Cazenovia Voices Community Update — Welcome if you’re new!
Every day more neighbors are joining this mailing list. If this is your first update: this coalition is responding to the lack of transparency around Madison County’s plan to purchase Reisman and Sigety Halls on the former Cazenovia College campus for the Sheriff’s office and emergency services. 

We are working to ensure that decisions about the heart of our village happen with residents, not to us.

Call to Action - Village Working Session Outcomes
Email our leaders now; they are paying attention.
What we witnessed at last night’s Village working session makes it clear: if the sale of Reisman and Sigety Halls to Madison County moves forward now, residents will lose their ability to shape what happens at the heart of our village. The Village Attorney confirmed that once the County owns these buildings, they may choose whether or not to follow our zoning. That means our community risks losing leverage before we’ve even had a chance to plan together.

This is the moment to act. If everyone receiving this update writes today, we can send a united message:

1. Tell the Village Board, Mayor Wheeler, and Town Supervisor Reger to urge the County to look for another site. Cazenovia is not the right fit - for reasons of safety, equity, historic preservation, and community trust that we’ve been raising for weeks.
2. Insist - Pause, Plan, Protect. Before any sale, the Village must launch a professional, community-driven planning process that allows residents to access information, weigh options, and shape the next phase of development.

Email addresses are listed at the bottom of this memo. Share your voice!
*******************************************
Here is a sample email - adjust it to share your voice, your concerns:

Subject: Pause the County Sale & Begin to Plan with Community

Dear Mayor Wheeler, Village Board, and Supervisor Reger,

I am writing as a concerned resident to urge you to act immediately regarding the proposed sale of Reisman and Sigety Halls to Madison County.

Last night’s Village work session confirmed two alarming facts:

• Once Madison County owns these buildings, they may choose whether or not to comply with Village zoning. That means if the sale goes forward now, residents will lose leverage over how the core of our village is used.
• The process so far has been withheld from the public and now it feels rushed. Brainstorming zoning uses without a comprehensive planning process is inadequate and we need more time for community understanding.

For the sake of safety, equity, and trust in local government, I urge you to:

1. Tell Madison County that Cazenovia is not the right site for this use and encourage them to seek another location.
2. Pause any sale or rezoning until a professional, community-driven comprehensive planning process happens.
3. Ensure all planning documents and communications are shared openly with residents.

Cazenovia deserves a transparent process where residents have a real voice in shaping our future. Please take immediate steps to protect our community.
​*******************************************
Two letters from our coalition have already been cited by the Mayor & 9 Fresh as influencing their thoughts.

• This letter from Deb Alden
• This letter from Bill Bullen

​​ 
Preston Gilbert’s Protest
Many folks from our Coalition were present and vocal. Professional planner Preston Gilbert, with 45 years of planning experience spoke up strongly at the meeting. He warned that the Village is "spinning our wheels" by brainstorming uses with the developer without first undertaking a true comprehensive planning process with the community.

In a reflection today, he noted, "I am convinced that the best thing we can do now is a broad coalition building effort supported by an equal education and consensus building process.  Essential to get to shared goals is trust. We can do it. Last night was the result of a failed planning process and lack of clear goals." 

Preston has shared two documents with us to help folks understand what is possible:

1. His statement outlining his qualifications and concerns.
2. An executive summary of best-practice planning processes from his national redevelopment experience.

Process is a Problem
What stood out at the meeting last night was not just the content but the process...how decisions are being framed and how community voices are being sidelined.

