Letter to the editor: Legislator Koreman endorses Olson for reelection

As the Tompkins County Legislator representing the Town of Ulysses, I am proud to endorse Katelin Olson in her re-election campaign for Ulysses Town Supervisor. Katelin is a forward-thinking leader with a track record of working with local, county, and state leaders to build a sustainable future for all. She has experience tackling important local issues for Ulysses residents: emergency medical services, access to clean, safe water, land preservation, and climate change.

To assure the health and safety of residents, the Town contracts with the Village of Trumansburg to provide Emergency Medical Services (EMS) certified by NYS. The Town of Ulysses adopted a billing policy to charge those who use the ambulance services provided by the Village of Trumansburg’s EMS to reduce the cost borne by Ulysses taxpayers (nearly 43% of our total tax levy). This is a critically important development to ensure faster response times for a lifesaving service.

As Vice Chair of the Tompkins County Council of Governments, Katelin recently championed the effort to mobilize communities countywide urging Governor Hochul to sign Bill S.7501 A / A.8086 A into law without delay. This bill will support equitable, reliable EMS access for all residents.

Under Supervisor Olson’s leadership, the Town Board made it easier for residents to form or join water districts and connect to public water. Town residents now have a clear policy to request water, a process balancing private property owner needs with financial fairness. As a Town Board representative on the Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee, she has consistently advocated for actions and protections that ensure water quality for residents and long-term ecosystem preservation.

Climate change impacts Ulysses with rapid rain events followed by disruptive periodic droughts. Too much water at one time strains our infrastructure, especially roads, which can lead to flooding. It also impacts farmers by damaging crops and soils. These intermittent stormwater episodes ultimately affect Cayuga Lake and groundwater. Since 2023, Katelin has worked with the Town Board to raise over $2.8 million in outside funds to replace and repair bridges and culverts, keeping roads safe and alleviating the financial burden on taxpayers. In 2020, Olson successfully advocated for a reserve fund so the Town can respond quickly to washouts like those in Covert and Ovid. She also secured a Water Quality Improvement Project (WQIP) grant for an engineering study to identify deteriorated culverts and another WQIP grant to replace the Garrett Road culvert to most effectively use grant dollars.

I am proud to have worked with Katelin Olson for the past seven years and heartily endorse her re-election campaign for Ulysses Town Supervisor.

-Anne Koreman, Ulysses