Republican incumbent Cortland Mayor Scott Steve won re-election Tuesday night, announcing afterward that it would be his last term in office.
Steve defeated Luke Stevenson, who was endorsed by Democrats and his own Emergent Party. In complete, but unofficial results, Steve had 1,498 votes; Stevenson had 802.
Meanwhile, all Democrats facing opposition in council races won their contests.
“I’m excited about it, I’m excited to create more partnerships, I’m excited to continue on,” Steve said when the unofficial results came in.
“I am incredibly grateful for the support I’ve received even with the outcome of a loss,” Stevenson said. “I’m staying in Cortland and staying involved in the community things I have been.”
The next term will start in January with the city facing a number of challenges:
•The city faces an austerity budget following audits showing poor fiscal planning dating back years.
•The completion of major reconstruction projects on Main Street and Groton Avenue, plus planning more in the future.
•Transparency, brownfields, housing and assessments.
The $12 million Main Street project to replace century-old infrastructure is to be completed next year, as is a similar project on Groton Avenue. The project has been filled with challenges, from a lack of maps showing where the mains were beneath the surface to a water main break Oct. 16, in a pipe that was supposed to have been closed off.
Audits of the city of Cortland’s finances in 2021 and 2022 find problems that go back years — to 2018, four years before Mayor Scott Steve took office. But the city says they’ll be fixed by next year.
Steve said without strict financial controls, the city will be cash poor within a year. Findings from audits conducted between 2018 and 2022 included more than $200,000 in inappropriate or unapproved spending, weakness in financial controls, inaccurate pay code calculations.
“Management agrees internal controls are lacking,” city Administration and Finance Director Lisa Henty wrote in her correction plan. “Coupled with the fact that many functions have been decentralized and there has been significant institutional knowledge lost from key turnover beginning in 2021.”
Before serving as mayor Steve was chair of the Cortland County Legislature, and was president of the New York State Association of Counties.
Stevenson said he has experience in running community-based projects and community organizing.
Stevenson said he decided to run in May, when the state saw a surge in migrant refugees. He said he didn’t feel the city responded properly. The county went on to temporarily ban asylum seekers, sparking a lawsuit eventually dismissed after the ban was lifted.
Stevenson also wants better government transparency, saying he doesn’t feel the city communicated properly everything about the downtown revitalization project,
Stevenson came to Cortland to start a makerspace at the SUNY Cortland library in 2014. This is his first run for public office.
Steve has also picked up the Main Street redevelopment project, initiated under former mayor Brian Tobin.
Stevenson’s main issue with the city’s handling of the Main Street project is the lack of consideration for accessibility, for people with disabilities, or people with strollers, for example.“I don’t think that’s equitable,” Stevenson said. He said neither is the city’s switch to paid parking downtown, a move that hurts customers and businesses alike.
COMMON COUNCIL
Four of the eight Cortland Common Council seats were contested.
•First Ward – Incumbent Republican Wayne Schutt defeated Democrat Adam Ferguson, 291-261.
•Second Ward – Incumbent Democrat Kathryn Silliman defeated Republican Tyler Hatfield, 138-104.
•Third Ward – Incumbent Democrat Mary Clare Pennello defeated Republican and Conservative Donald Neff, 150-104.
•Fifth Ward – Incumbent Democrat Seth Thompson defeated Republican Theodore Philips, 157-143.
