A young elected official

The thoughts of a young elected official from upstate New York.

[mayorreynoldswp]

[mayorreynoldswp]

My summer with the Broome County Promise Zone

A few months ago, a representative from an organization called Broome County Promise Zone approached me to talk about a collaboration. She briefed me on what the Broome County Promise Zone is; A partnership between Binghamton University, BOCES, and in this case, the Whitney Point School District. Through this coop, a summer program is set up for local students in grades 8 through 12 with the goal of collectively furthering opportunities and resources for the students. After a brief discussion we decided that I would visit the Promise Zone students every week as part of an program that we called “Mayor Mondays.”

Going in to our first Mayor Monday I had no idea what to expect. The group’s teacher and I had laid out a general game plan, but I wasn’t sure how the group would respond to me or what they’d be interested in. As it turned out, their interests weren’t too different from my own.

During our first session together we did some basic introductions, team building exercises and then we talked about our community. We talked about what everyone liked and disliked about it. The thing about kids is, they are brutally honest. They don’t hold back when it comes to their opinions. If they like the fact that they can go swimming in the river, they tell you. If they don’t feel like there is enough for young people to do, they tell you. And if they see the Mayor’s house and don’t think that it looks good enough to be a Mayor’s house, they tell you. As I found out.

At the conclusion of our first day together I presented a new project that the Village had been working on to them. I brought a set of design plans plans that were done by an architect and shared the concept with the students. They were the first members of the public to see these plans, and remain the only people to have seen them this far. This is a very exciting project that is set to begin in 2018 if all goes as planned. It was was exciting for all of us to look at the plans together, give feedback and pool our ideas. For me, it was extremely gratifying to show these kids, who represent Whitney Point’s future, a look at something coming in that future.

This first session together spiraled into what made up the majority of our time together throughout the summer; Working on a community project. We took the discussions that we had during that first session about our community’s strengths and opportunities, took a tour of the Village together and then came back and asked everyone to think about how they’d like to improve Whitney Point. Over the course of a few weeks, the students got together in groups and worked on their own project proposals. The ideas that came up included everything from a public park, a drug rehabilitation center and attractive new trash bins for the public.

Eventually, we got all of the students to hone in on a single project to go forward with. The project that the students chose was the development of a community center here in Whitney Point. Over the course of a few weeks the kids conducted thorough research on how to make this happen and presented it to me. I was sincerely impressed with the lengths that they had gone to. They decided on a location, they had looked up the taxes, the utility costs, the demographics of our Village, designed a floor plan, put together ideas for programming, advertising, community partnerships, maintenance, the works. You could see how badly they wanted to make this happen. Many people in our community have talked about the need for a community center, but none had gone to the lengths that the students of the Promise Zone had.

Shortly thereafter, the students of the Whitney Point chapter of the Broome County Promise Zone had the opportunity to present their project in a competition at Binghamton University. To see their finished work made me extremely proud. To see how excited and proud they were themselves, was something truly great. We are awaiting further results and there are more presentations to come, but my hopes are that this group will be able to continue their pursuit of a community center.

All in all, being part of the Promise Zone this summer was an experience that I will never forget. Getting to know these kids and watching them work so hard on something that they were truly passionate about was really something to behold. I know that they believe in themselves and their community and so do I. To see our youth taking such interest in our home really was inspiring. I hope that I inspired them half as much as they motivated me.

And to those of you who I had the honor of working with in this program: Thank you for all the hard work that you put in and for letting me join you. Your futures are bright and I can’t wait to see what you all accomplish. Now let’s go get that community center!

[mayorreynoldswp]

Silence is no longer an option in the battle against addiction

Several people from Whitney Point have died from drug related complications very recently. Others have reported property crime that is likely driven by addiction. Moments of silence aren't good enough any more. We need to keep talking about this issue. We need to keep fighting. We need to keep educating. We need to speak up to our friends, family and neighbors. We need to do everything that we can to save every life that we can. We need to fix this.

The gravity of this epidemic cannot be understated. We have repeatedly seen that the opiate and addiction crisis that we are experiencing knows no boundaries. It continues to effect us all. None of our communities are untouched. This is one of the worst public health crisis' in our life time and it's here in our back yard.

As if heroin wasn't bad enough, a new drug has made it to Broome County which is likely responsible for the recent rise in overdoses and deaths. The details are in the article above but it's safe to say, death is being distributed by drug dealers in our area.

We have a very strong and tightly knit community here in Whitney Point, which is why I am asking everyone to take action. Not just in Whitney Point, but all across Broome County, New York State and our country. People are dying. Our families are struggling. This is our problem. This is everyone's problem. And it needs our attention and passion.

