Submitted by the candidate
Victor E. Eydt announced his plans Thursday to seek re-election to the Village of Lewiston Board of Trustees. Election Day is Tuesday, June 19.
Eydt has served the Village of Lewiston since 1993, first as a member of the Planning and Historic Preservation Commission and then serving as chairman of this board. In those years, some critical developments were completed.
Eydt said, "As chairman, I directed the Planning Commission to follow the village code and worked with each developer to achieve the best result for the citizens of Lewiston."
Some of his past efforts involved the popular waterfront Silo Restaurant, the caboose on the river, and the redevelopment of Guard Park on the waterfront, including the removal of the old Public Works garage. The Barton Hill Hotel construction was also approved and completed.
One of the most popular additions to the village was the streetscape along Center Street, which was completed during his chairmanship.
Eydt said village parking remains a critical issue for its residents, local businesses and their employees. A village shuttle at critical times remains a possible option, coordinated with the business community, the chamber and festival event planners.
Eydt is also involved in many of the village's community volunteer organizations, including the Historic Association of Lewiston. He serves as junior governor of Lower Niagara Moose Lodge 584; is a board member of Lewiston's Memorial Day Remembrance Committee, works with the Niagara Region Chamber of Commerce's annual Lewiston Smelt Festival, and has long volunteered for numerous community events.
Eydt said he believes this is a critical time in the village. He wants to retain the small community atmosphere while allowing for appropriate development, including new homes within the village.
He is also working to address the serious issue of high water levels in the Niagara River, which has caused much damage and is expected to continue causing damage to the waterfront. Eydt serves as the village's representative concerning the waterfront, meeting weekly with New York State Homeland Security, the Federal Emergency Management Authority and Niagara County Emergency Management Agency. Eydt said he believes remediation of the damage already caused - and solutions to avoid these problems in the future - can be found by working with these agencies.
Eydt is currently working on the village's Local Waterfront Revitalization Program alongside a citizen's board. This program requires several years of work and will be completed and sent to the state of New York for approval during the coming year.
As an incumbent trustee, Eydt said he would like to continue to serve the people of the village. He said he is proud of his efforts to maintain a balanced village budget, allowing no tax increases during his last term. Eydt said he feels the municipality should continue to seek financial support with available grants from both federal and state agencies for a variety of the village's needs.
Eydt said he feels his service and experience with these issues is a great resource for the future of the village.
"With your help, I am seeking re-election to a new four-year term. I encourage all registered voters to exercise their rights and vote; and I humbly ask for your vote," Eydt said.
The village election will take place from noon to 9 p.m. at the Red Brick Municipal Building.