• Process gatekeeping: The session was called a “work session,” which meant no formal public comment. Materials were handed to some board members at the table, and public input was pushed to after adjournment of the scribe. This keeps residents reactive instead of included. 
• Labeling concerns as “misinformation”: Community members raised questions about equity and citing direct conversations with County officials. Instead of addressing these concerns, leaders brushed them off as “misinformation.” That chills good-faith participation.
• “Cost savings” as the only metric: Officials repeated that it would cost $2M to retrofit Reisman versus $10-12M elsewhere, treating this as decisive. No transparent analysis of other impacts such as safety, traffic, historic character, or equity, was offered.
• Public vs. “private” confusion: Leaders continue to call this a “private” transaction. In reality, Madison County and the Town are public entities spending taxpayer funds on their purchases. That makes it a public deal requiring accountability.
• Study vs. plan: The MRB report is valuable as a building-condition study, but it is not a community plan. It never asked whether residents wanted a county law enforcement hub in the heart of a school zone and business district.
• Zoning leverage uncertain: The Village attorney confirmed that once the County owns the property, they may or may not choose to follow Village zoning. The Mayor says he’ll “ask” them to comply, but there’s no guarantee that his personal request will represent community interests or that the County will comply.
• Personal Diplomacy over Public Procedure: The Mayor's rhetoric was consistently personalized rather than procedural. This creates a governance dynamic where public accountability is obscured behind his individual negotiations and personal mandate.

What to watch for in upcoming meetings

• “Work session” or other labels used to limit public comment.
• Agendas posted late or without goals/details, handouts given only at the table, not in advance.
• Vague phrases like “at this time,” “non-controversial,” or "disruptive" that stifle civil statements from participants
• Zoning drafted before community planning.
• Concerns dismissed as “misinformation.”

When you hear these, ask calmly: “Will you commit to a comprehensive planning process, with a clear timeline, professional facilitation, and public materials posted at least 7 days in advance?”

What We’re Still Asking For

• Pause the sale. The Village must advocate (to the County & Town) that the County is not a good fit. Residents need more input.
• Start comprehensive planning now. Cazenovia needs an updated, community-driven plan that accounts for today’s realities.
• Hold leaders accountable - protect community rights. This is not a “private” deal. Madison County and the Town of Cazenovia are public entities spending taxpayer money. Public process is not optional.

What You Can Do
Email Village leaders today.
cc: [email protected] so that we can document your voices.

• Richard Macheda [email protected]
• Cindy Bell  [email protected]    
• Kathy Hahn [email protected]
• Jen Lutter [email protected] 
• Village Mayor Kurt Wheeler [email protected]
• Town Supervisor Kyle Reger [email protected] 

Tell them: Pause the sale, commit to a real comprehensive plan, and ensure Cazenovia residents have a voice.

Talk to your neighbors.
Many are just learning about this issue. Share what you know, and invite them to join this mailing list.

Sign and share the petitions!

• Petition to the Attorney General
• Petition to the Village Board

Thanks to Sharye Skinner for inspiring the ad below for the Cazenovia Republican. Look for it and share it with your neighbors.

Disclaimer on this Email Group
This mailing list includes a wide range of people, including some directly involved in the Reisman/Sigety Hall deal. 

Please keep in mind:

• We use blind copy (bcc) to prevent addresses from being used for other purposes.
• If you prefer not to receive these updates, you may opt out at any time by emailing: [email protected]. 
• If you are new to this group, complete information and previous posts (transcripts, etc) can be found at https://www.arc-c.org/cazenovia-voices-coalition.html.

Welcome to the latest Cazenovia Voices Coalition update.
Many of you are new here — thank you for paying attention and stepping in. This list exists because Madison County is moving to purchase Reisman and Sigety Halls on the former Cazenovia College campus to house the Sheriff’s office and emergency services. Our concern is with the lack of transparency, the speed of the process, and the impact on our school zone, business district, and village character.
Our new web page, Cazenovia Voices Coalition, provides an overview of the issue and our initiative. We continue to post our email updates at https://www.arc-c.org/arc-c-blog.
On to the latest: 

1. County “FAQ” Released – What It Says and Why It Matters
Madison County has now posted an online “FAQ” about the planned Sheriff’s office and emergency services move. They are even inviting residents to submit feedback through a form on their website: Madison County FAQ and feedback form.

This information is helpful — but it comes far too late. For nearly a year, County, Village, Town, and 9 Fresh leaders kept the negotiations out of public view. If this type of FAQ had been released at the beginning, residents could have been part of a genuine planning process. Instead, we are left reacting after decisions are already before the Attorney General.

Where Was This in the Public Record?
County leaders now point to board minutes as proof that the deal was “public.” But the agendas never referenced Cazenovia or Reisman and Sigety Halls directly. Instead, they buried the transaction in vague language that no ordinary citizen could recognize as concerning the sale of a central village property.