Many of us have probably felt moments of helplessness as we read about this crisis or watch someone we know and love struggle. I'm here to remind everyone that we are not helpless. We can help people get the attention that they need to deal with their addiction. We can save lives. We have to speak up. We have to open the door. We can't afford to just sit aside. We have to be proactive.

I know how much many of you love this community and love this area. I certainly count myself among that group. I am proud of who we are. So let's rise up and fix this.

If you are someone who is struggling with addiction or considering using these drugs, I am here to remind you that you are loved. Heroin and the substances that are being passed off as heroin are not worth your life. We are here for you. We care about you. There is help for you out there and there is life after addiction and drug use. A good one. It's waiting for you. We want you here and we are asking you to reach out. We know how hard it is. But we're asking you to reach out and get on the road to redemption because we care about you and we know you can do it.

To everyone else, please share this post or make a post of your own. There are people out there who need support and we can give it to them. We can beat this. We can save lives. Let's stand together and overcome.

[mayorreynoldswp]

The hatred must stop

For the past year or so, the world has been watching as something strange has been happening in our country. As Presidential campaigns have progressed, both passion and emotion have been running high. This is normally part of the process and can be a good thing. It’s always healthy to have citizens actively engaged in government and the political process. We want people to care, express their thoughts, priorities and challenges. As an elected official myself, I love to hear what’s on people’s minds. But this year, something different is happening.

During the course of this election season we have seen more hateful stereotypes and judgments than I have seen at any one time in my life. We’ve seen hate directed at Muslims. We’ve seen hate directed at African Americans. We’ve seen women get disrespected. We’ve seen the disabled get mocked. We’ve seen bills going through states that target gay, lesbian and transgender citizens. We’ve seen immigrants repeatedly demonized. If you can think of a particular group of people that’s not white males, chances are, they’ve had an unprecedented level of disdain and spite thrown their way this year.

Take a second and think about this. Our country was founded on the principles of religious and cultural freedom. We have a history of fighting wars both physical and metaphorical to grant freedoms and liberties to parts of society that were not originally granted or protected by those core principles. While we have certainly made our fair share of mistakes and ugly missteps along the way, we have always worked to correct the course and move forward for the greater good.

There are things happening this year however that I cannot make sense of. How are we (in 2016) seeing society turn its back on the progress that we have made? How is it becoming acceptable to hate an entire group of people because of their religious beliefs? How is it becoming acceptable to suggest that we place an entire group of people and over twenty percent of the world’s population under government surveillance, based on their religion? How is it becoming acceptable to say, “we don’t want you here?” And who are we , anyway?

I don’t know about you, but I always had a tremendous amount of pride in America when I was growing up. When I learned our country’s history in school I was proud of the fact that we fought for our own freedom. I was proud of the fact that we founded our country on liberty and enlightenment, setting an example for the rest of the world. I was proud of the fact that when push came to shove, we went to war to hold this country together and end slavery. I was proud of the fact that we have always been a cultural melting pot. And I still am.

We have always been a country that says, “come join us”. We want you here. We want to share our ideas. There is opportunity for you here. You can worship as you want to here. You and your family can be safe here. You can contribute here. You can be who you want to be here. That welcoming principle of openness and acceptance makes us who we are.

What I’m getting at here is that we cannot abandon that principle in this country. We must remain a free, open minded society. To me, that is what makes us who we are. That is what makes America great. It’s not the strength of the dollar, the English language or the fact that we have a red, white and blue flag. It’s the fact that America is a sum of its parts, where we all bring something unique to the table. It’s the fact that we’re all welcome.

The reality is that human history has been plagued by ugly moments. But haven’t we learned from our past? Haven’t we learned that spite, hatred and stereotyping get us no where? We have to be better than what we are displaying right now. As a country, we have to keep an open mind. We have to continue believing in ourselves and believing in others. We have to stay true to the principles and beliefs that define us.

In closing, I would like to issue a challenge. I challenge every single person living in this country to work together for the common good. I challenge every single American, regardless of race, religion or sexual orientation to build a country that is greater than any of us have ever seen. I challenge each and every one of us to put aside these divisive lines in the sand and learn to love thy neighbor, overcome the problems that we face and rise to levels that we never knew existed. It can be done. We just have to believe in ourselves enough to do it.

[mayorreynoldswp]

State of the Village address: 2016

With the State of the Union and State of the State addresses out of the way, I thought that everyone might appreciate our own short “State of the Village” address. As it stands now, 2016 will be very busy for Whitney Point. This year will mark the beginning of an exciting new phase of our on-going revitalization.

