Mark Bower elected Holley mayor

Connie Nenni and John Morriss elected village trustees

HOLLEY – Mark Bower was elected Holley’s next mayor today, receiving 122 votes to 33 for former mayor John Kenney.

Mark Bower

Bower is a current village trustee. He has been on the board for two years. He is a retired Hilton elementary school principal and director of staff development.

He said he wants to build strong partnerships with other organizations in the village, including the fire department, historical society, Community Free Library, Rotary Club and other residents and groups.

“I am big on outreach,” he said.

Bower, 65, sees a village on an upswing and he wants to keep the momentum going.

“There is a lot of work to do and there is a lot of good things going on,” Bower said.

He wants to see a sidewalk project completed for East Union Street and Park Place. The village needs to keep pursuing grants for infrastructure and community development.

“Our access to the Erie Canal really helps us (with grant funding),” he said.

Bower’s two-year term as mayor starts on July 1. He will succeed Kevin Lynch who didn’t run in this election.

Residents also re-elected Connie Nenni as village trustee with 123 votes.

She was the only trustee candidate on the ballot. The other spot was filled by write-in votes and John Morris had the most with 92 followed by Skip Carpenter with 18.

Nenni is a former village clerk who works as the school district clerk and administrative assistant for the superintendent of schools.

She said she is proud of the board’s recent work with the redevelopment of the former Holley High School, new sidewalks in Holley and increases in pay for Holley police officers. She would like to see more upgrades to village waterlines and sidewalks.

Morris is a former Murray town supervisor and village trustee.