OBSERVER Photo by Braden Carmen Nancy Wickmark announced her candidacy for mayor of Cassadaga through a write-in campaign at the latest Village Board meeting.

CASSADAGA — Nancy Wickmark is no stranger to speaking during Village Board meetings. At the latest meeting, however, it was not an update on the New York Forward Grant Committee, the Cassadaga Lakes Association, or the Comprehensive Plan that Wickmark spoke about – it was her candidacy for mayor of Cassadaga.

Wickmark announced she is pursuing the role of Village Mayor through a write-in campaign. She will run alongside Mayor Bill Dorman, who will be seeking election as a Village Trustee via write-in.

“We think that this is a good combination because it can have synergy with what is currently going on,” Wickmark said. “… It also continues with the momentum that we have going in the village.”

Wickmark and Dorman are running with the slogan of Pro-Cassadaga – meaning they support local businesses, local families, and active living in the community.

Prior to Wickmark’s announcement, it appeared that the Village Board only had two candidates for its vacancies. Rudy Abersold is the only candidate for Village Mayor registered with the Chautauqua County Board of Directors, while Jeff Frick is the only registered candidate for an open Village Trustee seat. Both registered candidates are members of the Republican Party.

The trouble with the Village Board is that it is set to have three openings – one at Mayor and two Trustees. Dorman’s term as Mayor expires this year, as do the terms of Trustees Cindy Flaherty and Danna DuBois. Both Flaherty and DuBois have not expressed a desire to remain on the Board past their current terms.

With the latest announcement from Wickmark and Dorman, the residents of Cassadaga have a choice to make – to keep Dorman on the Board as a Trustee and elect Wickmark as Mayor in his current spot, or to elect the two registered Republican candidates, Abersold and Frick.

If the registered candidates are elected, the new Board will be tasked with appointing a Village Trustee to fill the remaining vacancy, whether that be Wickmark, Dorman, or anyone else the Board chooses.

Flaherty also highlighted later in the meeting that the Village has openings on the Board of Ethics, the Planning Board, and the Zoning Board of Appeals. The Village also has several groups and committees that hold regular meetings regarding community involvement, including the Citizens for a Better Cassadaga. Residents should contact the Village Board and the Village Clerk’s Office for more information about how to serve on any of the Village’s boards or committees.