Tompkins Weekly

Lansing candidates speak to voters in highly talked-about race



 

 

Ed LaVigne, Incumbent, Republican, Independent

TW: Why are you running for Lansing town supervisor?

EL: I am running for reelection to CONTINUE to improve the quality of living for our residents in Lansing. Ex: Paths and trails on our town center land were preserved with a permanent Right of Way. Town ballfields were improved with six new dugouts. A new BBQ pavilion constructed at the town ballfields will improve community fundraisers. A new sewer district formed to protect our environment and improve density. Three new water districts were formed to improve water quality. The Drop-In Center staff was increased so every child is accepted. Housing people can afford with Milton Meadows is being developed to allow our residents young and old to stay in Lansing.

TW: How would you distinguish yourself from your opponent?

EL: Performance not perception. The list of accomplishments that WE have achieved for our Lansing residents speaks for itself. This is a six-month job application process. I never applied for a job with the argument of hire me because the other applicant is… I have developed new relationships with the many local municipal leaders. The relationships developed between the mayors of the villages of Lansing, Cayuga Heights and myself have resulted in the formation of a new sewer district involving all three municipalities. The mayor of the Village of Lansing has publicly stated that this is the best the relationship has been between the Village of Lansing and the Town of Lansing.

 

 

TW: What would you describe as your strengths and weaknesses as a public servant?

EL: Strengths: As the day gets longer, I grow stronger. As the tasks become more difficult, I become better at finding solutions. I have worked over 40 years in the private sector. You produce or you perish. The business world makes you strong. I am community minded and lead by example: president of the Lansing Community Council, president of the Lansing Senior Citizens, member of the Lansing Methodist Church co-chairing over 30 rummage sales, member of the Lansing Lions and member of the Air Service Board, and doing this while working fulltime as a pharmacist and as Lansing’s town supervisor. I have great working relationships with all the department heads. We are a team. I listen to all points of view and find positive solutions. Weaknesses: I am flawed and a work in process. God is working with me to improve.

TW: If reelected, what are your top three priorities as supervisor?

EL: These are all equally important: 1) Lansing’s infrastructure (a new sewer district, three new water districts, consistent financing of our equipment). 2) Lansing’s tax base (protecting our schools’ financial structure). 3) Lansing’s environmental concerns (formation of the CAC). I continue to attack Lansing’s concerns with renewed energy every day.

TW: What would you like potential voters to know about you?

EL: I am a public servant. This is a ministry to me. I do not need the money, the attention nor the accolades. I do not believe in legacies. I will listen respectfully to you and treat you equally. It does not matter if you have been a resident for 50 years or 50 seconds; your concerns are my concerns. I will try to find positive results to your concerns. I try to leave it better than I found it.

TW: What’s your vision of commercial and housing development in Lansing?

EL: Commercial development and large-scale housing should go where the infrastructure is. If there is sewer and water, the smallest footprint will be used for development. The south end of town is more suited for these types of development. The northern end will hopefully stay agricultural.

Michael Koplinka-Loehr, Democrat

TW: Why are you running for Lansing town supervisor?

MKL: I’m running to: 1) introduce long-range planning and budgeting; 2) improve communication with all residents, respect citizen input and increase engagement in decision-making; and 3) bring transparency to our local government. There are 11,750 Town of Lansing residents and thus 11,750 important personal stories for why I’m excited to bring nearly 45 years of public leadership experience to represent ALL of Lansing, regardless of background or personal circumstances.

TW: How would you distinguish yourself from your opponent?

MKL: In the past 2.5 years, I’ve visited almost every town voting household, many of them twice, listening to concerns and hearing what people love about Lansing. I’ve heard that the status quo is not adequately addressing the needs of residents.

Planning: My masters degree in planning can assist the town with the 2020 Zoning update, aligning with the Town Comprehensive Plan. Through that process, we can set a vision for our town, become regional leaders in key quality of life areas and preserve neighborhoods and environments where we live, together.

Resident communication and participation: The foundation of a democracy is an informed public. In my 12 years on the Tompkins County Legislature (two years as chair), I was a leader in designing methods for meaningful citizen engagement, combining the substance of issues with open, fair processes for participation by everyone. We can create a town-wide culture of timely information dissemination and welcoming input from ALL walks of life.

Transparency, including budgeting: I have a track record of budget accountability (creating a “reader friendly” budget and transforming a higher-than-inflation county-wide budget process to one averaging below-inflation tax increases for the past 14 years, with bi-partisan support) and experience in forming shared-services partnerships.

TW: What would you describe as your strengths and weaknesses as a public servant?

MKL: My specific strengths include abundant energy and optimism; a thirst for better ways of doing things; perseverance; a deep belief in the power of the people to improve their lives; a commitment to including too-often marginalized populations; a knowledge of sensible budgeting that maintains quality services; and expertise with long-term planning for community-wide quality of life. I have successfully led many organizations to a new threshold of their positive growth, as defined by those whom they serve. I have a proven history of inviting, listening to, and respecting voices from all backgrounds and walks of life. I have a weakness of being impatient with lack of change, usually related to social justice. I also do not like to waste people’s time, so I structure meetings to be respectful and move toward agreed-upon goals. I sometimes can appear overly serious yet actually have a playful side (ask my grandchildren!).

TW: If elected, what are your top three priorities as supervisor?

MKL: 1) Facilitating the town zoning upgrade. What kind of community do you want? Residents need to understand how they will be affected by the zoning code updates so that growth is balanced with community priorities and values. 2) Improve town transparency and budget accountability that is tailored to citizens with busy lives. 3) Strengthen citizen engagement/participation and two-way communication—through direct mailings, phone surveys, focus groups, neighborhood meetings and community-based committees/task forces that make recommendations.

TW: What would you like potential voters to know about you?

MKL: My lifelong calling for public service is evident throughout my nonprofit leadership and elected governmental roles. I’ve served Lansing in multiple capacities (town committees, TST-BOCES School Board representing Lansing), won over $100,000 in grant funding for the town (saving energy which saves ongoing tax dollars, and would continue to aggressively seek grants to leverage our tax base. I look forward to utilizing my depth of experience to serve Lansing residents as your supervisor, with both vision and practical solutions. I ask for your vote, through early voting (10/26-11/3; votetompkins.com for details), by absentee ballot, or on Election Day, Nov. 5, at your usual voting site. For more information: www.lansingdemocrats.org.

TW: What’s your vision of commercial and housing development in Lansing?

MKL: 2020 will be a critical year for Lansing. I am committed to “preserving the heart and soul of Lansing as it grows.” Guiding development while including community members at each step of the process is part of my planning background, not simply responding to developer proposals or selling off town lands piecemeal. I’ll use my experience in community planning, energy planning and human services planning to work with staff and facilitate community dialogue regarding how to grow thoughtfully in alignment with our Comprehensive Plan. Finally, I deeply respect and honor all candidates seeking office in Lansing and THANK the voters in advance for choosing leaders who will serve your values and priorities for the years ahead.

Answers have minor edits for grammar and are taken from email responses. Early voting is now through Nov. 3 at Town of Ithaca Town Hall, 215 N Tioga St., Ithaca, and Crash Fire Rescue (C.F.R.), 72 Brown Rd., Ithaca. Visit tompkinscounty.gov/boe for more information.

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