As many of you now know, the Village is pursuing a housing grant which will enable qualifying residents to apply for funding to make fixes and repairs to their homes. The spring will also mark the beginning of the NYS Route 206 bridge replacement project as we will finally see construction begin. We will be applying for a grant in conjunction with the bridge project that will (should we be awarded the grant) allow us to garnish that area with some attractive new features.

In addition to these projects, the Village will be taking steps to embark on the construction of a new fire station. Our current station on Main Street is very old and our scope of service has outgrown the current facility. We expect to purchase the future site of our new station in 2016 and apply for funding for the construction of a new, more modern facility thereafter.

We will also continue to review, update and modernize our laws and procedures. While there will certainly be several initatives of this kind during the year, we’ve been working on updating our zoning laws for several years. It has been a major project that we hope to finish before the end of the year.

From a financial perspective, the Village is in good shape. For the past several years, the NYS Comptroller has issued each municipality a “fiscal stress score.” Since it’s adoption, the Village of Whitney Point has received the lowest fiscal stress rating obtainable. We can’t thank our previous Mayors, Trustees and Clerk-Treasurers enough for their due diligence in managing the Village’s finances.

As we move toward the 2016–2017 budget season, we are looking to continue the Village’s history of sound fiscal policy and budgeting. This will be my first budget as Mayor and we have two new Trustees on board as well. Our team will be crafting our first budget together with fresh eyes. We’re going to re-evaluate the way we do business where necessary and look to save taxpayer money everywhere we can. Our end goal is to ensure that we properly maintain our infrastructure while keeping property taxes in-check.

This represents just a few of the many on-going efforts of the Village government, our staff and our partners. As a community, we have so much to be proud of. We’ve accomplished a lot. Now its full speed ahead and onto what’s next for Whitney Point. Let’s keep pushing, keep working hard, and keep the momentum going. This is our home and the state of it is strong. Through hard work and dedication, we will make it even stronger.

[mayorreynoldswp]

Confronting our heroin problem

Over the last year or so, many of us have become aware of the rapid expansion of heroin use here in the Southern Tier. When I was growing up, it didn’t seem like heroin was a drug that would ever see widespread use here at home. The unfortunate reality is that it’s happening and it’s happening now. Heroin isn’t a drug that is being used by a certain “type” of people. It’s being used by all sects of society. In 2014, we lost 39 people to heroin overdose in Broome County. If the rate of use continues to increase at the same level that it has since 2011, we will lose more than that in 2015.

In general, I think that the words “crisis” and “epidemic” are used far too often by media and elected officials to grab attention and create fear. In my eyes however, if there is any one issue that deserves to be branded as severe and dire, it is this one. Heroin is a drug that is potent, dangerous and unfortunately, currently all to easy to find and obtain. This isn’t just a societal issue, it’s an issue right here at home. There are people in the greater Whitney Point area, and in Broome County who are using heroin, who’s lives are at risk. In the best interest of our communities, our children and our future, we have to fight heroin use and stop it’s expansion. There is no other option.

When I first met the organizers of I’m Dope Without Dope, I was immediately inspired by their passion. Never have I met people who are so driven and sincere about making a difference and achieving a result; To save lives and fight heroin use right here in Broome County.

This isn’t a charity that’s hundreds of miles away. This isn’t a business looking to make money. This is a group of people right here in Broome County, many of whom have lost loved ones to heroin who have joined together to say, “No more. We are not going to let this happen on our watch.” I’m Dope Without Dope has been traveling the area, educating people, attending events, speaking about their experiences, and perhaps most importantly, creating resources for individuals who are facing heroin addiction.

Soon I’m Dope Without Dope will open up their path to recovery program which help addicts get their lives back on track and become productive members of society again. They will have a space open to anyone over the age of 18 who is struggling with heroin and confronts the reality that they need to overcome their addiction. This is something that we absolutely need available to us here in Broome County. We need resources to fight this problem. I’m Dope Without Dope is answering the call.

Numerous residents have stopped in to the Village office to talk and ask questions about the dangers of heroin. I’m Dope Without Dope is standing strong and doing something about it. I urge everyone to follow this organization, keep educating ourselves and if you’re able, get involved and support them. They’re working to save lives. Lives of people close to us, right here at home. Let’s help them. Let’s take the reigns, fight back against heroin and eradicate this problem.

