“If I’m elected, I will continue to hear from you, and I will work to find the best solutions I can to make your lives better”
A statement by Caleb Fesmire,
Over the last 8 months, I’ve had the opportunity to talk with many of you, but if you haven’t met me yet, my name is Caleb Fesmire, and I’m running to be the next Mayor of the Village of Wellsville. I believe in a government that listens to and works for the people and that spends its time, energy, and money on making life better for everyone in the village.
Since I decided to run earlier this year, I’ve been attending Village Board meetings and talking to residents of all sorts to learn what the most important issues are for the people of Wellsville. I’ve learned that many of you are frustrated at how long it takes for things to get done, that you’re concerned about the increase in homelessness, and that you find it harder to know what’s going on in local government than you would like. I believe that these, and the more specific concerns you’ve mentioned to me, are things that can and should be addressed by the Village Mayor and Board.
I’ve seen firsthand how long it can take the Village to get things done as I’ve attended Board meetings and spoken to people who are affected by it. The Babcock Theatre Preservation Society lost a grant that would’ve helped with their renovations because the village didn’t handle their side of the paperwork fast enough. I talked to a property owner who lost a grant to turn some of his properties into affordable apartments because the village had not moved fast enough to help him get the parking spots he needed to qualify. And I’ve spoken to several people about a proposed housing project that has stalled for unclear reasons. Government naturally moves slowly, but when there are time-sensitive issues that directly impact the quality of life in the village, we cannot afford to not move as quickly as possible. As Mayor, I cannot force others to move faster, but I can set an example and put pressure on groups or individuals that might be dragging their feet.
I’ve also heard your concerns about homelessness in the village. I believe there needs to be a serious effort to reevaluate our system of dealing with the problems of homelessness and addiction in the village and the whole county. Everyone I’ve talked to who has worked with this system has told me it’s not working. People are getting moved around and around the county without an end in sight, and the shortage of housing is only going to make the problem worse. Nobody benefits from this. If I’m elected, I will work to assess these systems and find ways to stop pushing the problem off on someone else and address the root issues.
As for clear communication: as Mayor, my first priority would be to strengthen existing lines of communication between the Village Board and you, the residents of Wellsville. Anyone can come and sit in on Village Board meetings, but space is limited, and not everyone has the time to come. Recording meetings is an easy step that would make them far more accessible to the general public. I would work to create systems and habits to make sure that regular updates on projects are posted on the village Facebook page and sent to the Wellsville Sun. And most importantly, I would hold regular Town Halls to give you an opportunity to come and tell me and the Board about your concerns if they wouldn’t fit into a normal board meeting for whatever reason.
This is not everything I’ve heard from you. I’ve talked to a parent worried about cars running Stop signs in residential areas. I’ve spoken to multiple people worried that not enough trees are being planted to replace those being cut down. And if I’m elected, I will continue to hear from you, and I will work to find the best solutions I can to make your lives better.
I didn’t grow up in Wellsville, but my wife and I just bought our first house here this year. I’m invested in building a bright future for Wellsville, and in making sure it’s a place where others will want to buy a house, find a job, or start a family. And I think that, as your Mayor, and with your help, we can make that bright future a reality.
Reach out to the campaign by sending us an email at fesmireformayor@proton.me or messaging our Facebook page.
