One of the most unusual election races this year is for the Johnson City Mayor.
Acting Mayor Dennis Hannon and George Kolba are squaring off.
And, yet right now they don't even know if they would serve a full-term if elected.
Because on election day voters could decide to dissolve Johnson City.
And, in that case, the winner's job would be to help the village into the Town of Union.
Former Johnson City Police Chief, Dennis Hannon, was put in the village's top spot earlier this year after Mayor Harry Lewis stepped down.
Hannon says, "During my time as trustee and since I've taken over for former Mayor Lewis, we've really tightened our belts. We've got spending under control. We have more work to do and have a long ways to go but we have corrected and continue to correct numerous problems. Whether it be related to the budget and finances or problems in our individual departments whether from mismanagement or individual conduct."
As he said, there is a lot more to tackle.
For instance, the village is about 8 years behind on doing some infrastructure work to the tune of hundreds of thousands of dollars, including on sidewalks.
As for dissolution...
Hannon says, "I believe dissolution is not the only answer. I think there are other options as I referred to earlier like tightening our belt, doing things differently than we ever have before."
An example of that is looking at sharing more services, especially for police and fire protection which takes up about 70 percent of JC's general fund.
One example that is already in place - JC and Endicott are sharing a fire chief.
On the Republican side is George Kolba.
He's worked for the village as a trustee and county legislator and also owns his own construction business.
He says, no doubt about it - times are tough.
Kolba says, "There is no more product to cut in the Village of Johnson city. I've studied that quite well. Everything has to do with salaries. The first thing probably is to sit down with unions and go over pay scales and that. I've talked with them already and they said they would be willing to sit down."
Kolba wants the village to look at selling water, possibly to gas drilling companies and to at least look at the idea of selling its share of the Binghamton-Johnson City Joint Sewage Treatment Plant.
Another idea - the village might be better off financially if it takes a more active roll in road work instead of contracting it out.
On dissolution...
Kolba says, "Right now I don't want to give an opinion because that is for the people and this going to be hard on them. They've got to do it according to their pocketbook.
But, also look at the services they get.
