Fredonia-Pomfret Democratic Association

CHUCK CORNELL

Chuck Cornell was first elected to the Legislature in 2005 representing the north side of the City of Jamestown.  He has served as Majority Leader, Chair of the Planning and Economic Development Committee, and member of the Audit and Control Committee.  As a fresman legislator, he led the effort to eliminate the county tax on residential energy, cut county spending, reduce property taxes, cut the gasoline tax, improve the county's housing stock, and make government more efficient and less costly.  He also led the effort to enact a county hiring freeze.

In his tenure as a legislator he has supported the reduction in the size of the County Legislature, the elimination of taxpayer funded health insurance for legislators, the elimination of the County Comptroller's Office and funding to clean up Chautauqua Lake.  He opposed a salary increase for the County Executive position.  Cornell also enacted legislation to create the county's first countywide housing task force and housing trust fund.

Devoting his career to public service, Cornell was appointed County Executive Mark Thomas' assistant during Thomas' first term before moving to Washington, DC where he worked for United States Senator Carl Levin and Congressman Paul Kanjorski.  At the time of his legislature election in 2005, he served as the Clerk of the County Legislature, a position he held for two years.

Prior to working in the County Executive's Office, Cornell staffed a New York State Senator while residing in Albany.  This past year Cornell directed the Center for Rural Regional Development and Governance at SUNY Fredonia.  He has served as an adjunct faculty member at SUNY Fredonia and Jamestown Community College.  In addition, Cornell has been a stay-at-home father where he has helped raise his three boys.

He is a past board member of the Chautauqua County Industrial Development Agency, the Manufacturing Technology Institute, the Greater Jamestown Empire Zone, and the Chautauqua County Parks Commission.  He is currently a member of the Knights of Columbus and a Past member of the Jamestown Kiwanis Club.  He and his family are parishioners of Holy Apostles Roman Catholic Church.

Cornell earned a Masters Degree in Public Administration from the Rockefeller College at SUNY Albany, his Bachelors Degree in Management from SUNY Geneseo and his Associates Degree in Bussiness Administration from Jamestown Community College.

He resides in Jamestown with his wife Lori and his three sons, Benjamin (3), Nathaniel (2) and Zachary (1).  He and his wife are expecting their fourth child in September.

Please feel free to visit his campaign site at www.cornellforcountyexecutive.com

REBECCA E. WHITE

Rebecca is seeking the position of Legislator for Election District 6 representing residents in the Town of Stockton and the Town of Pomfret Election Districts 7, 8 and 9.  This seat currently held by John Runkle.  She is a fourth generation resident of Chautauqua County.  Rebecca is an early childhood educator who has successfully owned and operated Make New Friends Day Carae for nineteen years.

Rebecca earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from SUNY Fredonia and an Associate in Applied Science from Jamestown Community College.

She currently serves as a public policy representative for the Chautauqua County affiliate to the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).  She works closely with the New York State Association for the Education of Young Children and Winning Beginning NY which is a statewide coalition working to inform policy-makers and the public about the many benefits of early care and learning to children, families and society.  She has served as a member of several Chautauqua County boards.  Rebecca is also a member of the League of Women Voters.

Some of her goals as County Legislator will be to do her best to ease the tax burden in this county and be aggressive in creating more opportunity and prosperity for all our residents.

Rebecca and her husband, Charles (Chip) are parents of two children a son Jesse and a daughter Cheyenne.

DAVID F. KLEPAREK 

David F. Kleparaek of 183 Chestnut St, Fredonia, NY announced he will be seeking re-election to the Chautauqua County Legislature, District #24 Fredonia-Pomfret.  He has served two years in that position to date, where he was first elected in 2008.  He has been the Assistant Chairman to the majority party and a member of the Public Facilities Committee in his first year in office and a member of the Public Services Committee in his second year in office.  Prior to working at the County level, he was a Councilman in the Town of Pomfret for thirteen years.  As amember of the Council he was intrumental in the Parks and Recreation area, where he worked to maintain programs, obtain funding and seek new equipment for all town playgrounds.  He was also a member of the Recreation Committee and had played a role in the Russell Joy 5 Year Renovation Project.

Besides politics Dave is production Supervisor for Special Metals in Dunkirk, and a former BOCES employee working with youth in the School to Work Program and Tech Prep activities.  His wife is owner/operatior of Facial Expressions.  They have three grown children.  He is a member of St Anthony's Parish where he serves as a lector and past president of the Church Council.  He is also a member of the Fredonia Beaver Club.

"As a Legislator, it is important to listen and react to the needs of your constituents.  I am committed providing the service and working dilligently for the area residents in terms of legislative staff reductions, controlling taxing and improving job creation to keep residents from leaving our county.  It is also very important to support Travel and Tourism to our wonderful county so others may see what Chautauqua County has to offer and also spend time and money here.  It is important to relieve the tax burden on all those who work and live in the county and I will do my best to keep those items at the fore front of business."

JOHN P. GULLO II

John P. Gullo II is a lifelong Fredonia resident.  He graduataed from Fredonia High School in 1983 and went on to Canisius College where he received degrees in History and Political Science.  He received his law degree in 1990 from the Boston University School of Law, at which point he returned to the area.  He practiced law for 5 years at the Law Firm of Damon and Morey in Buffalo before returning home and opening his own practice in Fredonia in 1995. Gullo Law Office is located at 221 Central Avenue in the Historic Otto Hakes House.

John is committed to reducing the cost of government as one of the centerpieces of his campaign.  He also stresses the importance of returning government to the founding fathers' intentions.  He believes that "Government service should be normal people, from all walks of life, offering to serve the community in goverment and then returning to their normal life after a short time."  He believes service in public office should not be about what the public servant receives, and it should not be about power.  Rather, public officials should focus on serving their community and the people they represent.  You can read more about John at http://www.starnewsdaily.com/local/local.php?display=detail&id=6db1d6831f457e98220366a8f7c9b6f0  and http://www.starnewsdaily.com/news/local.php?display=detail&id=5734f3669b37e2cb9b04124c741bff31  web site of the Chautauqua Star.  If you wish to speak with John, or help on the campaign, he can be reached at 716-679-0100.  You can see more and updates at www.tiny.cc//gulloforlegislator and http://twitter.com//vote4gullo.

John is an active member of the community.  He has served on a number of community Boards, including service as a President of the Boys & Girls Club, President of the United Way of Northern Chautauqua County and he is a long time Board Member of Chautauqua County Rural Ministry.  He was also appointed by County Executives Mark Thomas and Greg Edwards to serve as the Chairman of the Chautauqua County Ethics Board.  For the past four years, Mr. Gullo has been associated with the Political Science Department of SUNY Fredonia and an instructor in the field of Law.

John is married to the former Michelle Mathews, and they have five children, Anna (age 10), Joseph (age 6), Madonnina (age 6), Gianna (age 4) and Jena (age 2).  He is the son of Joseph and Barbara Gullo of Fredonia and has five siblings, Vince, Joseph II, Gia, Luke and Jena.  John says "My family is a little bit of the past of Fredonia and a little bit of its future.  I need to do my part for that future."  "We need to make progress over politics."