By Dick Crawford
As your next elected Highway Superintendent, my 19 years as Town Councilman, 10 years as Deputy Town Supervisor and 2 years as Deputy Highway Superintendent uniquely qualify me for this position.
The administrative role of highway superintendent involves a great number of responsibilities under New York State Highway law.
In my former position as Councilman and current position as deputy highway superintendent, I have prepared budgets for the Highway Department and reviewed operating budgets for all town departments. I have been involved with the process to negotiate the town's union contracts and professional services agreements.
Proactively working with town departments, we have accomplished many projects benefiting the community. My current working relationship with town departments, the community and knowledge of the town's infrastructure has strengthened our combined ability to accomplish our goals.
The Highway Department's purpose is to provide high quality services to the residents, industries, and businesses in a cost-effective manner. I believe that it is our fiduciary responsibility to manage taxpayer's money with long-term planning, focused goals, and clear accountability to achieve the best results within our highway budget.
My responsibilities for the past two years have been to run the daily operations of the Highway Department and manage 16 full-time and seven part-time employees to maintain our system of roads, storm sewers, machinery, and fleet of vehicles town wide.
I have the budgeting and management experience to plan for our pavement management program, drainage/storm sewer maintenance, chipping, equipment, labor, materials, and snow removal.
As highway superintendent, I will continue to look at new technology that will assist the Highway Department to improve our highway infrastructure.
Governmental Accomplishments/Boards
As councilman and deputy supervisor (1996 to 2013) I had the opportunity to work and serve on the following committees and help develop the listed initiatives:
•Co-Chair/ Ferry Village Master Plan
•Chair Cellular Tower Committee
•Traffic Safety Board
•Library Board of Trustees
•Parks and Recreation Advisory Board
•Cable TV Advisory Board
•Highway Committee
•Computer & Technology Committee
•Personnel Committee
•Economic Development Committee
•Architectural Review Advisory Board
•Citizens Corp/CERT Advisory Board
•Consolidation of Receiver of Taxes into the Town Clerks Office
•Consolidation of full-time town assessor into part-time
•Veterans Park active and passive park infrastructure improvements
•Open Space - Scenic Woods Land Acquisition
•Consolidation of Water and Wastewater Superintendents into the department of Engineering and Water Resources
•Energy Performance Contract saving the town yearly operating expenses - December 2006 - $42,651 in energy savings, $8,084 in operational savings, $161,276 in increased water and sewer revenue, 430,449kWh in electrical supply savings and 375 kWh in electrical demand savings. Additionally, NYSERDA paid the town $40,050.60 in incentive money
•Health care - cost saving programs (HMOs and Medicaid) with retirees and new active employees paying a percentage of program
•Business First designation (June 2006) as the No. 1 inner ring suburb to live in, a comprehensive assessment of the quality of life was conducted.
The study used 20 statistical indicators to rate the communities
•Greenway Projects - we continue to plan for future recreational projects of bicycle paths, accessible playground, recreational trails, and athletic fields
•Economic Development retaining and seeking out new commercial business
•Town wide re-zoning - merging master plan with zoning code
•Design and performance standards
•Sewers - completing the residential and commercial areas south of TOPS on Grand Island Boulevard
•Transportation projects - Traffic Board involvement in construction of improvements to Grand Island Boulevard and Staley Road Intersection, traffic light at Staley and Baseline Road
•Deputy Supervisor - provided leadership with town, school and fire personnel to combat the October storm. Early recognition allowed roads to remain open and commercial business the ability to serve our residents. I do not know of any other town clerk's office that was open to collect taxes.
•Moody's Bond Credit Rating upgraded to A1 - represented and presented in New York City along with Town Accountant Pam Barton, Rick Ganci and Mike Neumeister our financial history.
•Library Construction Grant - $100,000.00 combination of grants from the state, county and leveraged town money to put in a new parking lot, three new boilers and new energy efficient lighting.
•SEMO Grant to assist our C.E.R.T team with a Ham Radio $16,000 equipment purchase
Public/Community Service
As a member of the community, I am an active member in the Grand Island Lions Club. I have held the office of president and have chaired or co-chaired the spaghetti dinner, golf tournament, casino night and special kids picnic. I am a founding member of the Grand Island Alumni Association that provides scholarships for college bound students. In addition, I also support many other Grand Island organizations.
As a community activist, and your neighbor, I ask for your vote on Primary Day, Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2017.
