MEREDITH - Incumbent Meredith Supervisor James Ellis, running on the Republican line in November’s general election, is being challenged by Gerald “Jerry” Pellegrino, who is running on the Independent “Common Sense” line. To provide voters with information about candidates, The Reporter asked the following questions, and the candidates supplied the following answers:
Q: Why are you running for the position?
GP: My family has lived in Meredith for almost 40 years. My parents were always involved in making our town a better place, including being very active in the Dairy Fest for years. Their service to Meredith has inspired me to continue that tradition by running for town supervisor. We purchased the farm on which my wife, Erica and I live and work in 2001. All farms need a name. In 1831, Lyman Strickland founded the farm by building the house in which we live today. Naming our farm ‘The Pellegrino Family Farm’ or some fantasy name like ‘Apple Hill Farm’ seemed disingenuous. The Strickland family owned this farm for over 100 years. Since we are in Meridale Hollow, we chose to name our home Strickland Hollow Farm in reverence for the past and respect for the people who built this beautiful place. To this day, we still have Strickland family members stop by either the farm or the shop in Delhi to thank us for continuing their family tradition. I was not born here. I grew up in Westchester County, New York and spent my entire professional career in Baltimore, Md. Spending lots of time in Meridale and working in a big city has provided valuable experiences in both worlds. Honestly, everything around us is evolving. The current leadership is stuck in the past. Meredith is being left behind. I have the unique perspective of being both a local and an outsider. I want to help us move forward. I will do everything it takes to make Meredith THE place to live, work, play and raise a family while still respecting the traditions that make it the amazing place where my wife and I choose to live.
JE: To ensure that the town of Meredith continues to be represented by someone who was raised in the Town (1966 - present), who is focused on maintaining a balance between spending, equipment investment and meeting the diverse needs of the town.
Q: What are your top three priorities as supervisor?
GP: 1. Transparency – Most of the townspeople I talk with are frustrated because they do not know how their hard-earned dollars are being spent. I feel if they knew, they’d be outraged. The current leadership provides little or no information about any of the budgeting, bidding or expenditures that occur while running our town. Go to the town’s website and you cannot find anything about the current budget, any bids for services that have been solicited or where our current finances stand. Go to the Delhi town website and all of that information is readily available, as it should be. Please read any of the town board meeting minutes. Often important decisions for the town’s well-being are made in ‘Executive Committee.’ These are discussions during the meeting not recorded on the minutes ... hidden from us to see. Why? I will never let this happen.
2. Enrichment through volunteerism – Our town is full of great people! Besides the town board, I would start a volunteer board...head of social services, cleanups and beautification, social chairman, and anything else the people of our town want to get behind. Anytime I talk with members of our community, they’re all in. Honestly, every other town around us has these things. We don’t. Why?
3. Aggressively seeking state and federal funding – our town needs help. The next question concerns the challenges of budgeting. It’s tough. But the state and federal government want to help. I’ve been awarded three grants in the past few years to preserve our dairy barn, grow our agricultural plantings and expand our business - from the state. I’m not sure our town has been awarded any grants in that same time period. Of course, we wouldn’t know because there’s really no information on the town’s website that would address that. I will work hard to make sure other farms, our highway department and any Meredith based business be made aware of and apply for any and all state or federal grants available.
JE: 1. Fiscal responsibility. 2. Continued Capital Equipment Investment for Highway Equipment. 3. Continue to address Renewable Energy concerns by developing local laws which ensure a balance between the town of Meredith community and the accelerated demands of New York state to minimize/eliminate the use of fossil fuels.
Q: How do you propose to contain spiraling budgets and spending?
GP: I’ve owned my own business for over 25 years. I have extensive experience in balancing budgets and making tough spending decisions. A priority should be to do everything we can to increase the town’s total revenue. In my answers to the previous question, numbers 2 and 3 will do just that. Number 2, volunteerism, may not actually increase revenue per se, but will get jobs done around the town without spending more money. Hence, more services and better overall conditions in our town for no additional money. Number 3, grants, will obviously increase the money available to address town needs. But that is only half of the solution. Even if we have the money, how it is spent is just as important. Better transparency in our bidding process is crucial along with leveraging relationships with suppliers to make sure every penny spent provides the town the maximum return on its investment.
JE: The town of Meredith has consistently stayed below the property tax levy increases as allowed by the New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, 2% for 2024. To accomplish this in these high inflationary times we have had to heavily scrutinize our annual budgets to ensure that all critical areas are addressed, in a manner that assures necessary services are available. While inflation has hit all areas of the annual budget the town has been able to consistently address the day to day issues while continuing to make the necessary capital investments to address long term issues as well.
Q: Why should voters vote for you?
GP: Our town is struggling. I truly want to help. I’ve run many successful businesses by working hard to maximize revenue and effectively managing spending. Meredith is simply a small business that needs a new supervisor who can strengthen it by being respectful and encouraging of its past, especially farming, but also be unafraid and aggressive about opportunities that are continually made available that would benefit Meredith financially. If elected, I will work to do just that, making Meredith financially sound and a better place for all of us to live.
JE: Having over thirty years of public service, ranging from village of Delhi board member, Delaware Academy school board member, and currently town of Meredith supervisor, gives proof of my dedication to my community. I am also currently serving as a Delaware County Soil and Water Conservation District board member, Delaware Opportunities board member, chairman of the Delaware County Human Resource and Insurance Committee, as well as serving on the shared service and planning committees. Service on these committees allows me to stay on top of local issues and needs of our communities.
The Meredith supervisor position is on the ballot in the Nov. 7 general election. Early voting begins Oct. 28.
