By Chris Hoffman
(Madison, NY – July 15, 2013) On Monday evening at the Cornerstone Baptist Church, the newly formed Madison Unity Party held a public meeting to announce its slate of candidates for Madison Town Supervisor and Town Council. Three incumbents are up for election on Nov. 5: Town Supervisor Ron Bono, Councilwoman Patricia Bikowsky and Councilman James Lundrigan.
Attorney Chris Kendall, Chair of the Madison County Conservative Party, confirmed by email that the party has endorsed Bikowsky and Lundrigan, both running on the Republican ticket. Supervisor Bono interviewed for endorsement as well, but the party declined to give it.
Property owner Larry Nelson introduced the candidates by saying, “The Town Board doesn’t care. Madison Unity brings you three people who do care.”
Attorney David Sonn is running for Town Supervisor. A 10-year resident of the town of Madison with a background in law, business, government and education, Sonn said, “The shortsightedness of the Council has resulted in the Town’s pandering to a special agenda of outside interests” and referred to the town’s struggle with the proposed wind farm as “the single most difficult and divisive issue the town has ever faced.”
He added, “Government must be open, responsive, and inclusive, and Madison Unity will seek out and involve all residents of the town regardless of occupation or party affiliation. No one solution to any problem will please everyone, but Madison Unity seeks intelligent compromise.” Sonn sees his decision to run for town supervisor as a “chance to provide services for a better future for the town. Under the current council, the town hasn’t collapsed, but it hasn’t prospered, either. We are confronting a deeply entrenched incumbent with many loyal followers. I’m asking for your active support and your vote in November as we attempt to create changes for the benefit of everyone.”
Joe Koen and David Jordan are running for Bikowsky’s and Lundrigan’s seats on the town council.
Koen has been a town resident for 31 years and operated a remodeling business for 25 years, working with local tradesmen and suppliers. He admitted he sees himself as someone “who doesn’t get involved,” but since the 60s and 70s has always distrusted the “industrial machine.” When he became involved in the wind farm debate, the first thing he did was educate himself about the industry, which made him realize “what a sham it is” because “these companies are trying to take our land and our way of life.”
Koen said the town council “only pays lip service to the concept of representing the people and our wishes. Madison Unity will listen to everyone. We want your input and your ideas. Everyone should be able to speak to their government representatives and get a response.”
Jordan is a fifth generation resident of the town, with a lifelong affiliation with family farming. He is a state licensed wastewater treatment operations specialist, and describes himself as passionate about family, community, farming and the environment.
“I want to make Madison a better place to live, not only for ourselves, but for future generations to ensure they will choose to live here and be part of our community,” Jordan said. “Everybody should have a voice in government, and government needs to listen to the citizens it represents and needs to balance the needs of all citizens.”
Jordan said that he has watched the town council for many months now, and “they just don’t do things the way they’re supposed to.”
“Madison Unity is not a one-issue party, but the proposed wind farm served to shine a light on many things wrong with the current council’s thinking and how they make decisions,” Sonn said. “The Planning Board worked on project after project, only to have the council refuse to move on any of them. A recently proposed land use law was little more than window dressing, with no substance. Contrary to what many perceive, the aim of Madison Matters and the proposed law regarding wind farms was safe setbacks, not prohibition, but the town council never even allowed the Wind Advisory Committee to explain the proposed law to the council, and petitions with over 400 signatures supporting the proposed law as well as public comments from anyone other than EDP (the developer) and landowners who had already signed leases with EDP were simply ignored.”
The Madison Unity Party’s platform includes enhancing the tax base to make the community stronger through appropriate opportunities; preserving Madison Lake, Lake Moraine, and the canals for recreational use; road improvements and limited land use laws that make sense for everyone and encourage the proper use of resources.
“Land use laws should allow individuals to use their land as they wish, as long as such use doesn’t harm others,” Sonn said. “We don’t want to solve one problem by creating another one.”
The Party is in the process of getting signatures on petitions to add the three candidates to the November ballot (47 signatures are required), and is planning a door-to-door campaign. The petitions must be filed between Aug. 11 and 20. Anyone wishing to sign the petition should contact party Treasurer Pam Fuller at 315-824-1483 or saddlesoarsfarm@gmail.com. A website (www.madisonunity.org) is currently under construction, and is expected to go live in the next few days.
Madison Unity is an independent party dedicated to the open and responsive representation of all residents. The name reflects a desire to unify the residents of the town of Madison regardless of party affiliation. The three candidates hope to provide leadership that will utilize the varied assets of the town to enhance the quality of life for all diverse interests in the town.