[mayorreynoldswp]

Blog post: The one about same-sex marriage

Last week, the United States Supreme Court struck down bans on same sex marriage across the country. Social media erupted as both proponents and opponents posted their thoughts and feelings on the decision. To be honest, I’ve never been one to celebrate anything, really. I always try keep my eye on the ball and keep working to get things done. When one thing is finished, I get a small feeling of satisfaction in having accomplished it and I quietly move on to the next thing that needs attention. But this is a bit different.

When I was in high school, my government teacher gave our class an assignment. We were to be divided up and given certain roles and take on an issue as if we ourselves were the Supreme Court. Some of us were to make the case for an issue, some of us were to make the case against that issue and some of us would hear both sides and make a decision, acting as Justices.

The issue that we were to hear was that of same-sex marriage. This was in 2004 or 2005. And my government teacher chose me to be Chief Justice.

This time for me was when I really began to craft my problem solving and political philosophy. The assignment was clear; We were to clear our minds of our own opinion coming into the “case” and treat the issue as if it were brand new. We were to truly listen to both sides before making a decision.

When all was said and done, I remember having one strong feeling. This is the right thing to do. None of us knew the intricacies of the law or what the exact process of getting married entailed. And we didn’t have any other motivations or incentives to reach one decision or another. We just had the make the decision that we thought was right. In the end, I couldn’t shake the feeling that allowing every American to marry their life partner of choice was the right thing to do. And that was our decision. 

When I look back, this small assignment was really the beginning of how I approach problems and political issues to this day. I like to have all the facts before forming an opinion. You have to look at the big picture and do what’s right. Everyone isn’t always going to agree with you. You’re going to run into questions you can’t always answer and you’re going to be criticized no matter what. But in the end, you need to do what’s right. 

Ten years later, I still feel the same way. I don’t know the legal aspects of the actual Supreme Court case. I’m not even married, so I can’t even speak about that, really. But what I do know is that legalizing same-sex marriage is the right thing to do. And with that said, we turn our attention to what comes next and the work continues...

[mayorreynoldswp]

Northern Broome Economic Forum part of Southern Tier’s plan to win $500 million

Business owners throughout Northern Broome County are being invited to pitch their economic development project ideas to be included in the Southern Tier’s entry in New York State’s Upstate Revitalization competition. The event (being called the Northern Broome Economic Forum) will be held on Thursday, July 2nd at 7:00pm in the Town of Triangle Municipal Building on Liberty Street in Whitney Point. Business owners simply need to come with an idea for an economic development project and a budget that would enable the project to be completed. Business owners will be able to discuss their ideas with a representative from the Southern Tier Economic Development Council which is responsible for making the final pitch for the Southern Tier to New York State.

Ryan Reynolds, the Mayor of Whitney Point and organizer of the event said that “It’s important that all of us here in Northern Broome and across the Southern Tier come together and show New York State that we are ready for this. We are worthy of the investment and we’re ready to build and develop the Southern Tier with our own bare hands. Now is the time to put our best foot forward, aim for the stars and build our economy. Let’s leave no stone unturned.”

Earlier this year New York State announced the Upstate Revitalization Fund. The state was divided into ten regions with each region chartered to make a “pitch” as to why they should be selected as a winner. Three winners will be chosen to receive $500 million dollars in economic development money over 5-years to fund projects that the councils get from local entrepreneurs. 

[mayorreynoldswp]

[mayorreynoldswp]

Our libraries are important

This Tuesday, a vote will be held that will determine the future of the Mary L. Wilcox Memorial Library in Whitney Point and the Lisle Free Library in Lisle. When voters go to the polling location at the Triangle Town Office Building on Liberty Street, they will find a proposition that asks if you support or oppose $75,000 in funding for the Mary L. Wilcox Memorial Library and $65,000 in funding for the Lisle Free Library. This is going to be a long post, but it’s important that we all understand what is being asked and why so we can each make an informed decision.

Under the current funding system, our libraries piece together their funding from a variety of sources. The Mary Wilcox library gets funding from New York State, Broome County, the Town of Triangle, and the Village of Whitney Point. These are our tax dollars from four different sources. In recent years, funding from several of these sources has began to drastically dwindle as expenses rise for our various forms of government and budgetary funds get reappropriated from the library, elsewhere.

Because of this trend, our libraries are asking for our permission to go straight to us for funding. Instead of having our tax money from four different sources get used to fund the library, this proposal would create a permanent funding mechanism that comes straight from us. The proposal would ask that every property owner in the Whitney Point School District pay a small amount every year that would make up the entirety of the Mary Wilcox Memorial Library and Lisle Free Library’s annual budgets. The exact amount each one of us would pay is based on the value of our home. The formula is .33 per $1,000 of assessed home value. My home is assessed at about $60,000. This means that under this proposal, I would pay $19.80 a year to support our two libraries and keep their doors open. Less than twenty dollars a year.

