progress including the imminent construction of the old Holley High School, turning a vacant structure into senior housing and the village offices.
Holley also has been awarded $4.5 million in grants to fix many village sidewalks and upgrade the water system.
The village also was approved for a $165,600 state grant to develop a brownfield opportunities area program. That plan will help Holley develop strategies for improved housing, business and tourism opportunities.
Sorochty also said Holley is applying for a Bridges and Culvert grant, seeking about $900,000 to replace the undersized bridge on Veterans Memorial Drive and minor road widening to allow trucks to turn into the Industrial Park.
O’Mara is a Gates police officer. He has worked 25 years in law enforcement, including the beginning of his career with the Holley Police Department.
O’Mara supports Holley’s grant efforts. His campaign literature calls for stabilizing village taxes, reducing unnecessary spending and “providing excellent customer service from all village departments.”
The June 19 election will be from noon to 9 p.m. at the village office.
