AUBURN - Michael Didio is a licensed scuba diver, but he won't dive in Owasco Lake.
“I dive in Skaneateles Lake instead of Owasco Lake because the visibility is poor,” he said.
Earlier this year, he had a discussion about Owasco Lake and the quality of its water with a group of friends, he said.
He thoroughly researched the topic, reading newspaper stories about the abundance of phosphorus in the lake from the Groton Treatment Plant and what local and state agencies are doing to enhance the quality of the water.
That's when he made the decision to run for public office.
Didio, a parole officer at the Willard Drug Treatment Campus, is running for Cayuga County Legislature for District 14, which encompasses the southwest corner of Auburn. Didio is the Republican and Conservative candidate and is facing Democratic and Independent candidate Daniel Sincebaugh in the Nov. 6 election.
County Legislator for District 14, Democrat Michael Lepak has reached his 12-year term limit.
“I want to get the lake up into an area ... that is only going to put us in the running to have this lake and have this area become a destination instead of a stop-off point or another piece of gossip about the deterioration,” said the 60-year-old lifelong resident of Auburn. “I want them to talk about something positive.”
“They are concerned - the people are concerned - but they need to be more concerned, they need to be making the noise,” he later added. “And I want to be there holding the noisemaker and say 'Here, make some noise,' and I think I can do that.”
Owasco Lake has been a part of Didio's life since he was 2 years old, he said.
“It was all fun and games,” he said. “We were up there constantly. We rented places on the lake, we have a number of friends whose parents live on the lake or they live on the lake and spend hours and hours and days and weeks and months on the lake. It was just a part of your life growing up, and to begin to hear of the deterioration and the purity going down - we grew up believing that Owasco Lake was the best water in the world, and then when your children begin to speak of water filters and things of that nature - there's something there we are missing.”
The idea of lower quality drinking water resonated with Sincebaugh, who after 13 years of working for local Democratic candidates on their campaigns decided to become one himself.
“Ten years ago, the city of Auburn had the best-tasting drinking water in New York state, and my thoughts were: How come we are not looking forward?” said the 34-year-old employee of the Department of Public Works. “Ten years ago we had the best drinking water in New York State. Let's go national. Let's go worldwide. It seems that like once we got this award no one cared for the lake and it went downhill. We need to clean it up, get going on it. I know they hired the watershed inspector, which is great, but we need to continue those efforts and work with the county Health Department.”
Sincebaugh first got involved in politics when he was 20 years old, he said. He joined the Cayuga County Democratic Committee and has worked on county Legislator, mayoral, city council and city judge races in his 13 years as an active member.
A group of people had asked Sincebaugh if he was interested in running for the district seat, he said. He said he always was interested in running for public office, but would never primary a Democrat.
With Lepak retiring, Sincebaugh jumped at the opportunity to represent his district in the county Legislature.
“Now I just feel that it is my turn to try to make a difference,” he said.
For him, making a difference is easing the people of Cayuga County of the heavy tax burden they currently face. Consolidation of services could provide that much-needed break that Sincebaugh said the people need. He said that civil service and planning offices could be consolidated.
He believes that in recent years, the county Legislature has been unable to get anything accomplished, and he wants a chance to lead the governing body and bring change to the county.
“No one seems to get anything done,” he said. “Everything goes halfway and I want to see it go all the way.”
Staff writer Alyssa Sunkin can be reached at alyssa.sunkin@lee.net or 253-5311 ext. 239.
Earlier this year, he had a discussion about Owasco Lake and the quality of its water with a group of friends, he said.
He thoroughly researched the topic, reading newspaper stories about the abundance of phosphorus in the lake from the Groton Treatment Plant and what local and state agencies are doing to enhance the quality of the water.
That's when he made the decision to run for public office.
Didio, a parole officer at the Willard Drug Treatment Campus, is running for Cayuga County Legislature for District 14, which encompasses the southwest corner of Auburn. Didio is the Republican and Conservative candidate and is facing Democratic and Independent candidate Daniel Sincebaugh in the Nov. 6 election.
County Legislator for District 14, Democrat Michael Lepak has reached his 12-year term limit.
“I want to get the lake up into an area ... that is only going to put us in the running to have this lake and have this area become a destination instead of a stop-off point or another piece of gossip about the deterioration,” said the 60-year-old lifelong resident of Auburn. “I want them to talk about something positive.”
“They are concerned - the people are concerned - but they need to be more concerned, they need to be making the noise,” he later added. “And I want to be there holding the noisemaker and say 'Here, make some noise,' and I think I can do that.”
Owasco Lake has been a part of Didio's life since he was 2 years old, he said.
“It was all fun and games,” he said. “We were up there constantly. We rented places on the lake, we have a number of friends whose parents live on the lake or they live on the lake and spend hours and hours and days and weeks and months on the lake. It was just a part of your life growing up, and to begin to hear of the deterioration and the purity going down - we grew up believing that Owasco Lake was the best water in the world, and then when your children begin to speak of water filters and things of that nature - there's something there we are missing.”
The idea of lower quality drinking water resonated with Sincebaugh, who after 13 years of working for local Democratic candidates on their campaigns decided to become one himself.
“Ten years ago, the city of Auburn had the best-tasting drinking water in New York state, and my thoughts were: How come we are not looking forward?” said the 34-year-old employee of the Department of Public Works. “Ten years ago we had the best drinking water in New York State. Let's go national. Let's go worldwide. It seems that like once we got this award no one cared for the lake and it went downhill. We need to clean it up, get going on it. I know they hired the watershed inspector, which is great, but we need to continue those efforts and work with the county Health Department.”
Sincebaugh first got involved in politics when he was 20 years old, he said. He joined the Cayuga County Democratic Committee and has worked on county Legislator, mayoral, city council and city judge races in his 13 years as an active member.
A group of people had asked Sincebaugh if he was interested in running for the district seat, he said. He said he always was interested in running for public office, but would never primary a Democrat.
With Lepak retiring, Sincebaugh jumped at the opportunity to represent his district in the county Legislature.
“Now I just feel that it is my turn to try to make a difference,” he said.
For him, making a difference is easing the people of Cayuga County of the heavy tax burden they currently face. Consolidation of services could provide that much-needed break that Sincebaugh said the people need. He said that civil service and planning offices could be consolidated.
He believes that in recent years, the county Legislature has been unable to get anything accomplished, and he wants a chance to lead the governing body and bring change to the county.
“No one seems to get anything done,” he said. “Everything goes halfway and I want to see it go all the way.”
Staff writer Alyssa Sunkin can be reached at alyssa.sunkin@lee.net or 253-5311 ext. 239.
Citizen
Hot Jobs
New! Off the Menu
The Citizens' Say
Post your comment - click hereThere are 1 comment(s)
CayugaWatch wrote on Oct 30, 2007 3:47 PM: