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Hello, All,
Thanks to everyone who attended the Village Board meeting. At least 10 community members were present. That level of turnout matters, and it was clearly felt in the room. Community members asked strong, substantive questions about zoning and process. Folks are paying close attention as planning moves forward. The Village reaffirmed its commitment to a public zoning process, with the Town, County, and 9Fresh. This aligns with what the coalition has consistently asked for as an important baseline. One point of concern did surface. Village leadership referenced the possibility of “one-on-one” conversations with County officials to map out a plan. We responded that public information, not private conversations, are more appropriate, especially given that public trust has been eroded. FOIL documents show extensive redactions in communications between the Town, Village, County, and 9Fresh. Redactions are legally permissible, yet raise questions and reinforce the need for public-facing communication going forward. Overall, the meeting was informative, respectful, and without surprises. Next: Town Board Meeting - Monday, January 12 at 7:30 p.m. We will continue to ask that Supervisor Reger represent Cazenovia residents’ concerns as the County establishes a presence in the middle of our community.
Thank you for staying engaged! Happy New Year, Cazenovia Voices Coalition!
Thank you for staying engaged, informed, and committed to a transparent civic process during a year of significant change in our community. A quick and important update: Planning for the future uses of the former Cazenovia College campus is now moving forward in earnest.
What comes next for Cazenovia Voices: Our work now centers on ensuring that zoning processes are not treated as technical formalities, but as public processes that include meaningful community engagement. Decisions of this scale require openness, clear communication, and opportunities for residents to be heard. Trust must be built...through transparency, participation, and respect for the people who live here. We encourage coalition members to attend meetings when possible, stay informed, and continue asking thoughtful questions. Your presence matters, and this next phase will shape Cazenovia for decades to come. With appreciation and resolve as the new year begins, Laura Reeder Hello, Cazenovia Voices Coalition,
As 2025 winds down, our last action is submitting a letter to the Madison County Board of Supervisors (see below). Their final meeting of the year is tomorrow 12/18 and they have no public comment period on the agenda. This letter reiterates what many in our community have been saying for months: serious concerns remain about the County’s closed-door purchase of the former Cazenovia College campus buildings and the Sheriff’s participation in the 287(g) agreement. While these actions may be moving forward administratively, they have not been resolved publicly, democratically, or ethically. This letter is not a symbolic gesture. It is part of a longer arc of accountability. As we head into 2026, Cazenovia Voices will continue to speak out, organize, and insist on transparent governance, meaningful public engagement, and respect for human rights. Our priorities remain consistent:
Thank you for all showing up, staying engaged, and refusing to let closed processes and dismissive rhetoric define our future. In solidarity, Laura Reeder __________________________________ To the Board of Supervisors, As residents of Madison County we want to remind you that serious constituent concerns remain regarding the County’s closed-door purchase of the former Cazenovia College campus and the Sheriff’s participation in the 287(g) agreement. While these actions may be moving forward administratively, they have not been resolved in the public sphere. Folks continue to be concerned that taxpayer dollars have been expended behind closed doors, with limited public information, lack of meaningful representation, and decision-making that is closed and exclusionary. The misrepresentation of public concern by the County and Sheriff in public statements is irresponsible. We want to be clear: these concerns do not end with the purchase. Your constituents will continue to speak out, organize, and participate in 2026 and beyond to advocate for governance that is accountable to the people it serves. We demand that our voices be included. We request a fair and facilitated public hearing on the project. We will also push for removal of the 287(g) agreement. Community residents care. Human rights matter. County actions and rhetoric that exclude, stigmatize, or silence people, particularly immigrants, LGBTQIA+ residents, and other marginalized communities, create real fear and harm. Everyone in Madison County deserves to feel safe, welcome, and valued in the place they call home. Thank You. Cazenovia Voices Coalition Hello, Cazenovia Voices Coalition,
Thanks for showing up to the Village Meeting last week. We have one more critical meeting before the end of the year! Town of Cazenovia Board Meeting Monday, December 8 at 7:30 PM (Gothic Cottage) Come and stand with neighbors in calling for:
Why Monday matters This meeting is a chance to insist that decisions affecting the heart of Cazenovia must be made with the community, not behind closed doors. Please come, bring a neighbor, and help show that resident participation is essential, expected, and ongoing. If you cannot come, it is always helpful to send your public comments to the whole board and clerk . . . cc'ing this email so we can reinforce your messages: [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Your voice continues to make all the difference. FYI, the petition is still growing (610+)...and educating folks. THANK YOU Hello, Cazenovia Voices Coalition,
The closing has still not been finalized. This week, we show up twice: MONDAY, Dec 1: Village Board Meeting (7 p.m.) Village Municipal Building The Village now has one less trustee: Jen Lutter resigned last month and is moving away. Her voice for transparency will be missed. This places even more weight on our collective presence. At this meeting, the Village will be urged to:
Bring a neighbor. Bring someone who’s never come before. TUESDAY, Dec 2: Madison County Board of Supervisors (11 a.m.) County Offices, Wampsville (Carpooling available, reply or comment to connect.) This is our moment to remind County leadership: Cazenovia residents did not support the Sheriff’s presence here. Election data shows that across Cazenovia’s six wards, 43% of local voters supported Nancy Ries’s write-in challenge to Sheriff Hood, an extraordinary showing for a last-minute grassroots effort. AND, over 650 voters (more than half of all who voted) either opposed Hood or declined to endorse him. This is a mandate, not a margin. Yet the County continues to act as though Cazenovia welcomes the relocation of Sheriff’s operations and Emergency Management to the campus. We do not. And we must say so in person. Speak to:
The County must answer to residents, not override them. Let’s continue shaping the future of our campus with clarity, courage, and collective voice. Your presence is your power. Let’s use it, Monday and Tuesday. Hello, Cazenovia Voices Coalition,
Thank You for showing up these past months: asking questions, attending meetings, and insisting on transparency.
Yes, it is not unusual for a private real-estate transaction to push for closure, but the stakes here were not simply financial; they affected the PUBLIC heart of our community, and such decisions require openness, honesty, and shared public understanding. Now is our opportunity to reassert what we’re thankful for and what we’re working toward...honest leadership, transparent governance, and decisions that reflect our community’s needs, not political convenience. Here’s how to show up 🟦 Sun, Nov 30: Town Supervisor Office Hours 12–3 p.m. (Town Gothic Cottage, 7 Albany St.) Share concerns about the loss of public trust and ask Supervisor Reger to support a pause and commit to transparency.
This meeting is crucial, take a walk into Town and let Supervisor Reger know your thoughts. 🟩 Mon, Dec 1: Village Board Meeting 7 p.m. (Village Municipal Building) Thank Trustee Jen Lutter for her courageous service, welcome the new appointed trustee, and ask the Village to publicly read their zoning request to the County. 🟥 Tues, Dec 2: Madison County Board Meeting 11am (County Offices, Wampsville) Raise questions about relocating sheriff/emergency services far from the County seat, the cost of build-outs, zoning issues, and lack of community engagement. 🟨 Mon, Dec 8: Town Board Meeting 7:30 p.m. (Town Gothic Cottage) Ask the Town Board to call for a pause and support a community-led planning process. Let’s carry the spirit of gratitude forward . . . protecting what we value most . . . honesty, transparency, and a future shaped with community voices. Your presence matters. Bring a neighbor. Bring two! Neighbors,
The estimated closing of the County’s purchase of Reisman & Sigety Halls is this week. It's worth grounding ourselves in what our community has accomplished in ten intense weeks. What began as a small spark of concern has grown into a sustained, informed, and collective effort to demand transparency, accountability, and protection of Cazenovia’s values. How We Got Here: A Brief Timeline September 2: First Public Awareness Residents first learned, informally and without clear public notice, that Madison County intended to purchase the former Cazenovia College properties to relocate the Sheriff’s Office and Emergency Management Services. The lack of transparency and the mismatch with community needs set off the first wave of questions. Early September: Community Questions, No Clear Answers As residents sought information, official messaging from Town and Village leaders remained vague. Concern focused on the implications of County ownership, removal of property from tax rolls, increased emergency presence, decreased relationship with our own police force, and the Sheriff’s Office’s participation in the 287(g) ICE program. Mid–Late September: Attendance & Advocacy Community members gathered on September 16 to share what information was available and began attending every Town and Village Board meeting. Dozens of people spoke. Meetings that normally drew a handful became standing-room-only. This marked the beginning of a consistent presence, over 140 residents across the last two months have signed up for action. October: Formal Pushback & Public Voice Residents wrote letters to County Supervisors, the Cazenovia Republican, and Town and Village governments. Each week, the Cazenovia Republican published new letters, articles, and community statements. A petition with 100's of signatures grew, representing town, village, county, and regional concern. Late October: County Processes Accelerate Municipal committees advanced resolutions without publicly acknowledging community objections. Zoning questions were raised, transparency issues deepened, and the County signaled it intended to move ahead regardless of local impact. Local investors interested in a "Plan B" were told that no new bids would be acknowledged. November: Community Power Continues Despite officials insisting the deal was essentially “done,” residents continued to pack meetings. Village and Town officials were confronted with questions about public trust, broken anti-bias commitments, economic implications, public safety concerns, and the misuse of Cazenovia’s identity in County promotional material. Jen Lutter’s recent remarks at a Village meeting publicly challenged misleading narratives and demonstrated what it looks like when a resident insists on accuracy and accountability. Others followed her lead. What We’ve Achieved
This is what civic engagement looks like. This is what collective care looks like. This is what accountability looks like. What Happens Next Even if the County closes on the property this week, our work does not end. In many ways, it becomes more important. There will be critical Village, Town, and County meetings following the closing, meetings where zoning, safety, tax status, and community impact will be on the agenda. We must remain present, informed, and vocal. Stay tuned - we will share dates, agendas, and strategic guidance soon. For Now: Celebrate the Community You Are Building In ten weeks, YOU...your voices, your letters, your time, your questions...have shifted the civic landscape in Cazenovia. You’ve shown that residents are paying attention, that we expect transparency, and that the community itself, not institutions, defines what is best for our town. More very soon. Stay strong, stay connected, and stay present. — Cazenovia Voices Coalition It's a busy week!
If you are looking for one more public gathering to attend...tomorrow is a unique (and long) County Board of Supervisors meeting with a public comment period at the end. The meeting was not advertised as a regular one, rather as an “Annual Session.” Since most folks cannot attend, consider sending a public comment to: [email protected]. AND/OR Email Kyle Reger: [email protected] Here is what I (Laura Reeder) am sending to Kyle (and the Public Comment portal): Dear Kyle, I urge you to represent our community’s concerns at tomorrow’s Madison County Board of Supervisors meeting, where agenda items #40 and #42 concern the SEQR determination and conveyance of property in the Village of Cazenovia. Many of us cannot attend as the meeting was not posted as a typical BOS event. So we expect that you, as our representative, will ensure our concerns are on public record. We remain opposed to the County’s purchase of the former Cazenovia College properties for Sheriff and Emergency Services relocation, and we ask you to speak on record requesting that the County withdraw from the purchase. This process has not been transparent. It’s deeply frustrating that residents must scour County agendas and legal postings to learn about decisions that directly impact our village. Please convey the following comments to the Board of Supervisors: Dear Members of the Madison County Board of Supervisors, I am writing to urge the Board to withdraw from the purchase of the former Cazenovia College properties (Reisman and Sigety Halls) for use by the Madison County Sheriff and Emergency Services. This decision is not a good fit for Cazenovia or Madison County’s long-term interests.
I respectfully ask the Board to reject this purchase and work with Cazenovia leaders to identify alternatives that strengthen both our County and our community without sacrificing local character, trust, or shared values. Laura Reeder Cazenovia Voices Coalition 140 members 530 (and growing) petitioners  Hello, Cazenovia Voices Coalition, Thank you for showing up and speaking out at the Village Board meeting last night! And an extra round of gratitude to Village Trustee Jen Lutter, who showed true leadership and integrity. Jen made two important motions that both passed unanimously:
These actions may sound procedural, but they’re critical. They make it clear that even if the County or Town act as larger municipalities, our Village government and community are watching closely...and we will continue to speak up for local needs, transparency, and fair planning. Jen’s motions are a reminder: our voices matter. A Clear Mandate from Cazenovia Voters Yesterday, Cazenovia voters made their views on Sheriff leadership unmistakable. Thanks to Nancy Ries running to demonstrate his opposition. Nearly half of Cazenovia voters opposed Sheriff Hood’s reelection, sending a strong message to local leaders: there is deep concern about the Sheriff’s power, his ICE 287(g) partnership, and what that represents in our community. This is a serious mandate. Town & Village Boards must consider who they represent when welcoming ANY Sheriff operations here. Here’s how the votes broke down across Cazenovia Town/Village Wards 1–6: Ward 1 Sheriff Hood 94 Nancy Ries 42 % Ries Support 31% Ward 2 Sheriff Hood 98 Nancy Ries 78 % Ries Support 44% Ward 3 Sheriff Hood 96 Nancy Ries 71 % Ries Support 43% Ward 4 Sheriff Hood 139 Nancy Ries 119 % Ries Support 46% Ward 5 Sheriff Hood 84 Nancy Ries 82 % Ries Support 49% Ward 6 Sheriff Hood 79 Nancy Ries 55 % Ries Support 41% TOTAL Sheriff Hood 590 Nancy Ries 447 % Ries Support 43% overall ******************** Next Step: Speak Up Through the Madison County Tourism Survey Madison County wants your input on tourism priorities...ironically, the survey features Cazenovia’s Albany Street for “vibrant tourism.”  At the end of the survey, there’s an open comment box. Use it to explain how the Reisman / Sigety purchase would harm Cazenovia’s tourism, economy, and community.
Here are a few ideas you can adapt:
Our coalition is growing every day—now more than 140 members and 530 signatures strong—and the message is clear:
Thanks for filling the Town Board meeting last night! Today is another important day...
Village Board meeting 7 p.m. at the Village Municipal Offices.
Tell your neighbors, and come one and all to protect our community! Vote and write-in Nancy Ries for County Sheriff.
************ REMEMBER this is what unchecked County power looks like:
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