Familiar faces to switch roles on Freeville’s Board of Trustees

Starting June 1, the village of Freeville’s Board of Trustees will have a new mayor and a new board member. Despite the change, each person in their new position is a familiar face.

Current Village Mayor David Fogel will transition to board member. Miles McCarty, currently a board member, will become the village’s new mayor.

Fogel will join members Jason Cuykendall (also deputy mayor), Diana Radford and Stephanie Ortolano on the Board of Trustees.

“As much as I’ve enjoyed serving as mayor of Freeville — and I’ve really enjoyed it immensely — I just felt that it was time to step down after eight years in the role,” Fogel said. “I’ve achieved most of the goals that I set for myself back in 2014, and it seemed like a good time to hand over the reins to someone else.”

Fogel knew almost two years ago that his current term as mayor would be his last. Last fall, he first discussed with McCarty the possibility of McCarty succeeding him as mayor.

“I was delighted that he was open to the idea,” Fogel said.

McCarty has been on the village board for six years. Prior to that, he was on the village planning board for “about a dozen years.”

Fogel has been part of the Board of Trustees for the past 10 years, eight of them as mayor. He’s served on the board with Miles for the past four years, but McCarty and Fogel go back 14 years in village government, Fogel noted. Both started as members of the planning board.

Despite the switch in a few weeks, McCarty doesn’t think “it will be much different.”

“We all kind of work together,” McCarty added. “We’ve never had that sort of relationship where someone has felt superior to everyone else. It’s always been a team. We’re pretty much on an even keel with each other.”

Fogel mentioned the utmost faith he has in McCarty as the village’s soon-to-be mayor. He praised McCarty’s leadership in spearheading the LED streetlight project last year (see tinyurl.com/y934dwgh), which Fogel noted has “already benefited the village financially and environmentally.”

“I expect that the transition will be a seamless one,” Fogel said. “Miles has been extremely effective as a trustee during his time on the board, and he’s shown a real dedication to the well-being of the village and its residents. He’ll hit the ground running, for sure.”

Fogel and McCarty have worked on a slew of projects together, Fogel noted, including the building of footbridges for the new trail in the Genung Nature Preserve, a new sign in Groton Avenue Park and benches in Station Park (see tinyurl.com/y9lmse4s).

McCarty noted he will run his term of two years. He did, however, hint that once his term is finished, he’ll see what the future holds thereafter.

“I’m looking forward to promoting and having the younger crowd involved in our village government,” he said. “It’s their world, and we need to get out of the way of it.”

Once McCarty takes on the mayoral title and leads his first Board of Trustees meeting June 7, he is looking to address issues with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) and the village’s wastewater system.

“DEC’s requirements have exceeded the parameters of our sewer system,” McCarty said. “We’ll have to make some sizable changes to it to comply with [DEC’s] new standards. We have to get that to where the DEC is happy with us.”

Along with upgrades to the village’s wastewater system, Fogel mentioned another project that includes the assistance with the village’s fire department on “several building improvement projects and equipment purchases.”

“Much of that work will be made possible by the federal [American Rescue Plan] funding that the village has received,” he added.

Fogel will miss “certain aspects” of the mayoral position but expressed his relief that “the buck will no longer stop” with him.

“I’m definitely looking forward to continuing to work with my fellow trustees,” he said. “We have a very capable and experienced board, well positioned to take on the challenges that we’ll be facing in the coming years.”

As McCarty prepares for his first year as mayor, Fogel noted it has been an honor to serve the village’s community.

“Serving the wonderful Freeville community as mayor has been a tremendous honor for me,” Fogel said. “I’m grateful for the opportunity I was given, and I wish Miles all the best in his new position.”

Dryden Dispatch appears every Wednesday in Tompkins Weekly. Send story ideas to editorial@VizellaMedia.com.

In brief:

Dryden Senior Citizens to meet May 23

The Dryden Senior Citizens (DSC) will hold a meeting May 23 at the Dryden Veterans Memorial Home.

The meeting and announcements will begin at 11:45 a.m., with lunch to follow at 12:15 p.m. The lunch menu will be scalloped potatoes and ham, broccoli, a roll and pudding. The cost of the meal is $8 for members and $9 for nonmembers.

Singer Mike McWilliams of Cicero will provide the meeting’s entertainment.

The DSC meets the second and fourth Monday of each month. The cost of a yearly DSC membership is $5. Anyone age 55 and older who lives in the area is welcome to join.

Freeville Farmers Market to hold plant sale May 22

The Freeville Farmers Market will be holding a plant sale from noon to 4 p.m. May 22 at 43 Main St. in the village.

The event will also include soil pH testing by master gardeners, a plant identification table with Jean Grace and the regular Freeville Farmers Market vendor lineup.

For more information, go to freevillefarmersmarket.org/plantsale.

Dryden Little League to host golf tournament May 22

The Dryden Little League is hosting a four-man captain-and-crew golf tournament on May 22 at Stonehedges Golf Course in Groton.

A few spaces are left for the tournament. The cost is $260 per team ($65 per person) and includes 18 holes of golf with a cart, gift bags and dinner to follow.

Prizes will be awarded at the tournament. There will also be closest-to-the-hole and putting green contests.

For more information or to fill out an application, send an email to mruse@twcny.rr.com.