For example, the May 2025 agenda listed the matter simply as:
“RESOLUTION NO. 25-145 AUTHORIZING CHAIRMAN TO EXECUTE AN OFFER TO PURCHASE AND CORRESPONDING DOCUMENTS FOR REAL ESTATE PURCHASE.”

Without naming Cazenovia or the campus, how could any resident know to show up at that meeting and ask questions? The information may exist in the fine print, but withholding clarity is another form of secrecy.

Points to Consider When You Read the FAQ

• “Private transaction?” The FAQ calls this a private deal. But Madison County is a public entity spending taxpayer money. That makes it a public decision, requiring accountability to the public.
• Sheriff’s office description: The section on uses begins with “At this time…”  — meaning nothing is guaranteed. Without binding agreements, the range of possible uses is wide open, and residents have no assurances about the long-term scope of operations.
• Community voice: The FAQ asks for feedback now, but the absence of disclosure up front has already undermined trust. Feedback after a deal is nearly finalized is not the same as meaningful input before decisions are made.

2. What We Can Do Now
Tell the county what you think
Share your concerns about transparency, zoning, equity, and the long-term impacts of this move on Cazenovia and Central New York. And when you do, ask yourself this question: Why is the County only asking now, instead of when this deal was first under discussion? (Madison County FAQ and feedback form).

Sign and share our petitions
We’re at nearly 240 signatures on the petition to the Attorney General & at 190 signatures on the petition to the Village Board. Please share these petitions widely. Anyone can sign, whether Cazenovia village or town residents, or beyond. This is a New York State issue!
- Petition to the Attorney General – Pause the Purchase
- Petition to the Village Board - Uphold Zoning & Public Process

Spread the word
Share the Cazenovia Voices Coalition and the blog updates page.

Disclaimer on this Email Group
This mailing list includes a wide range of people, including some directly involved in the Reisman/Sigety Hall deal. 
Please keep in mind:

• We use blind copy (bcc) to prevent addresses from being used for other purposes.
• If you prefer not to receive these updates, you may opt out at any time by emailing: [email protected] 
• If you are new to this group, complete information and previous posts (transcripts, etc) can be found on the Cazenovia Voices Coalition page. 

Welcome to Cazenovia Voices Coalition–

Each day, more neighbors and friends are joining this newsletter. If you are new here, thank you for signing on. 

• Information about this group can be found here.

These updates are intended to keep our community informed about the Madison County plan to move the Sheriff’s Office and emergency services into Reisman and Sigety Halls at the heart of the former Cazenovia College campus, a decision negotiated behind closed doors since January with no disclosure to residents.

Momentum!
We have surpassed 200 signatures on the petition to the Attorney General & 150 signatures on the petition to the Village Board. 

Let’s keep building interest. Please share these petitions widely.

• Petition to the Attorney General – Pause the Purchase
• Petition to the Village Board - Uphold Zoning & Public Process

Media Coverage & Response
More letters are being published and folks are having great conversations on social media. Your voices are being heard!

Yesterday’s Eagle News Online article (Sept. 22) shared statements from Madison County, 9 Fresh, and Mayor Wheeler as straightforward clarifications. But for many of us, the problem is not “misinformation.” It is the lack of transparency. From the Sheriff’s first tour of Reisman Hall in November 2024, to the County Board of Supervisors authorization in May 2025, and now to the Attorney General’s desk, this deal has advanced without clear public agendas, information about hearings, or community input. To dismiss resident concerns as “misinformation” only compounds the breach of trust.

The article echoes the Mayor’s refrain that a 318-page MRB redevelopment study proves that rigorous planning and public input occurred. What it produced was a feasibility report, with talking points already favored by village leadership (parking shortages, reliance on Planned Development zoning). Public input was limited, it did include an interview with CazArts, yet  there was no exploration of whether residents wanted a major county municipal presence in the heart of a walkable school zone and business district.  The study’s value as a campus assessment is real, but it does not substitute for a true community-driven comprehensive plan. An analysis of the MRB study and the previous (2008) comprehensive plan can be found here. As always, it is valuable to understand the terms that our leaders are using to ensure transparency.

