Town Board Shuffle: Four Town of Ithaca Incumbents Run for Reelection, but Not Necessarily for the Same Seats
Town of Ithaca Supervisor Bill Goodman is stepping down from his position at the end of his term this year, but he’s not stepping far. Goodman plans to run for another four-year term as a Town Board member, a position he held for two terms before becoming supervisor. Goodman announced his intention to remain on the board for one more term to provide continuity while cutting back on the full-time duties of supervisor in order to take time for travel and family care. Goodman is an active resident of EcoVillage and has served on its board. He also served on the boards of the Empire State Pride Agenda and Alternatives Federal Credit Union.
(Bill Goodman)
Stepping up to run for supervisor will be Rod Howe, who has served on the Town Board for one and a half terms – he was first appointed to fill a vacancy – part of which was also in the role of deputy supervisor. Earlier, he served on the town’s Planning Board. Howe has headed up the town’s Economic Development Committee, focusing on the Inlet Valley/Rt. 13 area bordering the city, and serves on the town’s Planning Committee, Public Works Committee, and Personnel and Organization Committee. For the past four years, Howe has been the executive director of The History Center in Tompkins County. A long-term resident of Forest Home, he was previously with Cornell Cooperative Extension and executive director of the Community and Regional Development Institute.
(Rod Howe)
Rounding out the proposed ticket – and hoping to stay in place – are Eric Levine, in his third term on the Town Board, and Pamela Bleiwas, a relative newcomer, finishing her first.
(Eric Levine)
Levine previously served on the town’s Zoning Board of Appeals. As chair of the town’s Budget Committee, Levine has successfully helped keep the town’s bond rating high, its debt low, and its infrastructure well maintained, while dealing with the state-mandated tax cap. Levine is also a member of the town’s Codes and Ordinances Committee, served on the deer management working group, and is active on youth- and recreation-related intermunicipal boards. He lives with his family on Coddington Road on South Hill. Levine is CEO of Alternatives Federal Credit Union and has been active in determining the living wage rate for Tompkins County workers.
(Pamela Bleiwas)
Pamela Bleiwas chairs the town’s Personnel and Organization Committee and was also a member of the town’s working group on deer management. A resident of the local area for 24 years, Bleiwas is an attorney who represents children and indigent adults, and is active in several organizations, including the Women’s Fund Committee of the Community Foundation, the SPCA of Tompkins County (past president of the Board of Directors), and the Kitchen Theatre Company. She lives on West Hill with her husband and their two rescue dogs.
Town Board members are elected at-large (unlike in the city and county, where legislators represent districts). The seven members (counting the supervisor) serve for four years, with terms staggered every two years for half the board. All members of the current board are Democrats.
Anyone interested in running on the Democratic line for Ithaca Town Board is encouraged to contact Town of Ithaca Democratic Committee Chair Linda Hoffmann at linda.hoffmann@hotmail.com.