For those of you who may not have used the library lately, there are several reasons to consider supporting the library. Usage at the Mary Wilcox Library has increased drastically the last few years. More and more people from all over Northern Broome are using the library more and more frequently. Our library is not only a resource that provides thousands of books, historical content and free internet access, but also a community center that runs programming for children and students. My own little sister has attended some of these programs and I know many other children and neighbors have as well. Libraries also act as meeting places for local community groups and organizations and it’s important that we have space available for groups to meet. In Whitney Point, the library is one of the few places we have that groups can use for meetings.

All in all, this proposal is about securing the future of our libraries here in Northern Broome County and putting the libraries in our own control. Instead of relying on four different levels of government to decide how much funding our libraries get each year, we get to set the level of funding ourselves with this vote and cut out all the middle men. The amount of funding can never change without another proposal being put on the ballot and passing. We as taxpayers have direct control if this proposal passes.

I cannot tell anyone how to vote but I can say this; I think libraries are important resources within our community and I personally think that this is the best way of funding them. It halts all the waiting games associated with annual budgets and spreads the funding out across our entire school district, which means we each only have to chip in a little bit. I am willing to pay $20 a year to keep our libraries open and grant them the ability to do more for our youth. It would even free up room within our local governments’ budgets. This means that our county, Towns and Villages have more wiggle room, tax increases are less likely and more money can go toward other essentials like repairing our roads and sidewalks. Many surrounding communities have already taken this step. I truly feel that this is the right thing to do. I hope that when you step into the voting booth this Tuesday, you do as well and can confidently vote yes to support our libraries and cement their future in our community.

If you have any questions about the proposal, get in touch either one of our libraries directly by calling 692-3159 (WP) or 692-3115 (Lisle).

[mayorreynoldswp]

Election Day is almost here

Election Day is almost here. On Wednesday, March 18th the Village of Whitney Point will elect it's next Mayor and choose the direction of the Village for the next two years. I grew up here in Whitney Point, served the community for the past four years on the Village Board and have worked hard over the last several months to touch base with as many residents as possible to talk about our future. I've had hundreds of conversations about everything from economic development, taxes, technology and our youth to water lines and pot holes. The response has been overwhelmingly positive and I feel great heading into Election Day.

It all comes down to nine hours this Wednesday. To continue the momentum that we've built and make the discussions that have begun about building a bright future for Whitney Point reality we need everyone to get out and vote this Wednesday. The polls will be open from 12pm to 9pm. If each and every one of us makes it a point to go vote this Wednesday, I feel confident that I will soon be serving you all as Mayor and working diligently to facilitate Whitney Point's growth and manage our government.

In closing, I want to thank you all for your encouragement over the past several months, for the discussions about our future and for the feedback that you've provided. I truly believe great things are on the horizon for our community and I can't wait to watch it unfold. Thank you.

[mayorreynoldswp]

For the last four years, I have had the honor of serving on the Whitney Point Village Board of Trustees. I have spent that time learning from those around me, putting forth a few new ideas and watching as many large scale projects that our Village government took on over the past couple decades have worked their way to completion. We can point to major successes such as our water and sewer projects, in addition to the grants that we were awarded and our property owners utilized to breathe new life into our community.

I came on board in 2010 and have enjoyed every minute that I have served our Village. Working with people, learning our history, taking on challenges and helping solve problems are truly passions of mine. Our community spirit has risen over the last few years as we have worked together to improve our Village and work toward common goals. We have a lot to be proud of.

During my two terms of service I have been formulating a plan for the future of Whitney Point. A vision you could call it. That’s why I am writing you. I’m running for Mayor of Whitney Point and I want all of you to know why I’m running and what my plans are. The way I see it, we are at a crossroads. We are at a point at which we can lay the foundation for the next decade or so of Whitney Point’s future. A future that we should be very excited for.

First of all, I believe that we need to continue to develop our local economy. We need to support our business community while also attracting new economic development. We need action on both the commercial and residential fronts, and we need to work hard to make things happen.

I believe that we can attract new development by marketing the successes of our community as a whole. The place we call home is very tightly knit, resilient, stable and safe . There’s lots of people out there looking for a place like Whitney Point to settle down, start a family or start a business. We need to reach them by championing our community spirit, assets and accomplishments.

We also need to give incentive to property owners to continue to spruce up our Village. There are several ways to do this but the most obvious method is to seek new grants. I’m also kicking around a few other ideas. With a strong effort of outreach, I absolutely believe that we can build our local economy, attract new development and grow.