Madison County Overreach: The County frames the move as saving money, but at what cost? By clearing space in Wampsville for expanded detention facilities and relocating Sheriff administrative and emergency services to Cazenovia at the western edge of the region, this deal rebalances public power in Madison County. Once Madison County owns the property, there will be no local voice in how it may be used. For residents in Cazenovia and beyond, this raises urgent questions of equity, community identity, and safety, especially in light of Sheriff Hood’s active collaboration agreements with ICE.

Public Dollars, Public Transaction: Officials also continue to frame this as a “private transaction.” But Madison County and the Town of Cazenovia are public entities spending taxpayer dollars. This is a public transaction, and it deserves public accountability. Suggesting otherwise is misleading and erodes trust further.

Monday, 9/29 6:30PM - Village Planning Board Meeting
Folks from the coalition will attend the Village Board of Trustees which meets with members of the Planning Board and Historic Preservation Commission in a work session to discuss establishing a Planned Development District for the Core Campus of the former Cazenovia College. 
The agenda states: "No comments or questions will be taken from the public."
Showing up will help our community to learn more about the issues and will show leaders that you want a place at the table.

Why All of This Matters

Asking our leaders to pause a process is not about obstruction. It is about ensuring that the future of the Cazenovia College campus and the geographic and cultural heart of our village, is determined with residents, not for them behind closed doors. A transparent, inclusive, comprehensive planning process could support adaptive reuse that sustains business, strengthens cultural identity, and honors the trust of taxpayers across Madison County and their neighbors.

We continue to call on the Attorney General to pause approval until such a process is in place. Anything less risks further eroding community trust and undermining the very values that make Central New York a place where people want to live, work, and invest.

Disclaimer on this Email Group
This mailing list includes a wide range of people, including some directly involved in the Reisman/Sigety Hall deal. 

Please keep in mind:
We use blind copy (bcc) to prevent addresses from being used for other purposes.
If you prefer not to receive these updates, you may opt out at any time by emailing: [email protected] 
If you are new to this group, complete information and previous posts (transcripts, etc) can be found at https://www.arc-c.org/cazenovia-voices-coalition.html 

​Welcome to Cazenovia Voices Coalition
If you’re receiving this memo, it’s because you want to stay informed. For past memos go to www.arc-c.org/arc-c-blog. 

Folks are joining this growing coalition with concerns about Madison County’s plan to purchase Reisman & Sigety Halls for a Sheriff/emergency hub in the center of Cazenovia's school and business district.

Our goal: Ensure that residents have a real say in the future of our community. We’re tracking information, sharing updates, and pushing for transparency, because this deal advanced without public input, and it could permanently change public safety, our school zone, business district, historic village, and impacts on Central New York.
________________

Neighbors, thank you for your energy and persistence.

Your conversations are encouraging folks to reach out publicly for good information. Our mailing list continues to grow each day, residents are showing up at public meetings, people really care.

1. Petitions are making an impact!
In just 24 hours we have reached over 150 signatures. That is a promising number for the first day of a local petition. Now let’s get to 1,000 signatures this week. 

Petition to the NYS Attorney General: This petition asks the AG to pause their review of the sale due to a lack of formal community input and withholding of public information from January 2025.

Petition to the Village Board: This petition asks for our local board to uphold the existing education zoning, initiate a formal public planning process (last one was 2008), and ask the AG to pause review of the sale until the process is complete.

Our message remains clear: We are not against planning. We are against secret deals that erase community voice.

2. Public Gatherings
This week there were constructive meetings with the Town Supervisor and the Village Historic Preservation Board. Additionally local municipalities such as Nelson and Hamilton are hearing resident concerns.  In each case, folks questioned transparency and long-term impacts of Madison County’s purchase of property in the center of our walkable district as well as the reasoning for a Sheriff's hub in Cazenovia. The persistent message from leaders is that once the County owns these buildings, local residents will have no real say over their use.

