Grace throws his hat in the ring for Columbus supervisor
COLUMBUS – Tom Grace, longtime reporter for The Daily Star, is retiring Friday, Aug. 19 to run for Columbus town supervisor.
Grace, 62, is an independent voter who lives on South Brookfield Road, Columbus, with his wife, Lori, and their two children.
A fiscal conservative who has covered local government for more than 20 years, Grace is running to restore continuity to a town government that has had two supervisors and one acting supervisor in the last two years.
“When our supervisor resigned abruptly last year, two weeks into the current term, he left turmoil in his wake,” Grace said.
The Town of Columbus had no representation on the Chenango County Board of Supervisors for most of 2010. “And in 2011, the town board has been unable to work cohesively, even turning to town attorney, John Cameron, to resolve an internal dispute over financial authority,” Grace said.
“If I am elected, I will serve out my term to the best of my ability,” Grace said. “I think well-meaning people can disagree and continue to serve the people who elect them.”
Home to thriving businesses like Golden Artist Colors, Agro Farma and the Unadilla Valley Sports Center, Grace said Columbus has economic advantages, but needs leadership to make sure the town as a whole shares in prosperity.
Assuring timely ambulance service by securing a Certificate of Need from the state is a top priority, he said.
Grace also questioned the wisdom of a $60,000 revaluation conducted at the request of town’s former supervisor, George Coates.
“Columbus is now the most over-assessed town in Chenango County, with an equalization rate of 105.29 percent, according to the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance,” Grace said.
“So, residents who were upset by their tax bills last year now have state officials concurring that, as a town, Columbus is over-assessed.”
Extending high-speed Internet service to more of the town, putting town board minutes and other pertinent information on the town’s website, and maintaining roads in a age of limited funds are other challenges he would like to tackle.
“With the federal and state governments in fiscal trouble, we can’t rely on outside help to solve our problems,” Grace said.
“I think we should compete vigorously for state and federal funds, but count on nothing until the checks arrive,” he said.
“I have decided to retire in August to spend the next four months learning more about town and county government, so that if I’m elected, I’ll be ready for the job on Jan. 1.”
Tom and Lori Vantran Grace met when the two were reporters at The Evening Sun. Lori Grace is now Associate Director of Development at Pathfinder Village in Edmeston.
Their daughter, Abby, is a freshman at SUNY Albany, and their son, Andy, is in fifth grade at Unadilla Valley Central School.
Grace, 62, is an independent voter who lives on South Brookfield Road, Columbus, with his wife, Lori, and their two children.
A fiscal conservative who has covered local government for more than 20 years, Grace is running to restore continuity to a town government that has had two supervisors and one acting supervisor in the last two years.
“When our supervisor resigned abruptly last year, two weeks into the current term, he left turmoil in his wake,” Grace said.
The Town of Columbus had no representation on the Chenango County Board of Supervisors for most of 2010. “And in 2011, the town board has been unable to work cohesively, even turning to town attorney, John Cameron, to resolve an internal dispute over financial authority,” Grace said.
“If I am elected, I will serve out my term to the best of my ability,” Grace said. “I think well-meaning people can disagree and continue to serve the people who elect them.”
Home to thriving businesses like Golden Artist Colors, Agro Farma and the Unadilla Valley Sports Center, Grace said Columbus has economic advantages, but needs leadership to make sure the town as a whole shares in prosperity.
Assuring timely ambulance service by securing a Certificate of Need from the state is a top priority, he said.
Grace also questioned the wisdom of a $60,000 revaluation conducted at the request of town’s former supervisor, George Coates.
“Columbus is now the most over-assessed town in Chenango County, with an equalization rate of 105.29 percent, according to the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance,” Grace said.
“So, residents who were upset by their tax bills last year now have state officials concurring that, as a town, Columbus is over-assessed.”
Extending high-speed Internet service to more of the town, putting town board minutes and other pertinent information on the town’s website, and maintaining roads in a age of limited funds are other challenges he would like to tackle.
“With the federal and state governments in fiscal trouble, we can’t rely on outside help to solve our problems,” Grace said.
“I think we should compete vigorously for state and federal funds, but count on nothing until the checks arrive,” he said.
“I have decided to retire in August to spend the next four months learning more about town and county government, so that if I’m elected, I’ll be ready for the job on Jan. 1.”
Tom and Lori Vantran Grace met when the two were reporters at The Evening Sun. Lori Grace is now Associate Director of Development at Pathfinder Village in Edmeston.
Their daughter, Abby, is a freshman at SUNY Albany, and their son, Andy, is in fifth grade at Unadilla Valley Central School.
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