With the elections coming up in November, and all the media coverage on the Presidential race, it seems as though other public officials are being forgotten. Last week Ry and I got a letter from our local councilwoman mentioning things she had done while in office, and it was then I realized that I had no idea how the town government was structured. Or how the county government, and state governments, were organized.

I decided to start some research to become an educated voter, rather than just voting party lines or using the "I think I've heard that name before" criteria to vote. I am going to research each level of government, starting with the smallest (town) and moving up to the federal level. With each step I hope to uncover the chain of command, who we elect, and how those people impact our daily lives. I hope to get a better understanding of how I can impact my community and who I can talk to in order to get important things done. Here is part one - the Town Government. While each city and town is bound to be set up differently, the basic chain of command and structure should apply to many US towns...... OK, so here we go...

The Greater Rochester area is the third-largest metropolitan area in New York State. It includes six counties: Genesee, Livingston, Monroe, Ontario, Orleans, and Wayne. The City of Rochester is the 79th largest city in the United States.

The town of Chili (pronounced chai-lie) is located in Monroe County, just outside of Rochester, and has 8 elected officials:

• 1 Town Supervisor
  
• 1 Town Clerk
  
• 4 Council People
• 2 Judges

Executive Branch:

• The Town Supervisor is the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) and the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of the town. The Town Supervisor is also in charge of making sure all town facilities and the facilities board are working properly. He is responsible for updating the Town Board (comprised of the supervisor and all the council people) with what is going on around the town. He is also in charge of opening the government system to the public and handling complaints. This position has a term of 2 years. The current Supervisor (As of September 2008) is David Dunning, who was elected last November and took office in January. While doing this research I contacted Supervisor Dunning and have been very impressed by his prompt and professional replies. If you have an issue with a town project, event, or system you should head over to the Supervisor's office to voice your concern.

• The Town Clerk, also known as the Tax Receiver, is responsible for a variety of things, including: marriage licenses, issues with dogs, handicap permits, and other public permits or concerns. He also maintains the records of each committee meeting and committee budget - including the budget of the town as a whole. This office collects town and county taxes, and maintains the school budget. He is basically the records keeping and cash monitoring guy. This position has a term of 2 years. The current Clerk (As of September 2008) is Richard Brongo. If you need to obtain a special permit or license the Town Clerk is probably your go-to-person.
  

Legislative:

• There are 4 Council Members elected by the town residents. The four council members, with the supervision of the Town Supervisor, comprise the Town Board. The board is responsible for selecting the heads of various departments and committees, and for reviewing new laws and codes. As a town citizen you may attend committee meetings and participate by voicing your view on the many issues that are discussed. You may also bring a concern of your own to the attention of the respective committee members.
  

• The council members are elected for 4 year terms. The current members (As of September 2008) are Ginny Ignatowski, Dennis Schulmerich, Michael Slattery, and Mary Sperr. Below I have listed what each Council Member is in charge of:
• Igntowski:
• Drainage Committee: A 7 member committee that meets once a month and is in charge of all drainage issues for the town.

• Conservation Board: Also a 7 member committee that reviews new buildings, farms, and logging for environmental impact before the planning board can approve them, and provides recommendation to the planning board on whether to proceed.

• Schulmerich:
• Zoning Board of Appeals: A board comprised of 7 voting members and a non-voting secretary. They deal with zoning appeals, normally for things like over-sized buildings, fences on property, and in-home business requests. Anything involved with town zoning rules needs to be approved by this group.

• Planning Board: Also 7 members, this board is in charge of reviewing requests for new subdivisions or site developments - after the Conservation Board has approved a low environmental impact.

• Slattery:
  • Architectural Advisory Committee: A 5 member committee that tries to maintain the "rural town" feel of Chili and provides suggestions to the Planning and Zoning boards for buildings it feels have architectural concerns and don't match with the overall rural feel of the town.
  
  
  • Library Board of Trustees: a 7 member board in charge of all things related to the library - the distribution of funds, the policies, and the programs/events that the library is involved with.
  
  
• Sperr:
  • Chili Historic Preservation Board: a 7 member board that seeks out and researches historic buildings and homes in the town of Chili. With the owners permission they research the histories of the buildings and try to uncover interesting facts, and can decide whether a building should be designated as a Chili Historic Landmark.
  
  
  • Traffic and Safety Committee: Also a 7 member committee that is designed to address all traffic concerns of the town and for maintaining public safety.
  
  
• Dunning: Although not a council person, David Dunning oversees the:
  
  • Recreation Advisory Committee: A 9 member committee that is in charge of determining the best use for the town's parks, organizing recreational events, and the annual "Chil-E" Festival in town.

There are also committees that do not have a direct town board liaison. They include:

• The Board of Assessment Review: a 5 member board (Currently there are only 4 members, three of whom are named Robert) that deals with complaints of property being assessed too highly. They meet only once a year on "Grievance Day" - the fourth Tuesday in May - to hear complaints and make the final decision on assessed values.

• Ethics Committee: a 3 member board that holds all city officials to the ethical standards of the town as defined in Town Ethics Code.

• Examining Board of Plumbers: a 3 member board that meets once a month to allow plumbers to pass exams to qualify as Master Plumbers in the town of Chili. They also handle plumbing disputes, and inspect plans for new buildings making sure all plumbing is up to code.

Judicial:

There are two elected Judges: Judge Olver and Judge Trietropaoli. They are in charge of all town court proceedings, including small claims disputes, civil disputes, and marriage certificates. You may or may not want to have official business with the elected judges.

All officials currently in office in the town of Chili are Republicans.


Depending on what you need there are a variety of people available to help, and every person I contacted has been extremely knowledgeable and friendly. Hopefully now, in general terms, you may have a better idea of who can help address concerns you may have and what each elected office is responsible for.

Remember, if you don't like something about your town it is your responsibility to approach people and voice your concerns - officials won't know your concerns unless you bring it to their attention. You, as a resident and citizen of the town, have the power to get things done with help from the right authorities or by joining the ranks of the leadership yourself.

This year, November 2008, there are no local officials up for (re)election, but there are several next year. I learned a lot doing this research and I hope some of this will help you become more informed citizens as well.