What we’ve learned:

• From all municipalities: Meeting notes confirm there were no clear public agenda items or hearings with any municipality between November 2024 (when the Sheriff toured Reisman Hall) and July 2025, when the deal appeared on a County agenda. No public input was requested.
• Town Supervisor Reger listened during public office hours on Sunday and was forthcoming about knowing the County's intention to make the purchase. When residents stressed the lack of transparency, impact studies, or authentic planning process, he was not able to speak to those details.  He confirmed that Madison County hopes to use the vacated Sheriff's space in Wampsville for juvenile detention as a way to reduce sending young people away and as a revenue stream. He did agree that a public conversation might be helpful.

3. What’s happening now:

Mayor Wheeler and representatives of 9Fresh have circulated emails and text messages to individual allies urging them to dismiss community calls for a pause. If this information is so important, why isn’t it being shared publicly? Why are memos being circulated selectively rather than openly?

Our response: We don’t need behind-the-scenes messaging. We need a transparent, public process where all residents can ask questions, hear the facts, and contribute to decisions about our shared future.

4. Next steps:

Keep circulating petitions. Let’s get to 1,000 signatures this week. While the numbers count toward making an impact with leaders, the act of sharing them helps inform people who just don't know what's going on.

Share this memo with neighbors who may not yet know what’s at stake. Every day we hear from folks who are surprised and concerned.

Keep pressing our leaders to commit to open forums and legal zoning/planning process before any sale is finalized.

Disclaimer on this Email Group

This mailing list includes a wide range of people, including some directly involved in the Reisman/Sigety Hall deal. Please keep in mind:

• We use blind copy (bcc) to prevent addresses from being used for other purposes.
• If you prefer not to receive these updates, you may opt out at any time by emailing: [email protected] 
• If you are new to this group, complete information and previous posts (transcripts, etc) can be found at https://www.arc-c.org/arc-c-blog

Hello, Cazenovia Voices Coalition, and welcome to newcomers!
You have been busy this weekend!

Many of you took the time to write letters, talk with neighbors, and check in with our Town Supervisor. We also heard from folks who are just beginning to learn about Madison County’s plan to purchase Reisman & Sigety Halls for use by the Sheriff and emergency services.

For background and the latest updates, visit www.arc-c.org/arc-c-blog or email [email protected] with specific questions.

Today’s Focus: Petitions
Please sign and share with your networks.
Can you get 3 more people to sign on? Let's let our leaders know that our community really cares.

- Petition to the NY Attorney General: Pause the Deal
- Petition to the Village Board: Uphold Zoning & Plan with Residents

Together, these petitions make clear: Cazenovia deserves a transparent planning process, respect for our zoning laws, and a future shaped by community voices, not closed-door deals.

Two Petitions, One Goal: Give Cazenovia a Voice
Our community is organizing around two complementary petitions. Both are important. Together, they cover the regional urgency and the local accountability we need.

1. Petition to the New York State Attorney General
What it asks:
Pause the deal until there is a transparent public process.

Why it matters:
The Attorney General must approve the County’s purchase before it goes forward.
This is not just a Cazenovia issue, it affects all of Central NY:

• Overreach: County operations in the middle of a small village school zone erode local accountability.
• Equity & Safety: Sheriff’s ICE cooperation risks intimidating migrant and underserved communities.
• Regional Economy: Tourism, agriculture, Route 20 commerce, and real estate values are at stake.

Bottom line: This petition shines a spotlight on the regional and statewide significance of the deal and demands a pause at the highest level.

2. Petition to the Cazenovia Village Board
What it asks:
Uphold current zoning and start a transparent community planning process.

Why it matters:

• The Village Board holds zoning power — they can stop fast-tracked exemptions.
• Since the College closed in 2023, no comprehensive planning process has been started to guide the impact of a large municipal presence on the former campus.
• Placing a county law enforcement hub in the village center would change our character, bring heavy infrastructure, and silence residents’ voices.

Bottom line: This petition keeps pressure on local leaders to protect zoning, require planning, and stand up for residents.

Why Sign Both?

• The AG petition speaks to urgency and state-level oversight.
• The Village petition keeps our leaders accountable at home.
• Together, they show that this is about more than one deal: it’s about democracy, transparency, and equity in how decisions get made.

