Two board seats up for grabs in March Trumansburg election

Voters in Trumansburg will choose two village board members from three candidates vying for the seats on March 19. 

The race features Jhoanna Haynes and Anthony Hanson, both new candidates running under the Democratic Party line, as well as incumbent Marcia Horn, who is running as an independent candidate under the Community Party line. The two emerging winners will each serve four-year terms.

The three candidates participated in the Ulysses Democratic Committee (UDC) caucusing process in late January, an exercise in which the local party designates the candidates who will appear on the Democratic Party ticket. 

UCD Chair Cynthia Mannino said that questions at the caucus included candidates’ stance on affordable housing; how they see their role or contribution to the board in regard to diversity, equity and inclusion; candidates’ contributions to the area thus far; and other environmental issues.

Tompkins Weekly caught up with the three candidates to learn more about their background, what they say they bring to the board and their outlook on the future of the village.

Jhoanna Haynes

If elected, this would be Haynes’ first time on the village board. She would also be the only woman of color on the board.

Haynes moved to New York state from Texas about 13 years ago and owns a catering business. She has six years of experience on the Trumansburg Central School District (TCSD) Board of Education. 

“I have experience with public service, and I just wanted to offer that to the village as well,” she said. “I know a lot of people that live in the village, and they actually asked me to run.”

Haynes’ approach to her time on the TCSD Board of Education always focused on equity. She said that she expects to look at village issues through that same lens if elected.

“I wanted to make sure that the students were served equitably,” she said. “I wanted to make sure that the students and the families get the resources that they need from the school. That continues at the village board level. I want to be able to really serve the families who are here and the community members who are here.”

As she looks toward the future of the village, Haynes said that she wants to ensure the village is attracting new families. 

“Our population is becoming older, so what are we doing for the future to continue to have people live here?” she said. “Our area is decreasing in population, which isn’t great for the village because our tourism is so important. We want to be able to attract new families.”

Being able to attract and accommodate for new families, that will hinge on new tweaks to the village’s zoning laws that the village board and the village’s comprehensive plan and zoning revision committee devise in the coming months, Haynes said. Zoning laws dictate what types of structures belong in different parts of the village, outlining details that pertain to the character of a particular village district, or the functions that buildings serve based on their location.

“People should be able to build on their property, but following village zoning is important,”  Haynes added.

Anthony Hanson

Hanson has worked in sales at Skurnik Wine and Spirits for more than 20 years and previously owned a restaurant in Sackets Harbor. He was spurred into pursuing public service during discussions about the village’s zoning last year. Getting elected to the board is a way for him to get involved and make a difference in talks about changes to zoning.

“What I saw was that there were a lot of people who felt very free about expressing their opinion and criticizing the board, but then they never did anything about it,” he said of board meetings related to zoning in the past year. “Part of me felt like if I’m going to come in, I want to be involved, I want to do something about it.”

He said his experience in the wine and food industries will help him become an effective board member.

“I think operating a small municipality is not that much different than running a small business,” he said. “You have to live within your means. You have long-term goals you’d like to achieve, but you also have to make sure that the daily operations are right.”

Hanson said that his experience in sales would also aid in being an effective communicator.

“I have been dealing with a lot of different people and a lot of different circumstances,” he noted. “You learn to respect other people’s opinions, and getting along with people is very important when you’re doing sales and in government.”

For Hanson, the board operates in a deliberate and conscientious manner. However, he said, winning a seat on the board would mean he can bring new ideas, which he feels are necessary.

“It’s always good to have a certain amount of turnover in government to bring in fresh ideas,” he said. “I think I’ve got a pretty good record of being someone who can find compromise, bring people together, and also think outside the box a little bit.”

Marcia Horn

Horn, a retired florist and former business owner, has served on the board since 2022, with a previous, brief stint in 2007.

“I have a lot to offer. I have a lot of knowledge about the history of the community and how it has progressively moved forward,” said the lifelong Trumansburg resident.

Growing up in a family with a long history of public service, Horn said, she picked up a sense of giving back to the residents of the village.

“It was kind of ingrained in me that if we can give a little bit back, we should,” she said. “It’s just kind of something that’s always just been in the fabric of my family.”

For Horn, the village is figuring out how to continue to grow while maintaining its friendly and welcoming atmosphere. To do that, Horn said, the village has learned how to cultivate a good relationship with the Tompkins County legislature. That relationship has been successful. 

As an example, Horn pointed to the county’s new Rapid Medical Response program. She said that the village has been providing information and holding conversations with the county on how the program can succeed. In turn, the program would help free up capacity at Trumansburg Emergency Medical Services, which currently takes calls for medical emergencies in other parts of the county that will now be serviced by the county’s rapid response program.

Additionally, she said, the board may designate a historic district, something she would like to be a part of.

“I think that is super important for a village of our age,” Horn said. “We have a great history here, and preserving that is very important.”

Horn’s run as an independent candidate won’t change the way she campaigns, she said.

“I only missed being nominated [at the caucus] by seven votes, and I think a lot of the people that were at the caucus or in that room that day, were there to support my two opponents. It didn’t really surprise me,” she said. “It certainly didn’t deter me from running again. Running as an independent, you have got to really want it.”

Election Day is March 19. Residents can vote at the village hall at 56 E. Main St.

In brief:

Special programming at the Ulysses Philomathic Library

The library has announced its special programming for March, including arts events, local books and a farmers market for children. The full schedule is below:

• Read Local Book Club: March 4 from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m.
  Attendees will get to meet authors, get free goodies and publish their own stories. The book club is open to teens aged 13 and up.
  
• Dancing with Stories: March 9 from 11:15 a.m. to noon
  Dancers with the Trumansburg Conservatory of Fine Arts Elite Competition Team will read dance-related books, teach basic dance steps and movements and play dance games. The class is free and open to the public, but it is best for children aged 3 and up and their caregivers.
  
• Kids’ Free Farmers Market: March 11 from 3:30 to 4:45 p.m.
  Trumansburg Harvest provides free fresh produce to all youth and their caregivers.
  
• Community Supported Agriculture Sampler: March 12 from 3 to 5 p.m.
  Trumansburg Harvest offers fresh local produce, free for everyone.