NORWICH – Two candidates have thrown their hat in the ring in the race for Ward Six Alderman, both appearing as Republican candidates on the primary election ballot in September before November’s general election.
Incumbent Alderman Thomas LoPiccolo is being challenged by Sixth Ward resident Daniel Palmer. Palmer certainly isn’t new to the political scene. In 2009, he opposed then Alderman Robert Jeffrey by running as an independent in the November general elections. Jeffrey won the election and filled the seat until elected as City Supervisor in November, 2011; but Palmer is now using more years of public service and community involvement to leverage his qualifications for the upcoming elections.
LoPiccolo is seeking to win in his first election. LoPiccolo has only served as the ward’s representative since January, when he was appointed the position by the city council to replace Jeffrey.
“I have the exuberance to want to see change and to want to help out. I have a passion for it and it’s not just for the city, it’s for the people in my ward too,” LoPiccolo said. “I like doing what I’m doing. I feel like I’m doing my part and I want to stay in it.”
Although admitting he wasn’t certain about his role in city government when first being appointed, LoPiccolo said he feels he’s become more comfortable on the council over the months and now wants to show he’s the right person for the job. “Now that I’ve been there, I see that there are a lot of things in the works and I like what I see,” he said. “There’s still a lot more that needs to be done that we’re working on.”
LoPiccolo, 52, is a lifelong resident of Norwich. As a current employee of the Norwich City School District, he’s pulling his experience of working with adolescents into his work on the council and wants to advocate for more city youth programs in the future. Moreover, he said he would like to see continuing improvements for city housing, adding that he’s also come to better understand some of the fiscal challenges faced by the council in new and ongoing city projects.
Ward six contender Daniel Palmer announced his candidacy for the position earlier this summer.
“I want to encourage what the aldermen before put into place,” Palmer said, noting city adopted resolutions and programs that encourage economic vitality as well as housing and residential maintenance programs like the Sidewalk Replacement Program and the Paint Rebate Program instilled to encourage housing maintenance in the city. “Keeping the community a nice place for children is the most important thing,” he added. “That’s what I would like to see happen.”
Palmer has been a Ward Six resident for 12 years and is currently fulfilling a three-year term on the Chenango County Planning and Development Board, where he was elected Vice Chairman in February. In the city, he’s been self-employed for more than 10 years as a local landlord and more recently, taking ownership of the Broad Street Tavern at 29 N. Broad St.
If elected, Palmer would bring his own experiences to the council that include New York State training in farmland protection and agricultural viability, and state training from the Aging in Place Council. Palmer’s also shown community interest as a member of the Norwich Elks Club and the Chenango County Agricultural Society.