Disclaimer on this Email Group
This mailing list includes a wide range of people, including some directly involved in the Reisman/Sigety Hall deal. Please keep in mind:

• We use blind copy (bcc) to prevent addresses from being used for other purposes.
• If you prefer not to receive these updates, you may opt out at any time by emailing: [email protected] 
• If you are new to this group, complete information and previous posts (transcripts, etc) can be found at https://www.arc-c.org/arc-c-blog

​Hello all,
Welcome to over 125 participating community members!
Here are some thoughts to consider for the weekend.

1. Cazenovia Town & Village Meetings
Participate in the decisions that will matter to our future.

Sunday (TOMORROW) 9/21 12-3pm 
Town Supervisor, Kyle Reger open office hours. 
7 Albany Street
Take a moment to check in, ask questions and ask him to represent our concerns with the Madison County Board of Supervisors.

Monday 9/22 6pm Village Historic Preservation Architectural Meeting. 
90 Albany Street
Agenda includes "Discussion regarding local designation of former Cazenovia Campus". 

2. Weekend Homework
Petition-drafting, letter writing, information sharing, and inviting new folks to this email list are the work of this weekend. While we finalize petition language, here are three simple but important things you can do right now:

- Volunteer

Let us know via this email [email protected] if you want to participate in planning upcoming actions. We are growing our advisory group with folks who have interests and are savvy about the legal, policy, equity, public information, community, and historic aspects of this issue. 

- Write a Personal Letter or Email
Send your concerns to the Village Board, Town Board, Madison County Supervisors, and 9 Fresh leadership. Even a short, respectful note that asks for transparency and a pause in the process makes a difference.

- Share Verified Information
Use the ARC-C blog post as your source when talking with friends, neighbors, or online groups. This helps counter misinformation with facts gathered from community meetings.

• Stay factual: Use the ARC-C blog and shared documents as verified sources.
• Stay inclusive: Keep framing this as a matter of public process, equity, and accountability, not as anti-police rhetoric.
• Stay neighborly: Remember that many in our community may not know the details. Invite them in, don’t push them away.
• Stay clear: Our united message: Pause the process, open public planning, honor zoning, and let residents shape our future.

Together, we have already shown how much our community cares. Let’s keep our focus and our credibility strong.

- Grow Our Network
Forward this email to at least three friends or neighbors and invite them to join the list by emailing [email protected]. Every new voice strengthens our collective call for accountability. 

Together, these small steps keep momentum building while we prepare our next actions.

3. Misinformation
Madison County has recently circulated a “misinformation” note on social media, and Mayor Kurt Wheeler has shared an email offering his perspective. 

These messages label community concerns as “misinformation" and the Mayor's message positions his role as a single source of truth, reassuring supporters that the process is legal and inevitable. This blurs the real issue: the lack of authentic public input and planning, and our movement remains focused on ensuring that local residents, not outside forces, shape our own future.

We want to underscore that if the Village, Town, and County had authentically engaged in a public planning process from the beginning, giving residents the time and information to understand the impacts of a county municipal hub in the heart of our historic village, we would not be in this position of having to dig for facts ourselves.

Our coalition continues to call for transparency, a pause in the process, and a true community-led planning effort. Until that happens, confusion and mistrust will remain. Thank you for continuing to show up, ask questions, and share accurate information with your neighbors.

4. Disclaimer on Email Group
This mailing list includes a wide range of people, including some directly involved in the Reisman/Sigety Hall deal. 

Please keep in mind:

• We use blind copy (bcc) to prevent addresses from being used for other purposes.
• If you prefer not to receive these updates, you may opt out at any time by emailing: [email protected] 
• If you are new to this group, complete information and previous posts (transcripts, etc) can be found at https://www.arc-c.org/arc-c-blog

Enjoy the sunshine and crisp, leafy days!

