AuburnPub.com - Genoa candidates: Promote local businesses

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Genoa candidates: Promote local businesses

By: Kelly Voll/The Citizen

GENOA - Peggy Bradley and Julie Burnham both call Genoa their true home.

They are opponents in the race for Genoa town supervisor, and both said they have their hometown's best interests in mind.

Bradley, running on the Republican and Conservative lines, said she has always called the town home, even when she was moving around the country while employed by the Army. She left home in her late teens to join the Army.

For 31 years she served, retiring two years ago and moving back home to King Ferry.

Burnham, the Democratic candidate, is a fifth-generation Genoa town resident. She married her husband, John, a local carpenter, six years ago. Her 5-year-old recently started kindergarten at Southern Cayuga Central School.

Bradley decided to run for supervisor because after being on the Genoa Town Board for a year and a half, she has become interested in the work involved in running a town.

“The government process intrigues me,” she said. “Particularly at the town level.”

Bradley also feels that she owes her community.

“What better way to give back to a community that supported me through 31 years of service?” she said. “I've got the time and energy; it's a capacity in which I think I can really contribute.”

Burnham said she is running because she “prefers to do work with government or not-for-profit more so than with private corporations.” Burnham enjoys working with other people to reach a common goal, rather than working for one person who has his/her own agenda, she said.

“I'm a good fit, and (the job) is a good fit for me,” Burnham said. “My experience (as an auditor) is going to help. The most important aspect of the job (of supervisor) is being able to budget and report clearly and concisely to stakeholders.”

Bradley's personal values are driving her campaign.

“The things my parents taught me about work ethic, honesty, loyalty ... they're the same values sustained by the U.S. Army,” Bradley said. “The core values I learned as a kid are the same values I got to practice and refine (in the service).”

Bradley said she would rather preserve the traditions of Genoa than turn the town into a city.

“There's a way to maintain our rural heritage,” said Bradley, “and yet bring our business practices into the 21st century.”

Burnham pointed to her small-town upbringing as inspiration for her campaign.

“I maintain high ethical standards, honor and integrity,” she wrote in a letter to voters. “My parents have worked hard at instilling the same values that my grandparents did in them.”

Burnham said she is running with the philosophy that it's much better to prevent problems in Genoa now than to have to deal with unexpected expenses later. For example, she would rather update the town's roads now than wait for them to degrade.

Both candidates have plans to improve Genoa's economy. Bradley wants to work to bring broadband Internet to Genoa. She believes this will attract businesses to the area. She also hopes to bring attention to the many positives of living in the town, she said.

“I'd like to highlight the beautiful landscape, low crime rate ... there are so many wonderful things about our little town,” said Bradley. “We just haven't promoted it enough. I am in awe of the talent and resources and services available right in the town of Genoa and surrounding areas. I'd like to build on that and make sure people know what's available. There are more than 75 businesses in Genoa, a town of 1,900 people.”

Burnham said she would also like to promote local businesses in an attempt to improve town economy.

“It's important to spotlight local businesses and local trades, and reach beyond town to promote them,” Burnham said. “It's important to buy it and seek it locally. ... We need to make people aware that they don't have to go to Syracuse to get (what they need).”

Both candidates said they believe government communication methods in town could use improvement. Bradley is focused on the town Web site. She is already sending out e-mail blasts using a list of 200 addresses she's collected from town residents.

“We have secured the charitable work of town resident Tanya Miles, who is redesigning our Web page,” Bradley said. “There are a lot of things I want to do with it if I'm elected.”

Burnham echoed Bradley's concern that more can be done to communicate to residents.

“It's important to keep up the technology better and get information out to constituents,” Burnham said. “I plan on expanding on Peg's (Bradley) ideas and making those resources readily available to people when they need to know what's going on. For example, we have a beautiful town hall up here, but it's not clear what its hours are. That needs to be improved on.”

Bradley spoke about some challenges faced by town governments today. She fears that town governments will be seeing reduced revenues from county sales taxes. Because of having potentially less money to work with, governments will need to make decisions about consolidation of townships, she said.

Bradley also believes that governments must face the challenge of proving to residents that property is assessed correctly.

Burnham said she believes securing grant monies may be a tough challenge for today's town governments. She also cited maintaining infrastructure (roadways and lighting) while being environmentally and financially responsible as a challenge.

Both candidates are interested in consolidation.

“The town courts could consolidate,” Bradley said. “The town justice worked to improve the courtroom. It has new security and recording equipment that's all in compliance. I can see other towns entertaining the idea of holding court in our courtroom.”

Burnham pointed toward schools. She believes school boards need to come together to harness broadband Internet for students' use in school.

“Students do their projects online,” she said. “(Getting Internet) is coming up against some tough walls. We need to resolve this and come up with what's going to help the greater good.”

Staff writer Kelly Voll can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 239 or kelly.voll@lee.net

Meet the candidates: Genoa town supervisor

Name: Peggy Bradley (R, C)

Age: 51

Education: Bachelor's degree, Virginia Commonwealth University; master's degree, Southern Illinois University Carbondale

Occupation: Retired from Army/certified substitute teacher

Political experience: Genoa Town Board member since July 2008

Name: Julie Burnham (D)

Age: 37

Education: Associate degree, Alfred State College; bachelor's degree, Ithaca College

Occupation: Internal auditor for Southern Cayuga Central School

Political experience: none

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