We can’t forget that we need to properly manage the assets that we have and continue to provide essential services. We have great water and sewer systems and roadways that need to be kept. It makes sense to take proper care of our investments not only to keep them functioning properly and safebut also because it makes the most financial sense to do so. It’s like owning a home or a car. If you take good care of it from the get go it will take care of you and you’ll save money in the long run.

It goes without saying that as we continue forward, we need to avoid over burdening ourselves with taxes. Let’s be honest, there aren’t many of us who want to give up more income. Properly managing our finances as a government is and must always be a priority. In short, let’s keep taxes as low as possible so we can continue to attract new things to our area. And in the mean time we need to continue to make government more efficient and work with each other to resolve everyday problems.

There will no doubt be challenges ahead. New York State’s upcoming replacement of the Route 206 bridge will be a big one. But I think that we are ready to work together and start crafting what comes next for Whitney Point. I am personally excited for our future and I think great things are on the way. I’m running for Mayor because I want to work with all of you and help lead us into our next chapter. If you share this vision for the future with me, I humbly ask for your support in the election on Wednesday, March 18th. I look forward to continuing to work with you.

[mayorreynoldswp]

On Tuesday, January 20th I officially announced my candidacy for Mayor of Whitney Point. Here is a video and the text of the speech that I gave making that announcement.

For four years I have been part of a team that I am very proud of. As a member of the Village Board of Trustees I’ve worked alongside people that have dedicated large portions of their lives to Whitney Point and cementing its future. As I announce that I am running for Mayor, I strive to take the torch and to become captain of that team. The team that will be paving the path toward Whitney Point’s future.

I could tell you about my resume, the ideas that I’ve put forth as a Trustee, and the issues that I’ve worked closely on. I could talk about my plan for growing our business community and attracting new economic development. I could tell you how I plan to take on the challenge of making our community more affordable to live in. I could tell you how I want to make government as available and efficient as possible. I could tell you a lot of things. But instead, I want to make pledge.

As Mayor I promise to listen and take each and every challenge we face seriously. I promise to treat everyone who steps into the Village office with respect. I promise to carry myself with integrity and to always strive do the right thing. I promise hold myself accountable. I promise to ask for help when I need it, and confer with those who are wiser than I am. I promise to put forth new ideas, seek new solutions and explore new avenues. I promise that at all times I will keep the greater good and prosperity of our community in mind. And most of all I promise to dare to dream of great things for Whitney Point and the Southern Tier and to work hard to make our community brighter than ever. 

These are the things that I promise to you. I have a vision for the future and it’s a future that I’m very excited about. If you share that vision and excitement with me, I humbly ask for your support in the election this March. Thank you.

[mayorreynoldswp]

The Southern Tier needs to take control

This past week, New York State made two huge announcements. Natural gas drilling or "fracking" will not be performed in New York. And the Southern Tier, the place that most of us reading this call home did not receive one of the new and coveted casino licenses.Needless to say both of these announcements got people talking.

Both sides of the fracking debate erupted in either joy or extreme disappointment and just about everyone around here shook their heads at the casino decision. While the debate continues to rage on as interested parties hope to get New York State to reverse one or both of these decisions, that's not what I'm here to talk about. I'm here to talk about the one thing has become crystal clear. With all due respect to the people who have been fighting for development, The Southern Tier as a whole needs to take control of its own future. 

The problem is, we have been waiting. We have been waiting for New York State, or someone else to swoop in and deliver us an economic boon. This isn't the Yankees. Derek Jeter is retired. Captain Clutch is no longer batting for us. We need to step up for ourselves and do something about our situation. 

First of all, the negativity needs to stop. It has become the "cool" thing to do to bash Binghamton, to bash the Souther Tier, to make fun of our schools, to make fun of the place that we call home. What are we accomplishing by this? We're making everyone believe that this is legitimately a crummy place to live. If this is what we are putting out there, why would anyone want to move here, let alone invest here? If we want to turn our situation around, we need to change our self defeating attitude. 

The second thing we need to do is market the Southern Tier. We need to showcase the assets that we have and show the world why this is a nice place to live. We need to show everyone why this area is worth investing in. New York State has been marketing itself as a tourist attraction the last few years and Ithaca has been selling itself decades. We need to do the same.

Finally, we need to sit down and map out our vision for the future. We need leaders in business, government, real estate, and everyone else who should be at the table to go to work and start making things happen. We need to stop talking and execute. 