Dear Friends,
Thank you all for staying engaged in this process. 
Please take a few minutes to read through these important updates and next steps:
​
1. Disclaimer on Email Group
This mailing list includes a wide range of people, including some directly involved in the Reisman/Sigety Hall deal. 
Please keep in mind:

• We use blind copy (bcc) to prevent addresses from being used for other purposes.
• If you prefer not to receive these updates, you may opt out at any time by emailing: [email protected]. 
• If you did not receive a direct email yesterday the complete information (transcripts, etc) can be found at https://www.arc-c.org/arc-c-blog.

2. Media Reports – Community Voice
Recent Syracuse/CNY coverage of the Sheriff’s plans did not include mention of community concerns or opposition:

• WSYR (Sept 18): Madison County Sheriff’s Office and 911 Center looks to use former Cazenovia College Building
• Syracuse.com (Sept 17): Madison County to move sheriff’s offices, 911 center to former Cazenovia College Campus (Rick Moriarty)
• Spectrum News (Sept 17): Madison County to purchase 2 buildings on former Cazenovia College Campus

All three stories frame this as a cost-saving, positive move for the County — without reporting that over 100 residents gathered to voice opposition.

I have reached out to let them know that there is more to the story.

GOOD NEWS...Local coverage by the Cazenovia Republican is very balanced and letters to the editor from concerned folks are visible!

Action: We need more letters to editors, calls to reporters, and outreach to alternative media to ensure the public hears EVERY side of the story.

3. Petition Draft for the Attorney General
Many of you have suggested preparing a petition urging the NYS Attorney General to pause review of the County purchase until Cazenovia residents have had a public planning process. Email this address directly if you are interested in the draft process or have suggestions for sharing it to the community. In 1–2 days a petition will be ready.

4. Sharing What You’re Doing
This movement is growing quickly, thanks to each of you for reaching out via email, phone calls, and just talking in the village and town. Your response is powerful! If you are willing, feel free to share your efforts here so that we can be supportive as needed.

• Who are you contacting (Village, Town, County, 9 Fresh, AG)?
• What responses are you receiving?
• What actions do you think we should take together next?

Please reply to this email with updates—your input strengthens the whole community effort.

5. Hearing from Leaders
Many in our community want to hear directly from Mayor Wheeler, Town Supervisor Reger, 9 Fresh leadership, Madison County, and the NYS  Attorney General about how this deal unfolded and what comes next. Several of them are copied on this email.

Your enthusiasm and persistence may encourage them to engage in an accessible public forum, where questions can finally be answered transparently and openly.

Contact Information for Key Leaders:

• 9 Fresh: Kate Brodock & Adam O'Neill  - There is a contact form at the bottom of the web landing page at https://9fresh.co/ 
• Village of Cazenovia: Mayor Kurt Wheeler –  [email protected] 315-655-3041 (from the Village website).
• Town of Cazenovia: Supervisor Kyle Reger – [email protected]  (315) 414-8156 (from the Town website).
• Madison County: Administrator Mark Scimone – [email protected] 
• NYS Attorney General: - There is a contact form for complaints/information at https://ag.ny.gov/contact-ag 

We are grateful to everyone who has reached out, attended meetings, written letters, and stayed engaged. 
​
Together we can insist on transparency, equity, and community voice in decisions that shape the future of Cazenovia.

Stay tuned.

In solidarity,
Laura Reeder

Centering Equity in Cazenovia’s Moment of Change
As the Anti-Racism Coalition of Cazenovia (ARCC), we stepped into this organizing process because neighbors asked for clarity, transparency, and a way to bring community voices together. That is our role: to help ensure that decisions with lasting impact are not made behind closed doors, but with input from those most affected.

We also want to be clear: our coalition is made up of people with a range of opinions about the proposed county purchase of former college properties. Some of us focus on concerns about public safety, others on government accountability, and others on the impact to the character of our village. We do not all agree on every detail.

But we always return to the same north star: equity and inclusion.

• Whose voices are being heard in this process?
• Who may feel unsafe, unwelcome, or unseen if decisions are made without community input?
• How do we ensure transparency and accountability from leaders at every level?

ARCC believes that true community strength comes when all residents, not just a few, can participate meaningfully in shaping the future. This is the principle guiding our work, and it is the commitment we bring to this moment.

Join us for an information and planning meeting on Tuesday, September 16, 2025, at 6:30 p.m.