Column: Watkins Mayor Laurie DeNardo

"Carrying forward the lessons of 2025"

WATKINS GLEN, Feb. 8, 2026 -- As 2025 has come to a close, I’ve been taking time to look back on the year with incredible gratitude.

This year wasn’t about dramatic breakthroughs as much as it was about steady progress. There were moments of clarity and momentum, and there were stretches that asked for patience, resilience, and trust in the process.

One of the biggest lessons of 2025 was learning to value consistency over intensity. I’m abundantly aware of what truly matters to me and the Village Board -- the people we invest in, the work that feels aligned, and the importance of protecting our long-term heritage in the Village with decisions for the betterment of this wonderful community. I’m especially grateful for the support, conversations, and shared experiences that made this year richer.

As most of you are aware, I faced some health challenges this summer. I’m on the mend and doing well and am truly grateful for the support from this amazing community. The outpouring of support from our village staff was quite overwhelming alone.

As I look ahead to 2026, I’m carrying forward the lessons of 2025 with intention. My focus is less on chasing outcomes and more on building habits, relationships, and systems that support long-term growth. I’ve entered the new year with clarity, humility, and continued confidence in what’s possible.

I am incredibly grateful for the work of our Board of Trustees and our administrative team. We have reduced the property tax rate again. We have invested in resources to align our budget with department needs and keep our taxes down. We are building capital funds to prepare for the future. Our departments are lean but effective. Our police and fire departments are incredibly busy, skilled and provide exceptional services to preserve health and safety in the place we call home.

We closed out the final Downtown Revitalization Initiative projects through the opening of a new all-inclusive, ADA playground at Clute Park. Special thanks to the Department of State and County of Schuyler for allocating the final DRI funds to this project. To all the members of the Local Planning Committee team, thank you! Completing all the DRI projects was quite a feat. Our final projects included the Lafayette bathrooms and the four gateway signs. We continue to invest in Clute Park with additional dock space; improved bathhouse facilities; community center upgrades and additional programs for all ages.

Phase I of our water infrastructure improvements have been completed and included new intake lines and plant upgrades/new tank. Phase II plans are underway. Phase II will be a bit “messier” and will take patience as the underground water infrastructure will be replaced. You can expect disruption as we replace our aging pipes, but the overall project is not only overdue but will provide years of improvements to our water system. Our joint wastewater treatment plant may advance additional customers as we discuss the connectivity of supplementary county townships. This addition will benefit other communities but also allow the Village Board to review the village customer rates.

As parking has recently been a hot topic, village street laws are the mainstay of our parking regulations while following NYS Law. This isn’t new; however, we have invested in a new parking system and pay-to-park program to be utilized by our park and other village lots. We added a parking enforcement attendant and school traffic guard to assist with our school children’s safety.

As we are experiencing bitter cold temperatures again this year, our allotment of electricity at the lower rate will likely be exceeded again. This does affect our customers. The Board of Trustees approved the maximum allowable purchase to further benefit our residential rates, but with extensive demand, we will feel the jump.

Congratulations to Officer Chris Daloia as the 2026 recipient of the Board of Trustees Employee of the Year award. Officer Daloia not only provides stellar police work but has been very successful in securing grants to support the department which included a new police vehicle; safety equipment, and a LiveScan system. These efforts save taxpayers’ dollars. Thank you, Officer Daloia.

We would also like to recognize electric department staff member Jeff Heichel as he successfully completed an apprenticeship to obtain his Electric Lineman status. Well done, Jeff!

Congratulations to Calvin and Owen Buckley for successfully completing the wastewater treatment 2A license.

And congratulations to John Kuparinen and Cameron Bryington on successfully obtaining their CDL licenses.

In closing, I’m honored to serve as your Mayor and proud of each and every member of our Board and Village Staff for their dedication and amazing work.

Photo in text: Watkins Glen Mayor Laurie DeNardo