Frentzel running for town clerk

Patricia "Pattie" Frentzel has announced her candidacy for re-election for the office of Grand Island town clerk.

Frentzel has served Grand Island as town clerk since January 2004. She says during her tenure, many changes and improvements have been made to the services provided to the residents of Grand Island.

Frentzel aims to provide excellent customer service to residents. She and her staff are fully cross-trained in all aspects of daily operations and procedures. She has turned the Town Board meeting preparation process into an almost completely paperless system.

She and town grant writers have obtained over $181,000 in grant money during her tenure. Many of these funds were used to ensure transparency and efficiency of the record-keeping segment of the clerk's office, which remains a high priority to Frentzel.

Frentzel's office is one of the few town clerk offices in Erie County authorized as passport agent by the United State Department of State. Since 2006, Frentzel's office has processed over 4,400 applications and 5,500 sets of photographs for U.S. passports, generating revenues of over $150,000 for the town. In 2014, to better assist residents, Frentzel sought and was approved to be an E-ZPass retailer and has issued more than 500 Island commuter tags to residents.

In addition to serving as clerk to the Town Board, the clerk's office oversees the dog licensing program and serves as the records management officer for the town. Information regarding town services, recycling bins, maps, voting and simple, general questions is available through her office. She and her deputies collect fees from water/sewer rents, building permits as well as hunting and fishing licenses and town/county and school taxes. Also, the town clerk serves as registrar of vital statistics and records all the births, deaths and marriages on Grand Island.

Frentzel is professionally linked in with the community. She has conducted voter registration for graduating seniors at Grand Island High School (each May), and has been invited as a guest lecturer on town government at Grand Island High School. She is New York state registered municipal clerk and has held executive offices in Erie County Town Clerk's Association (past treasurer), Erie County Tax Receiver's and Collectors (past president, past vice president), and the New York State Tax Receiver's and Collectors Association (board member). Frentzel also volunteers at St. Stephen R.C. Church for various functions throughout the year.

She looks forward to serving another term as town clerk.

On Oct. 20, Frentzel will present an evening at the Beaver Island Casino in Beaver Island State Park from 6 to 8 p.m. were guests can join her for an informal evening of conversation and appetizers catered by Riverstone Grill. Information regarding the event can be obtained by calling 716-773-8788.