VOTE411 Voter Guide

My current experience as a Town Councilman and my seven years as Chief of Staff for the Town of Pittsford.

That experience has given me a firsthand understanding of how town government works - from budgeting and managing staff to completing projects, serving constituents and solving problems.

Growing up in a small-business family in Greece, along with my experience in construction and real estate, has taught me the importance of hard work, fiscal responsibility, building codes and quality workmanship.

Together, these experiences give me a practical, well-rounded perspective to continue serving our community.

The Town’s priorities should start with fiscal responsibility and making public safety a top priority. We need to invest in critical infrastructure, including sewers, sidewalks and roads, while protecting Greece’s green spaces, parks and undeveloped land near our neighborhoods. We should always remember that we are spending your hard-earned tax dollars and should be responsible with that privilege

We should also be good stewards of our environment by protecting our natural resources and reducing the use of chemical pesticides in public parks whenever possible. I believe town government should be open, transparent and accountable. I will continue to hold monthly town hall meetings so residents can be heard directly and their concerns receive both answers and action.

I also want to review our zoning code to better protect our precious open spaces and preserve the character of our existing neighborhoods. At the same time, I would like to encourage the development of more single-family homes for younger families looking to put down roots and become part of the Greece community.

One major improvement I would like to see is making Greece a more connected and vibrant. I would accomplish this by working with residents and staff to develop an Active Transportation Plan that identifies gaps in our trail and sidewalk networks. This would improve connectivity, provide safer routes to school, encourage outdoor activities and open the door to significant grant funding opportunities.

I also want to review our zoning code to better protect precious open space and existing neighborhoods while making Greece more business-friendly and encouraging new investment. We should take greater advantage of our waterfront along the Canal and lakeshore by encouraging appropriate housing, restaurants and shops.

Finally, we need to continue addressing problem properties and zombie homes to keep our neighborhoods clean, safe and attractive. Together, these efforts can strengthen our neighborhoods, create new opportunities and improve quality of life for everyone in Greece.

As an engineer I have spent years solving complicated problems, working around constraints, and delivering results that I'm proud of. I also have extensive experience with project management and leading teams. Those skills translate directly to local government. Residents expect their representatives to understand their issues, weigh the options, and deliver results.

I would bring an engineer's problem-solving mindset to the Town Council: identify the problem, understand its causes, evaluate the available options, and work toward a practical solution. That's what I mean when I say I want to Engineer a Better Greece.

Having spoken directly with residents, there's one concerning trend I've noticed: trust. Many residents simply do not trust Town Hall. Winning that trust back should be a top priority. My proposal to begin doing that is a "public checkbook," making town expenditures easily searchable and accessible to residents. Opening the town's finances to greater public scrutiny would be an important step toward rebuilding trust.

I'm also a proponent of proactive problem-solving. Most major problems start small before growing over time into something large and expensive to fix. Instead of reacting to the big problems, the town should invest in equipment, technology, and training to improve early-detection of problems. Whether it's road maintenance, sewer maintenance, or neglected vacant properties problems they're all easier and cheaper to fix when caught early.

I would like the town to continue moving toward redevelopment of existing properties rather than unnecessary new development. Greece has many established commercial corridors, and our zoning regulations should make it practical to reinvest in existing buildings rather than allowing properties to sit vacant.

I would also review the town's zoning and permitting requirements to identify outdated or unnecessarily burdensome regulations affecting homeowners and small businesses. Regulations serve an important purpose, but they should be no more complicated than necessary. Any significant zoning changes should be made with input from the neighborhoods they affect. Growth and redevelopment should strengthen communities, not come at their expense.

One major improvement I would like to see is stronger neighborhood-level civic engagement. Greece has several active neighborhood associations, but many neighborhoods have no organized way for residents to work together or communicate collectively with Town Hall.

I would establish a program to help interested residents form voluntary, resident-led neighborhood associations. The town could provide organizational resources, meeting space, guidance, and a point of contact with Town Hall while leaving each association controlled by its residents.

Over time, I would also like to explore small grants for neighborhood-led projects such as cleanups and community events. Strong neighborhood associations can identify problems early, build stronger communities, and allow residents to more directly participate in local government.