Ontario County Board of Supervisors has new leader. This is why it's important.
CANANDAIGUA – About a year ago, Jack Marren was faced with a decision.
The Victor supervisor was thinking about giving up his chairmanship of the Ontario County Board of Supervisors, which he has held for 10 years. Continuing on as supervisor -- his term as supervisor, which is up at the end of this year -- also was a consideration at the time, although he has since decided to seek reelection this fall.
By not seeking a new term as chairman – which he has done – Marren could sit on the Board of Supervisors for at least a year and serve as a resource to the incoming chairman, who after his election by the board Thursday night will be West Bloomfield Supervisor Todd Campbell. Seneca Supervisor Drew Wickham will serve as vice chairman.
In giving up the chairmanship, Marren said that means his workload will ease and he can slow down, fulfilling a promise he made to his wife after a health scare in 2019.
“This will help a lot,” said Marren, who also served as president of the New York State Association of Counties for nearly two years. “It will be an adjustment for me, but I think in a good way. Like anything, we have to adjust.
“It will be an opportunity to focus in on some items in the town of Victor.”
Campbell, who said he was honored to be selected by a unanimous vote of his fellow supervisors, said Marren has served as a mentor to him over the last 10 years, nine as supervisor and one as vice chairman of the board.
“I watched how Jack operated and look forward to providing the same level of steady leadership for the county that he did,” Campbell said. “I don’t see any significant changes in how I intend to work as the chair of the board in comparison to how Jack worked as the chair of the board.”
What does the Board of Supervisors chair do?
The Board of Supervisors is the county’s legislative body and is made up of 16 town supervisors representing each of the county’s towns, two supervisors representing the city of Canandaigua, and three supervisors representing the city of Geneva.
The chairman presides at meetings as well as appoints supervisors to various committees, among other duties.
For Marren, 10 years of being the focal point of communications, to the media and to the public, at times created a lot of headaches but more often meant a lot of great storylines and accomplishments, he said.
“I’ll be sitting with new responsibilities the chairman will give me, so it will be an adjustment for me,” Marren said.
As for Campbell, yes, he will be the visible face of the county when it comes to residents, employees and media, but he emphasized he is one member.
“My vote is no more important than others,” Campbell said.
Who is Todd Campbell?
Campbell is entering his 10th year as supervisor. He headed up the Campbell Commission, which looks at ways to improve the county’s criminal justice system.
He also recently led the 209 Committee, which was created to investigate alleged wrongdoing in the Ontario County Sheriff’s Office in the wake of the resignation of then Sheriff Kevin Henderson and Undersheriff John Frasca.
Campbell most recently served as vice chairman of the board under Marren.
“The county is in a very stable, strong position,” Campbell said. “My goal and my hope are to continue on that path on behalf of the residents of the county.”
Campbell appointed Wickham, who had been chairman of the board’s Planning and Environmental Quality Committee, as vice chair, in part because among the major issues facing the county in the years ahead is what to do about the Ontario County Landfill, which is located in Seneca.
Wickham has a strong background and has been on the board long enough to have a good handle on how things operate, Campbell said.
“I’m looking forward to working with him as my vice chair,” Campbell said.
What will Jack Marren miss?
Marren was first elected chairman in January 2013, succeeding then Farmington Supervisor Ted Fafinski.
During his 10 years as chairman, Marren said he has many fond memories, most centered on the valuable lessons learned from and the mutual respect shared among fellow supervisors.
Marren said he never approached the job as “my way or the highway.” His most important lesson, and something he is very proud of, is the bipartisanship demonstrated in Ontario County.
“It’s not just a word; it’s an actual culture that exists on this board. I’m extremely proud of that and it still exists today,” Marren said. “I can’t thank the dedicated employees and department heads throughout our country for what they do day in and day out, most importantly for the residents of the county.”
This article originally appeared on MPNnow: Meet Todd Campbell, new chair of Ontario County Board of Supervisors
