Mayor Marie Cramer discusses dissolution, dysfunction in Macedon

Mayor Marie Cramer had a simple message for residents living in the Village of Macedon. She said, “I’m sorry” after explaining the dysfunction that has divided Macedon into two competing groups. Cramer didn’t cause the dysfunction, but she apologized to residents because she was hopeful that she could have done more to bring the two competing sides back together. While many believe that dissolution in Macedon is a foregone conclusion – that hasn’t even come to harvest yet, as we sit on the cusp of filing deadlines for the next step in the dissolution process. Eventually, Cramer says that it could come to a referendum vote. The divide in Macedon starts with this very issue. The dissolution issue is precisely the kind of thing that divides communities like Macedon. Just ask communities like Seneca Falls or Lyons, who similarly went through dissolution, and for better or worse, saw significant changes in the framework of how their communities were run.The dysfunction bleeds far beyond dissolution. One of the major problems that faces the village and town currently is a battle over who will collect payment on sewer usage from the significant industrial user, or “SIU” as it’s referred to in short. Currently, the village is operating at a $107,000 deficit, and that is due to the Town of Macedon refusing, and ignoring a court ordered injunction, to remit payment to the Village of Macedon.How does this happen? That is something Mayor Cramer is working hard to understand and remedy. The impacts will be profound for those living in the village today, and profound for those living in the town down the road – should dissolution come to fruition. Sewer rates for those living in the village are going to rise significantly because the village, like any entity, cannot operate at a deficit. For an insight into the problems and challenges that Macedon has experienced thus far FingerLakes1.com caught up with Mayor Cramer for an exclusive interview (below). She gave an update on where things stand currently, where they’ve been and how far they’ve come over the last several years – and even where she hopes things go in the near-future…This year is an election year for Macedon, and while the mayor is running again – she worries that the backdoor politics inside town government will impact the village election. In her estimation, there has been a concerted effort in Town of Macedon government to discredit her, the village, and strip it of it’s assets to ensure that it can easily be dissolved in the coming years.While there is no guarantee on dissolution at this point, there has been a tentative date set that if all requirements are met – March 2017 will be the month that the Village of Macedon will cease to exist. Something Mayor Marie Cramer will continue fighting very hard to ensure doesn’t happen at the expense of village residents. Report & Interview by Josh Durso, FingerLakes1.comMore information online: – Village of Macedon Dissolution (Documents, FAQ, Schedule)- Village of Macedon (Official Site)- Town of Macedon (Official Site)