City Ward 4 candidates share views
Jun. 17—PLATTSBURGH — Two candidates are seeking to become the Democratic Party candidate in the City of Plattsburgh Common Council Ward 4 race.
Incumbent Jennifer Tallon is facing off against Hillary Trombley in the June 28 primary.
Early voting starts Saturday, June 18.
Each candidate provided some information about themselves and issues facing the city.
Hillary Trombley
Age: 41
Party: Democrat
Occupation: Sales Professional, Realtor
Education: BA SUNY Potsdam 2002
Civic organizations: Volunteer American Red Cross, Volunteer Honor Flight, Committee member of Breast Friends Team, a team that raises funds locally to help and assist local families battling illness, participant in the special Olympics torch run
Family: Husband, Jarrod, two sons, Zack and Drew (16 & 13), two step daughters, Megan and Chloe (16 & 12)
Why are you running for a seat on the Common Council?
"I have lived in Plattsburgh my whole life. My husband and I have a home in the city and we are raising our four children here as we believe this is a wonderful place to call home and safe place to raise our children. I am qualified, ready, and
I believe my strong voice and positive attitude is what Ward 4 needs. After speaking with residents over the last several weeks, it has become abundantly clear people are ready for change. I am capable of bringing that change for them.
I will be doing research on matters being brought before the council before I make any decisions. I will be answering phone calls, and speaking with my constituents to hear and consider their perspectives.
There is a lot going on right now in the city and people have a lot of questions and concerns. I intend on being fully transparent, and being a councilor people can trust and rely on.
I am a career oriented, professional woman. Communicating is one of my top strengths as it is the number one priority in my profession. My experience will help me be the best person for this role."
If elected, what do you see as the main issues facing the city?
"As I have provided in previous interviews, park revitalization is something I am passionate about. I am pleased to see recent movement and improvements taking place. Having children who have played sports and visited all the city parks, it is rather clear they need to be better maintained.
In a digital era, we need to provide safe and well-cared for parks to get people active and back outside. Youth are our future and worth the investment. We need to be diligent about keeping the city an affordable place to live.
We need to care about our local taxpayers, and prevent them from moving away from the city. As well as future generations; we need them to want to stay here. This is a great city and we want to see it thrive.
Hard decisions in the past placed the city in a better financial position. We need to be fiscally conservative to prevent putting the taxpayers in more financial distress, especially during these challenging inflationary times.
Many are on the fence about what to do with the Crete Center. After canvassing in my Ward, it is clear the majority of people are in favor of building something better in its place.
The Crete has been an excellent resource for youth and adults to stay active and social all year long. It was a great source of relief for the mental health of these individuals as well over the last two plus years. If we tear it down, there is plenty of opportunity to put something even better in its place that will draw more people to the area to participate in events, stay in our hotels, and visit our local businesses. I do not believe losing the building in its entirety is in the best interest of the city, our youth, and surrounding areas."
Jennifer Tallon
Age: 45
Party: Democratic Party with endorsement from the Working Families Party
Occupation: Account-clerk typist for Clinton County at Plattsburgh International Airport
Education: Bachelor of Arts SUNY Albany (Major in French, Minor in Spanish)
Previous government experience: City Councilor, Ward 4 (2021 — present)
Civic Organizations: Plattsburgh City Democrats member 2017 — present, secretary, 2018 — 2020; Clinton County Democratic Committee member 2017 — present; North Country R.E.S.P.E.C.T. (Ready to Educate, Support, and Protect Equality and Civility Together), founding member (2016 — present); Adirondack North Country Gender Alliance, allied member, (2017 — present); event organizer for Adirondack North Country Pride (2017 — present); 100 Margaret St. (2021 — present); No Justice No Peace Walk for Change (2020); The North Country Marches On (2018); The People's Climate March (2017); The North Country March for Unity and Respect (2017)
Family: Single
Why are you seeking office this year?
"I am running for re-election because I would like three more years to see what else can be accomplished in this forward-thinking administration. I enjoy being a part of this team, and I have no plans to pursue any other political offices. There is nothing I am looking to gain from this experience, except learning that I can do it, being a part of some good decisions for the city, and maybe inspiring others that one day they would be able to do it too. The first step is being brave enough to try.
In the past year and a half I have showed active interest in city projects and proposed ideas, such as the public forums regarding the Plattsburgh Boat Basin, the bike path plan, the Housing Advisory Committee, and the Margaret Street Reconstruction Project, and I have also attended and participated in many city events.
There is a popular misconception that the members of City Council are entitled and cannot connect with the people of this city. I grew up a child of divorce, and in poverty. I remember food stamps to pay for groceries, the social stigma of the free lunch program at school, and worrying about losing the house due to back taxes.
For some, growing up in poverty can make you bitter, but it helped me to gain a strong sense of empathy for others who are also trying to get through such difficult times. Most households in the City of Plattsburgh have incomes of $60,000 or under that, so I can definitely connect with those that are just trying to keep a roof over their head, food on the table, and pay their bills. I'm trying to do that too, and on my own.
Ward 4 has been my home for almost 46 years, and it has been an honor to represent it."
If elected, what do you see as the main issues facing the city?
"I would say the biggest problem the city is facing right now is our aging infrastructure. I'm sure people have noticed how many water main breaks we have had in the past two years, most notably within the past two months. The pipes underground are old and affected by our cold winter climate, so the next water main break is anybody's guess. Fixing the breaks is a top priority. People wonder why it takes the city so long to take care of other things like fixing roads and potholes, which are put on a schedule for the Department of Public Works, but when there are emergency situations, those have to be dealt with, before anything else.
"Another important thing is understanding who the people are that live in the City of Plattsburgh. We are mostly a city of renters, who have been dealing with increases in rent, which is possibly a reaction caused in anticipation of a controversial apartment complex that has not yet, and might not be built downtown. Living here is becoming unaffordable for a lot of them. The only protection that we, as a City Council, could offer was a rental registry, for mandatory inspections to at least make sure that rental units are safe and kept up to code.
"Another one of the city's biggest problems seems to be communication between the people and city government officials. I pay attention to a lot that is going on here, and basically, the message that I am getting is that city residents, and business owners, do not feel that their voices and concerns are really being heard. Hopefully that has improved some over the past year and a half, as there has been more information available to the public by means of social media, and more opportunities for the public to give input on upcoming projects. There is always room for more improvement though."
E-mail: jlotemplio@pressrepublican.com
Twitter: @jlotemplio
