MARK DAVIES
ONEONTA COMMON COUNCIL, WARD 2
COMMUNITY OF RESIDENCE: Oneonta 2nd Ward
EDUCATION:
Ed.D. Educational Foundations, Rutgers University
M.Ed. Rutgers University
B.A. Stockton University
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE: Professor of Education, Hartwick College (17 Years); High School Social Studies Teacher (8 Years)
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT:
Environmental Board – 2013-present
Chair of the Environmental Board – 2015-present
Sustainability Task Force Chairperson – 2010-2015
County-wide Composting Project 2014-present
County Energy Task Force, Co-Chair Environment Sub-Committee – 2019-present
City Comprehensive Planning Committee – 2017-2019
Board Member, Center for Agricultural Development and Entrepreneurship (CADE) – 2017-present.
Board Member, Otsego County Conservation Association (OCCA) – 2009-2013
Oneonta Soccer Club Coach 2007-2011
FAMILY: Married to Diana Portalatin for 29 years; son, Kai (22); daughter, Marly (20)
PHILOSOPHY OF GOVERNMENT:
Elected officials need to represent the people and make decisions that are in the best interest of the people and enhance their quality of life.
MAJOR ISSUES FACING CITY OF ONEONTA:
Oneonta faces challenges in the years ahead:
- With an aging infrastructure, updates and improvements need to take place.
- Family housing is disappearing in the city, we need to explore strategies to increase middle-income and family housing to attract more families to Oneonta.
- In order to attract businesses to Oneonta, we need to develop and implement a strategic plan for business development.
- Given the realities of climate change, we need to vigilantly protect the environmental health of our community and reduce our carbon footprint.
MY QUALITIES:
I look for opportunities to collaborate with people, which often requires moving beyond differences and working to find common ground. I start from a position of respect for all people in all of my interactions. I enjoy the challenge of solving problems through developing creative or logical solutions. I have always been guided by the simple idea that we have a responsibility to do what is best for people and best for the environment; because the people in our lives and the places we live are most valuable.
STATEMENT:
I’m running for Common Council because I am deeply committed to serving the community, addressing our challenges, and working to secure a high quality of life for all community members without sacrificing our environmental health now and into the future.