The Oneida Daily Dispatch (Oneida, NY)
RACE FOR TOP SPOT
Two candidates look to become next Oneida mayor
ONEIDA, N.Y. » Oneida’s incumbent mayor, Helen Acker, a Republican, is running against Democratic opponent Margaret Milman-barris.
The Oneida Dispatch sent questionnaires to the candidates in this race. Below are each of their responses, which have been minimally edited by the Dispatch for clarity and formatting.
Tell us a little bit about yourself ACKER
Helen Acker, married 46 years, two children, 6 grandchildren. We chose Oneida to be our home, our community in 1980. Community involvement through school activities and local civic groups. Opened Oneida Office Supply downtown, successful run for 23 years. During that time, I managed Smith’s Decorating & Paint Center for 20 years.
MILMAN-BARRIS
Currently, I’m a project
manager and senior geologist at a local firm doing environmental cleanups at Defense Department sites around the country. My role is to understand what our client needs, mobilize a project team, and make sure each task gets done right. I’m responsible for a lot of different things — contracts, understanding state laws, job site safety, as well as the technical stuff — there’s always something new and it keeps me on my
toes. I’ve been 40-hour Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response (HAZWOPER) trained since I was 26. When I got involved in government, I found that my experience is a great fit. In 2017 I filled a vacancy on the Madison County Board of Supervisors. I’ve been on the Oneida Water Board since 2018 and on the Board of Directors for Celebration Children’s Center since 2012. I’m married with three children.
Why did you want to run for this position? ACKER
Having made great strides, changes, and cleanup as current mayor, I would like the opportunity to continue some of the projects I inherited like the new Wastewater Treatment Plant where I was able to renegotiate the contract and save our taxpayers four million dollars.
MILMAN-BARRIS
I saw so much at the mayor’s office going wrong — an almost non-existent response to COVID-19, the issues with the wastewater treatment plant, the obfuscation and wasted money — it convinced me that we needed a new mayor. After people approached me about running, I thought, well maybe I should. It wasn’t an easy decision because it means pivoting away from a job I love. But I view it as service to my community where I can hopefully do some good.
Why do you believe you’re the best candidate for this position?
ACKER
Having the experience as mayor for the last 18 months, getting through a worldwide pandemic, and keeping the city running was an amazing challenge during this unprecedented time. I cleaned up various departments and formed a Codes Department as promised during my last campaign. I believe with my work history, my skills with project management, business operations management, budgeting, negotiations, and my current position as mayor puts me in good standing to continue as your mayor for the next two years. I’m a no-nonsense kind of person. I’m pretty direct. If I see something that needs addressing, I take it head-on. I’m not afraid to make tough decisions. I always answer questions, sometimes they may not be the answer you want, but I will always be honest. I have a can-do attitude and I believe Oneida can-do better each and every day.
MILMAN-BARRIS
I respect the people of this city. I won’t hide things from public view or play a political blame game instead of facing problems. I want to do things the right way and treat people the right way. Take campaign finance disclosures, for example. We are required by NYS law to file them with the state Board of Elections. I take this seriously, and have filed mine consistently. Our current mayor has never filed hers. Anyone can verify this by looking on the state Board of Elections website. She either is ignorant of the law or flouts it. It’s especially serious considering she’s appointed two of the six common council seats and appointed a political candidate to what should be a civil service position in the chamberlain’s office.
What do you think the biggest issues facing the community are right now? ACKER
Bail Reform. This is a multifaceted issue. It deals with criminal behavior and with Mental Health issues. Bail Reform legislation strips law enforcement’s ability to keep people safe, by mandating criminals and some felons to be released on appearance tickets when arrested. Some of which need help through the Mental Health Department. This legislation prevents law enforcement from doing their job. We need to support the repeal of Bail Reform and let the law enforcement community do their jobs. Our Oneida City Police Department will continue to do their job and keep our community as safe as possible. I have always been and will continue to be a strong supporter of our Oneida City Police. Defunding the police or eliminating police positions has never and will never be on my radar. Health and safety of our residents is high priority. We must continue to work on repealing Bail Reform.
MILMAN-BARRIS
The biggest issue facing the city is weak leadership. Many of the other problems stem from there. Opportunities are missed because no one reaches out for them. Problems go unaddressed because no one understands them. It creates a sense of stagnation, depression, and defeatism among people. Operating in reactive mode does nothing to address the problems of poverty, substance abuse, domestic violence, or crumbling infrastructure. As mayor, I will be proactive, not reactive.
What would you hope to achieve during your first 100 days in office? ACKER
Continue to work on keeping Oneida safe, affordable, and prosperous. I will continue working full time. Work to keep our taxes in check, working with our department heads to keep our city running as effectively and efficiently as possible. In the beginning of the year, I will be setting up a marketing committee to promote and market Oneida. The group will consist of local business owners, lending institutions, county, schools, civic groups, interested residents, and planning department. We all have a vested interest in growing Oneida, keeping it safe, affordable, and prosperous.
MILMAN-BARRIS
My priorities will be to make sure city operations are running smoothly and bring transparency to City Hall. I will convene working groups to do needs assessments for child care, transportation, and housing, since those are things people need in order to thrive. I will meet regularly with school officials, non-profits, and county officials. I will also collaborate with the Oneida Improvement Committee on building the dog park.