PORT JERVIS- Port Jervis’ mayoral candidates, Dominic Cicalese (42) and Elizabeth Miller (28) have each lived much of their lives in the city they hope to lead as mayor, beginning January 1, 2024. While each has their own approach to giving back and leading Port into the future, both have expressed a strong belief in the city’s future and a willingness and commitment to do all they can for their community.
Following is a brief introduction to each mayoral candidate.
Background
Cicalese: My family moved to Port Jervis in 1984. We have been here since. My wife and I chose to stay here and raise our children. I proudly served as the City’s Fire Chief from 2018 thru 2021. Volunteering a total of 26 years. I have also served on the city’s planning board since 2016.
Miller: I am a First Ward councilperson for the City of Port Jervis. I serve as the Finance Chair and I am also a part of the Code Committee, the Community Development Agency (CDA) and on the CSEA negotiating team. I attend most committee meetings regularly to stay informed. I am also a board member for the Port Jervis Free Library and for Victory Hill Therapeutic Horsemanship. I grew up on Holbrook Street and currently own a home back in West End. I’ve held several different positions and each one taught me organizational, communication, and leadership skills. I’ve taught high school history in Yonkers, worked at Pace University assisting with study abroad and cultural programing, and I also worked for the 9/11 Memorial and Museum as a research coordinator. In my current role I am responsible for the communication and leadership for a membership of 250 people across the United States and abroad. I often meet with government officials in the Department of Defense, Department of Justice, the National Security Council, and Senator staffers, advocating on issue areas regarding post 9/11 policies.
Career
Cicalese: Career Firefighter- City of Middletown NY
Miller: I am the Project Director of September 11th Families for Peaceful Tomorrows – a 9/11 family member nonprofit with 250 members who advocate for peace, justice, and the rule of law. The advocacy and work I do is complex and sometimes misunderstood. I am always happy to have a conversation about it to help others learn more.
How Would You Describe Port Jervis?
Cicalese: Port Jervis is an up-and-coming destination which is rooted in a tight knit community that always comes together when it’s necessary. This continues to be a great town, it’s time for the city to take the next step and become even better.
Miller: I would say that Port Jervis is a beautiful city with a small town feel nestled between the Delaware and Neversink Rivers. It’s a scenic location that brings people from all over to visit and enjoy recreational activities on the rivers and mountains. Our downtown has great shops and restaurants that are definitely worth a stop if you are passing through. Only 90 miles from New York City, 60 miles to Scranton and situated on I84 and Route 6, many have heard of our city. We are a small city but we have a big heart. It’s the people who live here, old and new, business owners, families that make it a great place to live, raise a family, invest, and explore.
Why Run for Mayor?
Cicalese: During my years as Fire Chief, being involved with our local government and certain decision making had made me decide it was something I wanted to do. Growing up in this town and choosing to stay here makes me want to become more involved and continue to push this city forward.
Miller: I have enjoyed serving as a council person and decided to run for Mayor to continue my involvement with our city. During my time as a council person I learned, and am still learning, how our city works and how to best serve residents. After losing my father on 9/11 the people of Port Jervis, especially our neighbors and family friends were so kind to my family. I want to give back and dedicate my time in a way that I know how, to show my love and support for the people of Port Jervis, by leading them as their mayor.
Platform and Vision
Cicalese: Cleaner and safer neighborhoods. stabilized tax base. Continuing progress with the sewer realignment project. Working towards expanding our tax base through responsible economic development. Updating city services.
Miller: My vision and our slate’s vision is to continue moving Port Jervis forward by working together for our community. Port Jervis has seen great progress and investment in the last several years. I plan to continue on this path while strengthening communication and transparency and being mindful of our taxpayers. I would like to look at several issue areas, including communication, navigating how to expand and enhance our broader business district, address quality of life issues, look at housing opportunities, and responsibly manage our city finances.
Primary Issues
Cicalese: Quality of life issues including crime, code violations. A need for more decent paying jobs.
Miller: I continue to reiterate that one of our major issues is communication. The council makes decisions for our city and our residents, and I can only speak for myself, but I am aware that we sometimes don’t explain the decisions we make. I want to create a more inclusive environment where residents are better informed about what occurs at council meetings and what is going on in our city. Port Jervis has seen continued growth and expansion, but we need to be mindful about how this growth can impact our taxpayers. It is a difficult balance and I want to make sure that as the council makes decisions about new projects that we ensure that Port Jervis is an affordable place to live for all.
Tackling Issues
Cicalese: I would take a hands-on approach to running the city day to day while ensuring accountability within our government.
Miller: As for communication, I want to expand our communication methods with our residents – by looking into how to better reach everyone. This could be done through a quarterly newsletter, by recorded committee meetings, and designated office hours for residents who want to come and speak with us. I think teamwork is essential in this position and I would work closely with the council to address any issues or challenges the city faces. In addition to teamwork, it is crucial for us to listen to the concerns of our residents. I know that many worry about an increase in taxes as the city continues to expand and grow. I would work with our department heads and the executive director of the CDA to look at cost savings, grants, that would help us grow without burdening our tax payers.
What Sets You Apart in Running the City?
Cicalese: My schedule as a firefighter gives me a lot of time off. This affords me the opportunity to be accessible to the public and run the city on a day-to-day basis.
Miller: I want to be as available as I can be for the residents in Port Jervis and for our city employees. I plan to always listen and have an open heart and mind. As the mayor, I would help facilitate progress but work closely with the voting council. It’s about teamwork and listening to council concerns and concerns of residents before making decisions. If elected, I plan to treat this role as a full-time job. I want to hold regular office hours so residents can meet with me as needed. I would also like to meet with department heads weekly, and hold department meetings monthly. As my work schedule is flexible, I can also attend county networking events and strengthen our relationships with others throughout the county. This could help bring additional resources to our city and would give me the opportunity to learn from other leaders’ experience as well. I plan to dedicate my time fully to this city.
