The beginning of an era and the presumable end to a legacy are coming to the village of Moravia.
Longtime Mayor Donald Myers ends his 10th non-consecutive term Monday. He's been involved with village government for more than 20 years beginning in 1967.
“It's been a very enjoyable experience,” said 12-year village Trustee Gary Fickeisen. “He's a very intelligent person with a very good memory of the inner workings of the village.”
In addition to his recent 12-year run as mayor, Myers served two non-consecutive stints in the 1960s and '70s.
“I think he's usually quite acceptable to everyone else's ideas and always likes to reach a consensus,” Fickeisen said. “He always has the residents in mind when he makes decisions.”
And always thinks of the far-reaching implications of those decisions, sometimes decades down the road, Fickeisen said.
As a mayor or trustee, he's credited with helping introduce municipal water, create a sewer system, build the village Justice Center, bring New York Electric and Gas lines to the village, construct a bike and pedestrian path, lure Kinney Drugs, institute tree planting programs and find state money for the Moravia Fire Department, Four Town First Aid Squad and housing rehabilitation. Those were just a handful of accomplishments recognized by the village Board of Trustees in a special proclamation last Monday.
“Don was the most unusual mayor and I mean that in the way he not only had a knowledge of his work, but he also had a love of his work,” former village Trustee Patricia Shenk said. “He had a remarkable memory and his facts were always there.
“He's of a generation that built this community and he took that very seriously,” she said.
Shenk, who served on the board for six years, said she admired Myers' broad range of know-how and exceptional leadership skills.
“I truly feel I was very blessed to have worked under him,” she said. “I think one of the things Don had was he had a good understanding of how things should work.”
Former village Officer In Charge Bill Sovocool said Myers was a good boss who supported public safety without micro-managing.
“Don Worked with us to get equipment and manpower,” he said. “He was very pro-police, but at the same time he stayed clear of running the department.”
The two weren't without disagreements from the mid-1990s until Sovocool retired in 2005, they always managed to resolve their differences.
“We've laughed a few times that I gave him a parking ticket while he was in a board meeting once,” Sovocool said with a chuckle. “He just paid it, never complained.”
Like many of Myers' current and former colleagues, Sovocool said the mayor's dedication will be missed most of all.
“He'll be sorely missed,” Sovocool said. “There's not many people that can put as much time into the job as he put into it.”
Gary Mulvaney, a village trustee who ran unopposed for mayor in the June elections, will officially fill the post at the board's reorganizational meeting July 9.
Staff writer Shane Liebler can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 248 or shane.liebler@lee.net
“It's been a very enjoyable experience,” said 12-year village Trustee Gary Fickeisen. “He's a very intelligent person with a very good memory of the inner workings of the village.”
In addition to his recent 12-year run as mayor, Myers served two non-consecutive stints in the 1960s and '70s.
“I think he's usually quite acceptable to everyone else's ideas and always likes to reach a consensus,” Fickeisen said. “He always has the residents in mind when he makes decisions.”
And always thinks of the far-reaching implications of those decisions, sometimes decades down the road, Fickeisen said.
As a mayor or trustee, he's credited with helping introduce municipal water, create a sewer system, build the village Justice Center, bring New York Electric and Gas lines to the village, construct a bike and pedestrian path, lure Kinney Drugs, institute tree planting programs and find state money for the Moravia Fire Department, Four Town First Aid Squad and housing rehabilitation. Those were just a handful of accomplishments recognized by the village Board of Trustees in a special proclamation last Monday.
“Don was the most unusual mayor and I mean that in the way he not only had a knowledge of his work, but he also had a love of his work,” former village Trustee Patricia Shenk said. “He had a remarkable memory and his facts were always there.
“He's of a generation that built this community and he took that very seriously,” she said.
Shenk, who served on the board for six years, said she admired Myers' broad range of know-how and exceptional leadership skills.
“I truly feel I was very blessed to have worked under him,” she said. “I think one of the things Don had was he had a good understanding of how things should work.”
Former village Officer In Charge Bill Sovocool said Myers was a good boss who supported public safety without micro-managing.
“Don Worked with us to get equipment and manpower,” he said. “He was very pro-police, but at the same time he stayed clear of running the department.”
The two weren't without disagreements from the mid-1990s until Sovocool retired in 2005, they always managed to resolve their differences.
“We've laughed a few times that I gave him a parking ticket while he was in a board meeting once,” Sovocool said with a chuckle. “He just paid it, never complained.”
Like many of Myers' current and former colleagues, Sovocool said the mayor's dedication will be missed most of all.
“He'll be sorely missed,” Sovocool said. “There's not many people that can put as much time into the job as he put into it.”
Gary Mulvaney, a village trustee who ran unopposed for mayor in the June elections, will officially fill the post at the board's reorganizational meeting July 9.
Staff writer Shane Liebler can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 248 or shane.liebler@lee.net
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