CANDIDATE QUESTIONNAIRE

MacGUIRE BENTON

OFFICE: COOPERSTOWN VILLAGE TRUSTEE

ELECTION DAY: Noon-9 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 29, Cooperstown fire hall

EDUCATION:

Cooperstown High School Class of 2016

Cazenovia College Business School 2016-2017

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:

Former: Lead Field Organizer Brian Flynn for Congress

Former: North Country Regional Organizer Tedra Cobb for Congress

Former: Deputy Field Director Jen Metzger for State Senate

Former: Deputy Elections Commissioner at Otsego County Board of Elections

Current: Brand Ambassador at Cooperstown Distillery

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT:

Parks Board Member

Doubleday Field Committee, Chair

Leo Club Community Service Organization

Cooperstown Food Bank Volunteer

Backpack program

CCS Alumni Association

FAMILY:

Mom, Marianne Benton (My inspiration. I get my fighting spirit from my mom).

Dad, Mark Benton

Sister, Sapphire

PHILOSOPHY OF GOVERNMENT:

Good Government gets things done. Good government is proactive and involved and produces real results. Government should be used to lift people up, make lives better and act responsibly.

WHAT ARE THE TOP THREE ISSUES FACING THE VILLAGE:

1. Protecting public health and safety during the COVID-19 pandemic
2. Ensuring our local businesses survive this economic crisis
3. Completion of the Doubleday Field and Waste Water Treatment Plant projects

HOW WOULD YOU ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES:

1. We must continue strict enforcement of the mask mandate on Main St/Pioneer/Fair. COVID-19 is an ongoing threat to public health and the village government has a obligation to protect the public health. We’ve taken the right steps to accomplish this goal and I want us to continue that resolve.
2. Communication is key. We have to bring together all of the stake holds in tourism, local business, village government and have a clear vision of how to protect and ensure the prosperity of our local economy. The village has taken steps to boost traffic on Main (safely) — music on main, ending paid parking in Doubleday field on Friday nights, allowing sidewalk vending for our retailers and in my personal efforts I’ve tried to communicate with as many of our business owners as possible. I will continue to be a good partner and a line of communication to the Board of Trustees on behalf of our local businesses.
3. We have more than one multi-million-dollar project going on in Cooperstown from Doubleday Field to the waste water treatment plant. We have been able to embark on historic infrastructure and beautification projects in the village without raising the tax levy in 8 years. We have to continue to seek out grant funding and build good relationships with our incoming state legislators to bring funding back to Cooperstown. It’s important that we get our fair share to do the necessary work to keep Cooperstown moving forward. That requires quality oversight and communication. In my first term I have observed the skills and abilities of folks like Cindy Falk who has championed many of these grant opportunities and have brought them to fruition successfully. Continuing to observe and learn is a priority as I am fairly new to the board. All of this success is the result of responsible fiscal management.

MY QUALITIES/QUALIFICATIONS: 

I love Cooperstown. This is home and I owe a lot to Cooperstown. I am most effective as giving back in public service role. Thought out my life and career service to others has always been my top priority. In this day and age — many young people pack up after high school and go away to college and never come back. That wasn’t a vision I shared with many of my young peers. I care about investing in our community. I care about leading with love and doing the hard work, even when it gets really difficult. I pride myself on knowing that if I change just one life, or lift someone up when they need a helping hand, that in itself is success.

I’m qualified because I’ve done my homework. I take this role very seriously and I don’t show up unprepared. I’ve served in roles that prepared me to do the people’s work. As a community organizer, as a former Otsego County deputy department head and as an employee at one of our local businesses in the village I have served in both private and public sector positions. I’ve merged those skills together to bring a unique, youthful and informed vision to the village board.

STATEMENT:  It’s an incredible honor to serve the community that raised me. Our trajectory as a village has been on the up and up for almost a decade. I’m asking for your vote because I share the vision of progress that the rest of the village board and our mayor Ellen Tillapaugh have. I’ve proven that I’m able to get productive things done at the village level and I want to continue doing the people’s work. I’m grateful for the trustee the community has placed in me.