Published: October 31, 2009 03:06 am      

TOWN OF LOCKPORT ENDORSEMENT: Keeping the team together

Today you’ll find our endorsements for the Town of Lockport races. Residents will choose a supervisor and two town board members. Running for supervisor are incumbent Marc Smith and challenger David Mongielo. The four running for two seats on the Town Board are incumbents Mark Crocker and Paul Pettit and challengers Donna Pieszala and David Devereaux. Devereaux chose not to be interviewed by the Editorial Board, so he will not get our endorsement.

Here’s a look at the other three.

Town Board

You may know Donna Pieszala as former president and current trustee of the Newfane School Board. She now seeks a Town Board seat.

Right off the bat, we cannot support anyone who oversees two public budgets. While it may be legal, it’s not right. In a county where “control” is rumored to be in the hands of a few individuals, this would be a blatant example of one individual having too much control over two taxing entities. If she won, we’d ask her to step down from the Newfane School Board.

With that said, we give her credit for being so interested in public service and her dedication to the cause.

Still, after we interviewed her, we don’t buy a lot of what she’s selling.

She admits to helping to organize Lockport Smart Growth, which has fought the proposed Walmart Supercenter plan for years, but says she only did so when asked by residents who knew of her community organizer experience.

If she was just brought on to organize, why such a close association years down the line, once the group is up and running?

Pieszala did everything possible, including saying she had been taken out of context over the Walmart association, to say she does not share the group’s anti-Walmart sentiment. She said she supports the Walmart project. If that’s the case, why would she associate herself with a cause she doesn’t personally believe in?

All bets were off when her denial of involvement with Smart Growth, other than to organize, surfaced.

As far as incumbents Mark Crocker and Paul Pettit are concerned, the adage works: “If it’s not broke, don’t fix it.”

These men run in concert with Supervisor Marc Smith, and hold to the mantra: No town tax, hold the line on expenses, provide basic services at the least expense, Transit North will lead to development, etc.

Yet Crocker, Pettit and Smith all have individual accomplishments and goals.

Pettit is the “Why Guy,” always asking why something is the way it is or why it costs what it costs. It’s what led him to save the town hundreds of thousands of dollars as it rehabbed a public park/field.

Crocker is the retired military man who serves as deputy supervisor and strives for ways to save and deliver the basics of town life: garbage pickup, water, working sewers, fire protection and plowed roads.

Simple concepts, we think, but concepts that, coupled with long-term plans from the top down, mean keeping this team intact is the way to go. We endorse Crocker and Pettit.

Supervisor

David Mongielo swears he’s not a one-issue candidate, but he is. He’s running on the strength of a tantrum born of his battle with the town over his electronic business sign.He continues to break the law with his electronic, flashing sign. Is that the type of person who would make a good supervisor? He should fight the law, with the law, not a run for supervisor.

What also irks us is his pitch for that sign always includes a mention that he intended to use it for charity. Should we believe his candidacy is a charity case, since the last two weeks have been frame-by-fame ads for his supervisor run?

Here’s the thing with Mongielo: He’s a nice enough guy, with great intentions to make the business climate as favorable as possible, but his candidacy is centered on just that one issue.

If anything, he has shown others that attending meetings and speaking out shouldn’t be intimidating. Hopefully, he continues to attend and ask the pertinent questions.

Whether he’s in the Town of Lockport or Las Vegas, incumbent Marc Smith is rallying for the town he leads. He’s attracting businesses, keeping spending in check and chipping away at debt. He truly has a stellar track record.

There’s been no town borrowing in the past eight years. Smith has long-term plans for the town and makes sound business decisions.

He works with developers and put his own professional skills to work landing the town cheaper options on insurance.

He’s the leader of a great team that got even better with the hiring of David Kinyon. His administration keeps the lines of communication open with Walmart, despite the by-now tedious court battles, which the majority of residents appreciate.

All of this without mentioning Yahoo! (We’re sure even Smith would admit he had help with that deal).

You can’t argue with success.

Smith gets our support for another term.