We have plenty of positive developments in the past few years. SUNY Broome has built dorms and is establishing satellite campuses throughout the county. Binghamton University is building a pharmacy school. We have a tech incubator being built as we speak. Our breweries are doing very well and our dairy industry has been reinvigorated by the yogurt boom. The Binghamton Mets even just won a title for cripe's sake!

In my own home community of Whitney Point we've seen the Main Street strip completely revamped. We've added several new businesses the last few years and we're hearing rumblings of several more on the way. We have great infrastructure in place with new and well maintained water and sewer systems and we're not done. We have spent the last decade investing in our community and planning for what's ahead. Now that we've made the right moves, we're seeing success and a lot of positive energy from the community.We're ready to support more new developments and charge ahead into the future. 

This is an incomplete list and it's all easier said than done, but I truly believe it's what needs to happen and that it's completely achievable. It's time to stop waiting for someone to swoop down from the heavens and get things moving in the Southern Tier. We need to take the reigns ourselves and push with renewed energy to build on what we have. If we take a step back from all the doom and gloom we will find that there is a lot to be excited about. Now we just need to capitalize on the momentum that we have been gaining and build from within. We can do it, we just have to believe in ourselves and take action. 

[mayorreynoldswp]

SUNY Broome Community College will be offering two new courses at Whitney Point High School for the spring 2015 semester. They are College Writing I and US History II. Registration is open now. This initiative started almost a year ago when SUNY Broome President Kevin Drumm and I ran into each other for the first time ever. I approached him out of the blue, introduced myself and asked him, "How can we get a satellite campus in Whitney Point?" His response? "Find me a room." We reached an agreement with Whitney Point High School a few months later and the first two courses are being held as part of the fall 2014 semester as we speak. Now we have the chance to continue this program and to help it keep expanding by taking advantage of the courses being offered in the spring 2015 semester. I am extremely proud to be part of this initiative and truly want to see it succeed. Help me spread the word that BCC is offering night classes right here in Whitney Point and let's see how many new students we can draft. Thank you all for being part of this community and let's keep driving it forward. There are no limits.

[mayorreynoldswp]

Voting is not a civic duty, its a choice

In the wake of the 2014 mid term elections, there's been something on my mind. Just like any election year, there have been a fair share of people who have told me how they feel about voting. Everything from what parties and candidates they vote for, to why they did or didn't vote.

There are many people who believe that voting is a "civic duty." While I always applaud anyone who votes and I believe that an engaged electorate is extremely important, I'm here to tell you that voting is NOT your "duty".

Voting isn't something that you are forced to do. It is something that you have the freedom and right to do. It is your choice. Each and every one of us has the choice on election day to go out and cast our ballot. 

We have the choice of putting who we want in office. We have the choice of steering our government in the direction that we want it to go. We have the choice of expressing our opinion on where we each stand on each and every issue.

We all need to clear our heads and forget the stigmas and stereotypes that surround elections, politics, government and voting. We need to remember that voting gives us a choice. It gives each and every one of us a chance to lay a brick toward creating the future that we as individuals, families, communities, states or as a country envision. 

No one is forcing you to help create that future. And there is no one who is spurned if you decide not to vote and express your opinion about the way our governments should go. It is a choice that we all have. And no one can make your decisions for you but you. 

It is my hope that participation in elections increase during my life time. I personally hope that more people take a hand in our future and express their opinions in a way that actually brings about change and makes our country greater as a whole. But remember that no one is forcing you to do that. We all have opinions. But ultimately, going out on election day is where we can turn those opinions into actions. The choice is yours. 

[mayorreynoldswp]

Where I came from

As I approach my 28th birthday and the completion of my fourth year of service in local government, I find myself taking a step back to think about how happy I am with my life. I own my own home, I recently received a promotion at my “day job,” I have a great family, great friends, and perhaps most of all, I am proud of my record as a public servant. I truly take pride in what I have worked to accomplish and I couldn’t have done it without the help and support of so many other people. No matter how successful any of us are in life however, I think it’s important to look back and remember where you came from. Which is exactly what makes my success as an adult all the more satisfying.

I was born in Cortland, New York. My parents got married straight out of high school and my mother birthed me into the world when she was 19. My mother absolutely dedicated herself to being the best mother that she could be, and did just that. I often think of myself at 19 and it makes me appreciate the parenting that my mother did even more.

Like so many American families however, my parents’ marriage just didn’t work out. My father was not ready to step back from the fast living world of the young and made many decisions that hurt us as a family. Alcohol, drugs, affairs, depression and money problems riddled our family in my early years. At one point, our electricity got shut off at home because we were so far behind on the bills.

