Douglas Essek

As a result of the recent Fredonia Republican Caucus endorsement, Village of Fredonia Trustee Douglas Essek is announcing he is running for mayor of Fredonia and he will appear on the Republican line of the ballot for the Nov. 5 election.

According to a press release sent to the OBSERVER Wednesday, Essek “will ensure that the Village Charter which is the law in Fredonia is upheld and that the proper procedures and checks and balances are followed so that the village is not put into any liability situation due to the absence of the proper procedures.”

A Fredonia trustee since being first elected in 2017 to fill a vacant seat, Essek was elected for his first four-year term in 2018.

The release states Essek “will be embarking on a ‘Listening Tour’ of the village of Fredonia in the upcoming weeks and will enlist ideas and discussion with residents to be sure that the focus of his campaign is driven by the people, for the people.”

Essek is quoted as saying, “Sometimes the right choices aren’t the easiest to make, and the residents deserve representation to fight for the tough decisions, while being transparent and upfront with the people.”

He lists major issues of concern as infrastructure, including roads, water and sewer, and economic development; and bringing business into Fredonia and retaining and growing its current businesses.

Essek’s announcement also states:

“He has been a part of many decisions; several budget processes and policy making that required him to make intelligent decisions in the best interest of the residents of Fredonia. Mr. Essek believes that ‘we as public servants work for the people and are their “voice” in the decisions that are made.’ He believes in these philosophies and demonstrates this while he has been a trustee by making positive contributions to the village by way of his acts and decisions.

“Doug has shown through his votes and in many discussions that he will not back down from his beliefs and will represent the people in the village, while following the rules and laws that need to be adhered to. Doug is a proven leader, not a follower. Under his leadership as Mayor of Fredonia, Doug will ensure that our Village Charter is upheld.

“Trustee Essek has pushed for transparency; making fiscally sound decisions and not placing the residents of the village in questionable or risky situations in financial, legal or liability areas. He feels that for any decisions that need to be made, you must be completely educated on both sides of the issue from reliable sources in order to make the right decision that may affect the village today, tomorrow or for future generations to come.

“As a result, he has had to ask the hard questions and continues to seek the truth on the many topics that the board faces in order to move this village forward. There are always two sides to every story and asking questions is imperative to making sound decisions.

The release concludes, “Throughout the past two and a half years as a trustee, Mr. Essek has continued to be very involved in his many organizations that he is associated with. He encourages residents to attend meetings, public hearings and most importantly, make sure that they are registered to vote, and vote, to ensure that each resident voice is heard. These are the simplest ways that residents can make sure their concerns are heard.”