There came a point where it was clear that we were living in a broken home and my parents’ decided that it was time for change. Divorce proceedings began and all of the things that so many of us are all too familiar with came along with it; Visitation schedules, court battles, the works. Meanwhile, my mother continued to work full-time to support us and be home enough to fulfill her duties as a mother.

Eventually, my mom met the man who became my step dad, or “Pa” as I have called him since I was 10-years old. My mother, sister and I moved from Cortland to Whitney Point to live with my step dad who provided a steady income and allowed my mom to go school and create new opportunities for herself and our family. We also welcomed my youngest sister into the world and the family that I know now took shape.

I finished out my public school career in Whitney Point and decided to continue my education first by attending Broome Community College in Binghamton and then Ithaca College. I did it because it seemed like the thing to do. I never really took school seriously or applied myself. I always made the Honor Roll, but never really tried.

I knew exactly what kinds of things I wanted to do in my life, but I always thought that school was just a barricade to getting there. In my mind, the only way to learn something is to go out there and do it. Ask a mechanic how they learned to work on cars. They did it by getting under a car, and using trial and error until they figured out how everything fits together. That’s always the mindset that I had. Sitting in a class room bored me. I wanted to get out in the world and make a difference, not spend vital years of my life sitting at a desk. While in some professions it’s absolutely necessary, school was just never my thing. But alas, it was what everyone advised, so in the beginning, I did it.

During my college years I began to get deeply involved in the local political scene and soon found myself managing a Presidential campaign in Broome County and being asked to run for public office at the age of 21. Part of it all seemed crazy. How could a kid that never really took school seriously and spent thousands of hours skateboarding and playing World of WarCraft be running a Presidential campaign? And being asked to run for office by people who had been involved in politics for 30 and 40 years? It didn’t to me matter, I jumped at the opportunities, worked hard and learned from every mistake. All the while, I began to get my feet wet in management at my day job, which I had held since I was 17 and worked at all through college.

After two failed attempts at winning election to public office, luck finally struck. I received a phone call from the Mayor of Whitney Point who told me that a member of the Village Board had resigned and that he would like to appoint me to serve out the remainder of the term because my hard work getting out and talking to members of the community about the issues affecting us all on my previous campaigns had impressed him. Again, I jumped at the opportunity and within weeks I had been sworn in to serve the community that raised me.

In the following months I began looking into our Village government as deeply as possible and began proposing changes to modernize many of our laws, which I continue to do, four years later. I authored a new Code of Ethics. I wrote a policy to make our Village government more “green” and energy efficient. I worked to get brighter and more energy efficient street lightning on Main Street, which is saving us money. I put the Village on Facebook and Twitter which has created new channels of communication and made us a more open government and more available to residents in need of our services. I’ve worked to help keep our public library open. And I’m currently working on rehauling our zoning laws to create a more modern and cohesive set of guidelines that will both make it easier to set up a life or business here in Whitney Point and give us a more cohesive vision for the future of the place we call our home.

Since my appointment to the board, I have been elected by the people of Whitney Point, twice. I am extremely proud of the work that I have done and I have to thank the current and former Mayors, as well as my fellow Trustees and our Village staff for making it possible. Without them, none of this could have happened. We put our heads together, strengthen each other’s ideas and get things done for the community. We are truly lucky to have a government made up of genuinely service oriented people in Whitney Point and I am very thankful to be working with each and every one of them.

In 2014, my family couldn’t be better. My step dad continues on the same steady career path that he did when I first met him. My mother has utilized the skills she learned when she went back to school and is also active within the community (albeit on very different issues than those that I work on), and both of my sisters are doing well. One of them married one of my life-long best friends and works in management at a spa, and the other will soon be getting her driver’s license, which makes me grateful that the rest of us have car insurance. My father has vanquished the demon’s of his past and now owns and operates his own business and has been successful in doing so.

So here I am, 27 (almost 28) years old. I grew up poor or close to it, I spent most of my childhood on skateboarding and videogames, and I dropped out of college twice. I’m still paying my student loans and will be for many years to come. But I have been an elected official for almost four years. I have worked my way up to be the top dog at my day job. I own my own home. I have a good family. I have a beautiful girlfriend who makes me happy (and is smarter than I am). And I’m still just getting started.

I have always idolized people who pull themselves up through the world by their own boot strings. I have often heard from many other people “You never choose the easy path, do you?” Maybe I don’t. But I have worked for everything that I have, and I’m proud of that and I don’t plan to stop any time soon. My family has clawed its way up through harsh times since day one. The challenges that we have overcome have made us stronger and despite tragedy along the way, I would not change a thing. I know that wherever I go in my life, I will never forget where I came from and that because of that, I am stronger.